Castle Aching

[Hroth]

You can always tell a Yorkshireman but you can't tell him much.

"Hinsect", shirley?

Can't help what Punch prints.  And don't call me Shirley!

 

Whaaaa whaaaa whaaaa whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.......

[Edwardian]

The Contractor seems to have planned matters to a nicety.

 

On completion of track laying in Castle Aching's yard, he had this many sleepers, this much rail and this much solder left over: 

[Andy Hayter]

And your second metier should have been quantity surveyor. 

[Edwardian]

The state of play is that the sidings, and all the FB/copperclad track is done. It's down and it's all in gauge, so hopefully that's that.

 

Next the shed loop.  This will feature, unsurprisingly, the engine shed. It will also feature a coal stage and ash pit.  The ash pit has already been excavated.  The decision to mount the line on such a deep cork bed pays dividends here, as all that was necessary was to dig out the cork down to the baseboard.

 

I now need to finalise the exact positions of the station building, train shed and engine shed, as they will all be joined together.  The thought is that the engine shed was built to accommodate two locomotives.  That would require it to be the right length to fit two late '50s locos.  These would, I suggest, be short 6-wheelers (2-2-2 or 2-4-0) with 4-wheel tenders.  I need to establish lengths for these.

 

Since at least the late 1870s, two tank locomotives have been housed there, and that remains the case today (1905). Well, tank engines come in all shapes and sizes, so we may, for the sake of a familiar comparison, think in terms of a GW Pannier (say, 5700) and an 0-4-2T (517 or 4800).  The idea is to have an inspection pit under each.  These have yet to be dug.  Once they are, the laying of the shed loop may commence.

 

All that will then remain is the 3' radius curve on the other board.

 

The next stage will be to finish wiring and attempt to make rods and switches to work the points.  Much hand-holding will be required for these bits. 

[Compound2632]

The thought is that the engine shed was built to accommodate two locomotives.  That would require it to be the right length to fit two late '50s locos.  These would, I suggest, be short 6-wheelers (2-2-2 or 2-4-0) with 4-wheel tenders.  I need to establish lengths for these.

 

This number is hard to get at for early engines - the purely mechanical dimensions - cylinders, boiler, wheel diameters and wheelbase are often known but dimensions that relate more to appearance aren't recorded. The clearest example I've found quickly is from Harry Jack's Locomotives of the LNWR Southern Division (RCTS, 2001): McConnell's Small Bloomers of 1854 (actually quite large engines for their day) were just over 22ft over bufferbeams, with its 6-wheel tender being 18'5" over bufferbeams - so altogether over buffers, about 45ft. A 4-wheel tender might lose you 3ft?

[Northroader]

Looking at Cambrian Rly Sharp Stewart’s with 4wheelers tenders, the Small Passenger 2-4-0 were 43’ over buffers, the Small Goods 0-6-0 were 44’8”. (I’ve rounded to an inch)

[Nearholmer]

Well, he has obviously been following this thread from afar, because I have just received what looks to be a hastily scrawled epistle from Dr O’Doolite.

 

En somaire:

 

- he is delighted beyond measure by the fact that he has now been granted Doctoral status, having long given up hope that his thesis, “On the calculation of harmonics of the sinusoid by reference to the locus of the solar shadow of an upright wooden cylinder of known dimensions excited by measured air movements”, would ever be read, let alone commend itself to influential professors;

 

- he is perturbed, again beyond measure, by the publication of what he calls ‘juvenilia’ in the form of a junction diagram that reflects his first, rather than final, variant of the route of the WNR’s western extremities (here I think he is being overly particular, because such diagrams are really no more that topological equivalents, rather than scale plans); and,

 

- he wishes to draw the attention of the Chairman of CA PC to the volume shown below, which he suggests will answer in most respects. He is unsure whether it is easily available, having heard that it had been withdrawn from sale after a copyright dispute, the details of which he is unsure of.

 

He provided no forwarding address, and since I gave up my pursuit of he and the McGibbon Twins some weeks ago, I have no idea of his current whereabouts, and can only hope that he is in good health.

 

PS: lovely bit of flat bottom!

Edited April 29, 2018 by Nearholmer

[sem34090]

This affair is far from over, Mr Nearholmer, and may you not forget it.

 

Missenden

 

Interesting looking book though...

[Boston Lodge]

The original engine shed at Aylesbury was apparently built to house 2 locomotives (quite why, it wasn't exactly a busy branch) and that is recorded as 100 ft long.

Since the branch was principally operated by Bury 040 and 220 locos, both quite short, maybe they can be used as a guide.

 

 

note: the shed was moved within 10 years of being built but i believe the length stayed the same.

