Duddon Bridge - CLOSED

[NeilHB]

Well the Meat Van is coming along nicely. Door framing added, along with wheels and brake gear, though I’ve run out of spare levers, so will need to source some more. I’ve assumed, given the lack of clarity on the drawing (I.e none drawn) that this was fitted with brake gear on both sides. Brake gear is the usual Slaters Midland Railway spares from their 9ft w/b kits - very handy.

 

 

As can be seen I’ve also started to add the detailing, though only on one side so far. Shock horror as well it’s from brass, courtesy of a pack of wagon strapping obtained from the Guild show at Telford last year, can’t remember who from though as I’ve mislaid the package...

 

Still yet to tackle the ventilated ends, but a cunning plan is forming, albeit slowly.

 

More progress as and when.

[NeilHB]

The department of cunning planning has been out in force tonight...

 

 

One end sorted, or near as darn it!

 

I also found a spare brake lever too, the joys of having about 15 Chinese taakeaway tubs of stuff...not sure if it looks in the right place or not.

 

What do people think please?

Edited August 22, 2018 by NeilHB

[Dava]

You get brake levers in your Chinese takeaways? We just get pigeons!

 

Seriously, the ventilation louvres on the meat van look fine, as is the rest and the brake lever is in the right place. But do the diagonal legs on the etched brackets need to be cut off if they're not supporting a diagonal reinforcing spar? Tiny point.

 

Dava

[NeilHB]

You get brake levers in your Chinese takeaways? We just get pigeons!

 

Seriously, the ventilation louvres on the meat van look fine, as is the rest and the brake lever is in the right place. But do the diagonal legs on the etched brackets need to be cut off if they're not supporting a diagonal reinforcing spar? Tiny point.

 

Dava

We get all sorts in our takeaway containers! Incredibly useful when you can buy a pack of 8 for a couple of quid from the local supermarket...saves my waistline from consuming actual takeaway!

 

Thanks - glad the louvres and the brake lever look fine - was a bit worried that they were a bit off looking.

 

The drawing has the diagonals going on to the planked sections of the bodywork - not clear though if they angle down over the framing, or if there should be a supporting fillet underneath them. I’ll probably do something along the lines of the latter, as that’s easier.

 

Here’s the original drawing - http://www.cumbrianrailways.org.uk/drawings/FR%20Ventilated%20meat%20van%20-%20drwg.pdf

 

As you can see not entirely clear...

[MarcD]

Ian, you do realise that these vans have flush sides. the strapping is correct you just need to add an extra layer of plastic to the side and ends.

 

Marc

[jamie92208]

Neil, I'm no expert on the construction of those vehicles but from experience things like those diagonal straps would have only been added if they served some purpose. Possibly some internal straps, in which case they would angle over the external framing then bolt through to the internal strap. Also looking at the drawing there are signs of full height verticals on the ends that taper inwards from the base. However the van is looking good.

 

Jamie

 

PS

Just seen Marc's comments above, I did wonder about the planking being flush.

Edited August 22, 2018 by jamie92208

[NeilHB]

I think the phrase must aptly suited to this is oh b*gger!

 

Have also now found a photo of what I think could be the end of one of these vans, showing that they were fitted not with louvres, but with hoods.

 

Pants!

 

All may not be lost with the sides - the planking is fitted between the framing, so there may be a way to salvage this easily...or at least I really do hope so.

 

Wish the chuffing drawings were clearer!

[south_tyne]

Neil,

 

What a fantastic project. Love the concept, the planning, the history and the way the layout and whole railway is starting to come to life. Inspirational stuff for those of us with more eclectic interests!

 

Lovely stock too. I particularly like the look of that 6-wheel coach from the resin kit

[jamie92208]

I think the phrase must aptly suited to this is oh b*gger!

 

Have also now found a photo of what I think could be the end of one of these vans, showing that they were fitted not with louvres, but with hoods.

 

Pants!

 

All may not be lost with the sides - the planking is fitted between the framing, so there may be a way to salvage this easily...or at least I really do hope so.

 

Wish the chuffing drawings were clearer!

As they would say where I live now, Tant Pis, C'est la vie. Good luck with the rebuild.

