Rospeath Lane - BR(WR) Engine Shed

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Could I use some Phosphor Bronze Rail?

Entry posted by Yan in Track January 31, 2021

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A couple of days ago I tweaked my back which has hampered progress on baseboard construction. To keep a modicum of momentum going on this project I looked around for some light duties.

I’d been kindly given some used Phosphor Bronze track, unfortunately as it’s mainly in short lengths I’ll not be able to use it for standard 60ft sections of track. It would be a shame to discard them so I started to mull over how to justify their use. I vaguely remembered reading something about the GWR using shorter sections of track prior to standardising on 60ft sections. Then found, in Stephen Williams’s book Great Western Branch Line Modelling - Part One, that after 1929 the GWR started to use 60ft rail sections on the main lines replacing the previous shorter 44ft 6in sections. After a little further research on the internet I discovered a good article by Stuart Hince on the Templot site http://templot.com/martweb/pdf_files/gwr_track_panels.pdf which confirmed this and also describing how to create these 44ft 6in sections in Templot.

So how could I justify 44ft 6in sections of track on my model? My thinking is, in my fictitious twist on history, when this area was being redeveloped in the 1930s any reclaimed 44ft 6in rail was reused by the thrifty GWR in the construction of the sidings. After all, these sidings might not have seen much traffic so would be on the rusty side which phosphor Bronze track can depict. The thought then was, do I have enough rail? This prompted me to open Templot and use Stuart Hince’s article to redraw the three sidings at the front of the layout with 44ft 6in sections and 18 sleepers in each.

The track bases were of thin plastic with 3 bolt chairs and not in the best of condition. Also as my preference is to use 1.5mm thick plywood sleepers I stripped all the rails off the bases. The rails were then laid on the revised plan of the sidings matching each 44ft 6in section.

It looks like there are enough, especially as I found another short section of track when emptying the turntable storage box. Next task will be to clean all the rails as they have been heavily weathered.

Excellent, this might not be prototypical for 1959 but it might have been possible…

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brossard 6,115

Posted January 31, 2021

It looks like you are doing some amazing modelling. I've had PB rail before and pondered what to do with it. My answer was to do nothing. It looks awful to me. The old saying about a pen'orth of tar comes to mind. If it were me I'd get some NS rail.

John

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Richard Jones 172

Posted January 31, 2021

My inclination would be, definitely use it, but in hidden sections or fiddle yard......

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Yan 273

Posted January 31, 2021

Thanks guys. I have used phosphor bronze rail a long time ago on a fledgling EM gauge layout. The rail should clean up, if it doesn't look as expected there will just be a few chairs lost. I think it's worth a try.

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Blog Information

Rospeath Lane is being built as an entry into Scalefour Society's Jubilee Challenge

JubileeChallengeRules (1).pdf

Layout Back Story

This is a fictional project based on "what if" some proposed railways in the Penzance area were constructed. My thoughts are as follows.

In April and May 1898 two applications were made under the Light Railways Act 1896: one for a route of 21 miles between Penzance and St. Just via Newlyn and Sancreed; the second, a proposal made by the Lands End and Great Western Joint for a 20.5 mile route from Marazion to Sennen also via Sancreed .

The route between Penzance and Newlyn was to be operated by an electric railway running along the quayside and promenade. Steam power along this section was deemed to be too disruptive for the hotels and tourist attractions on route. The line would then be operated by steam between Newlyn and St. Just. The route between Marazion and Sennen would Serve Heamoor (Hea), Sancreed and St.Buryan. Both proposals were rejected with a couple of reasons given being: there was no connection between the two routes at Sancreed; and the mileage of the two routes did not justify two separate administrations.

In November 1898 both proposals were resubmitted with amendments. This time at a local inquiry held in Penzance on the 30th/31st January 1899. The inquiry found in favour of the Penzance, Newlyn and West Cornwall which was duly approved. The record states: “The two schemes were competitive schemes to serve the same district, and were heard together at the local inquiry, The attitude of local authorities and landowners was generally against the Lands End, St Just and Great Western Junction scheme, and in favour of the Penzance, Newlyn and West Cornwall scheme which was accordingly approved. An Order was submitted to the Board of Trade on the 17th May 1899.” (1)

At first I thought, what a pity, but then the approved scheme was not built. What if the decision went the other way especially as the Penzance hoteliers seemed to be against the Penzance to Newlyn section being operated by steam. I would have thought that the electric railway section may have struggled with heavy fish traffic from Newlyn, let alone the complication of changing from steam to electric power for such a short distance. So my thoughts are that the Lands End, St. Just and Great Western junction scheme was approved with a junction at Sancreed for Newlyn. This scheme would require a junction east of Marazion for these lines running west of Penzance.

So looking along the mainline east of Marazion for terrain that might fit my initial plan I came across the area south of Crowlas where Rospeath lane crosses the mainline. Perfect … so I’m proposing the junction would have been east of Marazion level crossing about where the current A394 crosses the mainline

A station with sidings similar to Marazion or Gwinear Road would have been constructed between the junction and Rospeath Lane Bridge. An Engine Shed would have been constructed near Crowlas to serve Penzance, St. Just, Sennen and Newlyn. Then the original engine shed would have been rebuilt and extended in the 1930s by the GWR using loans provided by the Government to relieve unemployment.

This, to me anyway, would make sense that a locomotive shed and storage yards would have been created here rather than Long Rock and Marazion. Traffic generated from the St. Just and Sennen would have included China Clay, fish traffic from Newlyn, along with the seasonal broccoli and potatoes crops. With Marazion having generous sidings to cope with the latter two crops, my thoughts are these sidings would have been located at the new junction in this area rather than Marazion.

*(1) Information taken from the Light Railways Act 1896, 31st December 1899 report.

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Rospeath Lane - BR(WR) Engine Shed

Could I use some Phosphor Bronze Rail?

3 Comments

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brossard 6,115

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Richard Jones 172

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Yan 273

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