Githley on the Buckingham Loop Line: WCML meets WR 1989 onwards

[Boco_D1]

In the past I have had a tendency to start a layout get so far and for some reason end up ripping the whole thing up. The only evidence of its existence being a thread on a modelling forum, that is why this time I had decided not to start anything until I actually got somewhere with my layout.

 

So here is where I've got so far...

(Sorry it is bit of an epic read, might best making a cuppa before starting.)

My Layout Build

 

The development of my layout is what I call organic in its design, the original plan was a wall hugging U shaped layout around 3 walls of my shed. But testing of the Dapol HST on my Helix had unsatisfactory results and so it was back to square one. This time I considered the future not wanting to start a layout and have to rip it up due to a house over I wanted something I could take with me. The resulting baseboard size is 2 sections of 4ft by 3ft. Originally I had intented 4 sections of 2 by 3 but the resulting woodwork was not to my satisfaction the strength of the baseboards was lost and an excessive amount of legs was required.

 

With the size selected I went through many ideas, Aynho junction was a strong contender, my chosen modelling period being 1989- 1997 but has since expanded to around 2003-4 maybe a little further. I eventually decided on a 4 track GWML split level layout with a southern/midland freight interchange above. So how I got to a WCML themed layout is the reason why I call the design organic.

 

As I progressed with my GWML idea I realised that the roundy roundy of the fiddle yard wasn't going to satisfy me. If a train travels in one direction then it should (under most circumstances) come back rather than from the same direction. So I played around with the points I had purchased, I also wanted to run the layout and view it from the front and so to avoid having to keep going around the back I decided to build the fiddle yard on the side (although eventually it got to the back as well)

 

Eventually I came up with a design which would allow end to end operation and roundy and roundy when I just want to sit and watch the trains go by. There are four 'through roads' two dead end roads at the station end and 3 at the London end (or will be)

 

This design led me away from GWML and I found myself inspired by the layout Dudley Heath, I decided to use a half station to hide one end of the fiddle yard with all 3 platform lines Bi-Directional, somewhere along the line I decided to switch to the WCML (a Dapol 86 helped) despite my western region stock.

 

The layout under construction, the many objects holding down the track whilst the copydex cured.

 

With the station planned out I decided on the next part of the layout, I really wanted a junction, again I planned and replanned with the points I had, I felt it was best to have a branch or secondary line come in from a higher level but I didn't feel the line coming in on the inside of the loop worked so decided to join from the outside. The line would join the main lines and feed across the Up and Down lines into a bay. The junction would also allow trains to work bi-directionally in and out of the platforms. The bay line would also join up to the DMU depot. With the junction decided phase one of the layout would be finished with the line curving round and joining back up with the fiddle yard.

 

The fiddle yard was built first, using seep point motor control and the track pinned down, the shorter of the two dead end roads can hold 4 MK 3's the longer road can hold a 7+2 HST. The final 3 roads are to b installed at a latter date two of the three will hold 7+2 HST sized trains. The scenic part of the layout has been glued down with copydex, the points will be controlled with dcc concepts slow action point motors. The curves have been canted to add a bit more realism to the rather trainset looking curves, this was achieved by cutting mount board to shape and gluing underneath to elevate. The fiddle yard is a mixture of code 80 and 55 whilst the scenic side is all code 55. As it stands with the track down I'm wiring the layout for dc use but will build in a switch to allow dcc use later on.

 

With the layout now underway I decided I needed a location, for those planning a layout and feeling a bit stuck I would really recommend using Google Earth and just follow the railway lines of Britain, they can lead to inspirational ideas and even older dismantled lines can sometimes be followed by using the scars it has left in the land. There is is even a timeline and depending on location you can roll back the clock to look at old aerial photos, I know in particular at looking at the lines around Oxford you can see the smoke and steam of locomotives working along the line.

 

This is what I did I started at Euston and followed the line North, initially I was looking for ideas of the type of freight terminals there are on the line when I reached the Northampton loop line I had my idea and inspiration for my layout. I always felt Buckingham was never adequately served by the railway (and possibly sub consciously inspired by Peter Deny) I decided it needed its own loop line off the WCML. But rather than model Buckingham I decided to create two extra fictional towns to justify the line and model one of the towns. Studying google maps I looked for suitable locations for my fictional towns and picked my route, below are my fictional Wikipedia articles, for my chosen fictional location. By doing this I have opened the opportunity for myself (or others if you wish) to model the other towns later on.

 

The Mainlines finished.