[runs as required]

1

very impressed with all that soldered copperclad flat-bottomed track - and it is all in-gauge too. To think that no one within the locality had any confidence in their soldering capabilities this time last year.

i reckon you could be up for some etched brass 'outdoor machinery' in Castle Aching yard now with all that repetitious soldering under your belt.

 

Would the Vice Chairman be imterested in tackling some soldering? My two grandaughters were really enthusiastic about their efforts when they were aged 10. It is exciting because it looks dangerous and also very 'instant'.

dh

[Clearwater]

1

very impressed with all that soldered copperclad flat-bottomed track - and it is all in-gauge too. To think that no one within the locality had any confidence in their soldering capabilities this time last year.

i reckon you could be up for some etched brass 'outdoor machinery' in Castle Aching yard now with all that repetitious soldering under your belt.

 

Would the Vice Chairman be imterested in tackling some soldering? My two grandaughters were really enthusiastic about their efforts when they were aged 10. It is exciting because it looks dangerous and also very 'instant'.

dh

My son and I went to the Ilford and West Essex show yesterday. Roger, of the EMGS, was running soldering demos. We stood and watched him teach a boy of 10/12. Roger then asked my son, 6, if he'd like a go. Son under, close(!), supervision quite successfully soldered two bits of brass together and proudly took home to show his mother (less than impressed on many levels). No fingers were damaged. Nothing set on fire. I reckon the VC would ace it!

[Edwardian]

1

very impressed with all that soldered copperclad flat-bottomed track - and it is all in-gauge too. To think that no one within the locality had any confidence in their soldering capabilities this time last year.

i reckon you could be up for some etched brass 'outdoor machinery' in Castle Aching yard now with all that repetitious soldering under your belt.

 

Would the Vice Chairman be imterested in tackling some soldering? My two grandaughters were really enthusiastic about their efforts when they were aged 10. It is exciting because it looks dangerous and also very 'instant'.

dh

 

She wanted to do more soldering, but was away this weekend, so missed out on the fun!

 

 

My son and I went to the Ilford and West Essex show yesterday. Roger, of the EMGS, was running soldering demos. We stood and watched him teach a boy of 10/12. Roger then asked my son, 6, if he'd like a go. Son under, close(!), supervision quite successfully soldered two bits of brass together and proudly took home to show his mother (less than impressed on many levels). No fingers were damaged. Nothing set on fire. I reckon the VC would ace it!

 

Impressive!

 

Turning to the engine shed, I bear in mind that the line was opened in the late 1850s and, despite the BLT style, was the southern terminus of a local point to point railway.  It would, therefore, have accommodated at least one locomotive for working the line.

 

I like E B Wilson designs, with the fluted boiler fittings (which were carried over to the early Manning Wardles).  For a line like the WNR, a 2-4-0, perhaps with 6' wheels, rather than 6'6", and, perhaps, a 4' 0-6-0.

 

Two of these together would, I think, be too long.  The length that I was aiming for is marked be the two grey sleepers that you can just about make out behind the shed loop.

 

I have faked a loco up in 4mm scale.  The tender is anachronistic, being an 1870s Sharp Stewart type, but serves to give the general idea. The loco plus tender works out at 18cm over the buffers.

 

The branch line to Achingham is a thing of the early to mid 1860s, so there would have been no need to have a branch engine until then. I suppose that really the branch engine might be shedded at Achingham any way.    

Edited April 30, 2018 by Edwardian

[Nearholmer]

One thing that ‘ages’ buildings is alteration and extension, so perhaps you might consider an extension, in visibly different style, to the loco shed.

 

I did this on a narrow gauge micro layout years back, a clapboarded shed, extended at the rear by an awful corrugated iron hutch, of the kind that industrial railways specialise in, and it attracted favourable comment.

 

If you date the extension to something particular, the arrival of a new or additional loco, you get a ‘hook’ for the style, and if the railway was on hard times at that point, it could be timber, or post about 1890 corrugated iron ...... a Wills chapel kit raised on a brick base might continue the vaguely gothic theme at low cost to the Directors.

[Edwardian]

One thing that ‘ages’ buildings is alteration and extension, so perhaps you might consider an extension, in visibly different style, to the loco shed.

 

I did this on a narrow gauge micro layout years back, a clapboarded shed, extended at the rear by an awful corrugated iron hutch, of the kind that industrial railways specialise in, and it attracted favourable comment.

 

If you date the extension to something particular, the arrival of a new or additional loco, you get a ‘hook’ for the style, and if the railway was on hard times at that point, it could be timber, or post about 1890 corrugated iron ...... a Wills chapel kit raised on a brick base might continue the vaguely gothic theme at low cost to the Directors.

 

Good, I am encouraged by this, because the thought had occurred that the shed could have been constructed in the '50s, with a single tender engine of the period in mind, but later extended to accommodate two tank engines.  The inspection pits could have been rebuilt to reflect the change.  

