The West Dorset Light Railway

[Harry Dawe]

This is my first post on RMweb as I suppose it's my first serious standard gauge layout really.

I've always liked the idea of starting from a wider concept and then building a model from these ideas. With a bit more time on my hands, I decided to have a go at a proper history for my OO layout; the West Dorset area has always interested me as I regularly go to Bridport, West Bay and Lyme Regis, whilst Gerry Beale's book on the Bridport branch is a fantastic read.

 

So I decided to have a look at where a line would be useful, and the town of Beaminster interested me. Up until the early 20th century, it was a very prominent producer of rope and sailcloth similar to Bridport, however its lack of a railway connection caused an untimely demise of the industry in the town as they were unable to acquire coal or transport their goods away, the nearest station 10 miles away.

 

But what if, similar to the Bridport branch but later on, after the introduction of the Light Railway Act in 1896, the mills in Beaminster decided to build a railway service their industries?

There would be two obvious options; join the LSWR at Crewkerne, or the GWR at Bridport or West Bay; or even both? Studying a 1950s OS map, (I know it's later but it gives the idea) and Google Earth as well as histories of Bridport and Beaminster allowed me to study a possible route. Another possibility is an extension to Charmouth for holiday and tourism traffic, in the same vein as the West Bay extension to the Bridport Branch.

 

Whilst I haven't planned the specifics, the line can follow the River Brit for a fair distance and otherwise the only possible issue is that it would have to probably go around Horn Hill in Beaminster. In terms of industry, the flax mills and ropemaking that line the River Brit (as they originally used water power) between Beaminster and Bridport provides a raison d'etre as such, as well as the powdered milk factory in Beaminster and the sailcloth manufacture. Passengers would be a smaller service but potentially some will join from the main line at Crewkerne.

 

This was an initial route plan, but terminating at West Bay rather than Charmouth- in terms of space, if the line wished to join the GWR it would struggle to join in Bridport however West Bay was rather under developed at the point of construction.

 

Obviously all a bit straight at the moment, but I am planning on zooming in and working out how the route may travel easiest through the scenery.

 

I think I will probably rework it without the West Bay part or GWR connection- the route more Crewkerne-Beaminster-Bridport-Charmouth. It will be to the west of Bridport as this is where many mills were situated, and the other side of town to the GWR stations.

 

In terms of how this translates to a model, I think the key will be compromise- I'm not planning on slavish copies of the area but similar to David Taylor's Bridport, a little rearrangement and picking out suitable buildings and features.

 

Lots of words but more pictures next time!

Edited April 20, 2020 by Harry Dawe

[Harry Dawe]

A bit of stock that I've completed so far.

 

 

The coach is Thomas toy sides, Mainline Toad chassis and Ratio ends whilst the brake is Triang clerestory on a Ratio chassis. 

 

I've tried out a couple of weathering effects including a partially recanvassed roof as seen above, peeling paint

 

Ripped canvas

 

Whilst I have built a small section of track as an experiment as I plan on trying to represent spiked track.

On this piece the pins were the wrong size and shape lifting the track too high and not always perpendicular to the sleepers.

This is actually the first piece of track I've ever made so if it looks dodgy that's why! The soldering isn't as neat as it should be and I didn't use enough pins so it isn't in gauge at the ends but otherwise it hopefully looks right.

 

Bit of a plug but if you like the stuff I make my blog is here.

[lezz01]

Loving the weathering Harry.

Regards Lez.

[Captain Kernow]

I think that's a brilliant first effort at track building. The whole concept is fascinating and although I don't know that part of Dorset particularly well, the geography you describe for potential routes sound feasible.

 

Lovely job on the coaches as well.

 

If you are building spiked track and soldering it together, presumably you are using copper-clad sleepers and flat bottom rail? I did some track like that for the light railway part of my layout 'Bleakhouse Road' and I ended up drilling four holes per sleeper for the spikes. That amounted to almost a 1000 holes for just a few feet of track! Lots of work but worth it when you get to the final result, I think.

 

Best of luck!

 

[Nile]

You could take the American approach of using wooden sleepers and actual spikes. This needs a roadbed that will accept spikes, plywood is a bit too hard.

[Hando]

Funnily enough, a railway was planned by the LSWR to run between Crewkerne and Bridport via Beaminster, almost entirely along your route! A layout of a Beaminster in an alternate universe where it had a railway was in Railway Modeller quite a while ago, but sadly I can't remember who built it.

