Fal Vale – 00 Southern Railway in the Antipodes

[Oldddudders]

Watery Bottom and Scratchy Bottom are good names, but never forget that in smart outer-suburban Kent is a posh commuter village mentioned by a jeans manufacturer in their advertising some years ago. The slogan supporting the quality of their product was "Tougher than living in Pratt's Bottom"!

 

And justifying a gorge in Cornwall is made easier by the fact that one exists much closer than Cheddar - Lydford Gorge in Devon is close to the former LSWR route to Plymouth. 

[KymN]

16 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

 Lydford Gorge in Devon is close to the former LSWR route to Plymouth. 

 

Thank you so much for that.  Lydford actually fits very well.  Not only was it on the LSWR Withered Arm, but it was the junction leading to the Great Western Launceston branch.  That fits the idea of running rights for the GWR between Fal Vale and Truro.  Meldon is just up the track too, and the viaduct kit that I bought so long ago bears more than a passing resemblance to the viaduct there.   

 

I must admit that the Fal Vale backstory has has started to become a little silly lately.  It all started with my discovery of Buggleskelly and then Watery Bottom.  'Bottom' in cartography simply refers to a wide river valley, which Lydford Gorge is not.  There is a Pitt Town Bottoms in Sydney on the flood plain of the Hawkesbury River that goes back to early European settlement.  Looks like I should rethink a few things .

[St Enodoc]

51 minutes ago, KymN said:

 

Thank you so much for that.  Lydford actually fits very well.  Not only was it on the LSWR Withered Arm, but it was the junction leading to the Great Western Launceston branch.  That fits the idea of running rights for the GWR between Fal Vale and Truro.  Meldon is just up the track too, and the viaduct kit that I bought so long ago bears more than a passing resemblance to the viaduct there.   

 

I must admit that the Fal Vale backstory has has started to become a little silly lately.  It all started with my discovery of Buggleskelly and then Watery Bottom.  'Bottom' in cartography simply refers to a wide river valley, which Lydford Gorge is not.  There is a Pitt Town Bottoms in Sydney on the flood plain of the Hawkesbury River that goes back to early European settlement.  Looks like I should rethink a few things .

There's a Tregudda Gorge in Cornwall, near Padstow, which of course was also an LSWR destination.

[KymN]

6 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

There's a Tregudda Gorge in Cornwall, near Padstow...

 

So there is, but more of a coastal rock formation.  Not quite what I need mate, but lovely country.

[KymN]

The raised Gorge benchwork is now complete, and the mostly hidden lower track laid and wired.  I will ballast the exposed ends (under the loco) shortly. The upper deck that will lead to the viaduct is in place but not yet fixed yet. 

 

The first photo shows the junction between the loop line and the new track, with the Bachmann 'Warship' posed there.  The weathering and crew etc. is by TMC, and they do a great job.  I have to say too that I have run this loco for the first time and its performance is superb straight out of the box (actually out of my display cabinet, when most of the fleet has lived pending some track to run them!).  This is really the first opportunity after many years to test run  my locos, and to find out what is good and what isn't. 

 

The tunnel mouth is something that I built from foamboard some years back.  I do not have a place for it now, but I shall use the same technique for the little viaduct that forms part of the loop line.  I have discovered a source of 'flexible foam board' - but it isn't very flexible, just omits the paper bits.

 

 

The Gorge bench work is now a metre away from Fal Vale yard.  This will require some adjustment to the mainline track geometry in the yard, plus some extra bench work. The next photo shows the end of the yard where this change needs to occur - either by reversing the curve near the (temporary) transformer or by replacing the turnout from which it leads. The curve is the easier option, but the turnout would probably give the better geometry. The branch line on which the inspection coach is sitting aligns directly with the line that will run around the back of the gorge to the fiddle yard.

