Lower Thames Yard

[Tallpaul69]

17 hours ago, Mike 84C said:

You need an Austerity 2-8-0 or two, damn things were all over the GC and escaped down the Western lines! And of course 9f's. 

True Mike, and I do have a couple of examples of each of those, but I will only run them LE on the first stage of Bradenham as they do look a little silly with 8 wagons in tow.

Even LE they are going to be a bit big for Bradenham Loco shed.

When I get to stage 3, there will be longer loops to hold them and a more sensible load of say 15 wagons or more!

 

I also have LNER 2-8-0s, ex GWR  28xx and 38xx, and a Stanier 2-8-0, with a Hall and a Grange for use on the faster  freights.

Currently under debate is the purchase of an ex GWR 47xx 2-8-0 for Birkenhead to Old Oak fast freights.

 

Cheers All,

Best regards

Paul

[Nick Gough]

3 hours ago, Tallpaul69 said:

Currently under debate is the purchase of an ex GWR 47xx 2-8-0 for Birkenhead to Old Oak fast freights.

Go on!

You know you want to!

 

I have one and it certainly has 'presence'.

[Mike 84C]

A 47 2-8-0, a fantastic looking engine, are you anticipating very dark running sessions?  'cos I only saw them run at night. The up Birkenhead was in Banbury yd about 1.0 am if I remember correctly. 

[Tallpaul69]

That's true Mike,

I suspect I will have a late running up Birkenhead passing through Bradenham in the early morning of a sunny day in mid summer, so daylight conditions will prevail!

My example (yes, I have weakened!), is going to be fitted with Class 6 working lamps by Olivia's. 

 

More tales of sunny Buckinghamshire, via cloudy, but warm, south Bedfordshire soon!

 

Cheers All,

Paul 

[Tallpaul69]

Good Afternoon All,

Modelling is rather taking a back seat at the moment, with Festive preparations to the fore!

 

I had hoped to show you some shots from the Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway Santa's Specials , which I am pleased to say have been going great guns. Unfortunately, my photos so far, do not show up the lighting festooning the carriages , so I will try in the next day or two to get some closer shots. 

 

Meanwhile our Christmas arrangements are somewhat up in the air:-

Currently, we are due to have our Turkey on Thursday, go to more turkey with elder son Geoff and family at his in laws on Christmas day, and welcome younger son Stephen and family from Wales here next Thursday until the Monday following New Year's day. This should include Geoff and co. here at some time and us going to them at some time.

However, with Wales threatening the announcement of new measures tomorrow, that could be out of the window if Stephen and co. cannot travel. Also, of course, if Boris is stampeded into further measures in the next day or so, Christmas Day could be out as well! 

So all we can say with any certainty, is that we will be having Turkey, Christmas Pudding, Mince Pies and Alcohol, at some stage, with some members of our family, but where and when, remains to be seen!

 

All that is left for me to do is to try to dispel the gloom of the above by thanking everyone who has read or contributed to this thread for their interest, and to wish everyone who is reading this a Very Happy Christmas and a Safe and Well 2022.

 

So take care All, and don't let the B*****s get you down!

 

Cheers

Paul 

[ChrisN]

We are moving things around as well.  We are having Christmas on Thursday!

 

Have a safe and happy Christmas and I look forward to more news from Lower Thames in the New Year.

Edited December 21, 2021 by ChrisN

[Tallpaul69]

Hi Everyone - Breaking News!

Olivia's have despatched my Night Owl, so look out for some pics once it arrives!

 

Meanwhile ChrisN, lets declare Thursday a private Christmas Day?

There can be little to show whether it is Christmas Day or not on Bradenham, with it's (at the moment!) minimalist scenic treatment, but I thought I would try to add some miniature festive touches to the scenic treatment on Wycombe End.

 

So far I have not found anything suitable, but I hope to sort something out in the next couple of days.

If I don't find anything this year, I must put it on my "To Do" list for next December.

