HillsideDepot

Returning to the ferries, classing them as a "loco" makes sense as they are moving wagons from one TOPS location to another, just like a loco. Presumably wagons moving via the ferry were allocated to a "train" to allow TOPS to correctly locate and relocate them.

Penzance is a location which is heavily influencing my big layout project, still at the planning stage, so I am following along here with great interest. One of the websites which has yielded much information is the Cornwall Railway Society and the galleries therein (I'm also drawing on elements of Newquay and Barnstaple, both of which they cover) and they have a photo of the real signal in question from July 1974, just after the layout was resignalled. http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/uploads/7/6/8/3/7683812/_1767584_orig.jpg Another useful site is The Eric Curnow Collection, and he has the signalling notice posted. Arguably 1974 is mid-70's rather than early-70s, but these sources may be of interest.

I've had a professional input to two of the many RYRF schemes, namely Lydeway (Devizes Gateway) and Corsham. My role has been to advise on connecting bus services, especially important for Lydeway as it is several miles away from Devizes which it purports to serve. Incidentally "Gateway" is used because the previous used "Parkway" term is now longer considered sustainable as it encourages car use, whereas a Gateway includes cycling and buses. Except in the case of Lydeway it very much seemed to be "we [the railway] will build the station, you [the local authority] will provided the cycle route and bus service", they couldn't even say who owned the old railway they suggested could be used as the cycle route. While in the case of Corsham it was more a case of calling the present bus service rubbish to justify the station, yet wanting that same bus service to bring lots of people, via a 8 minute detour, to the new station having removed all the revenue from the longer distance passengers from what is currently a commercially viable route. Lydeway was also dependent on a lot of track redesign work at Westbury to accommodate the reversal of the trains which would serve Lydeway (an extension of the then Paddington, now Newbury to Bedwyn services). The cost of this design work, even without the physical work seemed to be a stumbling block (I did think about offering to fire up my copy of AnyRail and design a layout, but I doubt they'd use Peco geometry!). There were numerous other issues, none of which were show stoppers, but a combination of several, let alone all, meant the scheme quietly faded away. Corsham seems to still be progressing, but I am very much on the periphery of the project, so not kept informed of progress. Suffice to say, while the trains still whiz through non-stop the 'awful' bus service has just seen an increase of frequency with new express journeys, and the family owned company which runs it is just taking delivery of four band new buses. It was certainly very interesting to be involved in both schemes, but a little surprising that Network Rail don't have a "How to design a station" book from which to work as everything seemed new to the team involved. Besides me working on the bus side of things there were council colleagues working in Rights of Way (a foot crossing, used by horse riders, within station limits), Highways, Sustainable Transport, North Wessex Downs AONB all contributing time, but without the council receiving any of the Restoring Your Railway Fund money; that all seemed to be swallowed up by Network Rail paying itself to do things. So, a less than positive experience from where I am. I hope I'm very much in a minority and the rest of the schemes are doing much better.

My thoughts turned to the Waverley West, Princes St Gardens and Haymarket TMD thread on here as a possible solution, in particular using the Darlington station canopy as the fiddle yard entrance, as Chimer has suggested above. The avoiding lines then run between the station wall and the backscene. This is the Waverley West plan, but looking at the photos in the layout thread, you'd never guess what the trains do just beyond the visible section.

I think everyone's answer will differ, but if I may offer my thoughts as I am planning a layout around three and a half sides of a room (the airing cupboard stops me doing a full circuit, although I'm not sure 'd want to). I see this layout as a series of "small" layouts. Passenger trains will, mostly, run into the terminus do their run round (shunt released by an 08) and get on their way again. But there will be some where sleeping cars, parcel vans or Motorail flats needed to be shunted on or off. Parcels trains have their own couple of sidings, plus use of the passenger platforms as necessary, so parcel shunting is effectively a layout, albeit worked intermittently as the 08 has to go and deal with the passenger trains. Then there is a 3 road goods yard, with its own 08. This wouldn't justify its own loco except for the Goods Branch. The Goods Branch has two single siding customers (grain silo and petroleum) served on the way out, and a third with a couple of sidings (some form of works to be decided) and its own small shunter which is served on the way back. Although integral to the whole layout, this private siding complex could easily be a layout in itself. Similarly, at the end of the branch there will be a run round, an MoD (Admiralty) siding (maybe 2, I'm still debating that) and a sand/gravel siding. The terminus, again, could easily be a micro in itself, Indeed I might build that so that it could be exhibited separately. I find micro layouts great fun to operate (and watch at shows), and am keen to have self-contained operations within a bigger layout. But I will admit I do like the prospect of serving the whole goods branch with a trip working running out and back serving the various customers, rather than having a series of separate micro layouts. If I had the space, maybe I would build a continuous run mainline, but it would have to have micro layout type areas built in, and I think I'd operate them much more that I'd ever run the mainlines. But that's just me.

Thanks - London Road Loco Sidings is my micro 🙂 Loco stabling points are, understandably, popular subjects for layouts, but I was looking for something a little different to the norm. Liverpool Street, with its cramped layout, locos parked across points, and great scenic breaks on 3 sides got my attention and the layout grew from there - even if I moved it to the Western Region! It's not all diesels though, King George V was active on the Western in the 1970s Finally, a 1970's style 110 film shot!

