RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted March 30, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2017 IMHO, if the GC had remained open it would have been primarily used as a freight artery with very little, if any, passenger traffic. Are you applying rule 1, or keeping something like true to real world developments? Seeing the new owners names, I thought at least one would have had it converted to EM by now! Looking forward to developments no matter what. Mike. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Woodcock Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 Hello I always enjoyed watching this layout as I have a sentimental attachment to Charwelton. My father was the quarry foreman back in the 1950s and he also was in charge of the restoration work when the quarry closed in the early 60s along with other BSC quarries in Northamptonshire. the track to the quarry would have long gone by the 80s. I wish you well with the project and very much look forward to seeing this outstanding layout back on the exhibition circuit. I will be looking forward to seeing your progress. Northamptonshire has quite a few lines that are worthy of giving the kiss of extended life to. Cheers George 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
43110andyb Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 Hi Tom - we've had the layout in our possession about a week and we're looking a possible changes to the track layout as the ironstone quarry would possibly have been spent by the 80's but then somebody came up with a few ideas to keep this branch open! Who knows? The layout has been bought to give big long trains with DCC sound the chance to open up and stretch their legs really but if the opportunity arrises then we're not adverse to a little shunting! The sidings are ear-marked for engineers traffic in some shape or other! Regards Dave And here is one of the locos that is need of a 'leg stretch' after shunting duties on Thorne Yard. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mr.S.corn78 Posted March 30, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2017 (edited) IMHO, if the GC had remained open it would have been primarily used as a freight artery with very little, if any, passenger traffic. Are you applying rule 1, or keeping something like true to real world developments? Seeing the new owners names, I thought at least one would have had it converted to EM by now! Looking forward to developments no matter what. Mike. Not with that amount of track to convert plus other members only run 00 stock so redoing the track isn't fair on them. That aren't as crazy as some!! Cheers Simon Edited March 30, 2017 by Mr.S.corn78 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammyboy Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 I also once had an idea of building a 'What if the GC line had remained open' layout - but in N Gauge. My plan would have been to upgrade the line to having overhead electrification and to be running fast express double-decker passenger trains, as the line was originally built to the continental loading gauge so you could have the bigger trains from Europe... Sam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 Keep the quarry branch open, run ARC PGAs in and out with D3101 in desert sand as the local shunter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1059 Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 Hi D1059 That's 1 tidy embankment! I was thinking more like this! https://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hondawanderer.com%2Fimages%2F47270_Wickwar_Tunnel_1989.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hondawanderer.com%2F47270_Wickwar_Tunnel_1989.htm&docid=k6ZFzPtsmyq3LM&tbnid=3vQ0vDAjEgLJaM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjc9eiwz_zSAhWLKcAKHf5NC6wQMwg-KBkwGQ..i&w=1230&h=836&itg=1&hl=en-gb&client=safari&bih=559&biw=375&q=wickwar%20tunnel&ved=0ahUKEwjc9eiwz_zSAhWLKcAKHf5NC6wQMwg-KBkwGQ&iact=mrc&uact=8#h=836&imgrc=3vQ0vDAjEgLJaM:&vet=10ahUKEwjc9eiwz_zSAhWLKcAKHf5NC6wQMwg-KBkwGQ..i&w=1230 But I agree BR didn't let things go too far! I think in tidying and freshening the embankment we do want to present it slightly differently and give the impression of a railway 25 years on! Absolutely. I look forward to seeing this refurbishment develop Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted March 30, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2017 Keep the quarry branch open, run ARC PGAs in and out with D3101 in desert sand as the local shunter. Or use it for landfill and run binliners etc. Mike. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
waggy Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 Or use it for landfill and run binliners etc. Mike. I would love to see it used for some sort of traffic, i saw Charwelton numerous times at exhibitions but never saw the branch used. Was it ever used? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mr.S.corn78 Posted March 30, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2017 I would love to see it used for some sort of traffic, i saw Charwelton numerous times at exhibitions but never saw the branch used. Was it ever used? As far as I can tell from the wiring bible it is wired up. Some more investigation is needed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 Geological wise if the GC had stayed open the section through the Nottinghamshire Coalfield would have been painfully slow due to mining subsidence. Maybe the solution would have been to build the Loughborough chord but in a GC south to Midland north direction or alternatively make use of the former GN Derbyshire Extension to link somehow into the Midlands Erewash Valley line, itself once very adversely affected by mining subsidence but of which the main effected area moved eastwards to the route of the GC. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC46026 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 (edited) IMHO, if the GC had remained open it would have been primarily used as a freight artery with very little, if any, passenger traffic. Are you applying rule 1, or keeping something like true to real world developments? Seeing the new owners names, I thought at least one would have had it converted to EM by now! Looking forward to developments no matter what. Mike. Mike I completely agreee that had it stayed open and having been built to international loading gauge the line would have primarily been used by freight however if we assume the chosen running day was Saturday there is a high probability that Summer Saturday services to the south coast would have used the line to avoid the BNS bottleneck! Edited March 31, 2017 by DaveC46026 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted March 31, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 31, 2017 I don't know what your plans are for point control, but as you are going DCC you may be considering servo systems, so can I offer a word of advice, don't. Keep the existing "old school" system and integrate it into the new. Guess how I know what hard work it is to convert a large layouts existing system to servos, although as there are more of you and you'll be considerably more skillfull at electrics than I, it may not be such an issue. Mike. