Reading Signal Works

[CloggyDog]

Nice project .

I remember my dad buying his Vauxhall’s from great western motors on vastern road and being surprised there was track down at that level .

 

There was a sizeable yard pretty much the full length of Vastern Road

 

I'm assuming this is taken from the then new Reading Bridge building, looking West along Vastern Road. Reading Bridge would be to the right and that's the Signal Works on the top left side of the photo, the mainline and station out of sight to the left.

 

The last remnants of the yard were lifted in the 1980s, initially becoming a car park.

 

 

 

Eventually the the road itself was widenend and the station multi-storey car park and small retail park (Range, Aldi, etc) now sit where the tracks once were.

 

 

Photos linked from the GetReading website.

Edited August 12, 2018 by CloggyDog

[HillsideDepot]

What a wonderful photo that is, Alan! All sots of details to study, and one day replicate on model form.

[The Stationmaster]

What a wonderful photo that is, Alan! All sots of details to study, and one day replicate on model form.

 

Agreed, and the second photo shows the banana depot pretty clearly as well (the curved building towards the left) as well as the bridge down from Reading High Level.  The yard was also accessed by a level crossing, which can be seen on the OS map extract below, immediately to the north of the GW bridge over Vastern Road.   Almost incredibly, considering that what is now there is a busy dual carriageway, the level crossing - protected only by flagmen - remained in use until the very early 1960s

 

[81C]

A nice set of photo's Alan thanks for sharing.

[Enterprisingwestern]

Agreed, and the second photo shows the banana depot pretty clearly as well (the curved building towards the left)

 

What other shape could such a depot be?

 

Mike.

[CloggyDog]

The latest large scale OS map of the area on the NLS website is the 1931/4 revision - annoyingly the Signal Works and Vastern Road Coal Yard straddle two sheets, but this link should give an idea: https://maps.nls.uk/view/104197867#zoom=4&lat=9294&lon=8848&layers=BT

 

The bit I've modelled is just under the 'Great Western Railway Works' label, though the layout pre-dates the post-war rebuild of the works. It does show how extensive the Vastern Road yard was though, and further east wards, there's also the H&P network, interchange sidings and link. Shows the old Southern termini quite nicely too. Head to the south west of the sheet and there's Reading Central Goods.

 

On the next map sheet east, there's a rather widely-spaced set of sidings where CEGB Earley power station would be built in the early years of WW2 (and closed late-1970s). Also of interest on the next sheet eastwards is the layout serving Reading Gasworks, fed from the Southern. The 2 big 'gassos' went only a few years ago.

 

I really must trawl 'Big Library' in town and see if they have more recent (1960/70s) issues of the '25 inch' maps.

[rob D2]

Interesting picture Alan. Most have been his blue cavalier circa 1981as the swings had gone by the D reg one ( 1986 !)

 

Immediately behind the camera there was an incline down the other side to the NCS depot ? This seems to have lasted in place longer as there is a video on typutube of a Dutch 37 appearing from down there

[CloggyDog]

Interesting picture Alan. Most have been his blue cavalier circa 1981as the swings had gone by the D reg one ( 1986 !)

 

Immediately behind the camera there was an incline down the other side to the NCS depot ? This seems to have lasted in place longer as there is a video on typutube of a Dutch 37 appearing from down there

 

That's the incline which dives under the GW mainline and links to the Southern - on the 1934 map there is connection to the yard and goods shed north of the GW main line - when I first moved to Reading in 1996 there were certainly some tracks still in situ (along with the 3 long-derelict grounded Iron Minks, which are still there!), but I think any connection had been removed before then. 

 

The other access to the yard and goods shed was via the level crossing over Vastern Road just before the bridge under the GW main. Interestingly, there was a very short spur off immediately before the level crossing on the west side which is often were the Signal Works shunter was oft photographed (when it wasn't hiding under the bridge!). 

[The Pilotman]

The sidings at the back of Reading station (before the remodelling) were still known as “high level” long after any low level ceased to exist.

[The Stationmaster]

Interesting picture Alan. Most have been his blue cavalier circa 1981as the swings had gone by the D reg one ( 1986 !)