 

Cheers All,

From Chilly Bedfordshire,

Paul

 

[Nick Gough]

Merry Christmas Paul, to you and family.

 

Hope all goes well with your Christmas plans.

[Tallpaul69]

Thanks Nick,

I hope you and yours have a good time!

Trying to be optimistic, It does begin to look as if Omicron might spread more rapidly than the other variants, but lack their punch in terms of degree of sickness it produces.

If this is the case then our plans should work out.

Lacking any festive modelling to show off, here are a couple of my wife's seasonal  products:-

 

This one adorns our lounge fireplace:-

 

 

These three were photo'd before being hung around the house!

 

 

Best Wishes to you All,

Paul

 

 

  

[rob D2]

Have a good Christmas !

yes wales and Scotland have gone off at a tangent again - who allowed them to make their own rules ?

 

 

[Tallpaul69]

Boxing Day Greetings to all readers, hoping yesterday produced the goodies you were all waiting for?

 

Olivia's got my Night Owl to me for Christmas Eve, but I am keeping it to fill the post Christmas blues!

So watch this space for more details and some pics in a day or two. 

 

Now thoughts change to what Hornby might have up their sleeves for the 2022 announcements? As usual, I am under expecting in order that I might get a pleasant surprise, as past history tells me the benefit of being doubly cautious?

Come on Simon, live up to your hints on the telly recently!

 

Happy New Year, one and all,

Cheers for now,

Paul 

[Tallpaul69]

So as the New Year approaches rapidly, 2021 is determined to continue to give us problems that we could do without:-

 

Our New Year plans have been completely turned on their heads by Covid:-

We expected Stephen, our younger son and his family to come down from Flintshire yesterday, stay with us the night, then go to eldest son Geoff's for tonight, staying again with us until Monday. But early yesterday morning we all took Lateral Flow tests and Stephen's was positive!

Panic set in to get him a PCR test, which happened by 10.00am, and then we were sweating on the outcome. We were encouraged by him taking a second test later yesterday which was negative.

Finally the negative PCR result came through c13.15 today, so they will be on the road soon and will stay until Tuesday!

Peace returns!!

All that remains is to re jig the meal plan, and bag up their bedding, which they were due to take to Geoff's, for Geoff to pick up this afternoon.

Luckily we had nothing planned for Monday after they left, so them staying until Tuesday is not a problem!

 

Little is happening until next week on the modelling front. I did unpack my Night Owl from it's transit box, but decided against unwrapping it further until I could be sure of no interruptions. I don't want to  be hunting around the carpet for a vital item such as the screw to fix the pony wheels in, which I know Olivia's send loose.

 

Finally, for 2021, I wish all readers a happy and safe 2022, and may your modelling ventures be successful.

Cheers for now,

Paul

 

[Tallpaul69]

Good afternoon One and All,

Firstly, here's wishing everyone a slightly late "Happy New Year"!

 

We and the House, have now recovered from our visitors, the decorations and lights are tidily packed away in the loft for another year, and thankfully, given the horrendous infection rates in the area, we remain fit and well.

Yesterday my thoughts turned to modelling, for the first time in 2022 and I reflected on what had been achieved in the last year. I decided that despite my feeling that little had been completed in the last couple of months, in fact there are good pluses for the year as a whole:-

12 months ago, the only running track I had was a yard long test track. At that stage I was still battling as to how and what was going to get built as a layout.

Since then, Wycombe end has arrived as a complete, scenically developed end to end with a bare fiddle yard. 

Bradenham has been built, installed and is working, although frustratingly, my signals still seem to be stuck in Stephen's workshop. I do appreciate he has to prioritise building to keep an income coming in after the period without work due to their Covid saga.  Hopefully this month will see him finally getting up to date! 

 

So looking forward, what are the next few month's priorities?

I think the first is to plan and lay the track for Bradenham loco shed. I also need to work out how I can get power to the shed tracks and points.

