mullie Posted September 19, 2021 Share Posted September 19, 2021 Great modelling Alex, where is the exhibition? Martyn 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Andy Kirkham Posted September 19, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 19, 2021 This is a simply lovely model, Alex, and I hope I can see it one day. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggoforgold Posted September 19, 2021 Author Share Posted September 19, 2021 1 hour ago, mullie said: Great modelling Alex, where is the exhibition? Martyn Yelverton is going to the Saltash model exhibition on 2nd and 3rd October. It will be the only railway exhibit. Hopefully it will also be at the Yealmpton model railway show the following weekend, just awaiting confirmation. 5 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted September 19, 2021 Share Posted September 19, 2021 (edited) 54 minutes ago, wiggoforgold said: Yelverton is going to the Saltash model exhibition on 2nd and 3rd October. It will be the only railway exhibit. Hopefully it will also be at the Yealmpton model railway show the following weekend, just awaiting confirmation. Sadly still too far for me to visit, Alex Take some pictures? Brian. Edited September 19, 2021 by brianusa 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggoforgold Posted September 21, 2021 Author Share Posted September 21, 2021 Today's question: Although the model is set in 1958, after the closure of the Princetown branch, I thought it would add some operational interest for viewers to show how wagons to and from Princetown were shunted. I've worked out from the Kingdom book how freight for Princetown was dropped off at Yelverton, but how were wagons from Princetown dealt with? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted September 21, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 21, 2021 Nick (Brinkly) is the one with the detailed knowledge here, Alex, but I believe that Princetown traffic went through to Horrabridge. 1 1 1 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggoforgold Posted September 21, 2021 Author Share Posted September 21, 2021 That makes sense Tim. We'll see if @Brinklycan add anything, but I suspect that may be the answer. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post Brinkly Posted September 23, 2021 RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted September 23, 2021 On 21/09/2021 at 09:50, Captain Kernow said: Nick (Brinkly) is the one with the detailed knowledge here, Alex, but I believe that Princetown traffic went through to Horrabridge. Hello! Sorry for not keeping up with your thread, Alex. I've been a tad unwell since Easter and most things have dropped off the radar. Tim is right. All freight traffic to and from Princetown went to Horrabridge until closure of the branch in March 1956. There were three return freight workings during the BR period. The early morning Laira Junction to Tavistock South was the first movement on the branch and only served Tavistock: this departed Laira at around 5:10am and was usually worked by a 45xx It would get into Tavistock a little after 6:00am. Bar pinning brakes down at Yelverton tunnel stop board, the train would run non-stop to Tavistock and was generally birthed in the middle siding at the station. It did, however, convey some vehicles destined for the Launceston half of the branch, which would be worked on later by the late morning goods. This train had to run to time, as the 6:20am Tavistock passenger service, which worked up from Plymouth as an empty carriage working, was following on behind (literally one station behind I understand). If the service was running late, it would be shunted into the refuge siding at Horrabridge. Once the Plymouth auto working had taken on water at Tavistock South and subsequently departed for Plymouth, the freight working would undertake shunting in and around the station. Pit Cleeves was also worked by this service when needed, with the wagons propelled up the line (around a mile or so from Tavistock station), exchanged at the sidings and then brought back. It is also stated in a couple of books that this service sometimes took freight on up to Lydford, undertake brief shunting (as this was really the afternoon good's duty) and the head back to MaryTavy and shunt that siding - although that siding was taken out of use shorty before, or during the war, so I don' think it happened often during the BR era. The second freight working on the branch was the Bickleigh and Horrabridge working, which also conveyed vehicles destined for Princetown. This service departed Laira Junction at around 7:30-8:00am and would remain at Horrabridge for a couple of hours to shunt the yard as required and place any wagons destined for Princetown in the 'up' siding in the yard. Until closure of the Princetown branch, the freight was worked via a mixed-train, with the carriages marshalled at the head of the train, wagons behind and the allocated Toad brake van at the rear. I believe, but am not totally sure, that once at Yelverton the coaches were meant to be left at Yelverton and just the freight was worked on to Horrabridge, but this would obviously create a few headaches at Yelverton as I don't think the headshunt siding to access the turntable at the station was long enough for a pair of coaches. It is possible that the coaches could have been shunted into the siding behind the signal box, but this would have been a bit of a headache on the return run. I'm quite convinced that the whole lot would have worked on to Horrabridge as it would have been easier to reform the train there using the two refuge sidings. The train would then work back to Yelverton and then form a mixed working from there to Princetown again. I think this was three times a week. Up until WW1, I think there was provision for a dedicated freight service, as Eggworth Sidings (Walkhampton Common originally) was operational then, and there were the sidings at Swell Tor Quarry. There were some sidings at Foggintor, which were called Royal Oak Sidings, but these were taken out of use in around 1904-5. I have seen Edwardian era photos of freight-only trains with half a dozen wagons or so working down from Princetown, which was probably stone traffic coming