Thanks Tim, I was trying to negotiate First's website to find the details - long gone are the days when I knew the Bath network off by heart as I'd scheduled all the driver duties for it! Faresaver also provide a 15 minute frequency from the Bus Station (Bays 6 & 7) to Lambridge (site of the aforementioned non-Park & Ride) by a combination of their X31 Chippenham, 271 Melksham and 272 Devizes services.

With the £2 fare cap, I'm planning to get the bus. And for anyone using the train to Bath, the £2 fare cap applies to buses from Bath Spa station to Larkhall as well. All buses in Bath accept contactless, saving your actual cash for cake. 🍰🧁

Sorry, not really an Arkwright figure, but a figure wearing an Arkwright type coat is Modelu 1660. I must admit I tend to unpack my figures and then file by likely uses ahead of painting them. So a "dairy worker" in overalls and wellies, painted different colours could be about to manually wash a coach. Or some of the "fishermen" range, in a different colour are ear-marked to be steam cleaning the underside of a bus. But we're wandering now, so two offerings from my camera. 37411 & 37675 get a wave as they come out of the mist and past Sprey Point with empty china clay wagons 08/08/1992 While earlier that summer, another 37/4 at the seaside is 37417 at Blackpool North with two members of staff in conversation 25/06/1992

I thought that this was possibly the attraction for Hornby, rather than anything in their range of models

Interesting little snippet that, as I've been looking at a couple of figures which Modelu intended to be warehousemen (or perhaps Arkwright style shop keepers) but which I see could be painted as Shunters or Secondmen. I know there were blue coats, and assume orange came later, but does anyone know when? I'd be doing a "heavily weathered" orange (or blue if that's what it should be), but would like to know if orange would be correct for early to mid '70s Western Region. On a related note, I have come across a photo on-line of a Shunter at Newton Abbot wearing a yellow bump cap which, whilst undated, does have a Blue pre-TOPS Peak behind him, so such headgear was already in use in, what '73/4? Not a definitive date, and certainly not safety equipment which was in common use then, but another aspect of the changing, evolving, BR scene I'd like to include on my layout.

I don't recall the date, but wasn't it when the INTERCITY Shuttle concept was introduced? As well as a regular timetable (half-hourly) they used the same pair of platforms, and (I think) part of the concept was if you just missed one the next was already in the platform and available to board.

A possible starting point for the Construction logo is to ask "how did BR do it?" Now, for this logo, hand painting would be quite easy, but it'd be easier still to use something already available, and the way it has faded in the 2nd photo doesn't suggest a hand painted version. My second question, in this case, is "why is the logo on a plate?" Sure, the logo as a transfer might sit better on a plate than on the planks of the van, but I think the plate is of relevance. I'm only guessing, but is the logo actually a depot sign? Remembering the sign at Westbury, a quick search on Flickr finds this photo by John Dedman Could it be what they used? I'll leave others to decide. If it is, does that help find a model version? Probably. As for the rest of the lettering, you might find a suitable Queen Mary transfer set from someone, but what about the lettering next to the door? Unreadable in photo 1, painted out in photo 2, but with a Mainline logo added above it. I guess it was some sort restriction on the use of the van, so you might not even want the exact wording if it includes a place name and you're modelling somewhere imaginary. Sometimes, as modellers, we have to make do with "close enough". I know that won't sit well with some but as I eventually decided when I modelled DW150144, a Tunnel Inspection Coach, what I couldn't find out in terms of detail probably nobody now knows. By completing the model and exhibiting it a few times though there was always the chance someone would say "do you know you've got X wrong?" and then fill in the missing data from personal experience for me.

My usual go-to site for DMU info is Railcar.co.uk and they have a page on set numbering, albeit the date for change from solebar plates to end numbers is a little vague.

I think the extended range class 60s originally came about at the split of Trainload Freight into 3 regional companies and Trainload Freight North East, which became Loadhaul, made the modification to allow a loco to work Lindsey to Langley and back without having to purchase fuel (at Didcot?) from a different operator. I guess that they just converted enough to cover their longest distance work. Whether they intended to work through their whole fleet with the mod, or whether EWS did any, I don't know.

Peter Johnson 1961 - 2023 As many will know, Peter Johnson, creator of Canada Road and Canada Street passed away a few days ago, aged just 61. It was Peter's Canada Road layout which inspired me to build Mortimore's Yard, using much the same track plan, albeit in a very different scenic setting. And while Peter moved on to EM and to Canada Street, his work, especially his wagon fleet, continued to inspire my lesser attempts. Rest in Peace, Peter, and thank you.

My four Blue ones arrived today, and I've just had a proper look at them - they really are very nice. And with so many detail differences between them; wonderful! So, two for my Newspaper set, one each side of a Mk1 BSK, and two for general parcels traffic. I can't really justify more than that, given the overall size of my NPCCS fleet, but I returned to the Accurascale website for a couple more regardless! Roll on the class 31s....

Indeed, but unfortunately, unlike many Ratio kit parts, its not available separately. Would be nice if it was...

