RMweb Gold 08221 Posted November 12, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 12, 2015 (edited) I have been working very slowly on my new micro layout, but have finally reached the stage last night where the baseboard, wiring and track are complete so thought it time to pop a page on RMweb. Bedford St Giles is based very loosely on the old Bedford St Johns station that closed in the 1980's when trains were diverted into Bedford Midland. All the features of the old station will be there, but not necessarily in the same places! These include: The platforms - one disused and one with the decrepit fencing and what was left of the overall roof. The foot crossing to access the station. The concrete road bridge and steps up to it. The signal box. The baseboard is 4' x 1' - it has a plywood top and 2" x 1" wood frames. The backscenes are mounted on 6mm ply. Track is Peco code 100; the points are worked by brass rod with wooden handles - simple and reliable. I will post more photos and info on here as work progresses, but here are a few for starters Edited November 12, 2015 by 08221 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted November 12, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 12, 2015 That backscene is far to posh for the St Johns area of Bedford. . . . in fact it's too posh for any of Bedford 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dickerson Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 That backscene is far to posh for the St Johns area of Bedford. . . . in fact it's too posh for any of Bedford Looks like it might be down Kimbolton Road to me... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted November 12, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 12, 2015 Looks like it might be down Kimbolton Road to me... But I can't see any Italian flags. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharris Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 (edited) Looks like it might be down Kimbolton Road to me... I'd say it's more Cardington Road, once you get past the girls' school. That kind of follows the old Bedford to Cambridge line, so might work as a 'what if the station was a little further out', although you'd lose the opportunity to have the A6 road bridge. I seem to remember from my Bedford days, that in the 1980s the area around St. Johns was quite bleak and industrial. Edited November 12, 2015 by sharris 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dickerson Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I'd say it's more Cardington Road, once you get past the girls' school. That kind of follows the old Bedford to Cambridge line, so might work as a 'what if the station was a little further out', although you'd lose the opportunity to have the A6 road bridge. I seem to remember from my Bedford days, that in the 1980s the area around St. Johns was quite bleak and industrial. Gosh yes, that would work (flagged or otherwise )- and with more space maybe have a couple of condemned 16T mineral wagons on a siding as I vaguely remember being on sidings nearer the new Bedford St.John's (old Hitchin line?). I always remember the old station - what was left of it - and area looked damp. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted November 12, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 12, 2015 The area is still open and bleak and the backdrop to the station buildings on the down (Cambridge) platform was St Leonards Avenue https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.1279777,-0.4636227,560m/data=!3m1!1e3 There were some minerals stabled on the chord around to the Midland (don't forget the flat crossing of the Bedford to Hitchin) but they were usually on the Goldington power station trip workings. I've got some pics I'll dig out that show some real grot for the OP to model. As for the girls school in Cardington road, that would be Dame Alice (now Bedford girls with the merger with High School) . . oh the tales to tell there.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharris Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 As for the girls school in Cardington road, that would be Dame Alice (now Bedford girls with the merger with High School) . . oh the tales to tell there.... My sister was at the High School back in the 80s, and my niece finished at the merged school (she was most miffed, being a High School girl when they merged with DAHS) this year. I'd be careful in case they feature in your tales! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted November 12, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 12, 2015 My sister was at the High School back in the 80s, and my niece finished at the merged school (she was most miffed, being a High School girl when they merged with DAHS) this year. I'd be careful in case they feature in your tales! My niece was at HS too, again was horrified at the thought of HS merging with DAH. My time was back in the 70's ....all those years ago. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 08221 Posted November 12, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 12, 2015 The area is still open and bleak and the backdrop to the station buildings on the down (Cambridge) platform was St Leonards Avenue https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.1279777,-0.4636227,560m/data=!3m1!1e3 There were some minerals stabled on the chord around to the Midland (don't forget the flat crossing of the Bedford to Hitchin) but they were usually on the Goldington power station trip workings. I've got some pics I'll dig out that show some real grot for the OP to model. As for the girls school in Cardington road, that would be Dame Alice (now Bedford girls with the merger with High School) . . oh the tales to tell there.... Thanks for the offer of some photos - any of the station during the late 70s to early 80s would be really appreciated. You are all correct, it was a run down area - that's part of what attracted me to model it. I recall fencing that had fallen down, the total lack of protection from the rain, the disused line to the power station and the derelict former Cambridge platform once they had knocked the building down - happy days!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Pannier Tank Posted November 12, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 12, 2015 The area is still open and bleak and the backdrop to the station buildings on the down (Cambridge) platform was St Leonards Avenue St Leonards Avenue as in "some mothers do hav em" fame? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted November 12, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 12, 2015 This is actually 1952, but gives an idea of the industry in the area before the big warehouse shops appeared in the late 80's http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw046971 http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw046966 http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw046969 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted November 12, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 12, 2015 That backscene is far to posh for the St Johns area of Bedford. . . . in fact it's too posh for any of Bedford Oi Over Cooked Dave, Bedford is a very select area. The backscene looks very much like London Road, which crossed the LNWR line at St John's station. Dame Alice always seemed to have some very lovely looking young ladies. They never had anything to do with us ruffians from Goldington. Oddly they took interest in my brother, he passed his 11 plus and went to Bedford Modern. Back to the layout, looking forward to seeing it develop. Another Bedford Cambridge Railway station, what with Dave's Sandy, and sharris' Willington. Someone soon will do Blunham to complete the set. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted November 12, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 12, 2015 I haven't been to Bedford since the early 80s. I've just been looking on Bing Maps Bird's Eye View and it's scary how much has changed. I remember the factories though, including the Britannia Iron & Steel Works, WH Allen, Grafton Cranes and Motor Rail Ltd on Elstow Road, and the Cosmic Crayon Co (at Cosmic Avenue, what an amazing name for a street!). I hadn't realised the two Girls' schools had merged and moved; I had friends at both when I was at Bedford. Which is still there, with a few new buildings. Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted November 13, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 13, 2015 I haven't been to Bedford since the early 80s. I've just been looking on Bing Maps Bird's Eye View and it's scary how much has changed. I remember the factories though, including the Britannia Iron & Steel Works, WH Allen, Grafton Cranes and Motor Rail Ltd on Elstow Road, and the Cosmic Crayon Co (at Cosmic Avenue, what an amazing name for a street!). I hadn't realised the two Girls' schools had merged and moved; I had friends at both when I was at Bedford. Which is still there, with a few new buildings. Pete All of the works listed are now housing and the 2 girls schools merged onto the DAH site in Cardington road. The St Johns area is still derelict with the trackbed as it exits Bedford complete with nothing built on it, if East West rail wanted to use it there is nothing preventing it apart from pedestrian diversions and what used to be a bridge then level crossing on Cardington road. 3.53 is a brief shot of St Johns and 4.21 one of Willington. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT1LM38VJT8 Willington is 6.45 and St Johns 7.11 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharris Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 (edited) Thanks for that video - it pretty much confirms what I thought in the post on my Willington thread, that towards the end, the platforms had become very short, and it's quite apparent on the approach that there is flattened ground where the longer platforms used to be. Recently laid my first points for Willington (the ones on the approach to the station in the video - 6.37) - grrrr - missed out the trap points at 6.41 though Btw - any thoughts on the function of the hut seen next to the points as we leave Willington station (at about 6.54 in the video) ? Edited November 13, 2015 by sharris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted November 13, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 13, 2015 Just looks to be a platelayers next to the occupation crossing, I'll post other bits on your thread as I'm dragging it away from Bedford here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ROSSPOP Posted November 13, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 13, 2015 As I`m Bedford born and bred........ You might like this........ 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted November 13, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 13, 2015 That backscene is far to posh for the St Johns area of Bedford. . . . in fact it's too posh for any of Bedford They look like some houses at the north end of Bedford towards Goldington Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted November 13, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 13, 2015 They look like some houses at the north end of Bedford towards Goldington Hi Joseph They do look a bit like the ones along Goldington Rd, between Newnham Ave and the green, but then they could be along Putnoe Lane, Queen's Drive or Kimbolton Ave (as already mentioned) as well as London Road. They were all built about the same time so follow a similar style. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharris Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Bedford LNWR.jpg As I`m Bedford born and bred........ You might like this........ A nice picture of the old LNWR signal box at Bedford, However, depending on the exact period to be modelled another box might be more appropriate. The LNWR box was damaged by fire around about 1970 and was rebuilt as a flat roofed version, similar to the old Hornby R145 signal box - the Hornby one is a little short in terms of window panels - Bedford St Johns has 3 groups of 4 panes, the Hornby box has 3 groups of 3. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 31A Posted November 15, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 15, 2015 I think the rebuilt box was built on the brick base of the LNW one? Might give a clue to the dimensions.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharris Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 I think the rebuilt box was built on the brick base of the LNW one? Might give a clue to the dimensions.... The LNWR box was a type 5, 50 lever box which was 32' 3.5" long and 12' wide. Comparing the bases of the old and new boxes, the brickwork looks similar, and counting bricks on the new base gives a width of about 12', so probably the same base was used (although the locking room window in Rosspop's picture was now a door). The front windows were arranged on the LNWR boxes for 50 lever boxes in groups 2,3,2,3,2. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 08221 Posted November 16, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 16, 2015 Thanks to all for your interesting posts (and reminisces!). Very useful comments and photos regarding the signal box - I have an old Hornby one and keep looking to detail it up as its the closest I can find. Here are a few photos from this weekends work - building the London Road bridge with a Scalescenes kit. Have trial fitted some old Airfix footbridge steps to replicate the steps up to London Road. One of the features I really wanted to include to get the flavour of St Johns, but in a different place due to my space limitations 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1041 Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 Hi 08221 This is a very interesting project and I look forward to further updates of your progress. I am still unsure exactly where the platform and canopy will go. Can you enlighten me. Regards, Nigel 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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