Building a Southern Region layout

[John Besley]

Looks very nice, remember seeing them at Guildford back in 1966 as a small boy...

 

C Hamilton Ellis I think it was described them as having a frying pan for a chimney and saucepan lid for a dome

[Guest Jack Benson]

Unfortunately,

The RG4 in the Q1 is very reluctant to move, it looks as if it hasn't been run for at least 10+years however there is a simple but tedious remedy - a full overhaul that will be well worth the effort.

 

Other not so pleasant issues, the OO Works 700 should be a very reliable model but this example has a nasty tight spot. See these very short  YouTube clips:-

 

Class 700 tight spot1

and

Class 700 tight spot 2

 

Thanks and StaySafe

 

 

[Guest Jack Benson]

Hi,

 

A recent comment on our social media group suggested that the D15 would have never worked West of Salisbury, this needed a response as information about this small class of just ten locos is somewhat elusive. The best source of anecdotal information is Steam Days March 2014 which reveals that before the arrival of Urie classes, D15s worked the Plymouth-Brighton as far as Salisbury.

 

30466 Bournemouth 5th March 1950 - thank you Mike Morant

What is the justification for a D15 on the D&E?

If the D&E had been built, albeit as a single track*, it would have been the most logical route for the daily Plymouth-Portsmouth service taking advantage of military traffic from both the two great naval bases and the smaller Portland via a trailing connection at Dorchester via the WS&WR. Presumably, the handover would have been Bournemouth (which had a Brighton service) rather than Salisbury, Bournemouth's D15s would have been employed to Exeter handing over to a Brighton Atlantic at Bournemouth. All total tosh but at least it is plausible.....

 

*the LSWR initially built the WoE Yeovil extension as single track, did the same happen to the D&E except it was never doubled?

 

StaySafe

[DLT]

On 17/10/2021 at 18:31, Jack Benson said:

The RG4 in the Q1 is very reluctant to move, it looks as if it hasn't been run for at least 10+years however there is a simple but tedious remedy - a full overhaul that will be well worth the effort.

 

The usual cause of an RG4 seizing if it hasn't been run, is that the original lubricant has hardened.  No need to strip is completely, brush some white spirit into the gears and leave it for a bit.  Then try gently turning the gears by hand, and you should be able to work it free.  Don't apply power to the motor until the gearbox is free

[Guest Jack Benson]

Hello David,

 

Haste is not our intention, this Crownline Q1 is rather special and will be very carefully recommissioned, Neil even has some special oil recommended for RG4 bearings.

 

Thank you

 

StaySafe

[Guest Jack Benson]

Ten or so years ago, a Korean made model of the big LMS twin was trundling around Beaminster Road, unfortunately like the 1:1 version it was somewhat unreliable and soon departed.

 

 

Fast forward 10 years and a Bachmann version described as ‘as new’ was found lurking on the internet. Despite being outside our self-imposed ‘49-51 timescale, it is very imposing beast. The excuse that it is a running-in turn on the D&E, a quiet backwater where failure will not draw too much attention. Four coaches should not be too much of a struggle but the 1:50 climb out of Bridport will test the English Electric 16SVT motor. 
 

 

The big LMS twins were allocated to the Bournemouth line in the ‘50s, they are rather imposing and no doubt prove to be popular. 
 

StaySafe

Edited October 23, 2021 by Jack Benson
Incorrect country of origin

[Guest Jack Benson]

"The Royal Wessex" was the principal early morning train to London Waterloo from Dorset, having a three-car set of coaches from Swanage attached to the main train from Weymouth at Wareham. It dated from 1951 and was one of those Festival of Britain trains introduced with early examples of the then-new BR mk 1 coaches, including the Southern Region's only full Kitchen Car (RK no S80009); it was painted in the Crimson Lake and Cream livery. Unfortunately, I can only offer a three-car set of Bulleids for the D&E portion.