 

On reading about any prototype location, it becomes clear that all station infrastructure is more or less temporary. Engine sheds are extended or replaced, a goods shed might have an office extension, station buildings are extended, canopies replaced, platform heights increased and platforms lengthened, signal boxes replaced and re-sited etc.  This is all quite apart from changes to the track layout, signalling and moving facilities about!

 

At CA, I am, so far, assuming the following:

 

- Running lines and loops re-laid to bullhead (1898)

- Shed siding extended to form loop (1898)

- Original low platform height maintained, but platform extended (1880s-1890s?)

- Original train shed intact, but ground floor extension to station building added along part of its course (1890s)

- Turntable pit expanded and original 1850s TT 'kippered', extending it from 40' to 46' (1890s)

- Now, engine shed extended (1870s) 

 

Some of these changes will need to be subtly evident.

[Shadow]

 

...

- Original low platform height maintained, but platform extended (1880s-1890s?)

...

 

What about something like this platform at Hunwick.

 

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/hunwick/

[sem34090]

Crossing hilltops, I descended into the parish of Castle Aching, the ruins of the Castle to the South and the parish church of St Tabitha’s to the North. As one travelled along this road from Little Rising one became aware of the peculiar shape and the sheer number of some of the follies within the grounds of Aching Hall, these being Pyramid-like in shape. My travelling companion, a Mr Nearholmer of Birlstone, Sussex, informed me that these structures had been supplied to the Erstwhile family by a Mr O’doolight and his Metropolitan Pyramid works at Paltry Circus.

[Hroth]

Crossing hilltops, I descended into the parish of Castle Aching, the ruins of the Castle to the South and the parish church of St Tabitha’s to the North. As one travelled along this road from Little Rising one became aware of the peculiar shape and the sheer number of some of the follies within the grounds of Aching Hall, these being Pyramid-like in shape. My travelling companion, a Mr Nearholmer of Birlstone, Sussex, informed me that these structures had been supplied to the Erstwhile family by a Mr O’doolight and his Metropolitan Pyramid works at Paltry Circus.

Sainthood?  Thats a rather rapid elevation, though the layout was rather miraculous!

 

Mind you, Norfolk has a reputation for female mystics, it must be due to those extended horizons........

[sem34090]

https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1904

 

Widow of Joppa (in modern Israel), who was mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (9:36-42) as one who "was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving." She fell ill and died and was raised from the dead by St. Peter. Tabitha is sometimes called Dorcas.

Widow of Joppa (in modern Israel), who was mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (9:36-42) as one who "was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving." She fell ill and died and was raised from the dead by St. Peter. Tabitha is sometimes called Dorcas.

Edited April 30, 2018 by sem34090

[Skinnylinny]

St Tabitha is also, I believe, the patron saint of tailors and seamstresses.

[sem34090]

I came across her (!) when trying to think what the church in CA should be called... All Saints may be a better choice...

[Skinnylinny]

I'm assuming you don't mean this All Saints! (Girl band of the 90s and part of the soundtrack of my childhood...)

[Hroth]

https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1904

 

Widow of Joppa (in modern Israel), who was mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (9:36-42) as one who "was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving." She fell ill and died and was raised from the dead by St. Peter. Tabitha is sometimes called Dorcas.

 

 

St Tabitha is also, I believe, the patron saint of tailors and seamstresses.

 

Dorcas was once also a brand of sewing thread.

 

If there's a haberdashers in Castle Aching, there might be a window display for Dorcas Thread.....

 

[Edwardian]

Well, I think the church it's to be based on is dedicated to St James the Great. As that would be far too egotistical, I raised, and raise, no objection when people started referring to it as St Tabitha's!

 

She is at home sick today.

 

Probably a result of over-exposure to railways, as I suspect her enthusiasm is cooling somewhat. When I said, "do you really still want a model railway?", the answer was "yes, but not in my bedroom".  She then identified the outbuiding she wanted.  I could just shoe-horn a double track roundy-roundy in there that could take my childhood GW kit - so no need to buy anything for it (hurray!).

 

13'8" x 6', lift up section at the door, station on the long straight opposite. New Peco BH perhaps?

 

Trouble is, I'd have to mend the roof first!

[Compound2632]

Trouble is, I'd have to mend the roof first!

 

Good old Streamline is supposed to be fit for outdoor use... Sounds like a good excuse for a test-track though.

[Edwardian]

Good old Streamline is supposed to be fit for outdoor use... Sounds like a good excuse for a test-track though.

 

Do you know, I genuinely had not thought of that, but the ability for CA locos to 'pop next door' for a test and a run in is pretty appealing!