The Kerrin Branch

[gavinravenlane]

After some discussions in our local group it was decided it would be useful to have a place to post progress on, in particular, the Kerrinhead layout, since it will be making its second outing, this time to Keighley, in March.

As a starting point some pictures will be posted up over the next few days.
Hope it is of interest to at least a few people.
Gavin

[Tim Lewis]

As Gavin said, a few pictures will appear here over the next few days, following our "practice" operating session last Saturday.  Not got much time right now, but here's one for starters.

 

 

Kerrinhead is an L&Y terminus (although there's a preponderance of LNWR stock at the moment), modelled just after Grouping.

 

More photos in a day or two.

 

 

 

[Tim Lewis]

A few more photos as promised.

 

As it's not my layout, I can wax lyrical about it: I really do think this is developing into something special: why not come and see it at Keighley?

 

A view from the coal drops towards the mill.  A 3F is shunting the branch pickup goods (brake van obviously not finished!):

 

 

There are some great views to be had between the trees over the goods yard wall:

 

 

..and again..

 

 

There's an interesting shunting manoeuvre where the loco ends up with wagons attached at both ends:

 

 

Another view from the coal drops:

 

 

That's all for now.  I'll post a few more hopefully tomorrow.

 

[Tim Lewis]

Here's a few more shots of Kerrinhead...

 

A through passenger train has arrived with an empty horsebox, which is now being shunted to the dock:

 

 

 

After this, the branch goods engine heads off with a trip freight to the (off-scene) gasworks, but will be back later...

 

Shortly afterwards, an LMS Sentinel has arrived from the (also off-scene) colliery with the second short rake of loaded coal wagons of the day, and has added these to the first rake left in the exchange sidings earlier  (yes, I know they're not all full - we don't have enough coal loads yet!).  The Sentinel is preparing to return back to the colliery with the brake van:

 

 

Some nice terraced housing near the station:

 

 

The gentle curve approaching the station looks good even without any trains:

 

 

The station is not quiet for long however, as the 3F returns with the gasworks trip:

 

 

That's all for now, I'll post a few more either later or in the next day or two.

 

 

[Tim Lewis]

A few more pictures..

 

The 3F is now swapping incoming and outgoing van traffic at the mill:

 

 

and needs to get out of the way of a Branch Passenger train formed of LNWR stock, about to leave behind a Cauliflower 0-6-0:

 

 

 

A bit later, another Through Passenger train arrives:

 

 

 

Later still, an LNWR G1 has arrived with empties for the colliery, and will swap these for the full wagons left by the Sentinel earlier (see previous post):

 

 

One of the mill workers on the top floor must have had his camera with him:

 

 

Another view over the goods yard wall:

 

 

Ready for the off:

 

 

That's all the photos I have for now: may get a chance to take a few more, but possibly not for a few weeks.  Hope some of you have enjoyed them, and if anyone is at Keighley (11/12 March) come and say hello.

 

 

 

[gismorail]

That's a cracking layout excellent modelling and just love the autumn scene so unusual to see that being portrayed. 

[Andrew P]

Looks stunning, any chance of a Track Plan and some dimensions please?

[Tim Lewis]

Looks stunning, any chance of a Track Plan and some dimensions please?

I don't have a track plan I'm afraid, but I'll ask Gavin (whose layout it is).  However, Gavin's not much of a forum browser/poster (he prefers to spend his time doing some actual modelling  ), so it may be a few days before it appears.

 

Thanks for your interest!

[gavinravenlane]

Hi

 

Here is a track plan - sorry it is not very fancy - I am afraid I do fall foul a bit of what Tim suggests, spending time modelling rather than computing - thats the day job! So apologies for the delay and the unsophisticated plan.

Essentially it is a single-track branch terminus. It is around 16 feet long and approx. just under 3 feet wide.

