Siphon208

I thought I would add my scribble plan, which shows the lifted lines, and those that are extant. The infrastructure and directions are shown, also. I will make this more formal once the layout is nearer completion, to introduce the layout properly, and to show stock running on it!.

Crantock Sidings are attached to the mainline. They were once bigger than this, so a small signal box was put in to control them, and a short crossover on to the Helston Branch to enable stock movement, and traffic from the factory at the back of the station. Once the Helston branch was closed, and the up line from Redruth, it was taken out of use. The factory sidings are now controlled by ground frames. I have completed the building, and am almost finished weathering it...……..

Thanks Ian, I will download it now...………..

Thanks, Bill nice to hear from an experienced modeller such as yourself! I've seen loads of locations this has happened to in the North West and beyond, where everything has been left to decay- This will mirror that philosophy that BR seemed to have then. I'm not experienced with DCC, so I've a question- can you just run the locos DCC and switch points electrically and not via a dcc controller? Dean

2 more image the broken canopy panes, and the forlorn platform 2- still displaying travel posters put up by the station staff, and the " Closure Notice that went up before the Helston branch closure!

Progress so far;- I have purchased the Skaledale, "Butterley" station building from ebay, and renamed it and carried out some slight alteration and weathering ( although it doesn'nt need much!) I have almost completed the island platform building (ex-Metcalfe) and weathered it accordingly. As you can see, it has been affected by neglect, and some local vandals; The island platform has been made from 15mm architrave, cut to shape, and infilled with cardboard, and then Metcalfe paving and edging strips. The brake van is merely shown here for scale. Ill finish detailing and painting the canopy stanchions at a later date

The signal box and details of the layout are in Layout topics. Dean

apologies for the mix up in dates! Dean

HI Bill Great to see a layout like this being started- I like the Cornish branch line layouts, as there is so much that you can put in to them! Im currently building patforms for Crantock Tor at the moment, will start on baseboard when I get back from Annual Camp in a few weeks. My layout will be around 12 feet long by about 20"" deep. A bay platform and a small factory sidings at one end, and a run-round, and coal sidings at the other end. The disused Helston platform will also feature, with part of the now-disused Helston line still in situ. The curved platform end on to the junction, is something I saw on a recent visit to Andover- disused tracks curving away into a yard. Anyway, good luck with it, look forward to seeing more of it on here! Dean

Emember seeing the first train arrive- I worked at what was Viota- literally around the corner- I saw this parked up alongside Stadium Road. The trains used to arrive in the early hours, to avoids disruption to Merseyrail services. The trains only ran for a short time, as Van den Berghs decommissioned the plant the trains were serving. It had cost an awful lot of money to re-instate the spur from Port Sunlight, and was taken away just as quickly. the trackbed is very overgrown near to what was the run-round end, and redevelopment has removed all trace of the roadside tracks! 47379 "Total Energy"

Thanks, I will certainly have a look!

Hi All My new layout, "Crantock Tor", is set between 1968, and 1972. (Post Beeching) It is set in Cornwall, in a fictitious junction between Penzance, Redruth, and Helston. My question is this- what colours would ballast hoppers been during this period? I cannot find any definitive answer. Any help much appreciated. Dean

This is the trackplan that I have settled with- The abandoned platform would probably have gone at a later date, as would the coal merchants. The abandoned tunnel mouth would have been filled in. The track crossed a local road in to the town, hence the level crossing. The run-round was installed to serve the entrance to the coal yard, and allow locomotives operating to the factory sidings, to reverse Options for expansion are there for a later date. MY planned running stock is as follows; Class 22, 24, 42, 52, plus a small shunter- probably an 06. There may be visits from a 47, and possibly a 23, which I have seen on Ebay, and very much like the look of ( wrong region, I know!) Passenger traffic will be handled by a 117, and a 121 DMU. Freight rolling stock; a couple of MGR hoppers/ 16T mineral wagons for the coal yard, and a couple of pallet vans/parcel vans/oil tanks for the factory. the layout is end to end, approximately 10' in length, but the option for continuous run conversion is there

good to get some feedback- The original idea was to have the signal box where it is to control the branch coming in from the tunnel, the sidings, and also a crossover back on to the main running lines. I like the idea of the box being near the junction, too. The reason the buffer stop is located there, is this is the point where the main running lines were cut, and the run-round installed. Its always feasible that a level crossing could go in, at some stage. I intend to put in a goods shed/factory facility at some point. The plan at the moment is a blank canvas, and is open to other options, before tracklaying takes place.

Crantock Tor This is the initial draft for the track layout. The station features a 2-road bay that was once attached to a factory sidings (but could be re-opened). These jjoined up onto the mainline. The branch from Helston came in on the other side of the signal box, onto an island platform, which was curved to ease the access on to the mainline, this is now abandoned, and has been since rationalised in 1967. The mainline has now been cut, just the other side of the bridge. So in effect, Crantock Tor has now become a terminus, with local freight, and class 117 and Class 121 DMus serving the station. The line up to Helston ran initially through a single bore tunnel- this too was closed in 1967. I realise that the locations are not strictly accurate, but your model stock has to roll somewhere!

HI, I intend to use a Class 117 and a 121 DMU on the project- the track work is basically a single road in, and a run-round, where the original 2-road junction had been- I will post more as I progress!

HI All- I thought it would be an idea to get back in to railway modelling, after a long period away. The post Beeching period is perhaps not everyone's "cup of tea". There are several locations in my locale to choose from! Rationalisation really took hold in the 60's on the Wirral, for various reasons, not just the notorious Dr B! This layout will feature a couple of disused trackbeds, a vastly reduced operating area, and the station will reflect that. I plan to run it DCC, and it will feature a run round (where the up and down lines have been cut), and a siding or two. Any advice on the operation and installation will be greatly appreciated, The area is Devon/Cornwall and the timeframe is 1968- 72. I have already started, the signal box I used a Metcalfe cardboard kit, which I cannabalised, and repainted to reflect the area, and time frame. Cant wait to start!

Amazing- never realised that there had bee this much trackwork there0 only just beginning to find that out!- I like the 1950's plan, just out of interest, did the sidings next to the slow lines heading to/from Chester go when the West Kirby branch closed?

is there any other info on this side of the station- photos, or track layouts?

Virtually all of this has gone now- all that remains is one of the bridges over Blackpool street- the exterior wall of the coking plant, and the coke tips on the embankment. Even the gasworks has been flattened, for a new housing development!

Re Hooton North Box:- I know this went in the early 70's ('74?), Was this here just to manage the junction for the West Kirby branch, and a siding or two? I've not seen much information on the North side of the station!

Apologies for their use, mate- I can assure you I have not seen them anywhere else, especially from me! It would be interesting to see a larger version of that pic!

Hi mate- long time no hear- hope you are well. Some photos of this line are very hard to find, particularly down towards Birkenhead!

is the box in the background, Blackpool Street?

Thanks mate- see I told you your experience would be invaluable!