from Swell Tor quarry. However, the site was mothballed when the quarry closed in 1938, so again, no traffic there during the BR era. Between the Wars, the rulebook stated that any traffic to the quarry could be worked from Princetown to Swell Tor, shunt and then be propel back to Princetown again under the supervision of a 'capable guard'. The last goods train on the branch was the lunchtime Plymouth to Launceston service, which would shunt at Tavistock if needed before proceeding on to Launceston. This service carried goods for MaryTavy, Lydford, Coryton, Lifton and Launceston. This service departed Launceston at 3:00pm (ish) and worked back to Plymouth. It did pick up wagons on the return run from Tavistock and Horrabridge, but only when required. The only other freight working was the milk, which came from Lifton Creamery. This was handled on a passenger service, which dropped the tankers off late morning/early afternoon and another working collected the full tankers late afternoon/early evening. This was a maximum of three 6-wheeled tankers. Once Princetown station closed, all freight was worked on to Tavistock and was worked on to Princetown through BRs zonal lorry service, going out via Mount Kelly and Merrivale on the B3357 daily, which was a better service than the direct rail service as that only ran three times a week. The only exception to this, was the stone workings from the Swell Tor quarry. I think these were independently worked before WW1, but the site was mothballed when the quarry closed in 1938, so again, no traffic there during the BR era. Hope this is of some use. I think it's everything! All the best, Nick. 1 1 12 2 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Brinkly Posted September 23, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 23, 2021 I meant to say in my last post, Alex. Watch the Kingdom book - it is very inaccurate in places. A better one is the Oakwood Press book: The Launceston Branch (Oakwood Library of Railway History) and articles in GWR Journal 101 (Yelverton station operation), 41 (Launceston Branch operation) and 17 (Tavistock South operation). Regards, Nick 1 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted September 23, 2021 Share Posted September 23, 2021 Hi Nick, hopefully you're a bit better nowadays. I was particularly interested in your remarks concerning the quarry traffic on the PT line, these quarries and their workings always were of interest to me and your comments were most useful. Also for years I was under the impression that the turntables were only used to turn snow ploughs having read so in some articles. However, I do have pictures of a 44xx heading a mixed to PT and another picture of the same loco and carriage, minus wagons, descending toward Yelverton head first; something I thought was forbidden. So it must have turned on the one by the engine shed. Unless someone has a better idea! Brian. PS. You don't know anything about the quarry traffic on the Caradon line in GW days by any chance? 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Siberian Snooper Posted September 24, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 24, 2021 Hi Brian, Was the 'table at PT big enough to take a small Prarie? 44s and 45s had the same overall wheelbase, just that the driving wheel spacing was in a different order. I am currently at my mother's and don't have access to the Eddie Lyons shed books. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Brinkly Posted September 28, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 28, 2021 On 24/09/2021 at 00:08, brianusa said: Hi Nick, hopefully you're a bit better nowadays. I was particularly interested in your remarks concerning the quarry traffic on the PT line, these quarries and their workings always were of interest to me and your comments were most useful. Also for years I was under the impression that the turntables were only used to turn snow ploughs having read so in some articles. However, I do have pictures of a 44xx heading a mixed to PT and another picture of the same loco and carriage, minus wagons, descending toward Yelverton head first; something I thought was forbidden. So it must have turned on the one by the engine shed. Unless someone has a better idea! Brian. PS. You don't know anything about the quarry traffic on the Caradon line in GW days by any chance? Hi Brian, Getting there! Long old processes at the moment, but I am back at work and enjoying just being a 'teacher' again. I dropped all my leadership roles and responsibilities when I returned. Anyway. I think the turn tables were used a little more than just for turning trains with snow ploughs. To reduce wear on the wheels, I've seen 4410 running smokebox and bunker first to Princetown, so I suspect on lighter loads (or when no one was looking) the locomotives were turned on them. Officially, crews were meant to turn their locomotives at Launceston for the return run to Plymouth, but that certainly didn't happen the whole time. I'm also not sure when the turn table at Tavistock was taken out of use - I think that was still available for crews to use through the 1940s and early 1950s. It is an area of the station that wasn't particularly well photographed, so one can't even look at the general state of repair or rust on the rails, to determine if it was still used post-war. I know the coaches allocated to Princetown were run down to Laira once a fortnight for cleaning and turning to prevent the wheels from having uneven wear. All the best, Nick. 6 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggoforgold Posted September 29, 2021 Author Share Posted September 29, 2021 (edited) Yelverton has been confirmed for the Yealmpton show (all model railways this one) on Saturday 9th October, so a busy week lies ahead! Some useful information there Nick. Glad you are feeling better. A friend in your profession also found that the administrative responsibilities were taking over from teaching and has moved back to pure teaching where he is feeling much more fulfilled. Might you make it to Yealmpton? Alex Edited September 29, 2021 by wiggoforgold 10 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Brinkly Posted October 2, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 2, 2021 On 29/09/2021 at 04:29, wiggoforgold said: Yelverton has been confirmed for the Yealmpton show (all model railways this one) on Saturday 9th October, so a busy week lies ahead! Some useful information there Nick. Glad you are feeling better. A friend in your profession also found that the administrative responsibilities were taking over from teaching and has moved back to pure teaching where he is feeling much more fulfilled. Might you make it to Yealmpton? Alex Hi Alex, I'm hoping I can continue to make a steady recovery. At the moment, I've had a huge number of complications with nerve damage to bits of my stomach and liver caused by the stones getting stuck in various bits that they shouldn't have been in! I'd like to go to the show and am hoping to pop along to see Yelverton. I had to miss our local mini-Scaleforum as we had Covid cases in class. Just the joys of it all currently! Take care and all the best, Nick. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wiggoforgold Posted October 4, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted October 4, 2021 (edited) A successful appearance for Yelverton at the Saltash model show this weekend. The layout achieved one of its objectives in that it triggered a few memories. Came away with a list of things to do (none too onerous) before it's outing to Yealmpton next weekend. If anyone facies a spot of operating, or helping with setting up/taking down, pm me. Meanwhile, here are some pictures taken at the show: Hope to some of you next week! Alex Edited October 4, 2021 by wiggoforgold Pictures added 38 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 I can vouch how nice this one looks 'in the flesh' having paid a visit to the local model clubs show yesterday. well done Alex, great work! 4 1 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggoforgold Posted October 12, 2021 Author Share Posted October 12, 2021 Well the last two weekend's shows went off well, and Yelverton appears to have been well received. I took some pictures at Saltash, but not at Yealmpton I'm afraid. I've made a list of things to do before the next outing, starting with a new set of legs, which should be quicker to put up and easier to transport. The wood should be here tomorrow, so hopefully by Sunday I should have something to show. Alex 12 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium GWRPhil Posted October 13, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2021 23 hours ago, wiggoforgold said: Well the last two weekend's shows went off well, and Yelverton appears to have been well received. I took some pictures at Saltash, but not at Yealmpton I'm afraid. I've made a list of things to do before the next outing, starting with a new set of legs, which should be quicker to put up and easier to transport. The wood should be here tomorrow, so hopefully by Sunday I should have something to show. Alex Has yelverton got anymore outings coming up in Devon or Cornwall? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggoforgold Posted October 13, 2021 Author Share Posted October 13, 2021 1 hour ago, GWRPhil said: Has yelverton got anymore outings coming up in Devon or Cornwall? Next outings in Somerset in the New year 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Tim Dubya Posted October 13, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2021 12 minutes ago, wiggoforgold said: Next outings in Somerset in the New year Where too, theyz a big Shire? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggoforgold Posted October 13, 2021 Author Share Posted October 13, 2021 11 minutes ago, Tim Dubya said: Where too, theyz a big Shire? Edington's the next one. The sheep gentleman will be assisting. 2 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Tim Dubya Posted October 13, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2021 Just now, wiggoforgold said: Edington's the next one. The sheep gentleman will be assisting. Fabulous, hope to see you chaps there 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold NHY 581 Posted October 14, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 14, 2021 6 hours ago, wiggoforgold said: Edington's the next one. The sheep gentleman will be assisting. 3 1 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wiggoforgold Posted October 19, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted October 19, 2021 Taking the layout to local shows in Saltash and Yealmpton gave me an opportunity to see what worked and what didn't work with the layout under exhibition conditions, without going too far from home. After the shows i made lists of what had and hadn't worked. I wasn't happy with the layout legs. They took too long to assemble, and were bulkier than I had intended, making stowage for travelling difficult. I decided upon a redesign. My original arrangement was described earlier in these pages. I kept the "L" girders, which were hinged in the middle, but replaced the Screwfix trestles at each end with wooden legs, which fold up into the "L" girder. The bottom half of the legs slides in to the top half and can be adjusted to set the height of the layout. The whole forms a single unit, which unfolds concertina-like. A pair of struts fit between the bottom on the legs and the centre of the "L" girders, supporting the centre of the layout and creating a surprisingly ri9gid structure. At the rear of the layout, a bracket, described earlier in these pages, is bolted to the rear of the "L" girders to provide further rigidity and to provided a location for the centre scenic board. Its a bit of a work in progress at the moment. I still need to make slots in the lower section of the legs as part of the sliding mechanism, and the whole needs painting. Next job however is to rework the alignment bolts between the centre and southern scenic sections, which are currently a bit of a fiddle t set up. Alex 14 1 1 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggoforgold Posted October 20, 2021 Author Share Posted October 20, 2021 The packed up boards at the end of the layout support in the last picture are the Yelverton boards ready for transport (or unpacking in this case) Alex 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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