 

Immediately behind the camera there was an incline down the other side to the NCS depot ? This seems to have lasted in place longer as there is a video on typutube of a Dutch 37 appearing from down there

 

That was the main access to Low Level Sidings and  Reading Goods (later the NCL depot) plus to the GWR's siding connection into Huntley & Palmers factory which, on the GWR side, had one of the tightest triangles I have ever seen before tunnelling under both the GWR and SECR lines to get to the factory.  There was also, as already mentioned the connection through the dive under - recently reinstated after many years - giving access to the SECR side .  H&P traffic was still coming out that way when i worked at Reading Goods, hmm, ah - yes - 51 years ago this year and on the outwards desk you could always reckon on a later finish if H&P were despatching as by then it was only shipment traffic from them and it all had to be invoiced and the consignment notes rarely appeared before 17.00 

 

Pertinently to this thread the output wagons from the Signal Works was usually left in the sidings near the triangle for tripping back to West Jcn Yard but They would - definitely in later years - have come up over the bridge to High Level and back down the gradient to Low Level to await collection by the tripping pilot from West Jcn.

[Banger Blue]

I’ve noticed over the last week that Network Rail has withdrawn from its base at the former Royal Mail buildings on Caversham Road, today it seemed that the clean up crews were on the home straight and just removing the smaller rubbish left.

Everything else from office furniture to rail infrastructure items that were stored in the car park has been cleared.

Even the little security porta-kabin has gone.

 

What next for the former yard? No doubt some executive flats aimed at the Reading Commuters!

[astropsidings]

Not quite on topic, a picture looking east, December 1986.

[The Stationmaster]

I’ve noticed over the last week that Network Rail has withdrawn from its base at the former Royal Mail buildings on Caversham Road, today it seemed that the clean up crews were on the home straight and just removing the smaller rubbish left.

Everything else from office furniture to rail infrastructure items that were stored in the car park has been cleared.

Even the little security porta-kabin has gone.

 

What next for the former yard? No doubt some executive flats aimed at the Reading Commuters!

 

They used that area as a project team base for the station rebuilding and resignalling plus there was a lot of electrification (and some redundant signalling) kit stored at the east end of the site adjacent to the new north entrance to the station.  The main local NR offices have been located for several years in new buildings much further east at Reading Low Level.

[5BarVT]

Will Dead Slow cycling be allowed now? ! ?

There used to be a sign at the entrance to the works saying “DEAD SLOW CYCLING PROHIBITED” which I was told meant that I had to cycle faster when I came in!

Paul.

[St. Simon]

I’ve noticed over the last week that Network Rail has withdrawn from its base at the former Royal Mail buildings on Caversham Road, today it seemed that the clean up crews were on the home straight and just removing the smaller rubbish left.

Everything else from office furniture to rail infrastructure items that were stored in the car park has been cleared.

Even the little security porta-kabin has gone.

What next for the former yard? No doubt some executive flats aimed at the Reading Commuters!

 

 

 

They used that area as a project team base for the station rebuilding and resignalling plus there was a lot of electrification (and some redundant signalling) kit stored at the east end of the site adjacent to the new north entrance to the station.  The main local NR offices have been located for several years in new buildings much further east at Reading Low Level.

Technically it is still Royal Mail land, it was just leased to NR. Half the people have moved to Swindon and half into the other buildings in Reading (although there are rumours of moving elsewhere soon)

 

Simon

[CloggyDog]

With an exhibition fast looming for Reading Signal Works (Kevanon show in East Reading, next Saturday), my workbench is full of wagons being fettled ready.

 

Fairly common in the various photos are cable drum carrier conversions of Bogie Bolsters. 

Those converted from BoBoL Cs and Prawns tended to have 4 or 5 cradles for cable drums, but this photo on Paul Bartlett's site caught my eye

https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brbbe/h6ef72e05

A former BoBoL E, at Reading, with 2 cradles. A much more manageable project!

 

A Lima 'YZA Brill' was located in the stash and buffers, bolsters and couplings removed. The bolster recesses in the floor were infilled with 10 thou plasticard. 

 

The drum cradles were fabricated from Evergreen 2mm channel and 2. 5mm angle, plus more 10 thou plasticard. I estimated dimensions and angles from photos, and think I got them about right.

IMG_20190217_091451 by Alan Monk, on Flickr

 

The side handrail stanchions are 1mmx1mm brass angle (left over from another project) with a 0.7mm handrail. The originals looked quite crudely done, so the slight lack of finesse isn't bothering me!

 

I've retained the Lima bogies for now (as it's a quickie project) but I will replace in due course with the Cambrian or Stenson ones.

IMG_20190217_105731 by Alan Monk, on Flickr

 

Just need to paint and weather it before next Saturday!

