Davington Light Railway

[009 micro modeller]

45 minutes ago, ManofKent said:

Thanks - If I do go ahead I might have a look at the German manufacturers to see if they do any tiny TT models - I suspect motor size would be an issue on the old Triang bodies.

 

Is regauging 009/N gauge stock or chassis an option? Obviously this may be even more difficult but it gives you access to smaller powered chassis and motors. I’m now wondering whether there is anything available that could be kitbashed into a sort of Manning Wardle (which is a larger prototype, so would probably have fewer issues with sourcing a suitable chassis). Another option might be to increase the scale to either 5mm (pretty much spot on, gauge-wise) or 5.5mm (gives a prototype gauge of 3ft rather than 1m but does already have some trade support) and use 16.5mm gauge, which may increase the range of suitable chassis available. Another option, which I’ve taken once or twice in the past, is to opt for a less accurate gauge (in my case it was using 009 rather than 006.5) but that obviously takes you further away from the prototype.

[ManofKent]

On 14/12/2020 at 20:19, 009 micro modeller said:

 

Is regauging 009/N gauge stock or chassis an option? Obviously this may be even more difficult but it gives you access to smaller powered chassis and motors. I’m now wondering whether there is anything available that could be kitbashed into a sort of Manning Wardle (which is a larger prototype, so would probably have fewer issues with sourcing a suitable chassis). Another option might be to increase the scale to either 5mm (pretty much spot on, gauge-wise) or 5.5mm (gives a prototype gauge of 3ft rather than 1m but does already have some trade support) and use 16.5mm gauge, which may increase the range of suitable chassis available. Another option, which I’ve taken once or twice in the past, is to opt for a less accurate gauge (in my case it was using 009 rather than 006.5) but that obviously takes you further away from the prototype.

 

Thanks  - I can't see anything that's really suitable for a conversion to the Manning Wardle's. A less accurate gauge might be the easiest option (a bit like OO I suppose). The Middleton Press book arrived, and it is thin on DLR - great book otherwise and nice to see the Sturry Brett's Rustons. Supposedly the Faversham Society have more photos on the DLR, but they're closed for obvious reasons.

[sir douglas]

maybe look into HOm stock for donor chassis' which is also 12mm gauge

[ManofKent]

42 minutes ago, sir douglas said:

maybe look into HOm stock for donor chassis' which is also 12mm gauge

I looked at Bemo, winced at the prices then delved deeper  but couldn't see anything small enough. I'm not sure who else produces HOm.

[ManofKent]

I tried walking as much of the line as I could from Oare to Uplees (prior to Oare it's completely built over).

 

It entered Oare through a small meadow, but there's no sign of any embankment or bridge over the the stream.

 

It then crosses a minor road to where Oare halt was - just open field with no remaining signs at all.

 

The tunnel is possibly accessible from this side, but probably only with waders and a thornproof coat at this time of the year...

 

 

[ManofKent]

Across the road I think the tunnel mouth may be fairly clear, but it's private farmland and I've not tracked down the owners. It exits through a tree lined cutting, and the cutting is clearly defined, running across the farm.

 

Exactly where it exits at Uplees is unclear and the marshland has been restructured with pools at Harty Ferry for the wild birds that over winter, so any traces of the line are gone.

 

At Uplees there's no visible sign of trackwork or berms remaining, but there are several concrete and brick structures that belonged to the Cotton Powder Company.

 

The old dock 'Dan's Dock' remains visible with the coastal path taking a diversion around the U shaped inlet, and timber posts remaining.

 

Essentially the line is vanished apart from the cutting and probable tunnel, but traces of the works it served remain.

 

 

 

 

[Nearholmer]

TTn3 on 9mm gauge, using some of those teeny little N gauge tram chassis from Japan that the 009 boys use?

 

I'm fairly certain that the factories had German petrol/paraffin locos pre-WW1, Deutz I think, and that the Ruston Proctor design was a near copy of that (hot-bulb, rather than spark-ignition, engine). There is probably a German r-t-r model of the right loco, but it will (a) be H0f, and (b) ruddy expensive, as their very specialist models tend to be!

 

And, yes, the Deutz/RP design was basically the same across gauges.

[009 micro modeller]

20 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

TTn3 on 9mm gauge, using some of those teeny little N gauge tram chassis from Japan that the 009 boys use?

 

A good idea. And then the Manning Wardles would be relatively easy to find appropriate chassis for. It depends whether you think 3’ gauge is close enough to 1m - I would be happy with that compromise if I was doing it (European TT would be only marginally closer but overscale rather than underscale).

[PatB]

S (1/64) scale on 16.5 mm gauge is widely used to represent 3'6" gauge prototypes. Given that metre gauge is only a couple of inches narrower it might be acceptable, with a relative error smaller than that of EM for standard gauge prototypes. 

[ManofKent]

On 29/12/2020 at 21:05, Nearholmer said:

TTn3 on 9mm gauge, using some of those teeny little N gauge tram chassis from Japan that the 009 boys use?

 

I'm fairly certain that the factories had German petrol/paraffin locos pre-WW1, Deutz I think, and that the Ruston Proctor design was a near copy of that (hot-bulb, rather than spark-ignition, engine). There is probably a German r-t-r model of the right loco, but it will (a) be H0f, and (b) ruddy expensive, as their very specialist models tend to be!

 

And, yes, the Deutz/RP design was basically the same across gauges.

The DLR had a single Deutz engine that was quickly supplemented with the Ruston Proctors.

 

TTn3 is definitely a decent compromise, although so far I've not found any suitable body kits on Shapeways etc.  I'm likely to have more luck with the Paraffin locos than the Manning Wardles - they were specials for the line, although I've not given up on finding something that could be bashed into something close.

