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The railways of Ben Ashworth country.

Forest of Dean locos and models


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  • RMweb Gold

I had a Forest layout in the early 1990's, and I've dug out a few pictures. It was 0 gauge and ran round a bedroom, the main line did three circuits of the room and went through a tunnel to complete the circuit. Other than the support legs, the baseboards werew built from corrugated cardboard stuck together with a hot glue gun, which was fine in a heated indoor room and for a permanent layout. The track was Peco and control conventioanl DC...no DCC in those days. I called it Bream Road; it had a station building based on Speech House Road and an S&W signal box & goods shed. The pub behind the station was the 'George' from the Coleford branch which features in one of Ben Ashworth's photo's which has always inspired me. The period was supposed to be the 1890's but it was always pretty flexible...the 1F tank 1720 is in the post 1907 MR black, but as it worked on the Dursley branch I wanted a model of it.

 

The layout lasted about five years...then I met a lady and suddenly layouts in bedrooms weren't allowed! I sold off all the loco's and stock and haven't built a Forest model for myself since, but it's been nice looking back for a few minutes. Here are some pictures:

 

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Peter

Peter - I feel I must point the finger of blame solely in your direction - a few years ago at a show I came across a journal called Model Rail Digest, with your S&W layout in it. Well I was hooked! Beautiful Fletcher Jennings locos running through the FoD, with rows of colourful PO wagons - perfection. The only problem, can I find a kit or a drawing for the FJ S&W locos? No!

 

So I guess in a roundabout way, I'm hoping you (or someone else on here) could please point me in the right direction for either a kit or a drawing (or both) for the FJ S&W locos?

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I've only got published sources I'm afraid, and the loco's were built from kits drawn by Dave Andrews....i don't know where the information came from, it was all a long time ago.

 

I must admit that I get nostalgic about the old layout, especially when I see the preserved London Tank which is very similar indeed to some of the S&W engines. Perhaps the Dean Forest should borrow it and repaint it!

​Peter

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  • RMweb Gold

I've only got published sources I'm afraid, and the loco's were built from kits drawn by Dave Andrews....i don't know where the information came from, it was all a long time ago.

 

I must admit that I get nostalgic about the old layout, especially when I see the preserved London Tank which is very similar indeed to some of the S&W engines. Perhaps the Dean Forest should borrow it and repaint it!

 

​Peter

 

 

Ah alas! I've dropped Dave Andrews an email to see if he has any of the Fletcher Jennings kits left, and any of the kits for the Vulcan built locos too...

 

Yes you are quite right there is definitely a strong resemblance there; I can imagine it would look rather fetching in S&W green!

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  • RMweb Gold

could please point me in the right direction for either a kit or a drawing (or both) for the FJ S&W locos?

If you are referring to 'Friar Tuck' and it's companion loco, then there were drawings in the Railway Modeller back in the mid-l970s. I don't think they were to 4mm scale and I recall re-drawing them to 4mm scale, or the loco body at least, plus small crosses to show the wheel centres. I did take copies of my own drawing, too, but would have to have a look for them. Not sure if I took a photocopy of the original Railway Modeller drawing as well, but I certainly don't have the original magazine any longer.

 

If you'd like a copy of my own drawing, if I can find it, please send me a PM!

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  • RMweb Gold

Thanks CK - have sent you a PM :)

 

I've been in contact with David Andrews re the kits for both the Fletcher Jennings and the later Vulcan Foundry built locos...sadly no plans to reintroduce at the moment, but he has sent me drawings of both - so its a start! 

 

Peter, I also meant to ask you if you had any drawings for the S&W coaching stock? Looking back at the issue of Rail Model Digest I noted you had some of the coaches and was wondering if you had any of the drawings still, or knew where I might be able to source some please?

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  • RMweb Gold

I used what information there is in Harry Paar's book on the S&W and just guessed the rest - no one is going to be able to prove they are wrong! There are certainly no published drawings.

 

Peter

 

 

Thanks Peter - I've managed to source a copy of Harry Paar's book, there are some lovely photos in there of the locos!

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  • 2 years later...

Dragging up a bit of an old thread, sorry - not helped by the Photobucket Fiasco a while back which wiped out my own photos on this thread I know, but I have been doing a bit of work on my two O Scale "Forest" Panniers, so having posted photos of them in other threads, thought I'd better drag this one up as well..!!

 

Minerva Pannier, 3675. One of the last Panniers in the Forest, recorded as working right up to the last day of Steam on the Western Region, 31/12/1965.

Very late in '65 she had lost her driver's side & smokebox numberplates. The Fireman's side 'plate was chalked over to make the number apparent in the dirt!!

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On the driver's side, as far as I can find out,  (& definitely on the smokebox) the number was drawn in chalk.

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Dapol Pannier, 4698. Again, one of the very last Panniers in the Forest. However, a few years before that, she had been on the Southern Region, and been fitted with extra lamp irons, and a massive battery box under the driver's side of the cab. She also had two small grab irons on the fireman's top corner of the cab, instead of one long curved rail. These details have been added, but the model is yet to be weathered. She also kept all numberplates to the end except for a Shed plate, so I took the liberty of putting one on my model - 85B, a small tribute to Glos. Horton Road Shed.

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The Fireman of 3675 does look suspiciously related to the Driver of 4698, though!!

 

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Good to see some action on the FOD.  It was very popular a while back but seems to have changed.

 

Brian.

It is merely resting.  A new beginning may well dawn soon.

 

Perhaps.............

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