Basford North

[dibateg]

I just wanted to put together a summary of the project. Basford North - I chose this location as it is related to the GC, but runs only local trains and plenty of goods and mineral ones. So the project has been ongoing in the background for a couple of years. The time has been taken up with extending my building, planning the layout and making baseboards I have a Templot plan which is in the process of being printed.

So a flavour of what I want to achieve.

 

Initial design, before deciding to extend the room:-

 

 

Basic Templot plan

 

Current progress with the baseboards - just the lifting section to make.

 

I've been gathering information, books and photos for a long time, including a visit to the Nottingham Archive. There are still many unanswered questions!

Tony

 

 

Edited April 12, 2020 by dibateg
making a mess of it

[Adrian Stevenson]

Looks like a great project. I am a Nottingham lad so I will be following this with interest.

 

Cheers, Ade.

[dibateg]

Thanks Ade - 

progress is less than glacial, but I've been planning some of the structures, beginning with the Vernon Road bridge. I've drawn it out actual size. Hopefully I'll be able to get it laser cut. The photos show it being demolished in 1970. The trolleybus is early 60s. Look at all those advertising hoardings. I won't be putting it on the skew though:-

[richard i]

Not on the skew.......go on you know you want to. 

Great to catch up at Warley.

richard. 

[dibateg]

Good to see you too Richard!

 

I've made a mock up of the signal box for Basford North, it w as along box with 99 levers. It is not like any other GN box I can find. I suspect it was a new build in 1898/9. The closest photo I have is of one end, but I had a distant view of the back and an oblique view of the front so I've had to extrapolate the dimensions. I got it too high on the first pass.

 

[dibateg]

I'm going to exploit the lockdown to get on with the layout. I've now managed to pin out the Templot plan. The weather has improved I can start wood cutting again and complete the formation over the embankment and lifting section.

[flubrush]

You've cracked thr PDF probkem. :-)  Good to see this on the go again.

 

Jim.

[richard i]

Hill at this end of the layout looks a bit steep for locos to climb.

richard. 

[Turnesc]

Can't wait to see this start to take shape. Having looked at this last night I did some research to work out exactly where Basford North station was only to find out that it would have only been a few hundred yards away from where I live now which is on what the track bed from Basford North to Bullwell Common. While the bridge in the background of the station photo is still there very little else still exists. At some point I might have a walk down and have a look and see if any of the buildings in the photo are still in use as I imagine some of the sheds may be used now as part of the industrial estate and business units.

[great central]

I'm interested in watching this develop as well. Used to have school swimming lessons at Northern Baths beside the Vernon Road bridge, then make our own way back to school via the path alongside the station and over the GC main line. Can't understand why it took so long to get back to school though?

[dibateg]

Thank you for your interest chaps - it's compromised of course to fit in the space, but I hope the project will convey the flavour and atmosphere of the line.

 

I did do a site survey a couple of years ago, there wasn't much to find! I'm hoping ( fingers crossed ) that a friend will build the Northern Baths for me..

 

Being at home full time means that progress is speeding up!

 

The Northern Baths will be on the left and Vernon road will pass under that larger gap on the right. I hope to make the lifting section for the gap over the next couple of days.

 

Regards

Tony

[Turnesc]

The only things that are still in existence without having a quick walk down the road are the original bridges on Park Lane, and then on St Albans road near what was Bullwell common, station, but have been filled in. The tunnel at the top of Park Lane that would have joined the line at Bullwell Common no longer exists. Certainly no sign of the bridge over Vernon Road and I had no idea there had ever been one there until seeing recent pictures on the Nottingham Post website. https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/gallery/56-pictures-basford-through-years-3537367 There's a couple of pictures of the Vernon Road bridge and one of Basford North station.

[great central]

1 hour ago, Turnesc said:

The only things that are still in existence without having a quick walk down the road are the original bridges on Park Lane, and then on St Albans road near what was Bullwell common, station, but have been filled in. The tunnel at the top of Park Lane that would have joined the line at Bullwell Common no longer exists. Certainly no sign of the bridge over Vernon Road and I had no idea there had ever been one there until seeing recent pictures on the Nottingham Post website. https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/gallery/56-pictures-basford-through-years-3537367 There's a couple of pictures of the Vernon Road bridge and one of Basford North station.