 

 

A full description:- The Royal Wessex

 

StaySafe

[Guest Jack Benson]

An additional snippet about the LMS twins whilst on the SReg,  the running department demanded extra lamp irons and electric lights, though they are difficult to see.  Unfortunately, the Bachmann version has not pitched up but I will post a closeup.

Btw Hornby sell a ready painted headboard.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2021 by Jack Benson

[Guest Jack Benson]

Rural eyesore

 Some years ago I added a feature that is so common that we ignore it, the rural eyesore. Whether it is an abandoned car or an old caravan that will never tour again, it is the unseen blight on the landscape.

 

 

I find them neither attractive nor quaint but not all started as abandoned, they were often no longer needed but too useful to abandon and became extra space. Rural life often require extra accomodation or simply an extension of the home, albeit at the bottom of the garden/adjacent field.

 

 

This was a Majorette hence the door is on the wrong-side, thus the tale of the French couple that never left Dorset. Unfortunately, it was lost many years ago but another Majorette has pitched up (Majorette diecasts are dirt cheap) but it needs a certain amount of distressing before placing in the garden near the abandoned tractor. 

 

Update to follow......

 

StaySafe

[SouthernBlue80s]

1 hour ago, Jack Benson said:

Rural eyesore

 Some years ago I added a feature that is so common that we ignore it, the rural eyesore. Whether it is an abandoned car or an old caravan that will never tour again, it is the unseen blight on the landscape.

 

 

I find them neither attractive nor quaint but not all started as abandoned, they were often no longer needed but too useful to abandon and became extra space. Rural life often require extra accomodation or simply an extension of the home, albeit at the bottom of the garden/adjacent field.

 

 

This was a Majorette hence the door is on the wrong-side, thus the tale of the French couple that never left Dorset. Unfortunately, it was lost many years ago but another Majorette has pitched up (Majorette diecasts are dirt cheap) but it needs a certain amount of distressing before placing in the garden near the abandoned tractor. 

 

Update to follow......

 

StaySafe

 

Really great modelling. It has inspired me, as I am looking for diaroma ideas in a rural landscape.

Steve

[Guest Jack Benson]

Just an odd detail for the steam era, it can be saved and pasted into a MS Word document for printing.

 

 

One of these adorns the front of Tilly's garage in the station yard.

 

StaySafe

[JZ]

Or you could have an old traction engine.

[petethemole]

That's a portable engine, i.e. not self propelled.

[5BarVT]

5 hours ago, Jack Benson said:

much to the displeasure of the latest arrivals from Surbiton

That’s because they want to live in chocolate box countryside, not working countryside.

Not uniquely British though, I rather liked the French mayor who, being equally frustrated, said something along the lines of “it’s the country, church bells ring, cocks crow and cows output smells”.

Paul.

[JZ]

2 hours ago, petethemole said:

That's a portable engine, i.e. not self propelled.

Not very portable. It's been there for 40 years that I know of

[John Besley]

7 hours ago, Jack Benson said:

The second Majorette caravan has finally pitched up. It awaits weathering, its windows need to be covered with rusty bits of  Slaters corrugated and the obligatory bald tyre placed on the roof.

 

Otherwise, it is perfect as the type of rural eyesore beloved of local inhabitants* and abhored by the recent blow-ins.

 

*Our neighbour has a rusting Fordson tractor in his front garden much to the displeasure of the latest arrivals from Surbiton, Gerald and Daphne.

 

StaySafe

One of the worst offenders moved into the old crossing keepers cottage at Nappers Crossing just below Staverton and complained about the trains whistling, running out of hours (when on a wine and dine everning do) started useing a speed camara to clock us at over 5mph ... 

 

For his information once the loco has crossed the roadway you are entitled to open up, which we did.

