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GWR weighbridge office


Mikkel

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A weighbridge has appeared at Farthing. It began as a kit, but in the end much of it was scratchbuilt. Here's a summary of the build.

 

 

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This was the point of departure, a lasercut kit from Rail Model. A little research showed that it is based on the prototype at Leckhampton, a drawing of which appears in the EricPlans volume on GWR and LMS structures. 

 

 

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The kit is nicely cut, but I noticed that the corners weren’t mitred. So I sought to remedy this with a file. Bad idea! The MDF edges began to crumble. My mistake.

 

 

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I eventually decided to cut a new ‘skin’ from SE finecast brick sheet. This also changed the brickwork from Flemish to English bond, thereby bringing it into line with other brick structures at Farthing. 

 

 

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Perhaps I should have built a whole new inner core while I was at it, but I like the idea that the original kit is still in there.  

 

  

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 A bit of rudimentary furniture.  

 

 

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Also a rough outline of the scales - a Pooley design, using bits of styrene and glue brush handles.

 

 

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Bird's eye view of the interior. Frankly, almost none of it can be seen from outside! Regarding the blue distemper, see the discussion here – including Tim V.’s interesting photos.

  

 

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 I decided to make the roof detacahable in case something inside comes loose, or I want to add some staff. 

 

  

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Some GWR weighbridges had sliding windows. Some offices had six panes per window, others had four.  The windows supplied in the Rail Model kit provide for this. They’re a bit deep though. Sanding them down is an option, but I didn’t fancy the MDF dust. 

  

  

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 So I drew up new windows in Inkscape and cut them on my Silhouette. I had some trouble getting the ‘crosses’ neat. 

 

 

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A trial fit of the main windows. A closer study of GWR weighbridge offices show that details differ in almost every case. The windows on the Leckhampton structure were positioned relatively high compared to other designs, and centrally rather than off-set to one side.  

 

 

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The roof slates were cut from self-adhesive vinyl on the Silhouette, as per the stable block. Once again thanks to Lee for this tip.

 

 

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Inspired by @Dave John (a.k.a. the Magnet Man) I stuck a magnet under the roof. That way I can lift it off without damaging anything. 

 

 

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Gutters from Wills, and some downpipes fashioned from brass wire.

 

 

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The door opens inwards. Makes it harder for those Midland Railway rogues to barricade it from the outside. 

 

 

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A 'warts and all' view of the window end. The Leckhampton structure was unusual here: Most GWR weighbridge offices had no window in the end wall, or just a small one.  The Leckhampton building had blue bricks at the base, common but not universal. I decided to go for plain red bricks in order to match the stable block. 

 

 

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Trial fit on the layout. I'll have to shift the whole thing further into the yard, so that the staff can better access the door. Slight planning c*ck-up there!

 

 

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The weighbridge itself is a Smith etch of a Pooley design. The instructions say it is based on the one at Knightwick, installed 'around 1889'.

 

That's it for now. Thanks to everyone who helped with information! 

 

Edited by Mikkel

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  • RMweb Gold

Thanks Kit, I'm glad you say that, as I am trying to achieve the look of more or less simultaneously built structures.

 

This area of the facilities at Farthing was developed some time in the early 1900s, i.e. later than the 'Old Yard' featured on another layout.

 

Edited by Mikkel
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Thanks Dave. Not too happy with the paintwork, but it's really only in these close-ups that I see it. 

 

I was interested to find how many detail differences there were when you start looking closer at these little structures. As discussed in the workbench thread, even the standard design had at least two overall 'variants' (simple and more elaborate brickwork), but apart from that it's possible to see differences in virtually every single one of them. Doors and windows in particular were adapted to fit the local setting.

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Found this lovely photo today. Paddington Goods 1926. Looks as if the horses in the foreground are being carefully manouvered to avoid the weighbridge. Note the absence of a rail alongside the weighbridge. It does not seem to have been a requirement, especially in the pre-grouping years.

 

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Source: Getty images. Embedding permitted.

 

I have been browsing photos to see if I could find any evidence of the GWR's own horse-drawn vehicles ever being weighed. No luck yet. I suppose it would mostly have been non-GWR vehicles, although a large single shipment carried on a GWR carriage could have been weighed this way (if you see what I mean). 

 

Edit: Although having said that, this companion photo just turned up. But is that a GWR wagon? And is it being weighed? It was taken during the General Strike, so this is not necessairly business as usual.

 

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Source: Getty images. Embedding permitted.

 

Edited by Mikkel
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Marvellous images - I've seen them before, but was unaware embedding was permitted. (I guess that's Getty Images way of accepting they never really owned the picture copyright in the first place!)

 

Just a thought though - what would be the point of weighing a cart with stacked up cases on it (whose contents would be known in the cartage instructions)?

 

 

 

 

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Wheelbarrows Miss Prism. 

 

If the weight is not what an experienced yard foreman might expect then what else is under that tarp ? 

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Beautiful little piece of workmanship.  I had no idea about Silhouette cutters, are they easy to operate and how much are they etc?  Whatever it is, it’s done a brilliant job on those windows and tiles.   The prototype pictures are wonderful, but that image of yours of the two wagons beyond the weight bridge is just so enticing of what is yet to come.  Lastly, how have you created those brilliant cobbles for the yard?  Meticulously executed as per usual. 

 

Mike.