 

 

The main job over the last month or so has been to relocate the control panel for what was the Buggleskelly board - it will control the loop line and the Branch terminus, now nameless, although I think that I shall retain the Buggleskelly name for the running-in loop.  At the moment the terminus is just a few pieces of cork sheet and and some temporary bits of Kato (I think) track that I bought some years ago to get something running on the carpet. It is only used to help sort the geometry now.  The terminus is set out to emulate the layout used by Rev. Awdry for his first Farquhar, but that is all history now that the loop line has been integrated with the main layout.  The pictures show the new panel location at the end of the board, first top and then under, then the power board.  The Panel has both DC and DCC circuits.  The ancient Relco unit only works with DC, and the big DPDT switch in the panel selects which.

 

 

 

 

In order to assist with management of my arthritic back I have commandeered a beach seat to improve my working environment underneath the benchwork.

 

Now for a few trains.  First, here is a typical branch freight.  There is a practical reason for short trains. The radius of the loop line, its connection and the wharf is a compromise 520mm, rather than the 700mm of the main line.  I have learned that the 520mm track does not accept long vehicles (such as bogie coaches) being pushed - buffer locking is a problem with Kadee #18s.  They are OK being pulled, but shunting is limited.  The running in purpose is not compromised, as this is just for light engines. But I have some scenery - I planted a tree.  The buildings are European plastic kits that I built many years ago and attempted to anglicise. Unfortunately that have not done well in the interstate move.  More recent buildings are 'ready to plant'.  I think that I may have said that I would be embarrassed to use them, but no more.  I have recognised that I do not have unlimited time to get things together.

 

 

 

The Worth Valley USA tank with the LNER dynamometer car is needed to test the variety of engines that my railway management proposes to run.  The turnout is an 009 one that I built when I was at school.  No-one builds 009 with code 100 rail any more.

 

 

And finally here is my trusty DC test train.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2021 by KymN
tried to remove repeated pics

[St Enodoc]

44 minutes ago, KymN said:

I have discovered a source of 'flexible foam board' - but it isn't very flexible, just omits the paper bits.

Tell us more please, Kym!

[KymN]

21 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Tell us more please, Kym!

 

I got 10 A3 sheets from Discount ArtNCraft.  They are Sydney-based: www.discountartncraftwarehouse.com.au. $3.29 per sheet. Product is called Foamboard Flexi 3mm. However it is not very bendy - you might get 300mm radius or better but it must be well held. 

Essentially it is just plain foamboard (the core) without the the paper surfaces.  For the structures like the wharf and the tunnel mouth I pulled the paper away from the regular foam core and then scored the bare surface to give a stone pattern.  Perhaps scoring the back of these 'Flexi' sheets would improve the flexibility.

Cheers.

 

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, KymN said:

 

I got 10 A3 sheets from Discount ArtNCraft.  They are Sydney-based: www.discountartncraftwarehouse.com.au. $3.29 per sheet. Product is called Foamboard Flexi 3mm. However it is not very bendy - you might get 300mm radius or better but it must be well held. 

Essentially it is just plain foamboard (the core) without the the paper surfaces.  For the structures like the wharf and the tunnel mouth I pulled the paper away from the regular foam core and then scored the bare surface to give a stone pattern.  Perhaps scoring the back of these 'Flexi' sheets would improve the flexibility.

Cheers.

 

Thanks Kym. I'm after something like that for Tremewan Tunnel portal.

[St Enodoc]

On 01/09/2021 at 19:41, St Enodoc said:

Thanks Kym. I'm after something like that for Tremewan Tunnel portal.

Hmm, minimum order 10 sheets plus shipping will cost me over $50. Eckersley's also sell it - when the shops open again I'll see whether I can get a single sheet, otherwise I'll have to think again.