 

Without wishing to divert the thread too much, you should look up the bridge over Valley Road on the GC main line where Bagthorpe junction was.

It was here that the line through the locally known 'Rat Hole' joined the GN from Basford North to the GC into Nottingham Victoria. The junction was on a high embankment, almost immediately going into a cutting and bridge under Perry Road. There's the odd trace if you know what you're looking for or at but otherwise it's all been completely erased from the landscape.

[dibateg]

Thanks for the discussion, I did visit the area a couple of years ago, its remarkable how all that substantial infrastructure has disappeared.

 

Regards

Tony 

[dibateg]

The lifting section is fitted, I need to sort some latches and hooks etc when I can get to the hardware shop.

[richard i]

And a fancy bridge lifting apparatus perhaps like tower bridge. 
if you have time you could scratch build the fancy towers too. 
richard 

[dibateg]

Time...

An afternoons work - after spending the morning cutting up trees.. has got the extension embankments to the bay platform and long siding complete.

 

 

But the road up to the goods yard is too steep at 1 in 10, so I shall have to have a think about that.

Edited April 10, 2020 by dibateg

[great central]

4 minutes ago, dibateg said:

Time...

An afternoons work - after spending the morning cutting up trees.. has got the extension embankments to the bay platform and long siding complete.

 

 

But the road up to the goods yard is too steep at 1 in 10, so I shall have to have a think about that.

 

Crikey tree to layout in the same day. Hope it doesn't warp too much.

[hucknall byron]

Looks like a great layout in the making with the space to achieve those lovely sweeping curves. I am a Nottingham lad as well and that whole area is fascinating. Just as a matter of interest someone on You tube has done a computer simulation of Bulwell common that you may find helpful.

[dibateg]

Thanks Chaps - 

ha ha  - yes  I've only used pine for the legs and strengthening blocks, all of the baseboards are made from quality birch ply.

 

Of course I've had to curve things around and make compromises, but I hope I'll be able to capture the atmosphere of the line and area..

 

 

[dibateg]

Well, I totally miscalculated the goods yard road - more like 1 in 5! So out came the plans and saws and now its more like 1 in 8 - still a little steep, but there is no more space. As I have curved what is in real life a straight line, that has shortened space on the inside. Anyway - that's better... there was a retaining wall anyway for the double track embankment.

 

An overall view sets it in context. The shark fin is to stop the lifting section crashing back wards on to the storage yard.

[richard i]

Could you not have the road finishing further around the curve, and/ or not dropping so low? It is compromised by the curve already. To my mind a very steep road will stand out far more than it being a shade too long or the height of the land not dropping down enough. 
just my humble opinion Tony, 

richard 

[dibateg]

Thanks guys - I'm reviewing the goods yard access road, I may well shorten the long siding and bring it round tighter to exit the layout at a higher level, so that it would join Vernon Road offscene.

 

That's the problem of building this in isolation - so it's helpful to have extra eyes!

 

 

The cork is now down and the plans laid out again, there is plenty of open space, I want to try and create the feeling of the railway in the landscape. I was fretting about the width of the station boards and working on them - but they are designed to come apart so they can be shifted into the middle of the room to be worked on. The backscene will be attached to the wall.

I'm glad I made the boards strong enough to withstand my weight. Here's the view looking 'west' to the station, with the Bulwell Common line coming in from the right. Weights are holding the newly glued cork down. Lines here, from left to right:- headshunt, down from Bagthorp Jn, down from Daybrook, up to Bagthorp and Daybrook - that seperates later off scene.

[dibateg]

Having wrenched my back using the rotovator yesterday, I'm spending some time having an easy day planning the control panel and signalling. I've come up with this rough plan. Lever numbers are based on the original box which had 90 levers.

Edited April 18, 2020 by dibateg

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Haven't you omitted the connection to Nottm Vic via the "Rat Hole", just to the right of the signalbox?