 

 

Githley

 

The historic town of Githley is situated north of Aylesbury along the A413 and north west of Leighton Buzzard along the A4181 in Buckinghamshire, it's name comes from the Anglo Saxon Gytha's Woodland. The market town grew in the industrial revolution and was known for its wool products and local clay pits north of the town, produced from the local brick making industry but now days flooded to form man made lakes know as 'The Wades'. Excluding the most northern pit which is used for landfill. It's prosperity led to a diversionary course from the Grand Union Canal to a basin east of the town.

 

Nowadays Githley is a commuter town there are several local and national businesses on the industrial estate, although nearby Milton Keyens is a large source of local employment, the town's large population still supports a retail park and high street stores. There is also a scrap dealer and an aggregates distribution centre.

 

The town also has a railway station, the station is situated on the Buckingham loop line of the WCML. It is also the terminus of the short branch off the Oxford to Bedford line.

 

Githley Railway Station

 

The original station was a small terminus built of the edge of the town branching off the Buckingham Railway's Banbury to Bletchley section which opened in 1850. When the LNWR absorbed the Buckingham Railway in 1879 it used the opportunity to build a new station on its new loop line from Soulbury Junction north of Leighton Buzzard to Hanslope Junction near Roade.

 

Completed in 1882 the station was a rather grand affair for the town but the line had seen great support and investment of Local Landowner Sir Henry Handle Duke of Githley and it was his only demand for his support as a gift to the town he loved.

 

The previous terminus was demolished and the line was diverted into the new station. Githley had a large goods yard, small MPD which was a sub shed of Bletchley and carriage sidings. The line had a rail-served gasworks and an extensive network of sidings north of the town which served the brickworks. Traffic from the brickworks made great use of the LNWR branch to Dunstable where traffic to London would continue on the GNR branch to Hatfield.

 

Passenger services ran to Leighton Buzzard and onto London, Oxford (changing at Winslow for Bletchley) north to Buckingham (Stratford Road), Stowe Castle and Towcester before rejoining the West Coast mainline heading North. There was also a service to Dunstable. Later on the Banbury service on the Buckingham branch was extended to Githley.

 

Nowadays Githley is run by London Midland with services from Rugby, Northampton and Stowe Castle to Leighton Buzzard and London Euston. Services to and from Oxford and Aylesbury are run by Chiltern Railways with GWR running addtional peak services from either Paddington or Reading. The station is also served by Virgin West Coast trains and Thameslink run a Stowe Castle to Luton Airport Parkway service via Dunstable. The former engine shed is now occupied by a DMU Depot.

 

The Buckingham Loop

 

The Buckingham loop was started after the LNWR's acquisition of the Buckingham Railway in 1879. The company felt two branch's from the Bletchley to Oxford line to Buckingham and Githley where insufficient to the needs of the Town's requirments this with the opportunity to reach the important town of Stowe Castle which was surprisingly untouched by railway mania, the local land owner Lord Gordon Marston had also put up fierce opposition to any building of the railways on or near his land. The closest being a light railway from Towcester which ended 3 miles north of the Town.

 

The loop diverged from the LNWR's main line a Soulbury Junction North of Leighton Buzzard heading west with a station at Stewkley, which was closed in 1964. The line then began heading north to the town of Githley, which was important for it's brickworks.

 

A new station was built to the east of Buckingham to differentiate from the original station it was named Buckingham (Stratford Road). The line then headed directly north to Akeley which was closed in 1964 and onto Stowe Castle, before continuing to Towcester before returning east and joining back up to the mainline at Hanslope Junction.

 

67019 "Winston Churchill" propels a Glasgow to Euston service out of Githley towards Leighton Buzzard.

[Revolution Ben]

 

Hello Boco,

 

Great "alternative" history. You've clearly thought it through. I enjoy reading about the what-if scenarios that people come up with for their layouts.

 

The progress you've made so far looks very promising. And you'll be needing Class 321 and maybe Pendolino units too, unless I am very much mistaken!

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[Boco_D1]

Hello Boco,

Great "alternative" history. You've clearly thought it through. I enjoy reading about the what-if scenarios that people come up with for their layouts.

The progress you've made so far looks very promising. And you'll be needing Class 321 and maybe Pendolino units too, unless I am very much mistaken!

cheers

Ben A.

Thanks Ben, I always try to find a reason for a line I feel it gives a layout more purpose and I find it quite enjoyable to create an alternative history. As for the pendolino I have mine ordered already, it's the reason the moddeling period was extended, as for the class 321 I will certainly be ordering a couple of NSE units to run on the layout, and if you release Silverlink livery there'll be a couple more orders.