Edited September 2, 2021 by St Enodoc

[KymN]

I am supposed to be finishing another section of my layout benchwork today (the piece to connect the loop line to the main Fal Vale area), but that got boring.  So I played trains for a short while.  Here is a short goods train, powered by the EFE Army Austerity.  A couple of the private owner wagons are curious.  One is a 'Buggleskelly Lime Company' wagon commissioned from Dapol by Tom Marshall of the Will Hay Appreciation Society.  I have a few wagons from that source, all Oh, Mr Porter themed.  The other Is the Rails of Sheffield Hendo's tank wagon, also by Dapol.  Bit far from Cornwall, but it looks good.

 

 

 

The other two photos (below) are closeups of the wharf and coal drop areas respectively.  They came about because a friend had been meticulously cutting plastic bits as infill for a paved section of track - I just used DAS clay for that purpose many years ago. I might have mentioned before but Kelly's Coal is is a division of Kelly's Wood Yard, an old schoolboy joke phone answer. 

 

 

[KymN]

Now that RMWeb is back on air, it's an opportunity for an update on Fal Vale.

The main progress is in the bridging piece that links the main Fal Vale yard with the tunnel and gorge benchwork.  The bridging piece extends the mainline and branch by about 1 metre each. It also connects the wharf yard to the lower level connection with the loop line. The new section matches the original benchwork using 'L-girder' principles, supported off the garage wall and from the other boards.  I can't recall any other bits of carpentry where I made so many mistakes!  I now have a very solid and accurate result, but it took a while. .  The picture shows the substructure. 

 

 

I have also been delving through the box containing the last of my old structures.  These have suffered from years in storage and transit, with bits fallen off and joints failed.  One particularly sad case was my kit-built San Francisco house.  I was very proud of the paintwork on this.  All of the joints joining the outer walls have failed, so the building is now in flat pack form. It can just be seen top centre in the picture.

 

 

This next picture shows the rolling lift bridge that has re-emerged.  Just what I am to do with it I don't know.  Sitting on it is the Heljan AC Cars railbus.  I could not find this for a while but it turned up holidaying with some Australian trains at the bottom of my box room shelves

 

 

Another current project is to improve the habitability of my garden studio - known as the 'Duck house' (why I have no idea).  It is fitted out as an office, but has no lighting!  It soon will have, and I will need to dispose of a plague of ants before I can use it.  I am at a stage where I need to build or rebuild bridges, tunnel portals and other details, and this has been the impetus. 

Which reminds me, I need to get back to the superstructure of the bridging section...

 

[KymN]

 

I am pleased to report that we have some progress, albeit slow and steady.

 

First, the new build connection between Fal Vale and the Buggleskelly Loop has progressed.  The superstructure and profile boards are emerging and the first of the track base has been added.  I can do the front side, which links to the wharf line, but the lines from Fal Vale itself will need to wait to keep access to the wall where I plan on hanging the back scene.  Some large sheets of 10mm Foam Board, cut to size, are being couriered by an outfit called 'Bigpost'.

 

 

One important attribute of the current work has been to get the mains connections off the floor.  Because one of the control panels (the only one at present) is on the far side of the operating well, these are now carried in conduits off the benchwork legs and baseboard underside around the well.  It is not perfect, but it clearly separates the mains extension cords from the layout wiring, and avoids the trip hazard.  All fixed wiring was done by a licenced electrician of course.

 

 

A further project has been to create my modelling studio.  This utilises a garden room known as the 'Duck House'.  It is well insulated and bright, and the previous owner had installed quality office furniture, blinds, power and a fan.  Yet there were no lights!  There are now.  I still have a little work to set up completely, and to persuade a colony of ants to depart, but I now have a place to work at night.

 

 

 

Finally, another mistake.  I spotted this on the net, rather obscurely drawn and claimed to be H0 scale.  I thought that it might be adaptable. It is not H0 and not to scale.  The figure that came with it, which looks like a European conductor carrying a couple of bottles of beer, would be 10' tall in 00.

 

 

[RodneyV]

Hi Kym,

 

Great to see the progress on your layout.

Hopefully I will see it in the flesh next year.