Then, once the signals are installed, I really must get to grips with ballasting. However, I need to position magnets for the Kadee's first. Maybe the ballasting article in the latest BRM will give me some inspiration?  

Thinking of Kadees, a decent number of wagons are fitted, but few coaches and only a couple of locos. So much to do there.

 

Further into the year, I would like to get a link in between Wycombe End and Bradenham. Here I need to bite the bullet of clearing out everything that has accumulated under Wycombe End to get to all the legs and raise the layout a few mm to get it level with Bradenham. 

Finally, I do need to do some work on buildings!

 

Never a dull moment?

Cheers for now

Paul

[Tallpaul69]

Hi All,

Not quite sure where the 10 days since my last posting have gone, but such is life!

 

I have however, made some progress on Bradenham Loco Shed:-

 

Here are a couple of shots of my first sketched track plan. The squares on the plans have 12 inch sides.

The first puts the shed in the context of the station:-

 

 

This is very much a work in progress, the shed being based on Aylesbury shed, but with the addition of a third short road which might be a repair road. However I think I might take this out in order to improve the coaling/Ash facilities?

 

In close up it looks like this:-

 

 

 

I have yet to work out where to position the water tower, which at Aylesbury, was close to the front of the shed. I might put it behind the shed, so I might shorted the sidings so that the back wall of the shed is nearer to the line of the back wall of the Inwards Goods Shed.

However, as I want to base about 8 locos here, although they will mainly be tank engines, I can't shorten the sidings too much!

 

In reading up on Aylesbury shed, I have found that between the wars, the GWR drew up a plan for a loco shed at Princes Risborough, so although the war stopped it being built, this does give further credence to Bradenham shed.

I am currently thinking of copying Aylesbury Shed's construction as well as its layout.

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Cheers for now,

Paul

[ChrisN]

43 minutes ago, Tallpaul69 said:

Hi All,

Not quite sure where the 10 days since my last posting have gone, but such is life!

 

I have however, made some progress on Bradenham Loco Shed:-

 

Here are a couple of shots of my first sketched track plan. The squares on the plans have 12 inch sides.

The first puts the shed in the context of the station:-

 

 

This is very much a work in progress, the shed being based on Aylesbury shed, but with the addition of a third short road which might be a repair road. However I think I might take this out in order to improve the coaling/Ash facilities?

 

In close up it looks like this:-

 

 

 

I have yet to work out where to position the water tower, which at Aylesbury, was close to the front of the shed. I might put it behind the shed, so I might shorted the sidings so that the back wall of the shed is nearer to the line of the back wall of the Inwards Goods Shed.

However, as I want to base about 8 locos here, although they will mainly be tank engines, I can't shorten the sidings too much!

 

In reading up on Aylesbury shed, I have found that between the wars, the GWR drew up a plan for a loco shed at Princes Risborough, so although the war stopped it being built, this does give further credence to Bradenham shed.

I am currently thinking of copying Aylesbury Shed's construction as well as its layout.

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Cheers for now,

Paul

 

Paul,

A couple of questions.

 

1) Is the coal/ash in the same place as at Aylesbury?

 

2) (I may have missed this), do all the freights have to be reversed in to the Goods Shed?

[Tallpaul69]

Hi Chris,

1) Location of coal/ash at Aylesbury:-

Approximately:- At Aylesbury the coal stage is next to the Water Tower, in front of the shed, and beside one of the tracks into the shed. So it is where my third siding is shown, and the shorter siding comes off of the above mentioned track into the shed, and runs behind the coal stage and water tower.  

The major difference is that the main running tracks at Aylesbury are on the opposite side of the shed to my arrangement.

To make this all clearer i will post a plan of Aylesbury tomorrow.

 

2) Shunting into the goods shed:-

Bradenham, like High Wycombe will have separate inwards and outwards good sheds. Access to the outwards shed which is behind the station just left off the edge of the plan beside the second siding on the left.

