Bacup - Mills in the hills

[gismorail]

Morning Jason funny you should suddenly revive the Bacup thread with a picture update as I was doing my yearly magazine clear out yesterday which involves cutting out articles of special interest to me for future reference and filed the your Bacup write up under the inspiration section. 

[georgeT]

Love the under canopy detail Jason, very nice...

[Alister_G]

Doh, George has said what I was going to say, the detail under the canopy is really excellent. Am I right in thinking it was one of the first things you built?

 

Great photos mate.

 

Al.

[Jason T]

I'd made a few basic building for Rubbishtown, most of which are now the property of Mr Bodgit. The canopy was the first serious item I built though as if l couldn't make a half decent job of it, there was little point in continuing as it was the key feature of the real station.

[coachmann]

4mm Bacup gave me the willies seeing as your very observant modelling reminded me of Oldham Mumps Bridge, another Lanky station. It is one thing modelling muck 'n grime, but solmething else having to grow up in it. Nevertheless I do appreciate very good modelling. 

[dhjgreen]

4mm Bacup gave me the willies seeing as your very observant modelling reminded me of Oldham Mumps Bridge, another Lanky station. It is one thing modelling muck 'n grime, but solmething else having to grow up in it. Nevertheless I do appreciate very good modelling.

 

A section of the Mumps station canopy can now be seen at Bury Bolton Street on the ELR.

 

https://elrfundraising.wordpress.com/2015/12/03/heroic-effort-sees-canopy-project-completed/

[coachmann]

A section of the Mumps station canopy can now be seen at Bury Bolton Street on the ELR.

 

https://elrfundraising.wordpress.com/2015/12/03/heroic-effort-sees-canopy-project-completed/

Thanks for that. I checked up and Mumps had a difference style of canopy to Bacup and so in a senior moment my mind was combining Mumps drabness with Oldham Clegg Street's canopy. At least it is still serving a useful purpose. 

[TheSignalEngineer]

........................... At least it is still serving a useful purpose. 

Stops the rain from getting in your beer while you are watching the trains.

[44690]

The canopy from Oldham Mumps does now grace platform 2 at Bury Bolton Street station and the Trackside bar from where several excellent beers are on sale. There are plans to erect the remaining parts of the canopy at Rawtenstall. There was also a plan to install some of the fencing that was also recovered from Oldham Mumps at Rawtenstall. I'm not sure if this was done, but if I remember I will check next time I run round there.

[woodbine]

Hi Jason, a L&YR 3F backhead and an 18yr old coach (left) thrown in for good measure! 1960 at Lees 26F. No big pipes as you have modelled. Below the regulator is the blower handle. Then a gauge glass either side. Outside them are the steam injector handles and to the left (behind me) is the brake handle. I'm sat on the screw-reverser with a hand on the handle. The oval firehole door was of the ratchet type opened by pulling the handle forward. On the floor were the usual damper handles. Beside the rectangular boxes over the wheels were the water regulator handles for the injectors. The boxes themselves were not just seats but were sandboxes with circular lids in their tops. These hand fed the rear drivers when in reverse. Hope this helps.

 

WEB L&YR 3F backhead 1960.jpg

Hi Coachmann, Scuze me butting in, I'm modelling a Barton Wright 0-6-0 Ironclad tender loco LRM kit, but I can't find an illustration of the cab and the backhead, either on the web or in my collection of L&Y mags. Do you know did it differ significantly from this pic of you in the Aspinall, and do you know of any illustrations of it?

[coachmann]

Hi Coachmann, Scuze me butting in, I'm modelling a Barton Wright 0-6-0 Ironclad tender loco LRM kit, but I can't find an illustration of the cab and the backhead, either on the web or in my collection of L&Y mags. Do you know did it differ significantly from this pic of you in the Aspinall, and do you know of any illustrations of it?

Sorry I can't help here. I photographed the 2F Barton Wright on the occasion of its 90th birthday but it never occurred to me to look in the cab. Maybe someone who lives close by the K&WVR could help out.

[woodbine]

I've eventually found an excellent photo of the current backhead of 957 here, where I could have looked in the first place, I don't know why I didn't think of it. It seems to be pretty much the same as the A class, or you could point out any differences Coachmann? Or is it because it received a later boiler?

[coachmann]

I think it is to undergo restoration commencing July and so it will cease to be on display. I cannot find any decent size images of the Class 25 backhead. The models I have seen had their backheads half cut-away to clear the drive worm.....I had to do this on my 'A' class and I venture to add that any round top backhead should suffice in 4mm.

[DerekEm8]

I've eventually found an excellent photo of the current backhead of 957 here, where I could have looked in the first place, I don't know why I didn't think of it. It seems to be pretty much the same as the A class, or you could point out any differences Coachmann? Or is it because it received a later boiler?

 

 

I don't know if this one is any better, taken at KWVR some years ago after a previous overhaul.

