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Bournemouth Central Model Railway Group


Ceptic
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A couple of weeks ago, l had the good fortune to be invited to view this impressive 'OO' Guage layout.

 

lt covers an area of approx. 50' x 18' and models the line from the Bourne Valley viaducts at Branksome, through the 'pines', under Cemetary Junction and on, past the MPD, through the Central station, running alongside the Goods Depot to the Cleveland Road overbridge.

The station and motive power depot are to scale, with the Down platforms able to accommodate two 12 coach trains.

These few photos, of mine, do little justice to the effort and expertise already expended by the Group's members, in modelling a layout of this magnitude.

The work on the second of the viaducts, and the station buildings are still ongoing, coupled with the need of building plans / elevations and photographs of the outlying properties. Namely, the Royal Mail Sorting Office and Kennedy's Builders Merchants on the up side Station Approach. The buildings on the corner of Holdenhurst Road and the down side Station Approach, namely the Dearden & Wade newspaper distributers, James Cole & Son, coal merchants' building and yard. Behind these, the B.R. Staff Association Club, the lnstitute and the Fish Depot. Across the main road, on the opposite corner, there were the offices of Swift & Co, weighing machines. (later Avery & Co. l think)

lf anyone has any references to any of these, l'm positive the Group will be extremely grateful.

 

Cheers.

 

Three pics. of the Cemetary Junction (Junction of the Wimborne, Charminster, Lansdowne and St. Augustin's Roads' overbridge No.17)

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The building on the far edge is part of an art-deco bus shelter with WCs at either end.

 

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This shows the Cemetary gates, trolleybuses on routes 28(needs the appropriate blinds) and 31. What appears to be a garden summer house on the RH side, is / was, in fact, a war-time pill-box, disguised to be as innocent looking as possible. There were some efforts to have it preserved / listed, but they came to nothing.

 

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Milton Road overbridge No.16, showing the extent of the carriage sidings.

 

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Beechy Road overbridge No.15, looking East, towards the MPD.

 

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Up Channel lslands Boat train passing 71B Running Sheds.

 

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The engine sheds at Bournemouth 71B. Has anyone seen a better model ?

 

Ah! lt seems that l have reached the size limit with this post.

Edited by Ceptic
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I had no idea a model of Bournemouth Station actually existed!

 

Would love to see it, but unfortunately your photos do not appear to be loading properly.

 

Ross

Hi Ross, Sorry about that.

l encountered some difficulty, yesterday, in posting the complete set of photos. ln fact, on pressing 'Preview Post', the whole thing disappeared. No 'Autosave', no, nothing.

l've just managed to retrieve it, and, hopefully some of the images are now on show.

 

Regards, Frank.

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Part 2.

 

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The one-time Park Road entrance to the 1928 Down platform extension (Platform No.2). The Signal Box has been completed and is ready for installation, once the canopies are in place.

 

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The loco yard, showing the turntable and the Breakdown Train's Tool and Staff Vans.

 

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35020 'Bibby Line', heading a Waterloo bound express, awaits the 'Off '.

 

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35026 'Lamport & Holt Line' hauls the 'Channel lslands Boat Express', using the station's up through road.

 

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Traffic on the Holdenhurst Road overbridge No.14. The trolleys are on routes 25 and 25A, passing the offices of the Bournemouth Central Goods Depot.

 

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The Goods Depot's offices and Shed.

 

More to follow...

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Wow Ceptic, that looks great! Even the toilet block at cemetary junction is there. Wonderful modelling.

How lucky to get an invite.

I look forward to the "to be continued...." Lots more pictures please...

 

Cheers

Scott

 

Edit - You posted the to be continued as I was typing! Pics arent working again though..

Edited by pitbull1845
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Wow Ceptic, that looks great! Even the toilet block at cemetary junction is there. Wonderful modelling.

How lucky to get an invite.

I look forward to the "to be continued...." Lots more pictures please...

 

Cheers

Scott

 

Edit - You posted the to be continued as I was typing! Pics arent working again though..