Secondly, there were also many proposals over the years to construct lines between Axminster, Lyme Regis, Charmouth and Bridport; here's a link -->https://www.freshford.com/railway_charmouth.htm. You might want to include them in some way or another into your backstory plan...

 

Good luck with your layout and happy modelling!

 

Alex

[Harry Dawe]

@lezz01 thanks I'm glad someone likes it!

@Captain Kernow thanks also! I'm using wooden sleepers (cut down from coffee stirrers to be specific) with pins to solder the track to. Track is code 60 Peco flat bottom, I haven't decided how to represent the spikes yet- they do seem a lot of work! Do you have any pics or articles on your layout? I'd be interested to see how it looks.

@Nile that's an idea. The idea of no soldered joints holding it together scares me a little though!

@Hando okay I'll have to read hat link- thank you. Had no idea about that!

[Nile]

I think the answer to that is to have a soldered PCB sleeper every 5 or 10 # sleepers as added security.

 

# - for example, could be any number.

[Captain Kernow]

13 hours ago, Harry Dawe said:

 

@Captain Kernow thanks also! I'm using wooden sleepers (cut down from coffee stirrers to be specific) with pins to solder the track to. Track is code 60 Peco flat bottom, I haven't decided how to represent the spikes yet- they do seem a lot of work! Do you have any pics or articles on your layout? I'd be interested to see how it looks.

Here are some photos, taken a few years ago. The layout is still in existence and in good order, but currently hasn't got any fiddle yards, so can't be exhibited, until that situation is rectified.

 

It represents a junction between a fictional 'twig' of the Somerset and Dorset, on the Somerset Levels, with the equally improbable South Polden Light Railway.

 

The light railway track is Peco code 55 f/b rail (not sure if you can still get code 55), soldered onto copper clad sleepers, with 0.5mm holes drilled for each spike. The spikes were individually made from soft phosphor bronze wire. It took ages!

 

 

 

 

 

[Harry Dawe]

That looks fantastic- love the washed out colour scheme especially.

[Harry Dawe]

This is just a little micro to try out track building as well as couplings, some new ideas for making buildings and other structures. There is a small village just outside Bridport called Pymore which has an inn, a mill and a few houses- the perfect place for a micro! The idea is that it will represent a small through station currently being used as a predominantly freight terminus due to the closure of the Bridport-West Bay end of the line; similar to the GWR situation.

 

It's a 4x1 board and whilst I could have fitted more in I decided simplicity and space would work the best. Cassettes on the left hand end will be used- the track to the left in this picture will be the rest of the line whilst the nearest will be the track to the mill, so plenty of shunting opportunities as well as possibly a paraffin and coal merchant- as well as maybe a cattle dock as there are numerous farms around.

 

The right hand end features the station- I think it would be possible to make a small sliding loco length traverser on the end to run around stock as I didn't want to squeeze the whole layout into this space- I could extend it one day. Not sure yet. I think I will do a Wantage style train shed that technically doubles up as the current carriage shed to hide the lack of depth behind the station.

 

 

A bit blurry but you get the idea!

 

 

The goods yard/mill entrance- do I include these yard buildings or do a mill gatehouse?

 

 

And finally, I've started laying sleepers for the points- cutting down the coffee stirrers and cutting them to shape is quickly becoming tedious! I think when I have access to the facilities I'll laser cut them similar to the Timber Tracks sleepers.

 

Anyway, progress has been good.

[Harry Dawe]

And we're almost there...

Driver, fireman, nameplate etc to be added next time I do a bit of shopping online.

 

The usual sort of mixture of washes, dry brushing and weathering powders to try and achieve that grubby faded look.

 

[Captain Kernow]

20 hours ago, Harry Dawe said:

This is just a little micro to try out track building as well as couplings, some new ideas for making buildings and other structures. There is a small village just outside Bridport called Pymore which has an inn, a mill and a few houses- the perfect place for a micro! The idea is that it will represent a small through station currently being used as a predominantly freight terminus due to the closure of the Bridport-West Bay end of the line; similar to the GWR situation.

 

It's a 4x1 board and whilst I could have fitted more in I decided simplicity and space would work the best. Cassettes on the left hand end will be used- the track to the left in this picture will be the rest of the line whilst the nearest will be the track to the mill, so plenty of shunting opportunities as well as possibly a paraffin and coal merchant- as well as maybe a cattle dock as there are numerous farms around.