Here is the list of codes for BGs and other Non Passenger Carrying Coaching Stock from the Summer 1978 Paddington Station Working book in my collection.

The driver of the Pilot engine and the yard shunter have not long returned to the 'cabin' for a brew when the signalman calls to confirm that they will remain in the yard, within signal protection, as he has a train arriving on the main. Drawing slowly over the pointwork D1022 Western Sentinel (known as 'two little ducks' to many enthusiasts) arrives with 8T80 from Queensland Road Yard. This arrival tends to bring traffic from the north, which includes Welsh traffic which approaches Westonmouth from the north, even though the origins are to the west. Today the majority of the traffic is from South Wales, with four wagons of steel products. Behind the loco are 2 Shocvans of tin plate from Trostre Works to New Cut Goods and eventual export. Then come two BEV bogie bolster wagons with steel rod from Britain Ferry, also destined for New Cut Goods, but to be used in local building projects. These two wagons seem to have fallen out with each other, and with the wagons adjoining them, such is huge distance between the buffers caused by Dapol's coupling positioning! Next is a VVV van of cattle cake from Whitemoor Yard to Redcliff Back for BOCM Silcock and finally a container on a flat from Gateshead Tyneside Central Freight Depot for Vanhee a haulier based just down the road from the Depot in Felling and also destined to New Cut. Finally, a brake van completes the train. 8T80 draws to a halt, ready for D1022 to be uncoupled.

With the grain hoppers out of the yard and delivered to RHM there is some space to shunt the rest of the muddle. The 2 VIX ferry vans are due out on Tuesday's 8B31, presumably timed for their ferry booking, so they can be put out of the way at the far end of No. 3 Road for now. It's probably unlikely that loaded wagons would be left at yard like Mortimore's which isn't manned round the clock, and empty wagons would be worked away for reloading fairly quickly too, but I didn't want to clear the sidings straight away so holding them for a day is a compromise. The two vans in No.1 and the STV with pilings need to be delivered, so are formed into a trip train. The single MSV needs to be worked to Holms Sand and Gravel on the Hotwells branch. This trip is worked by the 03 and the wagon can stay in No.1 for now. The 2 GPVs are working out on todays 8B91, so they too can stay on No.1. The Grampus doesn't seem to have a working, but is understood to need attention from the local Carriage & Wagon gang, so that too will stay where it is for now.

Happy memories of my student days at Newcastle Polytechnic! Sure there were REs at South Shields, LHs all over (initially at least) but of the former NBC companies in the north east, Northumbria was my clear favourite. A great livery, progressive new purchases with long Olympians and Optare Deltas both with bespoke interiors, not forgetting the fantastic ex-Greenline Olympians they brought north. Oh, and there was the fun "Save those bears!" campaign where bus tickets could be collected and exchanged for teddy bears. Good times.

The class 25 that took the empty vans to Fry's has now returned light engine to Mortimore's Yard. Its next working is supposed to be empty wood pulp wagons from Marsh Pond, but this flow is currently suspended (or, more truthfully, I still haven't got any Timber P wagons) so instead the crew scuttle off back to the South Yard and the card school which usually forms in the cabin there. As I'm trying to combine a tidy up of the various wagons which have ended up in the sidings over the past few months and run the timetable some workings are a little out of course, but rather that than "hand-of-God" shunting. With this in mind, the resident 08 Pilot is burbling away at the head of a train of grain hoppers, including one of the last remaining wooden examples. This Trip will take the hoppers to the RHM mills at Redcliffe Back and free up a siding at Mortimore's Yard. The hoppers will be unloaded over the next few days and head back to March in twos and threes more typical of traffic levels to RHM. The Pilot will also shunt the sidings at New Cut Goods, from where advice has been received that there is an empty Plate wagon ready for removal.

We left the "action" (such that it is in these parts) with the D95xx part way through its shunt to collect the empty coal wagon. So, with the brake van stabled on No.1 siding the loco runs cross the crossover and sets back onto the mineral wagon left there by the Ruston. Another quick shunt and the train is made up and on its way

'Twas on a Monday morning, the gas man came to call... according to Flanders and Swan, but there was no such activity down at Mortimore's Yard, and just as well given the way the story develops in the song! No, at Mortimore's Yard the week starts gently as neither 6B80, the bricks from Calvert nor 4V10, the shiny new air braked vans which come overnight from Glasgow, run. So it is 9B09 which first polishes the rails on a Monday morning, the empty Vanfits heading for Fry's chocolate factory. This train usually leaves a brake van at Mortimore's Yard for use on the local trips. Keeping the brake at South Depot which manned for longer hours helps prevent the van being torched, the fate of many such vehicles it seems, reading threads on RMWeb. But as I'm starting an operating sequence with whatever stock happens to be on the layout, 9B09 ran without a brake van today as there was already one in the sidings. 9B09 stops at the signal box to set down the single line token. Uncoupled from its Vanfits the loco runs into the head shunts, before running round. Coupled on to the other end of the train, and photographed from a signal post, 9B09 waits to head back out of Mortimore's Yard and take the Somerdale Branch to Fry's.