Hmm... strange about the pics.?.. :scratchhead: . l've just posted another batch of six, and they're showing up at this end OK.

ls any one else experiencing difficulty in viewing ??

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Guest oldlugger

What an excellent layout! As a former Bournemouth and Poole College of Art student these photos really bring back fond memories. I used to live next to the main line on the Weymouth side of Bournemouth station and traveled frequently to Southampton on the train.

 

Cheers

Simon

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Part 3.

 

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The other end of of the Goods Shed, showing the West yard, weighbridge, and the travelling crane. The northern rmost siding once formed part of the original line into the Bournemouth (East),1870 terminus. Just beyond this, the main-line is hidden in a cutting.

 

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Showing the Depot's Signal Box, the East yard's sidings with the Bournemouth Corporation Transport's power station's private siding, with coal unloading staithes, on the extreme left.

 

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Beer Central.

The Eldridge Pope, Huntsman's Ales* Distribution Centre

When viewed from a passing train, it gave the impression of an extended SR 'Provender' building.

lt suited the area, as just around the corner, was a road accessed depot for 'Brickwoods Excellent (?) Ales' of Portsmouth.

Who remembers those ?.

 

Ooooh Dear. All this typing has brought on a sudden thirst.

 

*The 'Huntsman' logo is now used by that Northern brew, 'Tetleys'.

 

Edited, thanks to the information received from 'themajorsbatman's post #33

 

Cheers.

Edited by Ceptic
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A Bump and an appeal.

As you can see there are still quite a few areas on the layout where the Group are short of historical details.

There is an on-going search of the Dorset County Council's Archives, but as some of us can recall, the County's borders were changed during 1974. Prior to this, Bournemouth was a Hampshire town. So the search may have to be extended, hence this appeal for any extra info.

Particularly, related to these buildings outlined in Red.

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Cheers and Thanks. Ceptic.

 

Acting for

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Edited with thanks to themajorsbatman's fresh information, post # 33.

Edited by Ceptic
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  • 2 months later...

The latest photos, taken by John Street. Reproduced here with his, and the BCMRGroup's permission.

 

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Through the pines, alongside Meyrick Park Golf Course.

 

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The kiddies are either waiting to pick up any lost balls, or kicking the ants' nests, as they appear not to have any interest in any passing train.

 

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The 'Ambition Twirlers' twirling to the beat of of the Bulleid pacific.

 

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The music must be still ringing in their ears, as they're still twirling.

 

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A more distant shot, showing the 3-arch bridge, the surounding pine trees, and the start of the park's avenue of Horse Chestnuts., Aways a good source of Conkers, in the Autumn.

The bridge's detail is still being added to.

 

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The Platelayer's hut marks the spot once occcupied by the Meyrick Park Halt. ln it's heyday, served by a LSWR Railmotor.

 

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Approaching Cemetary Junction road-overbridge No.17

 

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Running in, past 71B.

 

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Showing the MPD's wheel-drop hoist and the water softening tank, behind.

 

 

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This, and the following pics. show the area around the Holdenhurst Road overbridge No.14.

As you can see, it is still under development.

As stated previously, this is being held back by the lack of readable plans / drawings of the surrounding buildings.

The group's recent searches, over the past months, have proved fruitless.

 

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Regards, and Thanks for looking in, Frank.

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  • RMweb Premium

The chances of finding the plans are going to be low. I think the best you're likely to get is the footprints of buildings from Ordnance Survey maps, and then use photos from local history books to extrapolate the appearance. While railway architecture is probably well covered in archived plans, I don't think the same can probably be said for many other buildings.

Edited by Ian J.
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Hi Ceptic

 

This is truly amazing. Having lived in the area all my life i recognise so many things.It makes it extra special when some one models an area that you know so well. That has to mean great modelling. I never new that this existed and would love to see it in the flesh.

 

Good work guys, i shall be following this very closely.

 

Colin

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Thanks Fellas for your enthusiastic comments.