[Boco_D1]

The weather this weekend has been horrid so I've stayed in and started work on Peco Train Shed Overall roof. This is being painted in a off white colour and I shall use it to cover the track where the mainline meets the fiddle yard to give the illusion the line continues straight on. I've also put together a track plan of the lower level.

Verny parkway is now Winslow, as that is the Station that the East West link project intends to reopen.

 

And I also put together a fictional map to give an idea of the Buckingham loop line.

There's problem a bit of Tardis style spacing between towns but you get the idea.

 

And just for fun, from when I was playing around with my camera the other night...

2 long range duffs head light engine to Stowe Castle.

 

That's all for now folks.

[Boco_D1]

It's my rest day today and for once I managed to spend a decent amount of time in the shed. So good I now have trains up and running on the mainline.

 

I've been wiring the layout up for analogue use before moving on to dcc, as it stands I have around 20 locos to chip and several Hst and dvt trailers too. I therefore decided to make the layout suitable for both until all locos are chipped at which point the analogue will be made redundant.

 

To make the layout suitable I needed several isolating sections so that I could run the layout the way I intented. I decided to put the switches in the corner of the fiddle-yard.

I had planned just to put the switches in the board, but the board was too thick.

I decided a small unit built on the side would firstly hide my co(k up and would be more presentable.

I decided to bank the toggle switched at the top allowing space for later on to add switches to power up the fiddle yard loops for DCC.

In reminisce of my Panel days (last November) I decided to paint the box to look like a NX panel. Although it still needs a bit of a tidy up.

 

With the box complete and wired up I put an extra switch in to control the power supply to the "London" end of the points connecting the up and down lines to the fiddle yard. On testing there is one route that causes an intermittent short circuit but I'm yet to find the cause.

 

The layout is now wired up for some running although the jungle if wired will need a tidy but here is short video:

 

 

That's all for now folks.

[Derekstuart]

I do like these "what if" layouts- more so than real railway locations often. I like the way you have built a background story, mixing real and fictitious- very well detailed.

 

A small point about your background history- the line from Towcester would have crossed back onto the WCML at Blisworth- Hanslope was the series of ladder crossovers in preparation for the divergence to Northampton.

 

I wish you well with this; it's not my usual gauge but I will be following this one with great interest.

Edited February 8, 2016 by Derekstuart

[lmsforever]

I prefer your what if to the reality life would be a lot simpler if we had the Buckingham Loop will follow this one with interest

[Boco_D1]

I do like these "what if" layouts- more so than real railway locations often. I like the way you have built a background story, mixing real and fictitious- very well detailed.

 

A small point about your background history- the line from Towcester would have crossed back onto the WCML at Blisworth- Hanslope was the series of ladder crossovers in preparation for the divergence to Northampton.

 

I wish you well with this; it's not my usual gauge but I will be following this one with great interest.

Thanks for the comment, in regards to the line joining back up to the mainline it was in my mind (fantasy) that the line would meet at the junction and ladder allowing trains to travel towards Rugby or Northampton.

[Derekstuart]

Of course it is your "what if" and I didn't mean to interfere- it's not really relevant anyway as you are modelling the Southern part of this WCML relief line.

 

All I meant is that Hanslope is quite a few miles (10 or so) South East of Towcester and to build a line from Towcester to Hanslope to rejoin North would be challenging.

 

Towcester used to link onto the WCML at Blisworth (Southbound but not impossible to have built a North curve on the junction). Although it required a reverse at Blisworth, Towcester did have a direct service to Northampton and actually continued on through to Bedford and also North East at Northampton to link to the Midland Main line.

 

Just some suggestions, sorry if it is not helpful.

[Boco_D1]

Looking at a few maps I see what you mean, I knew the original (real) Towcester line joined up with the WCML, I was under the impression it was before the line diverged at Roade. I'll have to re-write history and move the line or my junction. Towcester Parkway miles from the town maybe.

 

Edit: Looking at Google Earth Ashton would be a more suitable location for the junction.

Edited February 8, 2016 by Boco_D1

[Derekstuart]

No need to change it too much.

 

All you need to imagine is:

At Blisworth the Towcester line had a North curve as well as a South one and the line instead of reversing into a bay and back out for Northampton, carried on straight across the top of the WCML to join Northampton (Castle Stn.) at Duston junction and then from Northampton carrying on to Rugby.

 

In fact it was planned at one point to have the Towcester to Northampton section direct rather than the Blisworth reversal- it was first thought up in pre grouping days and then again around dieselisation period.

[cornish trains jez]

Hi,

 

A great idea and I like that fact you have created the history behind the line which gives a nice feel to the layout.