 

Regards

 

Rodney

 

 

[Oldddudders]

On Friday I witnessed a slightly different Fal Vale - it being the railway in Arnold Ridley's "Ghost Train" on stage at Paignton Palace theatre. Realistic smelly smoke, and film of a train leaving Totnes Riverside were all part of the performance. A brill evening, and many of the cast were pleased to greet Sherry and me afterwards, especially the lady whom Sherry had helped coach her lines a few weeks backI

[KymN]

Much of my work on Fal Vale it the moment is happening out in my newly lit garden studio, 'the Duck House'.  I am working on the bridges and tunnel portals, including a bridge that has seen service on a former layout that I can't recall.  The problem with ancient plastic kits is that they fall apart in time.  The joints don't seem to want to go together again easily.

 

In the meantime I have added some new coaches to my 'other' Southern railway - The South Australian Railways.  This does not exist as a layout here at home, but I am apprenticed to the operating team of one of the biggest and best SAR layouts in the State - Rodney Barrington's South Adminga Railway.

 

In 1936 the 'Overland' train between Adelaide and Melbourne was rebranded by painting its carriages green, and adding some green 'streamlining' to the 500 class locos that had been built specifically for hauling the Overland and other heavy trains through the Adelaide Hills. The Overland, or 'Melbourne Express' was the first interstate passenger train in Australia, made possible because the colonies of South Australia and Victoria built lines to the same gauge - the Irish gauge of 5' 3".  The carriages were the Victorian 'E' cars, the first of which had been built in 1907 at VR's  Newport Workshops. The early ones had gas lighting and screw couplers. 'The Overland' was depicted in chrome plated letters on the fascia panel above the windows.  Some of the fleet were later built at the SAR's Islington shops.  I now have a small fleet of the Auscision models of these cars.

 

 

The set includes a green-liveried baggage car built to the standard Victorian CE diagram.

 

 

The joint stock cars were split between the SAR and VR when the stainless steel fluted cars were built from 1949 in SAR's Islington shops. Two first class E cars (550 & 551) were painted in SAR's country green and yellow livery. They were sold on the Commonwealth Railways after only a couple of years.  The cars were repainted in Carriage Red (which was different in each state) from 1943.  Auscision has released a wide variety of liveries that the E-cars have carried in service and in preservation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KymN]

A little more background to the pre-WWII 'Overland'.

 

Several carriages in the 'Hawthorn Green' livery are on display in our National Railway Museum at Port Adelaide.  This is sleeping car Onkaparinga, named after a river in the Adelaide Hills.  'Onkaparinga' is a rough translation of a Kaurna people's word 'Ngangkiparingga' that means 'place of the women’s river'. (Photo NRM)

 

 

As built, the interior of the carriage was Art Nouveau styled, which was highly fashionable during the Belle Époque period that ended with the start of World War I. The B&W pics are as built and the colour pic shows the Art Nouveau timber carving.  The open area is the gentlemen's smoking lounge and the ladder goes to the upper berth in a sleeping compartment (photos C. Drymalik Collection).

 

 

 

 

 

The museum also has an example of the 500 class locomotive that was used to haul the Overland.  The ten 500s were part of an order for 30 placed under W.A. Webb's watch at SAR Commissioner.  Government policy of the time required them to be purchased within the British Empire, and so the order was placed with Sir W.G. Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle upon Tyne, England.  However they were essentially the United States Railroad Administration (USRA) Light Mikado 4-8-2 Mountain type design, as had been tendered by ALCO.  Webb's young CME Fred Shea supervised the redesign and the contract.  They were the largest conventional locomotives built in the UK.  Soon after delivery all locomotives had their springing altered to suit South Australia's tight curves and steep grades (1 in 45 over the Hills), and the trailing wheels of the 500's replaced with a bogie incorporating a booster, thus making them a 4-8-4, or Northern type.  They were very successful.  The Museum example is the 'streamlined' version with a valance along the running board. 

 

 

Finally, an unfortunate view of an 'un-streamlined' version, I'm not sure where. The chap at the front of the photo looks amused but not happy!   