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I thought that for mixed loads (eg crates ) the weighbridge would be used to ensure that the total weight of the cart or vehicle did not exceed local or UK regulations, or if the health of the horses was considered, whether the local roads and hills limited sensible demands on the beasts. 

For bulk loads (coal, coke, sand etc.) the  total weight of the cart / vehicle less tare weight would be shown on a delivery note, and be used to calculate an invoice cost.

On the works weighbridge, dedicated to rail supplies, which was close to my office, the wagons were recorded and weight checked on the way into the works yard and the tare of the empty wagons checked on being returned to the material supplier.

The weighbridge office, mentioned above, had its door (opening inwards) alongside the window overlooking the weighing deck . 

An unusual feature / cameo would be the presence of a gang checking the accuracy of the scales. Pooley & Sons had a dedicated lorry carrying several tons of weights for these checks.

   

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Most interesting Don. I thought weighbridges were only used for weighing incoming shipments, but if I understand you correctly they were also for regulating max total loads. Which means that not only private carters, but also the GWR's own  horse-drawn vehicles would appear on the weighbridge.

 

In the second photo above a man seems to be talking through the window. First time I have seen a photo of the sliding window in use.  Incidentally, note the way the load has been suspended in that cart without a tarp. I wonder what it is.

 

Edited by Mikkel
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9 hours ago, PaternosterRow said:

Beautiful little piece of workmanship.  I had no idea about Silhouette cutters, are they easy to operate and how much are they etc?  Whatever it is, it’s done a brilliant job on those windows and tiles.   The prototype pictures are wonderful, but that image of yours of the two wagons beyond the weight bridge is just so enticing of what is yet to come.  Lastly, how have you created those brilliant cobbles for the yard?  Meticulously executed as per usual. 

 

Mike.

 

Many thanks Mike!

 

Regarding the Silhouette, this thread is a good place to start: 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/79025-a-guide-to-using-the-silhouette-cameo-cutter/

 

The arched cobbles were made using a roller, as described in the workbench thread here: 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/97672-pragmatic-pre-grouping-mikkels-workbench/page/67/&tab=comments#comment-3580069

 

The setts were described here: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blogs/entry/23431-when-in-danger-or-in-doubt-progress-on-the-fourth-bite/

 

Edited by Mikkel
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3 hours ago, Mikkel said:

In the crop here a man seems to be talking through the window.

Let’s hope so: the alternative is that he has been caught short...

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12 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Cheers, Mikkel

 

I went back over your blog and caught up a bit and looked at how you made that brilliant cobbled surface (giving me ideas again!).  You must have been a bit fraught when you had to downsize the boards for your house move!  I recoiled in horror when stumbling across the picture of the saw half way through Farthing.  However, it seems to have turned out well - a bit like watching a magician sawing someone in half, no real damage just a clever trick!  

I shall read the stuff about the cutter with interest - thanks again for the info.  

 

Mike.

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On 23/09/2020 at 18:38, DonB said:

I thought that for mixed loads (eg crates ) the weighbridge would be used to ensure that the total weight of the cart or vehicle did not exceed local or UK regulations, or if the health of the horses was considered, whether the local roads and hills limited sensible demands on the beasts. 

 

On 23/09/2020 at 21:59, Mikkel said:

Which means that not only private carters, but also the GWR's own  horse-drawn vehicles would appear on the weighbridge.

 

Found a photo with a caption to illustrate your point, Don - although this is a motor vehicle. Looks like there's justification for having a railway company's own vehicle on the weighbridge then.

 

 

Source: Getty Images. Embedding permitted

 

"Weighbridge, St Pancras goods yard, London, December 1933.
Goods such as stone, coal and lime had to be weighed before being transported so that the railway companies knew how much they were carrying and could charge the customer accordingly. Lorries also had to be checked to ensure that they were loaded within legal limits. The machines were checked and balanced each day to ensure that they were accurate. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)."

 

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Edited by Mikkel
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On 24/09/2020 at 11:07, PaternosterRow said:

Cheers, Mikkel

 

I went back over your blog and caught up a bit and looked at how you made that brilliant cobbled surface (giving me ideas again!).  You must have been a bit fraught when you had to downsize the boards for your house move!  I recoiled in horror when stumbling across the picture of the saw half way through Farthing.  However, it seems to have turned out well - a bit like watching a magician sawing someone in half, no real damage just a clever trick!  

I shall read the stuff about the cutter with interest - thanks again for the info.  

 

Mike.

 

Hi Mike, the downsizing exercise has worked out fine so far. I won't deny though that it would be nice to have a means of letting the locos stretch their legs a bit more. Am therefore increasingly thinking in modular terms, so that I can also combine the layouts during special running sessions.  Not that it's easy to 'retro-design' a track plan so that 4 small layouts can be combined in a sensible way!

 

Regarding the Silhouette, it has become a standard part of my toolbox now.  I just have the small original Cameo version, which doesn't take up much space. It cuts most of the sizes I need, and I have found that, in a pinch, two cutting mats can be combined for longer cuts, as seen here.

 

 

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Mind you, I think that some 3D printing enthusiasts will consider it an already obsolete technology!

 

Edited by Mikkel
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  • RMweb Gold

Superb Mikkel! 
 

Great to see you posting again :good:

 

A lovely project beautifully detailed and executed...look forward to the next instalment....

 

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Many thanks Pete! And thanks for looking in, always appreciated. 

 

Yes the blog has been a bit quiet, it's one of those periods with lots of things underway but nothing much getting completed! 

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