West Sands - BR (SR) Electrified south coast branch terminus - MISSING PHOTOS SLOWLY BEING RESTORED

[leopardml2341]

Absolutely brilliant Chris, thanks for taking the time to create and update this topic.

[Geep7]

Time for another update.

 

Things have been a bit slow modelling wise over the past couple of weeks, spending a lot of my time doing a work sponsored online training course, including 2 x 4 hour long interactive classes at the weekends. As you can imagine, the modelling mode has taken a bit of a dent, but its all in a good cause.

 

However I have managed to find some time to make some supports for the station canopy.

 

Having made the initial prototype, it was just a case of making 4 replicas, so I have a total of 5. They are inspired by the canopy supports at Hampton Court. I'm not sure if they require further bracing between the lower halves of the 2 support columns though.

 

It's possible that I should have some rather more ornate bracing, but I'm rather happy with how they look.

[leopardml2341]

Suits the sort of minimalist look that the SR tended towards; looks good to me.

[Geep7]

So I had a bit of spare time yesterday, and I thought I would address the issue of the point rodding, etc. for the loco release crossover and the fuel sidings.

 

In discussion with someone from the club, I've come to the conclusion that the loco release crossover would have been controlled from the signalbox, rather than a ground frame.

 

I've installed 2 dummy motors, 1 for the point and one for the FPL, but, do I need the one on the FPL, and do I need the FPL at all?

 

Also in the photo you'll see i've added a dummy trap point to stop anything being shunted on the run-round loop from accidently ending up in the fuel sidings. Something I'm unsure with this is whether it would be hand operated by a lever as I have done for now, or from a ground frame unlocked by the signal box.

 

Also, i'm not sure if I should have another one coming from the oil sidings to stop any wagons running away from the sidings, oil would the tank wagons simply be chocked in place?

 

Advice / constructive criticism all gratefully received as always....

[Nick C]

5 minutes ago, Geep7 said:

So I had a bit of spare time yesterday, and I thought I would address the issue of the point rodding, etc. for the loco release crossover and the fuel sidings.

 

In discussion with someone from the club, I've come to the conclusion that the loco release crossover would have been controlled from the signalbox, rather than a ground frame.

 

I've installed 2 dummy motors, 1 for the point and one for the FPL, but, do I need the one on the FPL, and do I need the FPL at all?

 

Nope, those point motors include a built-in lock, so there's no need for a separate one.

[Geep7]

3 minutes ago, Nick C said:

 

Nope, those point motors include a built-in lock, so there's no need for a separate one.

Thanks for confirming Nick, I did wonder if that was the case.

[Geep7]

And now sorted.

[Geep7]

And just to show that I do play trains every so often, here is D6558 arriving at West Sands on a short engineer's train.

 

 

The loco could really do with the marker lights either painting or plated over. And a good weather too....

Edited February 23, 2023 by Geep7

[Nick C]

3 hours ago, Geep7 said:

Thanks for confirming Nick, I did wonder if that was the case.

No problem. Unfortunately I don't have any photos I can share of the innards, but basically the taller bit is the motor itself, the middle bit with the first covered holes is the actual operating rods, and the far end (left on your photo) is the detection - only once all three detection circuits are closed (one for each blade and one for the lock) can the signalman clear the signal.

 

In operation the first third of the motor's travel is unlocking, then the actual movement, then relocking - easy to tell when winding by hand!

[Mike Storey]

Superb developments, as ever - your modelling is a delight. But I am not sure why you have provided a trap point at all, on the run round loop. These would only normally be provided to prevent a runaway on to a passenger line. So the trap might have been provided, not to prevent a runaway into the oil siding, but to divert a runaway from returning to the passenger line? I can see the logic in what you have done (to prevent a potential accident in the oil siding), but I am not at all clear how it works.

 

If it is to prevent a runaway, it would have normally been controlled by the signaller, not a ground frame (although I am sure there would have been exceptions, but I cannot think of one).

 

More likely, to prevent both possibilities, is not the single sided trap point you have modelled, but a double sided catch point, which would place the train in the dirt, more or less parallel, and not diverted to one side or the other.