 

Hope this is useful

[Alex TM]

Hi,

 

Have to agree with the others that this is stunning.  The shot looking up the line from behind the buffers certainly conveys a great sense of space.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[lankyken]

Excellent layout. I too like the autumn scene. Its always good to see a pre-grouping layout especially of the L&Y. Love the coal drops so typical of the lanky and the shed reminds me of Cleckheaton or..... and the row of houses so typical of those found in West Yorkshire, could they be based on Holmfirth? Really nice layout.

[DJMR]

A very nice layout, I must admit I do like the autumn scene too!

 

The buildings are coming along nicely, attention to detail is superb! 

[GCW]

Impressive progress since my last visit; buildings, stock and atmosphere.

[Hesperus]

Looks great chaps, are you doing any local shows?

[Tim Lewis]

Looks great chaps, are you doing any local shows?

Kerrinhead will be at the Keighley show on March 11/12.  It probably won't go out again for a while, say a year or so (but that's up to Gavin not me!)

[Tim Lewis]

A few more pictures of Kerrinhead for your delectation.....

 

Some passengers have appeared, sitting on some rather fine L&Y seats:

 

 

 

A lorry (sorry, I don't know what type) has also appeared, and a horse (don't know what type that is either):

 

 

This must be the train those passengers are waiting for:

 

 

The regular 3F has arrived with the branch goods:

 

 

The goods yard looks busy:

 

 

Shunting.....

 

 

Finally (!!!), the Lanky terminus is visited by a Lanky engine (!!!) with an excursion formed of LMS stock:

(further Lanky-fication will have to wait for now...)

 

 

Excursion stock is waiting for the radial tank to run round:

 

 

..which it is in the process of doing:

 

 

Later, an LNWR 2-4-2T arrives with a through train formed of Midland clerestories:

 

 

Another picture of the 3F shunting the branch goods:

 

 

And finally for now, a view over the goods yard wall, as both the branch passenger and branch goods trains wait to depart:

 

 

That's all for now.  Remember, Kerrinhead is at the Keighley show this coming weekend, 11/12 March, so if you can make it, why not come and say hello!

 

Cheers for now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gavinravenlane]

Hi

Here is one of the excellent photographs courtesy of Gordon, from the weekend away at Keighley

Gavin

 

[John_Miles]

Excellent modelling, all that is missing is smoke from the mill chimneys.

[Regularity]

I was intrigued by the signalling diagram for Kerrinhead in MRJ 259: access to the coal drop siding appears to be via a lever on the frame, with 3 subsidiary signal arms associated with it (one for progress from the loop to the headhunt, and then individual arms for headshunt to loop and headshunt to coal drops. I may be wrong in that interpretation, of course.

 

It seems somewhat over-signaled - maybe something the NER might have done - compared to some of the other signalling on the plan.

 

Would be interested to know more about this arrangement. I have seen diagrams for other LYR branch termini, but they were double track with a single platform, e.g. Holmforth, etc, so not directly comparable.

[gavinravenlane]

Hi

 

I thought I would shock Tim and Gordon, who have contributed most of the pictures, by actually adding something to my own thread, mainly in answer to the question about the signalling diagram in MRJ 259.

 

A small bit of history of the layout's origins will help - essentially started by myself after a desire to have another bit of layout that could be taken to a show, and after a lot of prompting by members of the local group, in particular the late John Bailey, and the very much still with us Geoff Taylor. Lots of debate about track plan, size and scope, ensued, with John's interests in the LNWR providing a nice counterpoint to mine in the L&YR. Eventually, after much muttering about track plans such as Delph the Kerrinhead track plan was settled upon.

 

So that is how the track plan was devised. Then came the signalling. This is intended to represent typical L&YR practice towards the end of its existence, and being a member of the L&YR Society help was sought through the membership. Chris Littleworth provided suitable technical and historical knowledge - he is the author of a number of books on the subject. He also performs various other roles, including something along the lines of 'Signalling Officer' for the East Lancs railway, and used his knowledge and contacts in the real signalling world to try and produce the best 'typical' signalling arrangement for Kerrinhead.