 

 

[KymN]

I have been spending a bit of time in my newly lit Duck House studio. This is the first product of the studio - a bridge too far. I have had the kit for decades, part built. The piers must have been in a layout judging by their condition. I found most of the bits, but had to scratch build a bit of the steel span that was missing some struts.

The loco is to be the donor mechanism for a kit of a sentinel steam loco that ran in the Frys Chocolate factory. Its load is a battered Matchbox Bedford milk float that I owned as a kid.

 

[KymN]

Some progress has been made, but no pictures at this stage.  The Buggleskelly loop is now connected to the older part of the layout, and the first trains have run across the previously reported bridge into the old bit.  That is the good news.

 

At this stage some analysis is needed.  The wharf area is the oldest part of the railway, and was never wired for DCC.  In fact I have no idea what it was wired for!  Points are live frog, which is good, but that is it.  The first step is assess the old wiring and panel - how are the old sidings fed, so what needs to be done to put things right? 

 

Finally I need to sort the (Kadee) permanent magnets that uncouple everything, regardless of intention.  Hummmn...

 

I have also made some progress on my patio, but that is off topic for here.

[KymN]

Perhaps I should add a picture.  This is the bridge in position.

 

 

The test train shown here is English Electric's Gas Turbine GT3 - a successful but conceptually flawed machine. It is hauling the LNER dynamometer car (used by Nigel Gresley to verify Mallard's 1938 speed record of 200 km/hr.) and an LMS track inspection vehicle.

[St Enodoc]

2 minutes ago, KymN said:

Perhaps I should add a picture.  This is the bridge in position.

 

 

The test train shown here is English Electric's Gas Turbine GT3 - a successful but conceptually flawed machine. It is hauling the LNER dynamometer car (used by Nigel Gresley to verify Mallard's 1938 speed record of 200 km/hr.) and an LMS track inspection vehicle.

Kym, is that XPS foam? If so, how do you cut it and does it make much mess?

[KymN]

2 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Kym, is that XPS foam? If so, how do you cut it and does it make much mess?

 

Bastion XPS Foam from Bunnings.  Cut with a hot wire cutter and there is no mess.  I have not used a saw or blade, but I assume that would be messy.  Glued with Selleys Liquid Nails (water based).  

 

cheers.

[DLT]

Lovely modelling!

[KymN]

Some modest progress. There is now a backscene along the wall. I had some help in putting it up from one of our group, which was great. I suspect that I may want to modify it a little eventually but this will do for the time being.

 

 

I also managed to download a movie of my Bachmann Double Fairlie to my hard drive, but it is too big/wrong format  to post here. Here is a photo to be going on with.

 

 

The wagon is new, by Bachmann.  The brake van is 50 years or so older, by Lilliput.  They haven't improved the couplers in all that time.  Unfortunately the glue that used to hold the weight in the van has perished, so it can be a bit unstable. 

[KymN]

I nearly forgot.  A happy and safe New Year to everyone.  I had a quiet one.  I had to think about what to wear to my living room and then I wondered whether to bother going.

 

Take care,  Kym. 

[KymN]

I ran my green Overland Cars on the magnificent South Adminga Railway earlier this week.  They ran behind a lovely model of a South Australian Railways 520 class.  The 520s were a 4-8-4 addition to the 500 class of 20 years before.  It is said that the SAR CME, Frank Harrison, saw a picture of a Pennsy T1 in a trade magazine and asked his senior draftsman to 'draw me one of those'.  So the SAR built 12 streamliners at its Islington shops during WWII, capable of 126 km/h yet able to run on track with 60lb rail. This is the train that we ran:

 

One minor development back at Fal Vale as the arrival of a set of Accurascale steel coil wagons.  They are impressive models, with great detail (some separately fitted), sprung buffers and obvious quality that I hope that will be seen in their Manor, due soon.

 

 

 This carries to the interiors...

 

 

...and to the underside.