 

Jamie

[NeilHB]

I had a look first thing this morning at adjusting the panels on the Meat Van as they were glued between the framing rather than behind. I managed to adjust one side before I had to go to work (it just always gets in the way!). 

 

Having returned home at lunchtime to let the dogs out, I took another look at it - the bodywork has now gone to the great model railway scrapyard in the sky. 

 

I decided it was just easier to start again, rather than trying to bodge it to look right. It also means I can correct the couple of errors that had crept in, so win win in the end. 

 

The chassis is still usable, and has survived the destruction unscathed; well all expect for the brake lever and guide, they are sadly history...

 

There is what I think a photo of one of these, or rather part of one, in Issue 19 of Railway Archive (page 44 for those of you that own a copy), lurking in the background of a photo one of the Furness' oh so lovely Fairbairn 0-4-0 tender locos (9A to be precise - what a beauty!).

 

It appears to have recessed panelling on the ends, and ventilator hoods, rather than louvres, but as I can't see any of the bodysides, it might not be a Meat Van, but something else entirely. 

 

 

 

Oh for a time machine and a decent camera to go back and record it all! 

[NeilHB]

MkII Meat Van started today - back to my standard method - sort out the basic side (marking out, scribing etc.) and then adding the framing - much easier and it’s flush(ish)!

 

 

Only sent me slightly mad doing one side and end, hopefully I’ll be able to get some more done tomorrow morning before I head over to Tim’s to do some work on the layout itself.

[NeilHB]

The MkII Meat Van now has all four walls completed and attached -

 

 

Some further bracing required inside, and then I can add the details etc.

 

Spent today over at Tim’s working on the layout itself, sorting out the attachment of the scenic extension boards at the front of the layout:

 

 

We had some fun posing various items of stock on the layout - just to make sure it all fitted obviously!

 

 

LMS Jinty (one of many shedded at Barrow) is on hire to the railway here in this photo from the 1930s - returning the empty milk tanker back to the creamery at Ulpha further up the line. The Hudswell Clarke is readying itself for departure up the Broughton Mills branch.

 

 

The fiddleyards will nicely hold an 0-6-0 and four wagons plus brake (coal wagon standing in here for the still to be built brake van!). Loaded coal wagons are a frequent sight on the line, being conveyed to a number of industries further up the line, including the paper mill here at Duddon Bridge.

[brack]

Mk2 van looks good, If you don't want that MK1 van I'm sure I can help...

[NeilHB]

Mk2 van looks good, If you don't want that MK1 van I'm sure I can help...

Thanks brack - unfortunately can’t help you there - it didn’t survive the dismantling process! Plus the Mk2 body is on the Mk1 chassis...

[NeilHB]

Last months Trent Valley Area Group meeting in the Brunswick Inn resulted in me leaving the pub with more models than I’d entered with - a very good evening! Thanks to Phil (he of Port Wynnstay fame) I ended up with some of his reject castings with a ‘see what you can do with these’.

 

The first of these ended up on the workbench tonight, and has resulted in a nice quick build:

 

 

Not sure if the prototype (am sure Phil will be along at some point to remind me!), but it makes a nice addition to the fleet. Just need to source some etched brake levers at Telford this weekend and then it can enter the paint shop.

 

The other project started tonight has seen my Meteor Models G&SWR brake van dismantled in order to rebuild it and do a better job than first time round. New axleboxes are on the list for Telford, along with some new buffers.

 

I need to strip the old paint off as well, as it’s bubbled in some places. Hopefully as it’s acrylic a good scrub in the sink should do the job...

 

 

It reallly is a very nice kit, though I am not sure who sells it now that Meteor no longer sells any of his kits.

 

As Duddon Bridge is very much intended to be an exhibition layout (as neither Tim nor I have the space to set it up at our respective houses), I’ve been looking to build a small home layout which will enable me to run the stock for the main layout on when we are not exhibiting it. Currently working out the track plan, but likely to be a loop (or at least part of one - the other half willl be on the traverser), and a couple of sidings. This would be the Broughton Mills branch terminus - freight only so no passengers to worry about, and represents part of the yard that we have supposed was built to serve the village and its associated mills (bobbin, wool, corn etc.):

 

 

Just a rough mock up so far, but gives you a vague idea of what I’m aiming for. Essentially an inglenook with an added loop to enable me to shunt some trains around in an evening.