Good luck with the project. I will follow with interest.

 

Best regards,

 

Jeremy

[Boco_D1]

No need to change it too much.

 

All you need to imagine is:

At Blisworth the Towcester line had a North curve as well as a South one and the line instead of reversing into a bay and back out for Northampton, carried on straight across the top of the WCML to join Northampton (Castle Stn.) at Duston junction and then from Northampton carrying on to Rugby.

 

In fact it was planned at one point to have the Towcester to Northampton section direct rather than the Blisworth reversal- it was first thought up in pre grouping days and then again around dieselisation period.

Thanks for the idea, I shall have to have a map redraw I think I know how to solve the problem now.

 

Boco

[Boco_D1]

It's been a few days now since Githley gained running main lines. And I have used the oppturtunity to put in some thorougher testing (playing) of the layout. As expected there are some issues with track, but I didn't expect as many as I have. The Mainlines run rather well with trains traversing through the various point movements without hiccup. The only problem is the down curve, class 47's and my 165 hate it and derail at about the same point, I suspect the larger than usual gap between the rails is the culprit there and I intented to lift and replace. My cargowaggons seem to dislike the entire curve which is very odd as it is larger than 4th radius. I've yet to work out if certain wagons are the culprits or if it is there design or the couplings, anyone else have problems with these? I've spent a lot of time weathering these wagons so not keen of dumping them on a siding out of the way.

 

The fiddle yard however is leaving a lot to be desired. There is one particular set of points that are causing no end of problems, in particular this set:

 

These are the new peco set track curved points they are at the station end of the fiddle yard allowing access to platform 1 and 2. I had planned to use the point blades to control the power in the fiddle yards when running on analogue but if they are set in the certain position and depending on other sets positions they either make 3 fiddle yard roads live all at the same time or are the cause of the intermittent short circuit . This had made running trains very complicated having to remember to restore them after use or isolating certain sections, far to much faffing for a small layout. But the problem lies further the sudden change in curve is not liked by any rolling stock if I try and run up the middle road, everything derails.

 

The other issue I have with the fiddle yard is the larger trains when stopped at the station block the way for other trains depending on which fiddle yard road they require. Not a huge problem but does spoil the flow of trains. The same issue is at the other end of the line. I intend to have a signal at the end of the down curve but if a train uses the points to come out of the fiddle yard that cross the up main they block the down line. Which when using two large trains results in a stalemate. The other problem at this end is the point layout is not suitable for up travelling steam locomotives which always derail at the blades.

 

These problems need to be addressed and at present I have two solutions, the first is a redesign and reposition of points simplifying the layout at the station throat and a rearrange at the London end. More extreme and the one I really am considering is to take the entire fiddle yard out and replace with a cassette system.

 

Whilst I contemplate the fiddle yard I have been working on the station roof. As put in my alternative history Githley received a station rather grander than the town it served. This will be represented on the layout with a peco station overall roof. The roof being used to hide the curve.

The peco roof comes in a pre coloured blue which just didn't look right. I started the painful process of priming and painting the roof into an off white colour (humbrol RC 417).

The kit is put together with the spans sliding along the I girder, the paint built up meant that the slots on the spans required filling down to fit.

I decided to leave a gap in the glazing, this will allow a clear view through the roof and I intented to set up a diorama of workmen refitting the glazing.

Once the full length of roof was complete, I place over the layout to see the effect. I will need to weather and touch up the paint work. I also need to put the supporting pillars on but this will be done when the platforms are complete. For access I'm going to look at using magnets to hold the roof in place.

That's all for now folks.

[cornish trains jez]

Hi,

 

It's difficult to tell from the photo but it might be just a simple re-angling of the turnouts and exit/approach roads that will cure your derailing problem.

 

I like the overall roof, looks nice and will make for a nice scenic break.

 

Best regards,

 

Jeremy

[Boco_D1]

Hi,

It's difficult to tell from the photo but it might be just a simple re-angling of the turnouts and exit/approach roads that will cure your derailing problem.

I like the overall roof, looks nice and will make for a nice scenic break.

Best regards,

Jeremy

I think the fish eye lens on my phone exaggerates the curve of the points, to the human eye it looks fine, but I think your right an adjustment may improve things.

[shanks522]

Looks really good Jimmy. I like a station where only a small section is visible, good for the imagination.

 

Graham.

[Boco_D1]

Looks really good Jimmy. I like a station where only a small section is visible, good for the imagination.

 

Graham.