 

Besides the rolling stock problem, the more I look at the line it's historically interesting, but perhaps not the most interesting to model. Most of it is single track through unremarkable fairly flat fields. I don't think any photos exist of Oare Station, and whilst there are little bits of Uplees Station n a few images, photography of the Uplees site was prohibited under wartime regulations, so it would be a lot of guesswork. Davington Station is a stronger possibility - there are a couple of reasonably clear photos I've seen and supposedly the engine shed was (at least a few years ago) still in use on a farm in a village a few miles away. A simple diorama of the tunnel cutting might be another possibility.

 

I think I'll put the project on the back burner for now. Hopefully the Faversham Society's archive will be available in the summer (closed for obvious reasons at the moment) and I can see whether they've got any further photos that haven't appeared in print. I've got plenty to keep me busy on my current standard gauge project too...

 

Regardless of whether I do go ahead at some point it's been fascinating research. Thanks for everyone's help and interest.

 

 

[whart57]

On 12/12/2020 at 19:21, ManofKent said:

There won't be at the Davington end as it's been built up a little over the century. Oare hasn't been heavily developed and the stretch between Oare and Uplees is farmland. At Uplees there might be signs of a trackbed - (it's windswept marsh and largely nature reserve).

 

Coming to this a little bit late, sorry.

 

I walked as much as I could of the Davington railway somewhere around 1990. The "tunnel" at Oare - actually a slightly oversized bridge under a minor road - was still there and a good two thirds of the trackbed was a perfectly walkable footpath. The Davington end was then a woodyard as far as I recall and the layout of the sheds and stuff matched the sketch in the Oakwood press book of Davington station.

 

There was nothing remotely railway like at the Uplees end though. The footpath just petered out and there was just open marshland.

The line escaped the attentions of the Ordnance Survey though, it doesn't appear on any of their maps.

[Fat Controller]

This might explain some of the missing remnants:-

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/faversham/news/dangers-of-ammonium-nitrate-first-shown-in-kent-104-years-ago-231806/

[ManofKent]

7 hours ago, whart57 said:

 

Coming to this a little bit late, sorry.

 

I walked as much as I could of the Davington railway somewhere around 1990. The "tunnel" at Oare - actually a slightly oversized bridge under a minor road - was still there and a good two thirds of the trackbed was a perfectly walkable footpath. The Davington end was then a woodyard as far as I recall and the layout of the sheds and stuff matched the sketch in the Oakwood press book of Davington station.

 

There was nothing remotely railway like at the Uplees end though. The footpath just petered out and there was just open marshland.

The line escaped the attentions of the Ordnance Survey though, it doesn't appear on any of their maps.

 

The Davington end still shows the basic shape of the station area although is now a close of houses. I think the track bed from Oare would still be easily walkable - it's just fenced off by the farm owner and isn't a public right of way.

 

The Ordnance Survey wouldn't have marked the railway during the war as it was a military installation (owned by the Admiralty) and disappeared so quickly afterwards that it wouldn't have been shown on post-war maps.

 

The Davington end could probably be reasonably accurately modelled from the two or three illegally taken photos of the time but it's a project I'm putting on the back burner.

[009 micro modeller]

On 22/02/2021 at 11:09, whart57 said:

The "tunnel" at Oare - actually a slightly oversized bridge under a minor road

 

I was under the impression (from map evidence) that there were actually two tunnel/bridge crossings of that road - the other one being along the road from the DLR one and created for later 2ft gauge quarry lines that partially used part of the old metre gauge alignment.

Edited February 23, 2021 by 009 micro modeller
Corrected the gauge for the DLR - it was 1m not 3ft.

[whart57]

9 hours ago, 009 micro modeller said:

 

I was under the impression (from map evidence) that there were actually two tunnel/bridge crossings of that road - the other one being along the road from the DLR one and created for later 2ft gauge quarry lines that partially used part of the old 3ft gauge alignment.

 

I can only say that in 1990 there was only a footpath going through it

[ikcdab]

If it was an admiralty railway then there is a good chance that there might be info at the Hydrographic Office in Taunton. They hold all of the Admiralty's mapping and charting records. They have a reading room (like Kew) where you can view their documents, though unlike Kew, you are likely to be the only visitor. No idea if they are open during the pandemic though. 

[whart57]

I've had a look through my pictures, and these seem to be the only evidence I found c1990 of the once extensive narrow gauge network serving gravel pits in the Faversham area

 

 

 

 

[009 micro modeller]

I think Brett’s is the gravel company, featured in Kent Narrow Gauge which is also where the map is that suggests reuse of part of the DLR trackbed.

[6990WitherslackHall]

This is looking interesting...

[whart57]

Can I just point out that the yellow Ford Capri was not mine. Though to be absolutely correct for the period I should have checked whether it had furry dice hanging from the rear view mirror ..........

[009 micro modeller]

On 23/02/2021 at 10:25, 6990WitherslackHall said:

This is looking interesting...

 

It is. I’m starting to wonder whether an interesting layout could be built based on messing with the history slightly to make the Brett’s gravel lines start earlier and the DLR last later so they could both feature. Whether you preserved the gauge difference would be up to you although I would think for accuracy they would still not be physically connected and being contemporaneous would make the reuse of the DLR route that seems to have happened in reality difficult to represent. This would also allow the DLR to feature a greater range of stock (some of more modern type) which might get round some of the issues mentioned earlier. Stock for the quarry lines would be fairly straightforward in something like 009.

Edited May 22, 2021 by 009 micro modeller

[Valentin]

There is a drawing at pages 30 and 31 in the "Davington Light Railway" book (2nd edition). The dimensions on the drawing are mostly illegible. Does anyone know of a better quality / higher resolution drawing?