Carterton

[MrWolf]

Thanks Chris,

 

Now if I had thought to scroll back to the top of the page...

 

But the link is very useful.

[Chris Chewter]

Following my last post about iffy fencing, I decided to remove the dodgy flexible Peco stuff, and install some Ratio lineside fencing I had in a box.  Its been sprayed with Halfords dark earth and fitted over the weekend.

 

 

Not the tidiest job.  I might take it off and refit it again when I can get to the board better than I can at the moment.

 

Some Modelu people have also been fitted to give the layout a bit of life.  The school boy spotters seem to be popular with Instagram.

 

 

I also set up a few shots of the layout, like this passing of passenger trains.  I don't think trains ever did pass at Carterton, but, if they did, it might have looked like this:

 

 

And not forgetting the other board:

 

 

At the moment the layout is a static diorama, but I need to get on with electrifying it now.  Not a very photogenic part of the process, but its got to be done.

[Forward!]

Hi Chris,

 

Just read through your blog. I found it because I'm planning to model my home village station at Bampton (albeit in the Edwardian/early post grouping period). You've certainly successfully evoked the quite open, gentle West Oxfordshire countryside that the Fairford branch runs through. Never thought I'd see someone pick the ugliest station building on the whole line for their layout though!

 

Will

[MrWolf]

They used identical buildings for prisoner of war camps.

I think that such things have a certain period charm though!

[Chris Chewter]

You're right its not pretty, but there was a war on when it was built.  Now a stable block, its quite poignant to think about the number of troops who disembarked at the station before traveling to Brize Norton or Broadwell.  Many never returned.

[MrWolf]

It's a lot prettier than the corrugated iron extension that was put up at Calne to accommodate the influx of airmen. 

Such buildings have their place in history and it's good to hear that it is still serving a purpose.

[Chris Chewter]

Things have been a bit quiet on the Carterton layout. I’ve been busy assisting the model railway club with one of their projects, so my attention has been elsewhere. However the club is running an exhibition in October and have invited Carterton to attend. So now all of the non photogenic jobs need to be done.

Jobs like fiddle yard assembly:

 

 

And putting support legs together:

 

 

They aren’t exciting jobs, and don’t make great photos, but they need to be done all the same!

[Wheatley]

Just found this. It would have been way out of my area of interest until my sister moved to Witney, since then I have spent a bit of time at the end of Brize's runway watching the comings and goings (and getting my numberplate noted by Mossad !). 

 

I think you've killed the cliche of the chocolate box GWR branch stone dead - nice one ! There are too many layouts with pretty buildings set in a perpetual summer, the countryside was not that pretty in places and I'm all in favour of  corrugated iron and Air Ministry / austerity brickwork. Long live rural grot !

[Chris Chewter]

Managed to borrow one of the model railway club members workshops to get Carterton sorted.

 

So I’ve been able to get the layout assembled to see what it looks like.

 

 

But of course, the progress has been below the board.

 

[MrWolf]

Good to see this layout progressing some more Chris, as I'm a fan of corrugated iron and the scruffier corners of the Great Western.

[Chris Chewter]

Unfortunately wiring below the board is never photogenic. The second board has been wired, although I haven’t been able to fit the track droppers.

 

 

 

However it’s good to see the layout back on its legs again after it’s been upturned for a few days.

 

[LNERGE]

The corrugated roof on the signalbox has caught my eye. When did the box gain this?

[Chris Chewter]

No idea.  I'm just modelling what I see.  About half way down the page are images of the box in use looking very much like corrugated asbestos: https://fairfordbranch.weebly.com/route.html

[LNERGE]

I have a signalbox that has a corrugated asbestos roof it gained after being 'modified' on the 2nd June 1944. I wonder if it was an American product or simply the material of the day? I was able to source some replacement sheets from RAF Lakenheath when a WW2 building was demolished. I believe the box at Carterton dates from 1944 but can't find anything conclusive yet.

[Banger Blue]

3 hours ago, LNERGE said:

I have a signalbox that has a corrugated asbestos roof it gained after being 'modified' on the 2nd June 1944. I wonder if it was an American product or simply the material of the day? I was able to source some replacement sheets from RAF Lakenheath when a WW2 building was demolished. I believe the box at Carterton dates from 1944 but can't find anything conclusive yet.

The website http://www.fairfordbranch.co.uk/Carterton.htm gives the date of opening for Carterton Station to passenger traffic as Oct1944.