 

The chances of finding the plans are going to be low. I think the best you're likely to get is the footprints of buildings from Ordnance Survey maps, and then use photos from local history books to extrapolate the appearance. While railway architecture is probably well covered in archived plans, I don't think the same can probably be said for many other buildings.

 

Thanks for the input, lan, and as you point out, lt's the 'Civvie' buildings that are the problem.

The group certainly has the plans / elevations of the railway related buildings, also a certain amount of photographs, Some taken recently, others just before the surrounding area was re-developed and earlier ones. A percentage of these showing the buildings of interest in the background. lt's the full-frontal, up the alley and around the back shots they're really short of.

The group have aquired oldish plans of the GPO Sorting office and the South Western Hotel, from Hampshie C.C. but they are in such a poor condition as to be un-readable.

They've also been in contact with Dorset C.C., but, so far. only through their website, which directed them to the 'Streets of Bournemouth' site. Some photos being gained from this.

The next move is to make a personal appointment to spend some time searching the archives held by Dorset C.C.. This is is a thing that l've also got to do, as the SRGroup (Not the RMweb group) are rather reluctant to release copies of their official Bournemouth West buildings plans. (l am a member, and they do hold them, so l'm told.)

So,.. that's the plan in hand. Get Christmas out of the way, and we'll have another go.

 

What a great layout, the guys have done so far. Hopefully get to see some more pictures as work continues with it. Colin

 

More pictures to follow, once the Bourne Valley viaducts are finished.

 

HI Ceptic Thanks for sharing these pictures with us - this layout looks great! Is the layout open to RMwebbers and if so, where is it located (Bournemouth area??) Mike

 

Without sounding elitest, regretfully, Mike, the layout, and it's location are kept under lock and key. l'm sworn to secrecy, for reasons of security. :secret:

Mind you, if you came up with any relevent information,...Who knows what might happen !! :sungum:

 

Thanks again. Wishing you All, A Very Happy Christmas (and Jan 3rd.)

Edited by Ceptic
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  • 4 weeks later...

These latest photos show the Bourne Valley viaducts in position. As you can see, they are of considerable size and, in order to fit in the available space, certain differences (compromises) from the prototype are apparent.

Time spent building these excellent examples of modelling skills totalled a period of approx. four months

 

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Photos - BCMRG Copyright 2012

Edited by Ceptic
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Having spent all my school holidays in Poole/Hamworthy when I was younger and still having lots of family in the area I recognise a lot of the locations and I am amazed at the scale and qulaity of this layout. I have crossed the line at the Holdenhurst road bridge on many occaisions in the past and have walked under the viaducts from my cousins house along and into Bournemouth along the seafront! Those are very impressive structures and really look the part fantastic modelling and please keep sharing the progress on here. Interestingly this week Michael Portillo's route has taken him along the south coast through Bournemouth and it is great to see the impressive station restored as i can remember in the late 80's early 90's when it was looking quite dirty which was a shame for such an impressive structure with its overall roof. Another relative was a signal man on the southern and has worked in many of the boxes along the route including Poole, Wool and Branksome at various times although retired for a good number of years now.

 

Keep up the good work and the updates,

Mark

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Wow - the layout I always wanted to build when I'd made my first million. I guess I'll have to work harder on the music. Well I wanted to build Bournemouth Central and the loco shed - from bridge to bridge as that is what I really remember. Countless summer Saturdays on the down platform came to a sudden end in July 1968 when those revolting REPS and VEPS took over. And I was a member (a very junior member mind you) of Poole MRS in the mid 60s.

There are plenty of photos in various books taken from the up end of the down platform which have the buildings north of the station - the GPO & the builders merchants - in the background - aren't they any help ?

But why all the secrecy ? I for one would love to watch the development and see it if I ever got the chance.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Bumped today, to show the folks l've met up with, including those at this week-end's Southampton M.R.S Exhibition, what is going on, behind the scenes.

 

Regards, Frank.

Edited by Ceptic
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  • 2 weeks later...

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