 

When I do get round to building it properly, I’ll use the Peco settrack points as they take up less space, and are what we have used in the main layout.

 

There’ll be no more progress reports on Duddon Bridge itself for a while now, as we need to concentrate on getting our area groups layout, Sandy Lane Halt (Ashbourne) up and running. This is the replacement for our old Hennore Dale Light Railway layout (Ashbourne Park Road), which suffered from a severe case of gravity after its last show at York in 2013!

 

We are due to have Sandy Lane Halt running at our open day at Mickleover in January 2019 (date tbc), but there’s a distinct lack of electrics at the moment...

 

I’ll keep the topic updated though don’t worry folks, there is still plenty of stock and buildings etc. to build!

[NeilHB]

Managed to get the worst of the old paint off the G&SW brakevan, so spent the hour or so cleaning up the castings and reassembling it.

 

Much better now (or hopefully it will be after a coat of paint!)

 

 

New axleboxes and buffers on the shopping list for Telford on Saturday - anyone else going there?

 

Having not made it to Kettering this year thanks to the weather, my shopping list of parts is rather long!

[south_tyne]

Look forward to seeing Dutton Bridge develop Neil What will be the overall size of this module?

 

I notice you will be using the Peco setrack points - how have you found running through these? I have read mixed reviews...

 

I love the way you're developing your wago stock too! It's great to see something a bit different to the norm and some alternative prototypes being modelled.

 

Keep sharing your work,

David

[NeilHB]

Thanks David

 

Duddon Bridge itself is 20’ x 2’8”. The home layout (Broughton Mills) will be somewhere in the region of 6-7’ x 2’ as space is very limited.

 

Stock seems to run fine through the points, both by hand and on my test track (a point and some track laid on my workbench).

 

Thanks - I’m enjoying working my way through the wagons at the moment, it’s a nice way to wind down after work.

[NeilHB]

It would appear that the carriage and wagon works at Ulpha on be Broughton & Dunnerdale Light Railway are currently on a bit of a roll!

 

The next project has entered the works tonight, and some good progress has made been already.

 

This is a Diagram3D kit for an LNWR 21ft Passenger Brake Van. The kit is laser cut from MDF and card, and assembled in a number of layers to build up the requisite depth of panelling required for the sides, ends and lookout duckets.

 

 

So far I have assembled the side frames, though I will need to get some wheels and bearings tomorrow from Telford, as well as some suitable buffers.

 

 

I’ve also put together the inner carcass for the body

 

 

And just to give you a look at how the sides are constructed - there are four layers here which make up one side of the Van - they clip into a handy jig which is supplied with the kit to enable easy alignment of the layers:

 

 

Before I stick these together I’m going to paint them, which will make life easier in the long term.

 

For anyone else wanting to have a look at their products, the link below will take you to the page for the brake Van:

 

http://www.diagram3d.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=54

 

Unlikely to be much progress over the weekend, as I’m at Telford tomorrow, and then lunch with the outlaws on Sunday...!

Edited August 31, 2018 by NeilHB

[south_tyne]

Thanks David

 

Duddon Bridge itself is 20’ x 2’8”. The home layout (Broughton Mills) will be somewhere in the region of 6-7’ x 2’ as space is very limited.

 

Stock seems to run fine through the points, both by hand and on my test track (a point and some track laid on my workbench).

 

Thanks - I’m enjoying working my way through the wagons at the moment, it’s a nice way to wind down after work.

Hi Neil,

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply, it's much appreciated. So is the plan for the home layout basically an inglenook with a run-round? Does the 6-7 feet include a fiddle yard?

[NeilHB]

Thanks David. Yes the overall length will include the FY - I only have a 9ft wall at home to play with, and part of that is already taken up with a bookcase full of some of my railway books.

 

First draft idea for the track plan below:

 

 

Clockwise from top left we have: loading bank and crane, cattle pens, workmens bothy (grounded coach), sector plate/traversor fiddle yard, mill, warehouse/mill, water tower, level crossing and sized mineral extension, and the coal staithes.