 

The right hand end features the station- I think it would be possible to make a small sliding loco length traverser on the end to run around stock as I didn't want to squeeze the whole layout into this space- I could extend it one day. Not sure yet. I think I will do a Wantage style train shed that technically doubles up as the current carriage shed to hide the lack of depth behind the station.

 

 

A bit blurry but you get the idea!

 

 

The goods yard/mill entrance- do I include these yard buildings or do a mill gatehouse?

 

 

And finally, I've started laying sleepers for the points- cutting down the coffee stirrers and cutting them to shape is quickly becoming tedious! I think when I have access to the facilities I'll laser cut them similar to the Timber Tracks sleepers.

 

Anyway, progress has been good.

Hi Harry - none of the photos in this post are visible!

 

[Harry Dawe]

Right I've had this problem in another forum. Bear with me for a few minutes!

[Harry Dawe]

 

A couple of photos that should work.

[Harry Dawe]

Tracklaying started.

Not the hardest bit but I'm slowly working my way up to doing point blades! Not entirely sure how I'm going to pivot them, whether that be fishplates or the flexibility of the track. 

I know it's a bit messy, but the side I took photos from has most of the solder and that side will have the backscene on it! 

 

I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do with the board scenically, but there are a handful of ideas floating around. 

Maybe a Wantage style train shed. Longer than the one I have drawn, but I think the Glyn Valley style station may be kept. 

[Harry Dawe]

Accidental double post. 

Edited June 12, 2020 by Harry Dawe

[Harry Dawe]

Started repainting a Terrier. 

Also added a new wagon for the line: More here

I did start a separate workbench for the line but I'm not sure I need it on second thoughts, might be easier to keep everything in one place. 

[Harry Dawe]

Hmm. Not all going to plan. I didn't like the colour and repainted it but things seemed to go downhill from there. 

One side has now been fixed to an extent and looks alright, the other not so much. 

Anywhere more on the build here:

https://hdmodelmaking.blogspot.com/2020/06/terrier-tribulations.html?m=1

There is also a couple other posts on the subject if you're interested. 

[Harry Dawe]

Managed to rescue the Terrier (I think anyway!) 

I've documented the weathering process here, comments, criticism etc welcomed. 

[Alex TM]

Hi,

 

Only just came across this.  The stock looks suitably run-down.  Just one question: what's the paint that you used on the Terrier?  Thanks.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[Harry Dawe]

14 minutes ago, Alex TM said:

What's the paint that you used on the Terrier?

Hi Alex, it's Humbrol 86 IIRC. It looks a bit flat straight out of the tin and I had to gloss varnish, then matt lacquer over the top to get a better colour and sheen. 

[RogerBfastlane]

Great to see this in OO, I am contemplating  a West Bay layout in N as I am now based here most of the time and it can make a neat, small layout for tinkering and honing skills (it has been a while) in building that layout. There are numerous good books on the railways in this locality including "Dorset Railways Remembered" by Leslie Oppitz ISBN 1 85306 042 9 so good source material for LSWR and GWR practice in West Dorset. The opportunity to include both company's locos and rolling stock is appealing so after the WB branch layout will be looking at hooking this up to a fictitious mainline where I can run my favourite Southern and GWR stock.

 

I think the S&DJR also had a presence in the area so some Midland/LMS locos can also potentially get running rights over the metals on their way to Weymouth/Portland and I see from old photos that sometimes GWR locos hauled Midland/LMS carriages down from the Midlands, so all sorts of possibilities with the introduction of  some interesting train consists.

 

Love the weathering and ageing you have done - I gather that in 20's & 30's (at least) a lot of old rolling stock fell into disrepair and the S&D in particular were notorious for dilapidation, so your finishing is most appropriate.

 

That Code 55 rail looks nice and low profile, but I have always had some issues with the lack of rail chairs when soldering down on an intermittent basis as in the era these branch line tracks tended to use lightweight bullhead - not flat bottomed rail - where the chairs can stand-out - though in the late 19th C this was often "overballasted" so the chairs DO disappear. Interestingly, up till Nationalisation there was still some McDonnel rail from the old Broad Gauge days of the GWR at Bridport Station, level crossings etc. If you are feeling ambitious it would be great to see some of that modeled as I expect that unless it broke/wore out this was left in place in many locations.  Maybe OTT but fascinating if someone managed this - maybe some NS or steel Tee section of approx the right section is available?

 

Best,

 

Roger