Cholsey & Moulsford (Change for Wallingford)

[Nick Gough]

After the bridge, and the station, I had a short drive along the road for the very last steaming (this boiler certificate) of  a certain 4-6-0:

 

and dropping the fire for the last time before overhaul:

Edited October 26, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Tallpaul69]

From Large to Little!

Here is a photo I took yesterday at the Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway reopening weekend.

Doll is running round her train at the Pages Park Terminus ready for her 2.30 departure to Stonehenge!

 

Cheers

Paul

[Nick Gough]

4 hours ago, Tallpaul69 said:

From Large to Little!

Here is a photo I took yesterday at the Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway reopening weekend.

Doll is running round her train at the Pages Park Terminus ready for her 2.30 departure to Stonehenge!

 

Cheers

Paul

Good to see Paul,

I really must get over for another visit.

[Nick Gough]

I have made four small plywood bridges:

 

These are to replicate the arches that join the two Moulsford bridges:

 

Apparently there was a walkway above, each one, providing access between the two bridges and, presumably, acting as refuges for p/way staff.

 

The metal grating is a recent addition creating a dedicated walkway from end to end of the structure and, via ladders and platforms, allowing ground level access and access to inspection voids in the arches:

I will not be replicating these or the pipe (which seems to be a late C20 addition)!

Edited October 26, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

The four cross-arches have been fixed to the side of the Brunel bridge:

 

Access points have been cut in the main bridge parapet wall:

Much as those building the 'new' bridge must have had to do in the 1890s, (although they had to cut through brick rather than plywood!)

 

The new bridge placed in position:

I will not be attaching the cross arches, to the 'new' bridge, since I want to keep the two bridges separate, to allow me to remove them from the baseboard individually.

Edited October 26, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

Yesterday I 'found' a few photos of Moulsford bridge that I took ten years ago:

Taken from the window of an HST they are not brilliant, but they do show some detail of the parapets and cross walkways that will be useful. Not easy to find views of the top of the bridge. 

Edited October 26, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

Then a lineside view of the former Moulsford (Wallingford Road) station site:

 

and Silly bridge at track level:

It may be my imagination but I'm sure I can see a blocked off transverse arch in the left hand pier to match the remaining one shewn in this photo on the other side of this arch:

Edited October 26, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Tallpaul69]

2 hours ago, Nick Gough said:

Then a lineside view of the former Moulsford (Wallingford Road) station site:

 

and Silly bridge at track level:

It may be my imagination but I'm sure I can see a blocked off transverse arch in the left hand pier to match the remaining one shewn in this photo on the other side of this arch:

Great Pics Nick,

What is the white structure to the right of the bridge in the first Silly Bridge photo?

 

Regards

Paul

[Nick Gough]

1 hour ago, Tallpaul69 said:

Great Pics Nick,

What is the white structure to the right of the bridge in the first Silly Bridge photo?

 

Regards

Paul

Do you mean the building Paul?

That was, originally, the station hotel. It had the station approach road between it and the railway but the new relief lines replaced that.

The main station building would have been in the bottom right corner of the photo, adjacent to the Up Main line. The goods shed was also on the up side, further back, towards Reading.

[Tallpaul69]

Sorry Nick, didn't make myself clear!

I meant the white structure running up the embankment beside the bridge in the 2nd picture (Silly Bridge from track level).

Looks like it could be reinforcement for the embankment - was there an earth slip here sometime in the past?

 

Regards

Paul

[Nick Gough]

 

4 minutes ago, Tallpaul69 said:

Sorry Nick, didn't make myself clear!

I meant the white structure running up the embankment beside the bridge in the 2nd picture (Silly Bridge from track level).

Looks like it could be reinforcement for the embankment - was there an earth slip here sometime in the past?

 

Regards

Paul

I'm not sure Paul.

I'll have a look and see whether I've got it in any clearer photos.

[Nick Gough]

The purpose of my journey, on 17th April 2010, was to travel to Bristol Temple Meads to join the Up 'Bristolian' steam excursion:

This was to be a non-stop train, from Bristol to Paddington, hauled by 5043 'Earl of Mount Edgcumbe', as part of the 'GWR 175' celebrations. 

The scheduled journey time was 154 minutes, for the 117 miles, but, in the event, the start to stop time was 2 seconds under 110 minutes. During normal steam days the schedule was 105 minutes although the train was allowed to travel faster then than todays limit for steam.

Nevertheless for 100 miles of the journey the average speed was 72.8 mph and a memorable day was had by all passengers.

Edited October 26, 2022 by Nick Gough
Photos not loading

[Nick Gough]

Meanwhile, back to the layout.

I have laid the first piece of track on the 'new' Moulsford bridge for the Down Relief line:

Edited October 26, 2022 by Nick Gough
Removing an error.

[RJS1977]

4 hours ago, Nick Gough said:

T

The scheduled journey time was 154 minutes, for the 117 miles, but, in the event, the start to stop time was 2 seconds under 110 minutes.

 

Tell me about it! I went up to Sonning Cutting to photograph it, arriving in what I thought was plenty of time, only to be told I'd missed it by twenty minutes!

[Binky]

I've only just discovered this thread. I lived in Moulsford for a while and now work in Wallingford so have been reading this thread with interest.

[Nick Gough]

41 minutes ago, RJS1977 said:

 

Tell me about it! I went up to Sonning Cutting to photograph it, arriving in what I thought was plenty of time, only to be told I'd missed it by twenty minutes!

I know you weren't the only one disappointed that day!

 

[Nick Gough]

4 minutes ago, Binky said:

I've only just discovered this thread. I lived in Moulsford for a while and now work in Wallingford so have been reading this thread with interest.

Thanks. Welcome aboard. I hope things are starting to look a little familiar, but there's still a long way to go.

[Neal Ball]

That bridge looks terrific already. It’s going to be a great place to sit and watch the model pass.

[Nick Gough]

5 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

That bridge looks terrific already. It’s going to be a great place to sit and watch the model pass.

Thanks Neal. I want it to be one of the main features on the layout.

[Nick Gough]

I used up my last yard of bullhead track on the bridge:

 

So it was off to the Northampton model shop this morning for more supplies:

Edited October 26, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

This week we had a new, insulated, roof fitted to our conservatory. This included new flashing so I kept the old one:

I reckon I now have a lifetime's supply of lead for extra weight in my locos and rolling stock!

Edited October 26, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Binky]

3 hours ago, Nick Gough said:

This week we had a new, insulated, roof fitted to our conservatory. This included new flashing so I kept the old one:

I reckon I now have a lifetime's supply of lead for extra weight in my locos and rolling stock!

 

Cut it into OO chassis width strips and sell some on ebay!

[Nick Gough]

The Up Relief line reaches Moulsford bridge:

 

Edited October 26, 2022 by Nick Gough

[snailpace]

Nick, I’m worried about your cat. Does it have to eat the glue as well??

 

I spend some of I my time keeping Mrs S’s little darlings off my real estate.  They actually cost us more than my railway, but best not mention that!

 

Excellent progress BTW. Sadly I progress at my usual speed.

Cheers, Mark

[Nick Gough]

Thanks Mark.

Don't worry about the cat. He has a completely glue-free diet!

 

I have a large collection of the empty boxes as I find the corrugated cardboard ideal for creating profiles for the scenery. There's still quite a bit of that to do.

 

We did have another cat until recently but she succumbed to heart disease - sadly missed.

 

Surprisingly, neither cat has shown much interest in the railway, despite their natural curiosity, so I haven't had any interference with the layout, just with other activities.