[CloggyDog]

Turning to the layout itself, I realised I'd not got round to fitting the wheel stops at the end of each siding to prevent recalcitrant wagonry punching holes in the large corrugated shed at the end. 

 

I knew I had some US made whitemetal ones somewhere, but after a good rummage could only locate 1 pair. 

 

So I set to with the plasticard, scalpel, files and MEK to make my own. 

 

The body of the stop is 40 thou, 6 off 12mm x 5mm blanks were cut and then shaped together to ensure consistency, using one of the whitemetal ones as a visual guide. The 'legs' which sit over the rail are 12mm x 2mm strips of 10 thou. I'm not going to add the bolt detail, as it'll be hidden by the 'concrete' paving the track is inset into. 

 

A base coat of Humbrol Metalcote steel is drying now, then I'll dry brush some 'old rust' shade over and install. 

[Judge Dread]

If you wish to turn the clock back to say 1948, then look at "Britain from Above" pages EA017075 & EA017078 entitled the "Reading signal works". There are several other pages. There's even one with one of the four petrol powered 0-4-0 locos to be seen.

I hope this helps. 

Edited February 17, 2019 by Judge Dread
bad grammar

[CloggyDog]

1 hour ago, Judge Dread said:

If you wish to turn the clock back to say 1948, then look at "Britain from Above" pages EA017075 & EA017078 entitled the "Reading signal works". There are several other pages. There's even one with one of the four petrol powered 0-4-0 locos to be seen.

I hope this helps. 

 

Those photos are rather interesting in that they show the post-war rebuilding of some parts of the works, not due to the attention of Herman's chaps, but a planned rebuilding to update some buildings and facilities. 

 

I think the loco is the 4-wheel petrol Simplex used until the 88ds #20 replaced it in the 1950s.

[Enterprisingwestern]

8 hours ago, CloggyDog said:

I've retained the Lima bogies for now (as it's a quickie project) but I will replace in due course with the Cambrian or Stenson ones.

 

I don't know whether you've had a close look, but there is really no comparison nowadays.

Out with the soldering iron Alan!

 

Mike.

[Compound2632]

Saw this at the Kenavon show this afternoon - a very well-presented little layout. Unfortunately I was pressed for time (and the hall was rather humid) so I didn't linger to try the shunting puzzle. I did have a look through the folder of reference photos though - an excellent presentation idea.

[ZOIDBERG]

nice layout great to see it at Reading yesterday some very nicely build shunters im now very tempted to try and build my own model of number 20 but just need the measurements i got some pics of the layout too. 

[CloggyDog]

Many thanks for your kind words, Compound and Zoidberg. 

 

Yesterday's Kenavon show proved a very worthwhile first outing for the 'finished' layout and attracted a lot of interest. 

 

Especially welcome were the 3 or 4 guys who served their apprenticeship and/or worked there and were all willing to share very useful info on the outputs, wagon loadings and even the regular practicer of bagpipes! Many thanks guys!  Lots of other positive comments from locals who remember the works. Good to know I've captured the look and feel of the place correctly. 

 

Earlier in the week I'd worked up and printed the method of operation (draw 5 wagon cards from the 8 in the hat), which proved successful - I think I went through about a dozen or more rounds of the 'game', occasionally swapping wagons in and out of the 'active' fleet of 8. This kept the operational side fresh and interesting. It also allowed me to invite other people to have a go. 

 

Operationally, the only niggle was the too-frequent stalling of the short-wheelbase locos (88DS and the Sentinel) across the single-slip, despite scrupulous wheel and track cleaning. I'll investigate how to resolve that, hopefully without pulling up any 'concrete' or track... 

 

And many thanks to Richard for the invite to the Kenavon show. 

 

3 more outings already in the diary for the layout this year:

29 June WrecRail in Market Harborough

22 Sept Loddon Vale club's Earley show

29 Sept European Railway Association Edgbaston (in EpIV Deutsche Reichsbahn form as Lesen Signal Werke) 

Edited February 24, 2019 by CloggyDog

[cobbler]

Great layout Alan

been enjoying the updates and research pictures

 

Richard

[TRAILRAGE]

Also got to see this at Reading on Sat. Absolutely loved this wonderful little layout. Really brought back memories from my Childhood of seeing No 20 parked up at Vastern Road.

Very well done CloggyDog and thanks for bringing it along. My little boy was really excited seeing your 06 as I had given him my repainted Hornby Thing done as 97806 when he was about 2! 

 

Cheers Trailrage

 

PS Wish Id took me Flinkin Flunkin Camera now.  next time!