Cholsey & Moulsford (Change for Wallingford)

[RJS1977]

A station I know well - I'm a volunteer ticket seller there on the C&WR!

 

We've got the drawings for Cholsey station in our museum at Wallingford - photos of them can be found here

[Nick Gough]

9 hours ago, RJS1977 said:

A station I know well - I'm a volunteer ticket seller there on the C&WR!

 

We've got the drawings for Cholsey station in our museum at Wallingford - photos of them can be found here

Thanks,

 

Would it be okay to download those photos for my use please?

 

I remember seeing the first set of drawings on display at Cholsey station in 1992 to celebrate the station's centenary.

 

A few years ago I ran a tape measure over the surviving buildings. All I have to show for this so far is a card mock up of the main building:

This is positioned where a proper model should eventually go.

[RJS1977]

14 minutes ago, Nick Gough said:

Thanks,

 

Would it be okay to download those photos for my use please?

 

 

Of course, that's why I posted them... :-)

[Nick Gough]

Happy Birthday!

 

Cholsey & Moulsford station is 128 years old today having opened on 29th February 1892.

However, of course, like Frederic the apprentice, in the 'Pirates of Penzance', it has only had 32 true birthdays.

 

It replaced Moulsford (nee Wallingford Road) station which was situated in a cutting adjacent to the Reading-Wallingford turnpike (A329) about 3/4 mile nearer to Reading and dated from the opening of the line.

 

In 1992 an event to celebrate the centenary was held at Cholsey station:

 

There was a display of Cholsey railway history, a small fair, Cholsey Silver Band and some vintage transport:

 

At that date the bay platform was devoid of track:

 

But the embryonic Cholsey & Wallingford Railway society ran a steam train for a short distance along the branch at Cholsey:

 

A temporary platform was accessed by climbing the embankment near to the main line junction:

 

Would that be H&S compliant these days?

 

 

 

Edited September 28, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

And on the same day and in connection with the centenary event the Great Western Society ran three return trains between Didcot and Oxford hauled by 6998 'Burton Agnes Hall':

seen at Didcot station that day.

 

Unfortunately steam trains had not been permitted to run between Didcot and Reading at that time. However, a ticket for the steam special also allowed free travel by DMU to Cholsey for the event.

 

A more conventional view of 6998:

 

As I appear to have failed to photograph it from the front on the day!

Edited October 17, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

Just to clarify the photo of the empty trackbed two posts up was taken from the temporarily fenced off area for the branch steam train.

 

It shows how close members of the public were to the up relief!

[RJS1977]

Any idea what the CWR loco is? (Looks like DG driving it....)

[Nick Gough]

54 minutes ago, RJS1977 said:

Any idea what the CWR loco is? (Looks like DG driving it....)

According to the caption for this photo:

 

http://www.hondawanderer.com/1976_Cholsey_1992.htm

 

it's Peckett 0-4-0ST No.1976.

[RJS1977]

1 hour ago, Nick Gough said:

According to the caption for this photo:

 

http://www.hondawanderer.com/1976_Cholsey_1992.htm

 

it's Peckett 0-4-0ST No.1976.

 

So I guess the important question is - is it a W4? (It's not on the Wikipedia list of Peckett locos, and its type isn't given on the heritage-railways.com database). And yes, I know, the cab windows are wrong for the Hornby version :-(

 

[Nick Gough]

It's been quite a while since my last posting, but I have been able to put a fair bit of time in on the layout particularly with no grandparenting duties at the moment.

I have laid track - the up and down main lines - across the end board, past the window.

The radiator is off at the moment, but I have a cunning plan for heat shielding the board before the winter.

The tracks are waiting final soldering then cutting at the ends to allow removal of the board when necessary. The board is secured in place each side, underneath with hinges that I have removed the pins from and replaced with removable pieces of brass rod.

 

Moving to the right I have started fitting points for the entrance/exit to the storage sidings.

 

As the Peco factory is closed for the duration clearly it's going to be a long while before the bullhead slips and crossings are released. So I've decided to loosely fit a 'temporary' section of plain track to keep things going for the moment (just below the point on the left).

 

Work continues at the other end of the room and I must try not to leave so long before the next update!

Edited October 18, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Rockets]

Amazing to see those photos of Cholsey's centenary. I lived in the North in the 1990's. Now I can see the back of Cholsey Station from my house. 

 

Thanks for posting them up.

 

Dean.

[nickwood]

On 25/04/2020 at 19:59, Nick Gough said:

It's been quite a while since my last posting,

 

..... and if you hadn't I probably wouldn't have come across your thread.

 

An interesting project in an area that I'm quite familiar with living only 20miles or so away. I'm looking forward to seeing this develop. Any chance that you might consider modelling the branch later in the build?

 

P.S. It was a very pleasant surprise to see some photos and comments of Much Murkle earlier on here. Much appreciated.

[Nick Gough]

On 28/04/2020 at 09:43, Rockets said:

Amazing to see those photos of Cholsey's centenary. I lived in the North in the 1990's. Now I can see the back of Cholsey Station from my house. 

