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Launceston Branch: Rails Across the Moor


Brinkly
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Greetings,

 

Oh no! Not another one! Yes! I'm at it again, but this time there is movement, honest gov!

 

Many of you know I’m currently building Horrabridge. Unfortunately, I currently lack the space to keep the layout up permanently. This, coupled with a lack of time, has been the main barrier to progression: work on the layout can be described as glacial at best.

 

I haven’t built a layout properly before. Whilst at college, I did build a small terminus one summer holiday; however, once I went to university all work halted and I made the decision to ditch it about 12 years ago.

 

Having not built anything for years, I made the decision a couple of years ago to embark on a smaller project. Initially, I settled on a smaller version of Boscarne Junction (St. Breward); although, I discovered that 9ft by 1ft would produce a very compromised version of what I wanted to create and too much time and energy would be diverted away from my primary goal: Horrabridge. St. Breward was vastly becoming a monster, almost 17ft long – 2ft shorter than Horrabridge!

 

Last summer, I made a decision to focus my modelling back on Horrbridge and spent a long time planning a smaller layout based on that branch. Thus, all the stock would be compatible with the main goal and I could learn/improve my building skills before starting on something bigger.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed watching @NHY 581 creations at the last two RMWeb members events, @Captain Kernow  and @Tom F respective creations have also been very inspirational. So thank you, gentlemen, your work provided me with the necessary kick-up-the-backside!

 

The Launceston branch isn’t short of stations. These range from simple halts, to through stations and junctions. One station I liked was Coryton. Coryton, located on the Tavistock to Launceston section of the line, was a simple affair. A single platform, with a goods loop, headshunt and end-loading siding. A bridge acted as a convenient scenic break and the track plan was rather charming.

 

1222964775_5568leavesCorytonwiththe6.20pmPlymouthtoLauncestontrain.August1962CopyrightMikeRoach.jpg.0ff413614d82619395ac668d7e2da1c2.jpg

 

I looked at trying to fit this into 6ft by 1ft, but it just didn’t work. Back to the drawing board. Marytavy was another simple design, but again was a little too long. In the end, I settled for a very simple scheme: platform, kick-back siding accessed from a headshunt. Two points and very few buildings.

 

The station will take the name Whitchurch Down Halt, but I’ve added the siding. In my world, Whitchurch, a suburb of Tavistock, is slightly larger than it was in reality. The GWR opted to install a small siding, primarily for coal and agricultural traffic.

 

3340538_orig.jpg.14c5e7d5e2130436fac0e88cd7dec3a9.jpg

 

The actual station had a very small shelter, made from corrugated iron I believe, very similar to the one at Clearbrook. Until the late 1950s, a porter would issue tickets during the day: the halt being under the supervision of the Station Master at Tavistock.

 

1586558474_AnAuto-trainheadsawayfromWhitchurchDownforPlymouth.Nov62-CopyrightMikeRoach.jpg.2fd9aab8f10e71cda2334b1434b58219.jpg

Whitchurch looking towards Plymouth. Circa 1960

 

6415540_WhitchurchDownafterclosureandtrackliftinglookingtowardsTavistock.Notethedeparturefromtheusualpagodawaitingenclosure.CopyrightSidSponheimer.jpg.8695c37f1a8af2fd26b9f95fdb29fc5a.jpg

Post closure.

 

175386048_WhitchurchDownNov62-CopyrightMikeRoach.jpg.dd0518f03356b94ed05ec7fc3783312e.jpg

Looking towards Tavistock.

 

My version of Whitchurch Down will have a small timber-built station building, based on the Wills kit. I also have a couple of lamp sheds from the late Mike Casey’s Bodmin layout, which will add further Western charm to the scene. The platform will be constructed from plastic brick sheets: this is one of the few ‘genuine’ features!

