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Chandlers Row - 50s streetlife


Guest Jack Benson
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Guest Jack Benson

The layout represents what I consider to be Chapel in the early 50s, none of the buildings are copies, the corner shop is merely typical of genre.   Near to our home is Glenville Road Post Office, it provides inspiration as an example of an institution almost lost to progress.

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The colours, signage and street furniture will look well on ChandlersRow

 

Jb

 

 

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Guest Jack Benson

Great news - Tim Horn confirmed delivery of module for mid January - better get a wriggle on, the layout is already booked for 2021.

 

It is odd, just how many legacy items have found their way into the layapart box intended for Chandlers Row. At least two old Merit (now Pecoscene) packets and one of the first Classix Transport Treasures but the oldest item is some shop signage from E. Rankine Grey - Brookdale Buildings which must be 60+ old, at least.

 

(ERG).jpg.0697cc0516e86270b53ebaea4cd78d6b.jpg

 

JB

 

 

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Guest Jack Benson

Hi,

 

A major change to the intended trackplan has occurred, the simple Inglenook has given way to a more ambitious concept that emphasises the dockland nature of the location. With much help from Phil of this parish and Carendt's archive, a simple plan has emerged to make full use of the 48x18" space in order to create as much free space as possible whilst using Peco code 75 small radius turnouts.

 

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The trackplan has two long headshunts (one hidden behind the ruined house and another beside the basin) which will accommodate a USA tank + wagon or Peckett + 2 wagons. finally, there is a short loco release at the warehouse. 

 

Lots of space rather than feeling 'stuffed' full of track.

 

Cheers

 

JB

 

 

Edited by Jack Benson
Wrong drawing
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Guest Jack Benson

Hi,

 

Almost forgot, as we plan a basin, we also have a waterline barge which has been looking for a home - it is an excuse for an ancient dockside crane.

 

Barge.jpg.9a55c70b059a6998a69fec9368b550a3.jpg

 

Cheers

 

JB

 

Cheers

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Guest Jack Benson

Inspired by Jim Smith-Wright, these Hornby-Dublo SD6 banana vans have acquired Red Panda underframes and a coat of fresh paint.

 

When did Hornby first release them?

 

HD_banana_Wagons1.jpg.9bd86604ffd21f282e5f9dc3d14edaa5.jpg

 

They will be rather useful.

 

JB

 

 

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Guest Jack Benson
10 minutes ago, sb67 said:

Nice plan, how will you operate it, will you have a fiddle yard attatched?

Hi,

 

Operate as a shunting puzzle with just one loco plus a few short wagons, no FY, just the hidden headshunt behind the bomb damaged ruin.

 

The purpose of Chandlers Row is to provide some entertainment and encouragement to space-starved modellers. It is intended to be operated on a standard height table, accessible to both disabled and modellers of the future, just somewhere to relax and chat.

 

JB 

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  • RMweb Gold

I hope you won't be offended when I say I see lots of positive comparabilities with Graham Muz's Canute Road Quay, an excellent layout on the exhibition circuit. At a time of year when my railway barn is particularly uninviting, a layout of this size and style, with indoor feasibility, has a lot of appeal.  

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Guest Jack Benson
34 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

I hope you won't be offended when I say I see lots of positive comparabilities with Graham Muz's Canute Road Quay, an excellent layout on the exhibition circuit. At a time of year when my railway barn is particularly uninviting, a layout of this size and style, with indoor feasibility, has a lot of appeal.  

As preparation for the build started almost ten years ago  on RMweb, we are OK with any layout that might resemble our original concept. Chandlers was always an exercise in simplicity, with a minimum of everything except research and skill, just a couple of locos and stock that is entirely appropriate to the location. 

 

The discovery of proper table top protectors (eBay) allows modelling to continue unhindered by any weather and this holiday season has been very productive with a number of unique small details for Chandlers on the worktop.

 

Cheers

Edited by Jack Benson
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Guest Jack Benson

My apologies,

 

I forgot to include Phil's design for a trackplan from the post last Monday. The only alteration to his excellent plan to to include my pre-existing backscene and moving the terraced houses. Both trackplans use Peco code 75 small radius electrofrog turnouts.

 

Please consider both.

 

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A Happy and Prosperous New Year to all.

 

Cheers

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Guest Jack Benson

Ian,

 

Prompted by your comment we took stock of our past research. We have started to publish a list on our blog as a guide for other who might also profess an interest in quaysides of old Southampton, as our research started some years ago, we will need to update the list as we discover old links that we had forgotten.

 

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Copyright Leonard J Hale

 

 

Cheers

 

JB

Edited by Jack Benson
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Guest Jack Benson

Bombed building

Southampton, as a prime target on the South coast, was heavily bombed in the blitz '40-42 with St.Mary's, Chapel and Northam areas particularly affected. 

As Chandlers Row is set in the early 50s, before Southampton City Council managed to complete the task started by the Luftwaffe, there would still be buildings damaged beyond repair, waiting for demolition.

The simple kit is just two resin walls and a wooden floor, two-part epoxy is used to join the walls and a ground level floor with further stabilise the ruin.

Here, the walls are being joined.

 

Ruin1.jpg.53f73076f71047eef212b7b5dd6bdbd6.jpg

 

JB

 

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Guest Jack Benson

Turnout Control,

 

OK, why all the fuss? Initially, I bought two Blue Point mechanical turnout actuators because the original trackplan was a simple two-turnout Inglenook. Move forward two months and a new trackplan has emerged that uses four small Peco turnouts and I needed another two turnout actuators. The cost of the Blue Point actuators was £12.75 each plus an operating rod for each turnout (4 x £5.95), that is a whopping £25.80 + £23.80 , in short £49.60 plus postage.  (on top of the initial £25.80 plus postage)

 

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Instead, four SEEP PM-4 solenoid actuators were bought from Hattons (£22.75 total) and they are a doddle to install. The PM-4 actuators have integral switches and are self latching but more important, they are compact and readily available.