[Geep7]

1 hour ago, Mike Storey said:

Superb developments, as ever - your modelling is a delight. But I am not sure why you have provided a trap point at all, on the run round loop. These would only normally be provided to prevent a runaway on to a passenger line. So the trap might have been provided, not to prevent a runaway into the oil siding, but to divert a runaway from returning to the passenger line? I can see the logic in what you have done (to prevent a potential accident in the oil siding), but I am not at all clear how it works.

 

If it is to prevent a runaway, it would have normally been controlled by the signaller, not a ground frame (although I am sure there would have been exceptions, but I cannot think of one).

 

More likely, to prevent both possibilities, is not the single sided trap point you have modelled, but a double sided catch point, which would place the train in the dirt, more or less parallel, and not diverted to one side or the other.

Thanks Mike. I get what you mean. I think i'll have to add in another trap point from the fuel sidings, maybe have it interlaced with the point in the sidings themselves, or just the run-round loop side of the level crossing.

 

Tbh, I wasn't sure myself if the trap would be hand-operated or not, so I think you're right. Easy enough to replace the lever with a point machine.

 

I find this signalling stuff baffling at times. The simple stuff is fairly straightforward, but the minute you add in some complexity I can get lost in it all. A reminder for my next layout is to completely plan it out at the start, and get it right first time.

[Mike Storey]

On 21/06/2020 at 22:53, Geep7 said:

 

I find this signalling stuff baffling at times. The simple stuff is fairly straightforward, but the minute you add in some complexity I can get lost in it all. A reminder for my next layout is to completely plan it out at the start, and get it right first time.

 

Nah - takes all the fun out of it......!!

[Geep7]

Very little modelling done over the past couple of weeks due to various family emergencies, but I did get an hour yesterday to continue with my platform canopy.

 

I think I may have mentioned it before, but it's worth reiterating here, the canopies are based on the Dapol (ex Airfix) kit, multiples of which have been bashed together to form a longer unit. However, I wasn't keen on the whole roof being glazed, so I've decided to scratch-build the roof as shown in the photos below.

 

 

The openings will be glazed with custom window units, and the pencil lines will be ribs made from 20 by 40 thou plastic strip. They are obviously a bit freelance, but lean heavily towards Southern styling.

 

Progress will most likely be rather slow over the next few weeks, but I hope to get an hour or so here and there if I can.

Edited February 23, 2023 by Geep7

[Geep7]

It's taken me a little while to get my full modelling mojo back.

 

In the last week of June, my wife was taken quite seriously ill with Pancreatitis, and spent 2 weeks in hospital, including a spell in ICU. Fortunately she has recovered, and has just recently had an operation to resolve the cause of it so is now slowly on the mend. I can't praised the NHS enough for their work through this.

 

Through most of this though, as you can imagine, I've had little enthusiasm and time to do any modelling, with still working full time from home and looking after my 9 year old son on my own.

 

However, after all this doom and gloom,  last weekend I managed too make some progress on my platform canopy, so here are a few photo's showing it's current state.

Here it is temporarily tacked in place, and before I've added the surrounds for the window openings.

 

Painted and temporarily in place on the layout. I plan to use neodymium magnets to hold it in place, so I can remove it for detailing work.

 

 

Two views of the canopy from above. Painting needs to be touched up on the valancing, then some weathering, plus I need to make the windows for the openings.

Edited February 23, 2023 by Geep7

[Nearholmer]

Glad to see you back here - I can empathise with what you’ve been through as a family and wish you all the very best.

 

Kevin

[Geep7]

Some significant progress has been made recently on the station concourse canopy.

 

 

 

The sides are made from Evergreen HO scale car siding overlaid on cut down framework from the Dapol canopy kit. The top ridges are also from the same kit. The rest will be glazed with window struts made up from various plasticard strip sizes.

 

A couple of weeks ago, West Sands had a new visitor arrive for the Steam era sessions.

 

What a stunning new model, and well worth the wait. I think I may just have to replace my Lima BR blue one, when (and if) Bachmann announce their version, just on its smooth running alone.