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mr.S.corn78 Posted March 31, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 31, 2017 (edited) I don't know what your plans are for point control, but as you are going DCC you may be considering servo systems, so can I offer a word of advice, don't. Keep the existing "old school" system and integrate it into the new. Guess how I know what hard work it is to convert a large layouts existing system to servos, although as there are more of you and you'll be considerably more skillfull at electrics than I, it may not be such an issue. Mike. Hi Mike,Thanks for the heads up. I'm of the school if it isn't broke don't fix it Having said that they may or may not get changed depending on what they are. The fiddle Yard ones will be left as is as there are quite a few of them Cheers Simon Edited March 31, 2017 by Mr.S.corn78 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC46026 Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 This afternoon was spent preparing the first trees to be added to Charwelton. The idea is to populate the embankment and tunnel head with more vegetation than had been there in the BR steam running period! Various different materials are being used with these first being sea moss! Broom plants have been added for both texture and to add a tiny bit of colour and break up the long cutting sides! The plan is to now reinstate the fence and hedgerow along the top and over the tunnel head. More vegetation will be placed before adding the next scenic board and blending new vegetation on that! 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
43110andyb Posted April 6, 2017 Author Share Posted April 6, 2017 Here is the latest picture of 'board 17' the first to be refurbished, a few additions to finish off but Dave has worked his magic to 1980's ize the first board. Only a few more to go now!!!! 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC46026 Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Just a quick update to show we are still actually moving forward with the project! A start has been made on the stock list and we are currently looking at trains that could well have used the route! One particular favourite that we come across is 1O13 Bradford -Weymouth which went via Leicester - this threw up all manner of locos in the summer months but was quite a good bet for a class 47/3. Several Summer Saturday trains to the south coast took odd routes to avoid the Birmingham Bottle neck and the GC had it remained open would have been the perfect route. Another board has been completed (ok so it's only the quarry branch and fiddle) but current thoughts would be that the after the quarry closed, maybe as per the actual history in the 60's it was taken over by BR as a spoil tip for used ballast! Now spoilt ballast wagons we have a plenty! Another full scenic board should start to get refurbished towards the end of the week so we'll post more as we do it! 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted April 19, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 19, 2017 You can't have too many ballast wagons, a belting idea. I don't know whether they still ran in your period, probably not, could I tempt you earlier?! but summer extra trains to the southern region were many, and interesting: 1O30. 0920 Sheffield - Weymouth SO. 1O43. 0825 Newcastle - Eastbourne. TO, 1O41 Portsmouth Harbour. WO, Folkestone. ThO, 1V79 Paignton. FO. All ran in the same path MSX. 1O43. 0910 Bradford Exchange/ 0950Leeds - Poole SO. Combined at Sheffield. Ran on the weeks the above didn't. 1J67. 1007 Leeds/ 1O42. 1015 York - Poole. Combined at Sheffield. 1O41. 1025 York - Bournemouth. ThO. 1O17. 2340 Sheffield - Portsmouth Harbour. FO. All could access the GC at Beighton Junction. That's just the southern trains, you can see why we liked summer at Sheffield Midland! Likewise the Western region trains could get across at Banbury Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC46026 Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 You can't have too many ballast wagons, a belting idea. I don't know whether they still ran in your period, probably not, could I tempt you earlier?! but summer extra trains to the southern region were many, and interesting: 1O30. 0920 Sheffield - Weymouth SO. 1O43. 0825 Newcastle - Eastbourne. TO, 1O41 Portsmouth Harbour. WO, Folkestone. ThO, 1V79 Paignton. FO. All ran in the same path MSX. 1O43. 0910 Bradford Exchange/ 0950Leeds - Poole SO. Combined at Sheffield. Ran on the weeks the above didn't. 1J67. 1007 Leeds/ 1O42. 1015 York - Poole. Combined at Sheffield. 1O41. 1025 York - Bournemouth. ThO. 1O17. 2340 Sheffield - Portsmouth Harbour. FO. All could access the GC at Beighton Junction. That's just the southern trains, you can see why we liked summer at Sheffield Midland! Likewise the Western region trains could get across at Banbury Mike. Great info Mike! If the GC had remained open then all the above could have continued to run! Sheffield - Weymouth sounds like a good bet for a boilered or not Tinsley Peak or possibly a pair of 31's! Most of everything else would be 47 I would imagine depending on avaiailabty! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1059 Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 You can potentially run a Class 33 as well 1E22 the 12:46 Portsmouth Harbour - Leeds (FO) - this was diagrammed for a 33 as far as New Street in the early 80s. With the GC still open it might get even further north ! Crompton to Birmingham by Stephen Dance, on Flickr 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC46026 Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 You can potentially run a Class 33 as well 1E22 the 12:46 Portsmouth Harbour - Leeds (FO) - this was diagrammed for a 33 as far as New Street in the early 80s. With the GC still open it might get even further north ! Crompton to Birmingham by Stephen Dance, on Flickr We can only wish!!!! Watch this space! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted April 19, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 19, 2017 Well, if we're doing pictures! 6519 on arrival at Bournemouth Central with the 1O42, having come on at Reading. Mike. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC46026 Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Well, if we're doing pictures! 1-MSP - 078 - 6519 Bournemouth.jpg 6519 on arrival at Bournemouth Central with the 1O42, having come on at Reading. Mike. Behave Mike At Bournemouth having come on at Reading!!! That's pushing it a bit now! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC46026 Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 So with a bit more time to spare I've unpacked the station buildings as they will date the layout quite badly! Trouble is what to do with them! They are stunning! Board them up and put a bus shelter as what probably would have happened? Replace timetables and lamps that's a given! Repaint guttering and downpipes? If so what colour? Roof and windows off the steps? 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard i Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Stations kept buildings if they were still open. Why replace a solid structure if BR? Just do the signage. If you lose the station completely you lose the ability to stop passenger trains, it takes away some of the play. If you do though the GC bricked in the tops of bridges and removed all buildings. Saves you hacking in to them and could be passed on to a good home. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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