 

There should be plenty of shuntability on the layout, and enough types traffic to justify some variety in the wagon fleet.

 

Traffic wise it’ll be similar to the ‘main line’, in that coal and cattle will be the main source of traffic, plus the output from the slate quarry (I’m assuming that this is loaded at the loading bank to the rear of the layout), plus the outputs from the various mills that are located at Broughton Mills.

 

Lastly a little sketch showing the water tower/level crossing end of the layout - the line over the crossing will be the disused mineral extension to the interchange wharf with the narrow gauge timber and slate tramway - no space to include that at home sadly.

 

[south_tyne]

Thanks David. Yes the overall length will include the FY - I only have a 9ft wall at home to play with, and part of that is already taken up with a bookcase full of some of my railway books.

 

First draft idea for the track plan below:

 

5BD1F03B-7B4F-4A77-84C3-2F6622BEA704.jpeg

 

Clockwise from top left we have: loading bank and crane, cattle pens, workmens bothy (grounded coach), sector plate/traversor fiddle yard, mill, warehouse/mill, water tower, level crossing and sized mineral extension, and the coal staithes.

 

There should be plenty of shuntability on the layout, and enough types traffic to justify some variety in the wagon fleet.

 

Traffic wise it’ll be similar to the ‘main line’, in that coal and cattle will be the main source of traffic, plus the output from the slate quarry (I’m assuming that this is loaded at the loading bank to the rear of the layout), plus the outputs from the various mills that are located at Broughton Mills.

 

Lastly a little sketch showing the water tower/level crossing end of the layout - the line over the crossing will be the disused mineral extension to the interchange wharf with the narrow gauge timber and slate tramway - no space to include that at home sadly.

 

306F85AC-3CA6-4D77-ADC7-78C6DE134154.jpeg

Cheers Neil. It's amazing what you can fit into a relatively small space. A length of 7' sounds tight but that's a cracking trackplan which should offer plenty of operational scope. Love the sketches too, starts to bring things to life.

 

Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

David

[NeilHB]

A good day was had at Telford yesterday, and much was purchased!

 

Lots of parts, and some paint, plus some new additions to the Duddon Bridge/Broughton Mills wagon fleet:

 

 

ABS LNWR 2 plank dropside, Mercian LNWR 4-plank open (not a 2-plank as the box says!), NMRS LNWR cattle van, and a Furness Railway box van, courtesy of Marc at Furness Wagon Company.

 

I’m looking forward to building these over the next few weeks (more likely days!) once I get some more superglue. The LNWR wagons will make a nice change from the usual Furness and Broughton & Dunnerdale stock.

 

Talking of Broughton & Dunnerdale stock, I’ve made some progress today on the ex LNWR passenger brake van, with another coat of paint added to all parts/layers.

 

 

I’m rather pleased with how this livery has turned out (Precision LNER Tourist stock green and cream), though I think I should paint the waist panel cream to match the upper ones. This should be easy to do whilst the layers are still separate. Plus it will mean if I do decide to add Broughton and Dunnerdale lettering it will have somewhere to go...

 

What do you think folks?

Edited September 2, 2018 by NeilHB

[NeilHB]

Not much modelling to report tonight, other than the waist panel is now cream. It’ll need another coat, which is tomorrow nights job.

 

Rather pleased with how it’s looking overall now, and looking forward to being able to assemble it at last!

[NeilHB]

The Wagon and Carriage works on the Broughton & Dunnerdale Light Railway continues to make progress on various items of rolling stock.

 

Last night they were all products of the LNWR.

 

The Design3D 21’ Passenger Brake Van continues to progress slowly through the paintshop in the livery of the Broughton & Dunnerdale. A further coat of paint is required on the waist panel cream as it’s a bit patchy in places. Once that’s done I can start to assemble the layers for the sides...

 

 

Next up is a Mercian Models 4-plank open. The chassis is built, though the side/end are just balanced in place for the photo. A very nice kit and one that seems to be falling together.

 

 

Lastly is the NMRS kit for the large cattle van. The mouldings are lovely, but the ends are a bit of a pain - they are a bit flimsy and will not stay flat! Much bracing will be required I think, though I am hoping that once the floor is in it will stay somewhat squarer in shape...