Edited February 23, 2023 by Geep7

[Nearholmer]

I think they are superb models, but unrealistic, because the real things were horrible, rattling, rasping things, not smooth and quiet.

 

Very good canopy!
 

 

 

Edited August 8, 2020 by Nearholmer

[Geep7]

20 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

I think they are superb models, but unrealistic, because the real things were horrible, rattling, rasping things, not smooth and quiet.

 

Very good canopy!
 

 

 

Quite agree, I remember travelling out of Paddington on them on the odd occasion when I was little, bouncing and rattling across the pointwork.

 

Then when a bit older, the Reading to Guildford line was at the bottom of the garden, and I definitely remember them rasping there way out the local station.

[Nearholmer]

I’ve told this before, but one day I was in the cess, near Reading, checking work on an HV cable that we were installing, when one went by, shedding lumps of mechanism from its engine/gearbox in all directions.

 

I never trusted them after that.

Edited August 8, 2020 by Nearholmer

[Geep7]

So it's been a few weeks since my last update on this layout thread, and i've been taking a bit of a Spanish siesta from West Sands, rather literally (see my Spanish HO layout thread).

 

Despite this Spanish diversion, I still want to continue with my British outline modelling. However, especially in the light of recent personal events, we are wanting to move home soon, with a view to upsize. Currently West Sands actually resides in our master bedroom running on a shelf the full length of the room, and to be able to sell the house we're currently in, i'll need to redecorate, and this obviously means, sadly, that West Sands will need to be put into storage. The upside will be, that the plan is to move into a place where I will have a whole space dedicated to the railway stuff, hopefully an integral garage, but perhaps a cabin in the garden.

 

What this does mean though, is that there won't be many updates on West Sands for the foreseeable future, although I intend to still work on a few of the buildings required for the layout that need finishing off. I do also have thoughts for a small minimum space British Outline layout as well to tide me over as an alternative to the Spanish stuff. I'll put an update here when and if I do start this.

 

At this juncture, I think I should thank everyone who has contributed to this layout thread so far, it has been very much appreciated. I should also thank my long suffering wife for putting up with it for so long, I honestly don't know how she has.

 

Cheers, Chris 

Edited September 15, 2020 by Geep7

[73c]

Looking forward to your and the layout's return. Good luck.

[Mike Storey]

Indeed, good luck with your move, and very best wishes. Looking forward to hearing from you again in the not too distant!

[5BarVT]

Been there, done that (recently). Lockdown made it ‘fun’ coming at a critical time!

I wish you well, and the thread will still be here for reference as required.

Paul.

[Nearholmer]

Good luck with the move, and make sure WS is securely cocooned.

 

Be interesting to hear whether, on the other side of moves/changes, you decide to pick it up again.

 

I had several modelling projects that I was passionately pursuing, which I put away "temporarily" when my son was born. A house move, a daughter, and son now starting to sprout a moustache later, those projects are still packed away, and I've gone-off a long way down a completely different branch-line in the hobby. Strange.

[Geep7]

28 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Good luck with the move, and make sure WS is securely cocooned.

 

Be interesting to hear whether, on the other side of moves/changes, you decide to pick it up again.

 

I had several modelling projects that I was passionately pursuing, which I put away "temporarily" when my son was born. A house move, a daughter, and son now starting to sprout a moustache later, those projects are still packed away, and I've gone-off a long way down a completely different branch-line in the hobby. Strange.

 

The intention is to continue with West Sands after the move, but I have a feeling I may decide to build an expanded version, especially if I have more room. We shall see what happens. Before building this British Outline layout, I had 2 US outline exhibition layouts, so I still have a bit of an itch to go back to that at some point (I still have all the stock and buildings), plus then I have the current Spanish sideline project. Hopefully I do get enough room for it all.... 

 

And then of course I would have the new house to sort out as well, and get everything unpacked. My son is getting closer to secondary school age, so he's going to need a lot more of his own space soon, so who knows. I've never gone much time without a model railway layout of some sort, so I don't think I could cope without anything at all.