 

It was a love hate relationship - we hated him and he didnt love us, proper NIMBY

[JZ]

1 hour ago, John Besley said:

One of the worst offenders moved into the old crossing keepers cottage at Nappers Crossing just below Staverton and complained about the trains whistling, running out of hours (when on a wine and dine everning do) started useing a speed camara to clock us at over 5mph ... 

 

For his information once the loco has crossed the roadway you are entitled to open up, which we did.

 

It was a love hate relationship - we hated him and he didnt love us, proper NIMBY

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/totterdown-bristol-temple-meads-gwr-3735945

"Many of the residents have lived in Totterdown for a long time" Well, they should have taken their concerns to Mr Brunel when the line was built.

[chris45lsw]

According to Bradley 311 got its BR number Sept 1951 when the snifting valves were also removed.  Didn't last long in this condition as it was withdrawn July 1952.

 

Chris KT

[Guest Jack Benson]

This thread seems to be gradually trickling to a close. Any changes to the layout are relatively minor and I doubt if anyone really wants to read about yet another decrepit exLSWR locomotive or item of rolling stock, anyway we have completed building stuff.
 

If anything crops up, we will post it on the Beaminster Road blog and if it is sufficiently interesting, it will also appear on here.

 

Instead we are building other micro layout stuff and enjoying the journey

 

As ever, StaySafe

 

 

 

 

[Guest Jack Benson]

An Idiot's guide to the MultiMaus - no technical babble.

 

StaySafe

[Guest Jack Benson]

Just to prove myself wrong another image of rural decrepitude arrived in the email, no doubt spurred by the last posting of rural detritus. It is just another less appealing but equally common feature of rural Dorset, it has a charm all of its own.

Peek a Boo

And the Majorette has received some attention, mostly unwelcome.

This was once someone's dream holiday, taken to the touring site on a farm in Dorset but that was long ago. It was sold to the farmer but the weather and time have taken their toll, the windows are boarded over.
 

For those who wonder what it did look like, here it is. In the back garden of Tom and Barbara, The Avenue, Surbiton, a Sterckeman "Lovely 400"

Edited November 7, 2021 by Jack Benson

[down the sdjr]

On 31/10/2021 at 16:03, 5BarVT said:

That’s because they want to live in chocolate box countryside, not working countryside.

Not uniquely British though, I rather liked the French mayor who, being equally frustrated, said something along the lines of “it’s the country, church bells ring, cocks crow and cows output smells”.

Paul.

I miss the days of Jack Hargreaves and old country.

 

A friend of mine used to live in a caravan like that on the Shillingstone station site back in the 1980s. He tells me it was wonderful, never saw a person at the weekends and he used to pick wild freshwater mussels out of the Stour.

[Guest Jack Benson]

7 minutes ago, down the sdjr said:

I miss the days of Jack Hargreaves and old country.

 

A friend of mine used to live in a caravan like that on the Shillingstone station site back in the 1980s. He tells me it was wonderful, never saw a person at the weekends and he used to pick wild freshwater mussels out of the Stour.

When Jack passed in 1994, his ashes were scattered on Bulbarrow Hill above Shillingstone, overlooking the Stour Valley. His last home was Raven Cottage, Belchalwell, nearby.

 

StaySafe

[Guest Jack Benson]

 I am indebted to Anthony Burgess for his lovely study of a 'Hampshire' unit at Horsebridge on the Andover-Redbridge line.

 

The muted greens, the profusion of flowers on the platform and the so familiar Southern colours are perfect for modelling. 

 

Dull as ditchwater, unchanging as tuppence.

 

StaySafe

[Bulwell Hall]

Lovely pic of Horsebridge - superbly nostalgic!  This line remained almost entirely LSWR in appearance until the end.  At Horsebridge there was a superb lattice post lower quadrant LSW signal at the Romsey end of the station (outer home?) - I remember climbing to the top of it one day and it was very high!  I walked the line from Mottisfont to Andover Town once along the track not long before it was lifted.  And yes - even the Hampshire diesel unit is nostalgic now!

 

Gerry