[Forward!]

Nothing about the box mentioned in published references, but given the urgency with which the station was constructed (work began May 1944, opened in October), the non-standard nature of the box (which for all the world looks like a cut-and-shut recycling job), and the extensive use of asbestos for the neighbouring passenger facilities, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the box didn't have it's asbestos roof from the beginning! 

 

Will

Edited March 3, 2022 by Forward!

[Chris Chewter]

One issue I’ve observed with the layout being moved was the large station canopy working loose. I’ve always felt the supports were too flimsy, and you could see the underside of the building sheet, so the opportunity was taken to replace it.

 

New supports were cut on the clubs laser cutter and this time the cross bracing was fitted as per the photographs.

 

 

To make sure that the corrugated asbestos looked the same when at eye level, the clear stuff was used and painted grey.

 

It just needs weathering.

Edited March 14, 2022 by Chris Chewter

[Chris Chewter]

Another view of the station building with the completed canopy.

 

 

I think that looks much better than the first attempt. I’ll put it on the layout tomorrow and see how it looks.

Edited March 15, 2022 by Chris Chewter

[Chris Chewter]

Finally some moving trains at Carterton! 
 

The station building has been reunited to the layout, and the model has been tested to see how everything is running.

 

 

I also managed to borrow one of the club members railcars for size.

 

 

Exciting to see things coming together!

[Chris Chewter]

Test trains on Carterton

 

 

 

[Chris Chewter]

Managed to do a bit of work on Carterton in between Ally Pally and a bit of model railway club bits and pieces. Signage has been put on the front of the layout and I forgot to take photos! I’ll try to grab a photo when I’m next in the workshop later in the week. The only one I got was a razors edge railcar in platform 2!

 

Edited March 20, 2022 by Chris Chewter

[Chris Chewter]

Now that Carterton is packed away ready to be exhibited, I’ve been busy sorting out stock to run. One of the jobs is sorting out the Toads. After renaming one of them for Tetbury, I’ve taken the opportunity to make a few more Oxford ones to run.

 

I already have one of the Bachmann models, and I didn’t want too many looking the same.

 

 

So I found a Bristol West toad, and using a Railtec set of transfers, renamed it.

 

 

Figures are from Modelu and we’re weathered down with Humbrol powders.

 

Because Carterton is packed away, it had to make do with a test on Tetbury instead.

 

 

Should look good on the layout.

 

You may wonder why it isn’t a Fairford branch toad. That’s because I cannot find one in the books, so Oxford is the next best location. If anyone does know of a Fairford toad, then let me know.

[Banger Blue]

http://www.fairfordbranch.co.uk/Bampton.htm
 

About 3/4 of the way down the page there is a photo of a 74xx & TOAD at Brize Norton & Bampton station, the text for the photo says:

 

Quote

An interesting scene at Brize Norton & Bampton on 14 October 1961 showing one of the rarely photographed freight workings on the branch. By this date, there was only one regular freight service that traversed the whole branch, the second terminated at Witney. Here we see 74xx 0-6-0PT 7412 with the 11:15 Fairford to Hinksey service with either no revenue earning traffic, or during a break in shunting. This loco would have worked down the branch with the 05:45 Hinksey to Fairford, arriving at the terminus at around 08:30. The ex GWR Toad brakevan W35330 was dedicated to this train, and has the two workings mentioned above painted on the black panel on the end nearest the camera.

Looking at the Photo, although the brakevan is dedicated to the branch workings, it looks to still be an Oxford van. Maybe that would suggest Fairford / Witney didn’t have an allocation themselves.

 

 

[Chris Chewter]

I think your correct.  I did take a look at the photo, and it certainly looks like its an Oxford allocated van. Its a shame the text on the left isn't clearer.  If its the times the freight would have worked, I presume it was similar to the Hornby Stoke Gifford van.  The text seems to say more than just Hinksey to Fairford, so I presume it must read something like:

 

5:15AM Oxford Hinksey to Fairford

11:15AM Fairford to Oxford Hinksey

 

I might drop a quick email to the Fairford Branch webmaster to see if he has a clearer copy.

 

Edited May 2, 2022 by Chris Chewter

[Banger Blue]

I agree Chris

 

There’s a photo of a Hartlebury allocated ‘Restricted Use’ van here. Again the photo isn’t too clear but it looks like the wording is:

To Work:

then there is a list of what is presumably the workings the van is allocated for.