 

JB

 

 

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Just found this topic, and whilst the 50’s isn’t my usual period, I am fascinated by Southampton and its railway network, so will be following with interest.

 

It was also a pleasant surprise, as a Yeovilian, to see photos of my local post office on here!!

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Guest Jack Benson
12 hours ago, Tatty said:

Just found this topic, and whilst the 50’s isn’t my usual period, I am fascinated by Southampton and its railway network, so will be following with interest.

 

It was also a pleasant surprise, as a Yeovilian, to see photos of my local post office on here!!

The destruction of much of the area in the '40-60s meant finding a suitable corner Post Office somewhat challenging and I have a great affinity to the Glenville Road example. The high street of St.Mary's has fared a little better, the iconic Joiners is still standing tall and proud, typical of many similar streets.

 

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JB

Edited by Jack Benson
Typo
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Guest Jack Benson

Our connection with the area goes back to the auditing of accounts in the 60s at Corralls depot at Dibles Wharf, once part of the Powell Duffryn organisation that can trace its roots back to Thomas Powell of Aberdare and Rhymney, South Wales.

Originally, the wharf was a shipyard owned by James Dible but was taken over in 1926 by Wood and Co, coal merchants, they sought a rail link with the adjacent "Bull's Run' on Belvidere Wharf to gain access to the Southern mainline.

In 2004, the site was on the market for a reported £3.75m, this is a last picture of the yard as a working entity, the coal hoppers can still be seen.

 

20200110_Dibles2.jpg.5f0d069c20711e29334c874802c0f6fb.jpg

 

JB

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On 08/01/2020 at 13:54, petethemole said:

The Joiners is a music venue these days. In the '80s I used it regularly at lunchtimes when working on excavations in the St. Mary's area.

I used to go to gigs at The Joiners in the 80s and 90s. There was a really good guitar shop just up the road if i remember correctly. Be nice to see a model of The Joiners.

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Guest Jack Benson

Hi,

 

Some good news, an enormous envelope has pitched up, the baseboard kit, Dave is popping over on Thursday for breakfast at Olivers and then a day spent building the module. It isn't too heavy but I have to be really careful lugging stuff round for at least another six months.

 

And a cheap Hornby Peckett will become 'Bristol' works #1638, seen below  crossing Britannia Road on the Bull's Run. It will need dumb buffers and the steam dome will have to go, a DMR J65 will be bodged into place and the loco will receive a coat of green paint, the latter is pure guess work.

 

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Finally, someone returned my 'lost' copy of Industrial Steam - South by Michael Poulter, I last saw the book about ten years ago. Lots of lovely photos and no chance of anyone 'borrowing' it again.

 

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Cheers

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Guest Jack Benson

Hi,

 

As promised, digit extracted - glue setting, re-start work on Sunday. Not as difficult as expected but a few issues along the way, everything fitted in place.
The front and top fascias have not been fixed in position and will remain loose until the layout has been built.

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It is a bit heavy for one person, help will be needed at shows.

 

JB

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Guest Jack Benson

Hi,

 

Another photo of the potential layout, an article by Chris Nevard about Brewerhouse Quay  has provided an insight into how to create a true representation of a dockside layout, albeit rather tiny. Consequently, the baseboard will be covered with two layers of 5mm foamboard in order to create a raised dockside, a cut out portion with a suitable barge will replicate the River Itchen. Other influences are AY's Keyhaven which had a profound effect at the time as we were living only a few miles distant on the Hampshire coast, a lovely little layout.

 

The same methods employed by Chris for the groundcover and track installation will be used on Chandlers, no need to re-invent the wheel, it should be functioning by the end of March.

 

The rather 'odd' minimalist approach with the buildings at the rear is purely intentional, the only foreground features will be a small loading crane (see below), waterline barge and the rolling stock.

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This kit is very hard to find

 

Cheers

 

JB 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Jack Benson

Hi,

 

A recent conversation has me worried, it seems that taking on two more new layouts may be rather optimistic and that the larger Chandlers Row layout will be beyond my ability to lift and shift.

 

This is not really unexpected, I am aware of my deteriorating condition but I do have some remaining ability which is better suited to the much smaller PW Depot. Where this will progress is uncertain but concentrating on the Depot is a priority.

 

The decision to downsize to a micro-layout was made before last summer's events, a couple of years ago we had attended a local narrow-gauge group event and was impressed by the concept of operating a layout whilst seated. It was a more intimate method of interacting with the viewer, in the tradition of a salon rather than a public exhibition.

 

Cheers

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Guest Jack Benson

Hi,

It is odd, one door closes and another opens.

After almost 50 years, Linda, is somewhat bored with listening to talk about model railways and suggested that 'if the layout in a box' is OK for you to lift, why not buy another because B&Q are selling Really Useful 77ltr boxes at half price.........pause for massive head slap.

 

Another BB017 is on order from SMS and we are off to the B&Q pre-paid storage to collect the box and buy two smaller Really Useful boxes which will support the 77ltr box and also carry the equipment to the shows (another idea from Linda)

 

Chandlers_SMS.jpg.6d3b6aa07b2b34543fc2a27873560052.jpg

 

All the buildings for Chandlers easily will fit in the backscene, the only change will be the trackplan.

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

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