 

The baseboards are laser cut examples from Tim Horn (3ft by 1ft). These were part of a trio, but the middle board has been removed. The middle board will be used as half of the fiddle yard. I will have to carefully remove the integrated backscene: a job for Messer Brinkly senior and his jigsaw!

 

IMG_2051.jpg.3bcdcd4a19466e9e8ea3b1f2dd7f3a6d.jpg


The scenic trackwork will ultilise the new Peco Bullhead plain track and points. Fiddle yard trackwork will be Peco code 100: I still have some code 100 track left over from childhood which can be re-used. DCC will be used to operate the locomotives and possibly the pointwork in the fiddle yard.

 

Back-scene wise, I’ve taken a number of photographs depicting various Dartmoor scenes. I plan to get one turned into a printable backscene.

 

Anyway, that’s enough for this post. More to follow! Please do feel free to comment and chat on my thread.

 

Kind regards,


Nick.

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Greetings,

 

Today has been a hive of activity at Brinkly Manor. Mr Brinkly senior Esq., (dad), brought his belt sander, jigsaw and drill. The first job was to erect Whitchurch in its temporary residence: little brother's room. It is a little tight, but it will do for now: he is away for a couple of weeks and the spare room awaits its new carpet!

 

IMG_2051.jpg.3dacd50b0f45c45334c0f0f073e9dc10.jpg

Set-up.

 

IMG_2053.jpg.2b254a24636744b52f4474150463bf43.jpg

 

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Cortyon's layout - but just too tight space-wise to look convincing.

 

After temporary laying some track and proving that Coryton’s track plan just would not work, we took the boards down and removed the blue extrude foam from the top of the layout: this was laid a couple of summers ago to provide a bit of height to St. Breward. Fortunately, it didn’t put up too much of a fight. A combination of a paint scraper, a long screw drive, brute force and ignorance, saw the foam off! A quick sanding removed the lumps of glue.

 

IMG_2058.jpg.7862695c320788f419f8eca0864ff546.jpg

Much better!

 

IMG_2086.jpg.3869fe6d54313ecf2ee7d51a2502a55d.jpg

Running line to the left. Siding to the rear right and headshunt.

 

We then proceeded to cut the ‘rat holes’ as dad christened them in the ends of the boards. I plan to turn Whitchurch into a roundy-round – more on that in another post – so both were cut in the same distance from the edge of the board.

 

The rat holes were then cleaned up with a file and a bit of sand paper. The boards were then put back up and the cork was cut to fit the location. Dad and I then had something to eat and he departed!

 

IMG_2088.jpg.34c6fad87b69455e5a9a9daf03808022.jpg

 

IMG_2089.jpg.e12c7bd94c8628d3a9315ea56bbdb4ca.jpg

 

I then glued the cork down and weighted it with a selection of suitable railway books!

 

IMG_2090.jpg.b1bb076e5a258e52963d07226a9b5236.jpg

 

I plan to lay the track tomorrow and, with any luck, there should be a bit of movement by the end of the day.

 

Thanks for reading. Any comments are most welcome: I must create a proper track plan for everyone to see.

 

Kind regards,

 

Nick.

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Thanks for the kind mention Nick.....although in fairness Cwm Prysor still isn't finished, and I'm now distracted with a new project! :banghead:

Love the compacted nature of the plan. I like in one of the photographs, the row of cottages behind the halt....would work well as a nice backscene!! Following with interest! :)

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I shall be following this with interest Nick. Good to see the Screwfix trestles being used. Some scope for standardisation here I think.  I have spent a productive weekend cutting ply into strips for baseboards for Yelverton.;

Alex

 

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3 minutes ago, Tom F said:

Thanks for the kind mention Nick.....although in fairness Cwm Prysor still isn't finished, and I'm now distracted with a new project! :banghead:

Love the compacted nature of the plan. I like in one of the photographs, the row of cottages behind the halt....would work well as a nice backscene!! Following with interest! :)

 

Thanks Tom. I need to have a good think about the cottages. I think the track bed has been built on, resulting in very limited access to the original site. I might end up omitting them. Not sure though.