 

Of course, Kerrinhead is very much an atypical L&YR branch terminus - most of the real ones were double rather than single track. However we are very comfortable with what was decided upon.

 

Essentially the signals are all about controlling access to the running line. I am hopefully attaching a picture of the control panel which will show that there are actually 'three' frames in use. The first, of 20 levers, represents the frame in the signal box, and contains levers for all the signals (currently being constructed), and for all the points that interact with the running line, and associated locking levers. The only exception to the running line levers is the single lever that controls the crossover at the end of the platform (labeled X), which is intended to represent the ground frame which would have typically been used for such points in this situation and which is itself locked by one of the levers in the signal box frame.

 

There is a third frame of 5 levers, which represents the 5 hand levers which would have operated the points to the sidings off the loop. Since these are not part of the running line they are not part of the main frame. They have been labelled and drawing green to visually differentiate between these and the rest of the track work.

 

So to get back to the original question (I hope) - the arms on ground signals on the loop (17,16 and 4,5) are about controlling access to/from the running line and have no relationship with the yard paintwork Y1-5.

 

At the end of the day I do not fool myself into thinking it is perfect, but it is as perfect a representation as I have been able to make within the constraints of time and space, with which I am quite satisfied. Maybe the next one will be even better! The red buttons in the centre control electromagnets for uncouplers, the single one to the right is for the Bell, one day to be Electric Train Token somehow, and the five buttons top right control the turntable.

 

Some final things - should you be interested the lever frames are from the Scalefour Society and the five-lever frame on the right hand side (for the yard points) is actually the first test etch ever assembled for this kit (many years ago), and is still going strong should anyone wonder how reliable the kit is. And the whole control panel works through DCC, and thus plugs in just using a NCE CAB Bus cable - something often asked about and which might cause me to write another article should we find more people keep asking questions.

 

Hope all this is of some use - the next trip to a show is Scaleforum 2018 in Aylesbury

Gavin

 

[Regularity]

Thanks: I understand now.

[Ian Smith]

Just found this thread (as a result of a posting in the MRJ 259 thread), and really pleased that I have.  The layout looks stunning, an autumnal setting sets it apart from the typical, and plenty of pre-grouping stock to boot - what more could a guy ask for!

 

Ian

[Branwell]

I've just stumbled across it as well - excellent modelling. Will have to keep an eye out for the layout at exhibitions - any bookings for next year yet?

[Regularity]

Revisiting, I looked at the numbering of the levers and also on the diagram, and thought, “Surely that’s the wrong way round?” Then I looked more closely at the diagram, and realised that it is not the numbering which is the “wrong way round”: it is correct, if the frame faced the other way.

 

For those who are confused, there is a bar drawn in the signal cabin, which represents not only the frame, but where it is placed. The lever frame in this case would be at the front of the cabin, and the signalman standing behind it, looking out across the station. As such, signals for departing trains would be numbered upwards from 1 in the direction of travel, whereas (presumably down) arriving trains would pass first the distant signal (20) and other signals numbered downwards in the direction of travel.

 

Were the frame at the rear of the cabin, then the distant signal would be number 1, the home signal 2, etc. On the layout, the control panel is to the front of the station, and the frame is facing the “wrong way”, so the numbering at first sight appears wrong. Given the direction the operator is facing, then the numbering technically is wrong, but the frame numbering is actually as it would appear to the signalman in the cabin.

 

Neat.

[gavinravenlane]

Hello Gents

Thanks very much for the nice comments - much appreciated and helps spur me on to try and finish it completely - as the builder my perspective is inevitably slightly blurred and I always see what is left to do, so outside comments are always encouraging.

In answer to Branwell - Scaleforum 2018 in Aylesbury in September.

In answer to Regularity - yes you have it correct in your description of the numbering. I actually have two copies of the panel board that shows the track and numbers - the one you see and one that is correct from the back. When it was first done it was not clear whether it would be better to operate from the front or the back, but a) the back scene, and b) the fun we have operating from the front, has made the rear view obsolete.

Thanks again

Gavin