Access to the inwards shed is a bit more complicated. Wagons for it are deposited in one of the sidings  on the left, then when they are to be put into the shed, one engine goes to the far left end of the long siding at the top left of the plan, another engine pulls the wagons from the siding they were left in, forward until they are clear of the crossover between the left and right siding in the centre of the plan.

The points are then changed and the wagons backed up to the engine waiting in the long siding. The second engine then moves away, the access  into the appropriate inward good shed siding is set and the first engine backs the wagons into the shed. If the wagons need to be split  two roads then once the wagons are dropped in one road of the shed the engine draws the remaining wagons out of that siding points are reset and the remaining wagons backed into the other siding.

 

This can be simplified if the engine bringing the wagons to Bradenham is an up train (running from left to right on the plans and can back the  wagons straight onto a waiting shunter in the long siding!

 

Hope you can understand this?

 

Cheers

Paul

[ChrisN]

17 minutes ago, Tallpaul69 said:

Hi Chris,

1) Location of coal/ash at Aylesbury:-

Approximately:- At Aylesbury the coal stage is next to the Water Tower, in front of the shed, and beside one of the tracks into the shed. So it is where my third siding is shown, and the shorter siding comes off of the above mentioned track into the shed, and runs behind the coal stage and water tower.  

The major difference is that the main running tracks at Aylesbury are on the opposite side of the shed to my arrangement.

To make this all clearer i will post a plan of Aylesbury tomorrow.

 

2) Shunting into the goods shed:-

Bradenham, like High Wycombe will have separate inwards and outwards good sheds. Access to the outwards shed which is behind the station just left off the edge of the plan beside the second siding on the left.

Access to the inwards shed is a bit more complicated. Wagons for it are deposited in one of the sidings  on the left, then when they are to be put into the shed, one engine goes to the far left end of the long siding at the top left of the plan, another engine pulls the wagons from the siding they were left in, forward until they are clear of the crossover between the left and right siding in the centre of the plan.

The points are then changed and the wagons backed up to the engine waiting in the long siding. The second engine then moves away, the access  into the appropriate inward good shed siding is set and the first engine backs the wagons into the shed. If the wagons need to be split  two roads then once the wagons are dropped in one road of the shed the engine draws the remaining wagons out of that siding points are reset and the remaining wagons backed into the other siding.

 

This can be simplified if the engine bringing the wagons to Bradenham is an up train (running from left to right on the plans and can back the  wagons straight onto a waiting shunter in the long siding!

 

Hope you can understand this?

 

Cheers

Paul

 

Paul,

Now, I am not an expert, but what I have seen of how the LMS did it, was to coal up, fill with water, drop the fire and then with what steam they had left go into the shed.  In your case I would think they would need to water crane close to the coal/ash so they can do the same.  You could have the water tower behind the shed but then you would have a long pipe to the crane, which may or may not get frozen in winter.  You are right to have the coal/ash the other side of the shed to the carriage siding as if it was the same side the carriage cleaners would be out on strike before you even started.

[Nick Gough]

I think I would have it as a two road shed. It would help to avoid making the area look too cramped and Bradenham, as a sub-shed, would have been unlikely to have its own repair facility.

 

I agree with Chris that the water tank/crane should be at the front.

 

I'm sure that you have seen the elevation drawings for Aylesbury on this page:

http://www.rdmrc.org.uk/Aylesbury Town 2 Pages/ATES/ATESC.htm

[David Bigcheeseplant]

You might be interested in the model my club (Risborough & District MRC) is making of Aylesbury station still plenty to do but I built the engine shed and Tim Peacock built the water tank the coaling stage I still need to construct but it was at two levels one for GWR engines and the other for the other regions.

David 

[Tallpaul69]

Thanks for the comments guys,

I agree, a two road shed would be best.

Currently I am trying to establish when Aylesbury shed was altered from a dead end shed to having the Metropolitan/GC road running through?