 

Thanks for posting them up.

 

Dean.

Thanks Dean

 

I have a few more from the mid '80s I will have to look out and scan.

 

Also, thanks to your kind assistance with the width of Silly Bridge I now have the carcase of my model assembled and in position to assist with tracklaying.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

3 hours ago, nickwood said:

 

..... and if you hadn't I probably wouldn't have come across your thread.

 

An interesting project in an area that I'm quite familiar with living only 20miles or so away. I'm looking forward to seeing this develop. Any chance that you might consider modelling the branch later in the build?

 

P.S. It was a very pleasant surprise to see some photos and comments of Much Murkle earlier on here. Much appreciated.

 

Thanks Nick

 

I'm hoping to include at least part of the branch eventually. How much depends on how I can sort out the gradients and curves to pass around the main line storage sidings. I certainly plan to have the first section from the junction up to the overbridge near Cholsey church.

[Nick Gough]

Meanwhile, at the other end of the railway room, I have three new baseboards, under construction, to complete the scenic section of the layout.

These take the line further in the Reading direction.

 

The first crosses the window alcove at this end, the window ledge and radiator here are much lower.

This is for the section of line between Silly bridge and the Reading to Wallingford road bridge. In real life this should be around a quarter of a mile but the model distance will be much compressed. Additionally the curve should be in the opposite direction and much, much, much more gentle, however....

 

The second board fits into the corner of the room.

The Reading - Wallingford road bridge will go near the right hand joint. The railway will change from in a cutting, on this side, to on an embankment on the left. This board covers the area where the former broad gauge Moulsford station (nee Wallingford Road) once stood and should, again, cover a distance of just over a quarter of a mile!

 

You have probably noticed the extra depth of the left hand end of this board and indeed the next one it is attached to.

This is because we have now reached the River Thames - the large flat area in the centre. This is where the two viaducts first seen, in the first post of this thread, will be positioned

Edited October 18, 2022 by Nick Gough

[RJS1977]

9 hours ago, Rockets said:

Amazing to see those photos of Cholsey's centenary. I lived in the North in the 1990's. Now I can see the back of Cholsey Station from my house. 

 

Thanks for posting them up.

 

Dean.

 

Next time I'm in the CWR ticket office (which is probably still a while off) stick your head in and say hello (and preferably buy a ticket or a membership of course... ;-) )

 

[Nick Gough]

As mentioned yesterday the baseboard for crossing the Thames is lower and deeper than those I have previously made.

 

Most of the layout is supported on metal framed shelving units and these are supplied with adjustable positions for mounting the shelves at 100 mm (4") increments. Therefore, instead of fitting the top (baseboard supporting) shelf at the top setting I have assembled three units using the next setting, a scale 25 feet lower:

 

Since I didn't want four metal legs sticking out of the top surface to injure anyone or get in the way it was out with the hacksaw:

 

Well, this afternoon, my 25 year old jigsaw has decided it is not going to work properly anymore. So it's off to surf the interweb for a replacement.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

A little sawing needed to reduce the height of the bridge piers to allow them to sit at the correct height above the 'river':

When I had the plywood cut into strips I allowed for a deeper width as I wasn't sure at that stage how high they would need to be.

 

Both bridges will be screwed to wooden blocks, at each end, of the base board:

This will allow me to remove them and replace, as required, to carry out detailing and painting.

 

I haven't fixed the screw holes for the relief lines' bridge yet as I need to establish the distance of the gap between the two bridges. That will have to wait until I can make a site visit after the end of lockdown. In the meantime I have left enough gap with the blocks for adjustment of that bridge. I'm not likely to be laying the relief lines for a while anyway.

 

At the moment both bridges roughly in position:

[Tallpaul69]

Hi Nick,

Those bridges look good and sturdy!

 

What is your favoured  method for doing water?

 

I don't know these bridges, but what sort of depth is the water under them?

I am assuming this bit of the Thames is not navigable.

 

Cheers

Paul

[Nick Gough]

18 minutes ago, Tallpaul69 said:

Hi Nick,

Those bridges look good and sturdy!

 

What is your favoured  method for doing water?

 

I don't know these bridges, but what sort of depth is the water under them?

I am assuming this bit of the Thames is not navigable.

 

Cheers

Paul

Hi Paul

 

I am planning to do it with layers of varnish over a prepared bed, like I have already with a couple of small streams.

I had considered resin, but it is a large area to cover so would be quite costly - about 48" x 30"

 

The Thames is about 170' wide at this point  and nearer 250' on the skew under the bridges. The river is navigable here, at least for pleasure craft. The arches have a quoted headway of 21' 8" and 62' span.

[Nick Gough]

That stern pennant will need changing!

 

The boat was a birthday present from my seven year old grandson, after he learned I was including a river, so I have to use it!

[Nick Gough]

Seal the new baseboards underneath with some left over emulsion:

[Nick Gough]

And a spot of terraforming:

[nickwood]

Good to see some old school scenic foundations

[Nick Gough]

8 hours ago, nickwood said:

Good to see some old school scenic foundations

And it's cheap!