 

Regards,

 

Nick.

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1 minute ago, wiggoforgold said:

I shall be following this with interest Nick. Good to see the Screwfix trestles being used. Some scope for standardisation here I think.  I have spent a productive weekend cutting ply into strips for baseboards for Yelverton.;

Alex

 

 

Definitely Alex. My long-term plan is to incorporate Whitchurch into Horrabridge, in a similar way to Geoff Taylor's Barmouth scheme. Ideally, I'd like to have Horrabridge, Tavistock South and Launceston, but I doubt I'll ever have room for the whole lot.

 

Regards,

 

Nick.

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3 minutes ago, wiggoforgold said:

Tavistock South has possibilities.. Where might I go from Yelverton? Tavistock South, Shaugh Bridge and Princetown all come to mind.. and the other day I saw a picture of Clearbrook...

Alex

 

 

The line to Princetown has lots of lovely little halts and the odd station. Dousland was a rather nice station.

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Here we are again then!  Whitchurch didn't have a lot to offer but with a little conservative addition might be attractive.  It certainly wouldn't alter much with a little shortening to fit.  With the houses at the back, a lot of moorland scenery would be missed, but the Horrabridge addition(?) might offer more scope.  On to Tavvy!

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Mange tout, Brinkers!!

 

Thanks for the kind words. This all looks very jolly indeed. I shall be following with interest. 

 

I would agree with the omission of the cottages. Plain back scene,  rising grassy bank to the rear of the scene........low small buildings. 

 

Top stuff. 

 

Rob. 

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Hi Nick,

 

How are you going to arrange the fiddle yards? You will need two in some form or other and with point work they will add considerably to the width.

Where will the platform be? The siding and headshunt seem to suggest it might be in front of the running line which is very close to the front of the baseboard.

What is the rationale for the headshunt? Wouldn’t a simple siding just be shunted from the running line?

 

You might consider ignoring your old code 100 track because it would be easier to connect the bullhead track to code 75 flat bottom.

 

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Thanks for the mention as well, Nick, but if you finish this before I finish Bethesda, I shall eat someone's hat!

 

It's off to a good start, by the looks of it. Remember that if you need any 'consultancy', you know my number!

 

 

 

 

 

PS. Your brother might like to make his bed next time, before it appears on National Internet! :P

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10 hours ago, wiggoforgold said:

Tavistock South has possibilities.. Where might I go from Yelverton? Tavistock South, Shaugh Bridge and Princetown all come to mind.. and the other day I saw a picture of Clearbrook...

Alex

 

Are you doing yours in OO, Alex?

 

If so, the pair of you should co-ordinate very carefully, hire a village hall in a few years and give us a fantastic, joined-up model railway show, consisting of the whole branch in 4mm scale!

 

I'd turn out for that (provided there were decent pasties).

 

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5 hours ago, Harlequin said:

What is the rationale for the headshunt? Wouldn’t a simple siding just be shunted from the running line?

 

There are precedents for this on the GW system, will see what I can dig up in due course.

 

5 hours ago, Harlequin said:

You might consider ignoring your old code 100 track because it would be easier to connect the bullhead track to code 75 flat bottom.

 

I completely agree with this.

 

Mis-alignments from layout to fiddle yard and vice versa can be a frequent cause of derailments and thus detract from the enjoyment of the layout, on the part of both the viewer and the operator.

 

I'd look to use the same kind of track, Nick. I was also going to make the point that the joints at the board ends need to be solidly reinforced - happy to give some examples sometime.

 

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10 hours ago, brianusa said:

With the houses at the back, a lot of moorland scenery would be missed

Thinking about this, you wouldn't have to get a contemporary photo of the actual cottages, in order to impart a good flavour of the real place. The cottages are probably modernised almost beyond recognition now, anyway, so perhaps a more generic type could be used on the backscene, or even in part relief. I have some ideas if you are interested!