Thanks graham, I wanted only a short section to give the opportunity to model futher sections of line otherwise I think with the size required it would dominate the layout.although as it stands the layout is getting extended.

[shanks522]

How are you going to extend it?

 

Graham.

[Boco_D1]

How are you going to extend it?

 

Graham.

I will give this topic a proper update but I have essentially taken the whole layout apart to run it around the walls of the shed, expanding the size from 8x3 to 9'6x7'9. The station layout has remained unchanged but it will now represent the north of the station with the line heading towards the Oxford to Bedford line. That line itself will be included and act as a scenic break for the mainline and will run parallel to the fiddle yard. I also intented to included to the waste transfer sidings, described in my fictional history.

[shanks522]

I will give this topic a proper update but I have essentially taken the whole layout apart to run it around the walls of the shed, expanding the size from 8x3 to 9'6x7'9. The station layout has remained unchanged but it will now represent the north of the station with the line heading towards the Oxford to Bedford line. That line itself will be included and act as a scenic break for the mainline and will run parallel to the fiddle yard. I also intented to included to the waste transfer sidings, described in my fictional history.

 

Very nice, look forward to it Jimmy.

 

Graham.

[Boco_D1]

It's been a while since I updated the layout, that's because I had taken it apart and began a larger rebuild around the shed. The boards are 90 per cent complete but as of now the build has been put on hold as I prepare what has been built for a house move. Meaning Githley will be upgraded from a 10x8 shed to a 19x8 garage (providing all goes well with the move of course).

 

So while the layout build is on hold it has allowed me some time to work on some other aspects of the layout, one of which is my Great Western Trains Merlin livery HST, for the Githley to Paddington morning peak, Reading to Stowe Castle return Lunchtime service and the Paddington to Towcester evening peak.

 

I've always really liked this livery, along with 'fag packet' although I never had the opportunity to see either. So I decided on the next best thing and repaint a Dapol model, as I suspect I could be waiting a very long for such a livery release. The HST was picked up for a bargain £110, as Githley originally was intended for seven car HST I picked up some more coaches to make such a set, the two first class and three second class where the livery error MK 3s Dapol put on sale for a tenner every so often, this allowed me to save the two intercity branded coaches for another HST set. I completed the set with a buffet that was on sale for £15 and the TGS.

 

I began by taking apart the coaches and power cars ready for stripping, removing all the glazing. The power cars where quite fiddly and I did end up breaking a couple of side windows on the cab! The livery error Coaches where easy to disassemble but the TGS and buffet where a bit more tricky as Dapol have changed the glazing style.

 

Once all the parts where off I stripped the paint off the shells with some easy strip and then washed any residue off, leaving overnight to dry.

 

The power cars where in swallow livery and as per prototype the guards windows where plated over by the time they received the new livery, I put a bit of plastikard behind the opening and then filled the Windows in with some model filler.

 

The models then received a primer coat of humbrol primer.

 

I then gave a top coat of Phoenix paints first great western silver white and left the paint to cure for a few days. The paint was applied by airbrush, the airbrush in question was the one you see in lidl every now and again and for a job like this it's not too bad. My only complaint is after a while the rubber hose gets warm and does have a habit of popping of the compressor.

 

Next I masked the models up ready for the coat of green, again Phoenix paints, again I used the airbrush and it is most certainly better than a paintbrush as paint bleed was very minimal.

 

Again the paint was left to cure for a few days until I got down to the fiddley part of painting the yellow warning panel and additional green stripes along with the black roof on the power cars and the required first class yellow stripes on the coaches. The orange cantrail stripe on the power cars was delicately painted. I tried masking and painting it onto the coaches but the line came out too heavy, I restored to running an orange alchol marker along the very edge of the coach top which came out a lot better.

 

I then added the transfers which I obtained from fox transfers for about a tenner, there is enough in the pack to make a full length set of two power cars with any number choice and eight coaches again with any number choice.

The not quite finished article, the train is almost complete although the White strip on the power cars below the roof is two wide and needs correcting, I also need to find some new hand rails as the previous ones managed to hide themselves in the carpet! The coaches have passengers but will need soldering back up if I'm to fit light bars. I also intend to weather which should hide a few discrepancies on the model.

That's all for now, once this is sorted I shall go back to my class 165 which needs some attention to correct its livery and there's plenty of stock to weather.

[shanks522]

Hi Jimmy,

 

 Lovely job on the HST, looks excellent!

 

Graham.

[Boco_D1]

Thanks Graham, it came a lot better than I expected as my last attempt at a repaint was bit of a dogs dinner.

[njee20]

Agreed, superb job on the HST!