Dursley Station

[81A Oldoak]

Although I am mostly an 0 gauge modeller (and 0 gauge manufacturer) I do tend to buy 4mm scale models on impulse. A couple of years ago, I bought the rather nice Bachmann ex-MR 3F 0-6-0 in BR livery. Duly inspired and coming originally from Bristol, I tracked down a copy of Peter Smith's out-of-print book "An Historical Survey of the Midland in Gloucestershire". It has a good survey of the Dursley branch and some nice drawings of the station building and engine shed. This, I thought, might be the basis of a small, quickie layout as a bit of a break from my 0 gauge Cwm Bach project (see http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/80426-cwm-bach-a-south-wales-branch-line/page-47&do=findComment&comment=2106701).

 

The concept is is short branchline to Wotten-under-Edge leaving the Midlandd mainline from Bristol to Gloucester at Charfield. So far, the idea has progressed as far as scratchbuilding the station building based on Dursley and I have attached some photos of the model under construction  and in temporary position on my redundant Abersoch layout. I have also tarted up an Airfix "Midland" signalbox though I'm not particularly happy with the result. I know it's Dapol and not Airfix these days, but I was given an Airfix one for Christmas in 1965 to go with my Triang-Hornby Car-a-Belle trainset.

[brianthesnail96]

I presume the subtle name change is deliberate... interesting concept, I think it would just about how worked with the gradients if the station was at the bottom of the hill (so closer to Kingswood really, which is still a Wotton address). Presumably on the current site of KLB school more or less.

[Blackthorn]

81A Oldoak;

 

That's a nice looking model of Dursley, far better than the one I made 20 odd years ago that I never completed. I still have it but should probably start again!  Peter Smith's book is amazing, I found my copy at the Toronto model train show not long after it was first published and I think it cost me close to $40 at the time.  Still, I don't know how many times I've read it over the years. Well worth the money!

 

If I actually find the time to do some modelling I would like to do a model of the engine shed as well as the footbridge at Everlands in Cam.

 

Mark.

[81A Oldoak]

81A Oldoak;

 

That's a nice looking model of Dursley, far better than the one I made 20 odd years ago that I never completed. I still have it but should probably start again!  Peter Smith's book is amazing, I found my copy at the Toronto model train show not long after it was first published and I think it cost me close to $40 at the time.  Still, I don't know how many times I've read it over the years. Well worth the money!

 

If I actually find the time to do some modelling I would like to do a model of the engine shed as well as the footbridge at Everlands in Cam.

 

Mark.

Mark,

Thank you for the compliment. Peter Smith's book is indeed an inspiration. The engine shed at Dursley would not be a challenging project.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[chaz]

Lovely station building - you seem to have a talent for those.   Bizarre chimney stack on the small out-building, was it extended upwards do you think?

[81A Oldoak]

Lovely station building - you seem to have a talent for those.   Bizarre chimney stack on the small out-building, was it extended upwards do you think?

I don't know Chaz. The original building dates from around 1856 when the line was opened and the extnsion with the curious chimney was added by the Midland Railway in the 1890s.

[flubrush]

I don't know Chaz. The original building dates from around 1856 when the line was opened and the extnsion with the curious chimney was added by the Midland Railway in the 1890s.

 

I remember from my modelling the building for my layout of Dursley some years ago that the original station platforms were very low,  as shown in the early picture of the station with the early Midland Railway locomotive and coaches.  When the Midland re-built the station and altered the track plan,  the platforms were raised,  which must have meant a fair old bit of modification to the lower parts of the original buildings.

 

Jim.

[F-UnitMad]

'"Wotten" under Edge'...??

 

Edit:- awesome bit of modelling, regardless.!

[ixionmodels]

Chris, I am on holidays 'up the coast' at the beach, and thus away from my library, but I'm sure I am right in saying that Barry Norman, in his "Model Railway Layout Design" book, had a plan for a layout of Dursley?

I remember it distinctly, as it was touted as an urban plan for a station tucked away behind, or between, factories, including one with an impressive saw-toothed roof. Are you aware of it? Does it sound like the same Dursley that your building is modelled on?

Lindsay.

[81A Oldoak]

Chris, I am on holidays 'up the coast' at the beach, and thus away from my library, but I'm sure I am right in saying that Barry Norman, in his "Model Railway Layout Design" book, had a plan for a layout of Dursley?

I remember it distinctly, as it was touted as an urban plan for a station tucked away behind, or between, factories, including one with an impressive saw-toothed roof. Are you aware of it? Does it sound like the same Dursley that your building is modelled on?

Lindsay.

Lindsay,

It is the same Dursley. The saw-toothed factory was the home of R A Lister & Co, which manufactured engines. It was acquired by Hawker Siddely in 1965.

Chris

[brianthesnail96]

'"Wotten" under Edge'...??

 

Edit:- awesome bit of modelling, regardless.!

I've seen worse. Could have it in Brizzle speak- it's Wootnun'dredge then!

 

Dursley is quite an unusual station arrangement, being a fairly rural area with typical facilities for a small terminus, with the additional of a very substantial factory virtually encompassing the station.I can't help but feel you'd need a fair amount of space to do it justice as a model without losing the impact of the factory. It's all just wasteland and new houses now of course- google hasn't caught up yet though and the factory is still evident on the aerial view. Chris' idea of a fictitious Midland branch in the vicinity would make for a better model in a restricted space. Manufacturing- albeit less heavy engineering than Listers- was still evident around Kingswood and Charfield with Tubbs Lewis' elastic factories.

[Arthur]

 

Lovely looking buildings, an interesting project. We live just across the Severn and have friends in Charfield so it has some localish interest for me.

 

 

 

Lovely station building - you seem to have a talent for those.   Bizarre chimney stack on the small out-building, was it extended upwards do you think?

Possibly originally built too short and, being in the lee of the main gable end, didn't draw properly? Extended to resolve the problem.

Just a thought.

[81A Oldoak]

I've seen worse. Could have it in Brizzle speak- it's Wootnun'dredge then!

 

Dursley is quite an unusual station arrangement, being a fairly rural area with typical facilities for a small terminus, with the additional of a very substantial factory virtually encompassing the station.I can't help but feel you'd need a fair amount of space to do it justice as a model without losing the impact of the factory. It's all just wasteland and new houses now of course- google hasn't caught up yet though and the factory is still evident on the aerial view. Chris' idea of a fictitious Midland branch in the vicinity would make for a better model in a restricted space. Manufacturing- albeit less heavy engineering than Listers- was still evident around Kingswood and Charfield with Tubbs Lewis' elastic factories.

I don't understand the spelling error. Praps it's coz I bis from Bristol.