 

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5 hours ago, Harlequin said:

Hi Nick,

 

How are you going to arrange the fiddle yards? You will need two in some form or other and with point work they will add considerably to the width.

Where will the platform be? The siding and headshunt seem to suggest it might be in front of the running line which is very close to the front of the baseboard.

What is the rationale for the headshunt? Wouldn’t a simple siding just be shunted from the running line?

 

You might consider ignoring your old code 100 track because it would be easier to connect the bullhead track to code 75 flat bottom.

 

 

Hi Phil,

 

Thanks for your interest. 

 

Firstly, fiddle yards. I plan to make the layout into a roundy-round, similar to the version below.

 

IMG_0415.JPG.a0bd8d13e7d4e9476d4b52f23a9e32e9.JPG

 

The fiddle yard would be 6ft by 1ft, enough for four tracks. Most of the trains are going to be short anyway, so I don't think storage space is going to be an issue. 

 

With regard to to the platform, it will be between the running line and the goods siding, think Staverton!

 

Agree with you re siding! I wasn't totally happy with it yesterday, so I've gone for straight off the running line, again Starverton: should have just built that! 

 

Re code 75/100, I know it will be a bit of a fiddle to join, but I have enough Code 100 track to complete the fiddle yard. If I sell it, I won't get a fraction of what it is worth and I'm trying to use up what I have, rather than just buying more. 

 

Cheers,

 

Nick.

 

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30 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

 

 

PS. Your brother might like to make his bed next time, before it appears on National Internet! :P

 

 

Sadly it was, I just messed it up when I dumped stuff on it! :lol:

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5 minutes ago, BlackRat said:

Nice one Nick!

 

Stick with the code 75......for a few quid its not worth the 'assle me anzum!

 

Let me know if you need a static  flocker....my rates are cheap.:D

 

Thanks Sir! I might well take you up on that! 

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Thanks for all the comments and advice gents: all food for thought.

 

I've quickly re-aligned the siding this morning, just to see what it looks like. Thoughts? Siding or head shunt? 

 

IMG_2095.jpg.7d5e7f9a67b767a545c97eb128b1d5e2.jpg

 

IMG_2096.jpg.ebdcabbdc0a7af97770fd3126bea4525.jpg

Please excuse the badly painted Wills good shed, I painted it when I was 14! It needs stripping!!

 

Regards,

 

Nick.

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34 minutes ago, Brinkly said:

Thanks for all the comments and advice gents: all food for thought.

 

I've quickly re-aligned the siding this morning, just to see what it looks like. Thoughts? Siding or head shunt? 

 

IMG_2095.jpg.7d5e7f9a67b767a545c97eb128b1d5e2.jpg

 

IMG_2096.jpg.ebdcabbdc0a7af97770fd3126bea4525.jpg

Please excuse the badly painted Wills good shed, I painted it when I was 14! It needs stripping!!

 

Regards,

 

Nick.

 

Well, you definitely need some sort of trap for the siding and that could either be in the form of a long headshunt, a short stub siding (to use the Peco point unmodified) or something more like a simple trap by hacking the Peco point.

 

I agree about the extra interest another siding would provide but a headshunt doesn't seem like a very common arrangement in this context to me (unless the good Cap'n can come up with an example).

 

If it's a real siding then how would it be operated? Because there's no run round, each siding could only be shunted by trains heading in each different direction. So one's an Up siding, the other a Down siding and to get anything in or out of the headshunt siding the other siding would have to be half empty. (I think that's right...) Would operation then be interesting or annoying?

 

It occurs to me that you could have a run round loop if you were prepared to have one end of it off-scene. The roundy-round plan makes that easier to do and it would open up quite a lot of possibilities.

 

P.S. I found this: http://www.gwr.org.uk/layoutswhitchurch.html

 

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