 

[Jason T]

It’s been a long time since I updated this thread, mainly because Bacup has been in separate pieces since moving house three years ago. Whilst exhibiting The Mill at Railex a couple of weeks ago, quite a few people asked what was happening with the layout so I thought I’d update everyone.

 

Basically, I don’t have room to put the layout up, it’s suffered somewhat from being stored (track at baseboard edges, nothing serious) and to be honest, my interests have moved on to EM gauge, industrial settings & locos and smaller layouts - The Mill is more fun to operate than Bacup!

 

So as you will probably guess, Bacup is to be dismantled, track sold on (if anyone would buy it) and scenic items salvaged for future use. All the buildings were constructed in such a way that they can be reused (many are fully detailed on all sides, despite not being visible on Bacup), something planned from the start as I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get it out of the attic in Oxford. As such, many will reappear on future projects, albeit improved upon (see below). I have already started to convert locos and stock to EM but a recent thought is that I don’t think I’ll ever build a layout big enough to justify a large number of locos & stock so I am contemplating selling a lot of it off.

 

With all this in mind, I have started on a mini-project closely linked to Bacup and that is painting the window frames on the buildings. Once I found out that white paint was so rare in the late 50’s, the glare of those frames really annoyed me but I didn’t have the time (or inclination when construction of The Mill began) to deal with it. I now intend to revisit every building and sort it out so that when they come to be reused, it’ll be one less job to do.

 

The below shop and adjoined houses were among the first buildings for Bacup. It may not look like anything has changed but to me, the window frames are infinitely better through getting a lick of paint

 

 

[Andrew P]

One of your VERY early examples that you gave me about 4 Years ago is the Warehouse, and it now resides on Kings Moreton, and very pleased I am with it Jason.

Thanks and all the best with whatever comes next.

Edited June 8, 2018 by Andrew P

[gz3xzf]

That is a shame Jason, I always looked forward to your updates on progress on Bacup.

[Jason T]

Onwards and upwards is my motto. I felt that although far smaller in size, the modelling I did for my part of The Mill (joint effort with Chris) far out surpassed what I did on Bacup. I put a lot more effort into just about every aspect of The Mill, partly due to it being an exhibition layout and therefore under close scrutiny of my peers.

 

Rest assured that whatever comes next will be documented somewhere on RMWeb

[Jamiel]

Please post a link on here as I am sure tehre will be 167 people ready to follow any new thread.

Both Bacup and The Mill are wonderful and inspiring layouts, each has their strenghts and have so much for others to learn from. I know I have I gained a lost ideas and techniques from following both these threads.

Jamie

Edited June 8, 2018 by Jamiel

[TheSignalEngineer]

Hi Jason, Bacup was inspirational to a lot of us. Pity it will be no more but life changes  and our preferences change as well. Good to see that you intend the buildings to live on elsewhere.

 

Whatever you decide to do for your own projects I am sure that there will be plenty of us watching.

 

Eric

[coachmann]

Mebbe I missed it somewhere but will Bacup be kept or demolished when you build an EM gauge layout?

You just answered my question of 2014. Seems such a shame but I can understand. 

Edited June 8, 2018 by coachmann

[Mrkirtley800]

My best wishes for your future projects Jason. I will follow your progress with great interest.

Derek

[clecklewyke]

 The Mill is more fun to operate than Bacup!

 

 

I find that statement amazing as there was so much more scope for operating a much greater variety of trains on Bacup. With a well-thought-out timetable, full signalling, block instruments and a good wagon contrpl system, as used by Amrtican modellers it should have been an operator's dream.

 

 I wonder what made the mill more fun?

 

Having said that, it's great to hear from you, Jason, and I look forward to seeing your next project.

 

Ian

[2ManySpams]

Jason, like many on here I enjoyed watching you build the layout and in particular hone your building making skills. I fully appreciate though that your situation and interests have changed and fully understand why you've made the decision to dismantle Bacup.

 

Layouts are a very personal thing and we pour hours of time and tons of effort into building them. As such it can be a very tough decision to make to dismantle or sell a layout.

 

But, if you no longer have the space to put it up, the time to work on it and your interests have moved on to smaller, more manageable projects, then you are making the right decision. Glad to hear you're salvaging the buildings and improving them for potential future use.

 

Having seen The Mill I can definitely see that you (and Chris) have upped your game and again understand how you may feel that going back to Bacup would be a retrograde step.

 

At the end of the day it's your layout and you need to do what best suits your personal situation. Yes it's sad but IMO we should never let our old bagage stop us from moving onwards and upwards. I'm sure your next project will be even better.

[Mark Forrest]

Onwards and upwards is my motto.

And for that reason, I doubt you'll regret your decision to dismantle Bacup.

 

Always a tough call when to make that decision, but moving to a different gauge and focusing on smaller but highly detailed projects seems a perfectly sensible reason to move on. I look forward to seeing what comes next.