I am as yet undecided which to go for, they both have their merits.

In a day or two I will put up a revised plan showing a two road shed and some details of the Water tower (at shed front!), and coal /ash area.

Best regards

Paul

[David Bigcheeseplant]

1 minute ago, Tallpaul69 said:

Thanks for the comments guys,

I agree, a two road shed would be best.

Currently I am trying to establish when Aylesbury shed was altered from a dead end shed to having the Metropolitan/GC road running through?

I am as yet undecided which to go for, they both have their merits.

In a day or two I will put up a revised plan showing a two road shed and some details of the Water tower (at shed front!), and coal /ash area.

Best regards

Paul

1955 the rear of the shed at Aylesbury was knocked through.

[Tallpaul69]

On 19/01/2022 at 08:38, David Bigcheeseplant said:

You might be interested in the model my club (Risborough & District MRC) is making of Aylesbury station still plenty to do but I built the engine shed and Tim Peacock built the water tank the coaling stage I still need to construct but it was at two levels one for GWR engines and the other for the other regions.

David 

David,

Many thanks for your info, I would be interested in seeing the coal stage when completed. Is it going to include the shelter over the siding to the right(looking from the north end)?

Your model has answered one of my queries which was the roof configuration of the offices.

Cheers

Paul

[David Bigcheeseplant]

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/24951-modelling-aylesbury-station-risborough-district-mrc/page/7/

This is the thread on modelling Aylesbury station plenty of prototype info for you.

Edited January 20, 2022 by David Bigcheeseplant

[Tallpaul69]

Good Afternoon All,

I have finally got to rejig the plan for Bradenham Shed to closer reflect the layout at Aylesbury Shed.

 

I an not yet entirely happy with it, one difficulty being locating the water tower as close as possible to its correct (for Aylesbury) location without blocking the view of the front of the shed building from the operating position.

Here below is the current version:-

 

 

There are two rectangles near the front of the shed reflecting two possibilities for the  water tower position. I think my next move is to mock up a water tower, lay in some track on the layout and then fiddle around with track and water tower until I am happy with the look of things.

Below is a closer view of the front of the shed area:-

 

 

I have also shortened the carriage siding slightly and extended one track through the back of the shed.

I have deliberately not ended that track and the carriage siding at the same point as i thought that might look too regimented!

The shorter carriage siding has the benefit of improving the access to the rear and side of the shed. So there is space for access to park the shed foreman's car and perhaps a BR road vehicle of some sort?

 

Cheers for now

Paul

 

 

[Tallpaul69]

Hi there, One and All;

 

It's a good job that we had such an underwhelming (from my point of view) set of announcements from Hornby and Bachmann in the last couple of weeks. At least my wallet won't be pulled in opposite directions by tasty new models and the need to pay the bills!

One announcement that did arouse my interest was the Dapol Mainline and City coaches. As things stand at the moment I can't justify buying them on two counts:- Firstly, they were all gone by my turn of the 60s era, and secondly, I don't think they were used on the GW&GC?

However, I have been considering running a 1950s version of Bradenham as I have a number of suitable early Lion and Wheel emblem models, including an Oxford Dean Goods and a Bachmann Dukedog, and I have always liked the Saints, Stars, and among last year's announcements the LNER A5 appealed. If I do that then I shall seriously consider these coaches under Rule 1.

 

I have not made much progress on Bradenham Loco Depot, or anything else on the layout recently, modelling having taken a back seat for one reason and another. Next week will hopefully see things changed now that a number of family and home matters are out of the way.

 

I was cheered up the other day by an email from BRM asking if I wanted a ticket to Ally Pally which was part of my subscription two years ago but the event got Covided. So that might be the incentive to get me up and going to events, although this months magazines still show a depressing list of events cancelled over the next month or so. 

 

So, that is my early February update, here's hoping we can all still afford to heat our railway rooms, take care everyone,

Best regards

Paul