Researching the structures I'm wanting to build is always an enjoyable part of the hobby for me. Unfortunately if you are trying to build something that has been demolished you are left to scouring the internet for photos, the odd scaled drawing, and perhaps a book on the subject if you are lucky. One online article that has proved a mine of visual information and reference in planning for this project has been http://www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk/ and an article on the Admiralty Pier Train Ferry linkspan by Nigel Thornton (http://www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk/admiralty-pier-train-ferry-berth/).

I'd forgotten the link which I had come across a couple of years ago when planning the layout but after a quick internet search have just found it again. And not a moment too soon as I attempt to scratch build the linkspan winding house that sits above the bridges. The images show just what an incredible bit of civil engineering this structure was, and what a shame it saw only 8 years service before being demolished and its remains dumped in the old exchange sidings before being cut up for scrap. It would be interesting to know whether the investment actually had time to pay for itself in revenue from freight traffic! (Probably not). Not even sure whether train ferry traffic was profitable at all. Does anyone know? 

There are some nice images of the Nord-pas-de-Calais actually tied up to the dockside which is useful reference. Most photos linked to the train ferry that I can find on the internet unsurprisingly concentrate on the locomotives and rolling stock coming on and off the linkspan with the structure very much a background object (such as the header image to this entry). In an age of 35mm Kodacolor film when each shot was potentially costly (not only in film but processing as well) you chose your shoots carefully. These days with 32 gigs in a standard digital camera we can 'click' away to our hearts content! Its not surprising with the train ferry operating in an age before digital cameras that those taking pictures around here (primarily train enthusiasts) would concentrate their hard earned negatives on the railway rather than ship!

Another useful reference was the scale drawing of the Nord-pas-de-Calais. In my day job I use AutoCAD so was able to take this image, import it and scale it to the correct length (based on the Wikipedia entry for the ship) and then trace its outline. This then formed the template I drew out on plywood for the rear of the ferry on the layout. some additional photos of the ferry I managed to find also assisted

(Whilst not in dock this is still a useful reference image of the deck arrangement of the ferry that's helping me to detail all the paraphernalia you would find on the Nord-pas-de-Calais. It also help me get the chimney widths better arranged (although mine aren't completely accurate due to scale width limitations). I also really like the vehicle deck surfacing detail here with the tie down points, yellow linings and tyre marks I assume from the ports own yard tractor units taking off unaccompanied semi-trailers. I bought a Kato n-gauge yard tractor from Osborns Models a couple of years ago and it might work nicely as a little cameo on the layout parked up ready to collect semi-trailers off the ferry. 

(N gauge Kato yard tractor - Might need some Sealink branding to make it fit in)

That's all for now - Thanks for reading

Paul