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Hest Bank in 4mm scale


terryd147
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There's a couple of reasons why I chose that particular motto. First, it always seems, to me at least, as something of a cliche to always have a bus on a layout. I've seen a good number of beautifully modelled small, wayside stations that, in reality, probably only had a few passengers each day, yet there is always a bus conveniently waiting on the forecourt to take these passengers further. To illustrate the point, I often get off the tube (I think that qualifies as a railway - and it does have stations!) at Elephant & Castle, from where I have a choice of about eight different routes for my onward journey. It is not unusual to wait several minutes for one of them to arrive.

 

Secondly, I used to belong to a local club, along with Richard Wilson, where we had a member who was absolutely obsessed with buses, both real and in model form. He would come to the club with his latest EFE or whatever and proudly show it off to all and sundry, despite the fact that most other people were not the slightest bit interested. If you told him you were contemplating building a layout based on a certain place or area he would instantly be able to tell you who the local bus operator was and what sort of buses they used during the period of your proposed layout. When we were building a layout, that subsequently appeared at a number of shows over several years, he was constantly telling us what buses we needed, despite us politely pointing out that this did not figure in our plans. Eventually, when he was going on about it for the umpteenth time I said, more in desperation than anger 'We are not having buses on this layout. Got that?' He seemed rather upset by this and our relationship was never the same again!

 

O.K. It's a fair cop, guv!

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Take a look at this video

 

5:30-5:40 is Hest Bank, with the old box, it's only a quick glimpse but it's definitely HB.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rso8GbZJOE

 

Edit - I'm watching it with the sound off

 

Beast, thanks once again; it's a fascinating piece of footage and it points up some of the spatial relationships between buildings that aren't necessarily evident from photographs. That "fish & chips" building behind the up platform looks bigger than ever! Also the LNWR up starter before the footbridge doesn't have a sighting board, which it seems to have acquired by the early 50s. No doubt there is more that will leap out at me. The rest of the clip is fascinating too; it's a good game to try and guess locations!

 

Thanks Terry D

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Thanks for reminding me Terry, I was more than happy to help.

 

All the very best for the future with the Hest Bank Project.

 

Thanks for your good wishes; there's a long way to go yet, but it'll keep me busy.

It's good to put a name to your nick-name, too.

 

ATB

 

Terry

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The rest of the clip is fascinating too; it's a good game to try and guess locations!

 

Indeed, I know most (or at least a good number) of them. This portion starts at Atherstone but occasionally doubles back on itself, for example Preston comes after Hest Bank !

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Progress on the layout (and on posting here) is not quick because of other calls on my time. However, here are some more photos:-

post-15489-0-21343500-1336030293_thumb.jpg

Black 5 hauled up milk train crosses with a down Crewe-Carlisle parcels working hauled by another Black 5. It's good to have a number of different variants of the same loco type and most of the normal variants will be found here, i.e. long/short firebox, riveted/welded tenders, domeless/domed boilers etc.

 

post-15489-0-70534300-1336030409_thumb.jpg

Another view of milk train. I collected a number of Lima tankers when I thought they were in short supply. They are strictly GWR prototypes, I believe, but will be modified in due time.

 

post-15489-0-58817000-1336030521_thumb.jpg

 

A Glasgow-Morecambe working crosses over from the up main to the Morecambe branch. Some of the trains on the layout are composed mostly of RTR items, this one being no exception. For attention at some time in the future will be dulling the nice shiny motion work, removing front coupling, fitting lamps, crew etc, etc.

 

post-15489-0-50462900-1336030628_thumb.jpg

 

Pick-up freight crosses to the Morecambe branch behind a Stanier Mogul. Must get around to painting that brake van! (Job 41A)

 

post-15489-0-69518100-1336030743_thumb.jpg

 

Front view of same working.

 

post-15489-0-03004600-1336030970_thumb.jpg

 

Nice new Bachmann Deeley 3F reverses a pick-up freight into the yard at Hest. Usual rider about removal of couplings, lamps, crew, weathering and so on applies.

 

post-15489-0-54849600-1336030860_thumb.jpg

 

Down Euston-Carlisle relief consisting of a real variety of coaching stock. K's Princess with X04 motor heads north. The model is hearly 30 years old, and while it's powerful and fast, it's showing its age compared to more recent offerings.

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Just to acknowledge "old plonker's" comment about being fragmented, I had a problem with the site recently in that it normally signs me in automatically, but a few days ago it refused me entry, assuring me that my name/password (generated automatically by the site) were incorrect. It took a deal of effort to get back on again and even than I had to use a modified name. Be assured that TerryD147 and TerryD1471 are one & the same.

 

I have had the good fortune to acquire one or two of the Tony Geary collection of locos, being ex-LMS types. They have previously appeared on Charwelton and, I think, Stoke at shows in the past. Photos to follow shortly.

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As promised, I include photos of locos which have come my way from the Tony Geary collection along with a number of others. They each have their own pedigrees.

 

post-15489-0-81876700-1336076052_thumb.jpg

 

The first is 46112 Sherwood Forester. This was built by Tony Wright from a Comet kit and painted by Ian Rathbone. It has appeared on Charwelton on a number of occasions but is so appropriate for a WCML layout.

 

post-15489-0-84178600-1336076972_thumb.jpg

Next, in no particular order, is a shot of 45715, a bog-standard Bachmann Jubilee negotiating the crossing to the Morecambe branch with a working from Scotland.

 

post-15489-0-32280300-1336076591_thumb.jpg

 

Next we have a Flying Pig, not a Bachmann offering, but a Tony Geary build complete with compensated loco and tender chassis. It's been seen on Charwelton and it's a very good performer. It's on a light engine movement and has just passed under cinderella bridge and is about to pass beneath the bridge carrying the A5105 Marine Drive.

 

post-15489-0-75085500-1336076761_thumb.jpg

 

Next we have a DJH Black 5 built and painted by Tony Geary on a down parcels working passing a Fairburn 2-6-4T waiting on the Morecambe branch. This was built by Alan Hammett from a DJH kit too.

 

More to come.

post-15489-0-62986800-1336076435_thumb.jpg

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The previous post ended with an unsolicited repeat of an earlier photo. Don't know how that happened.

 

To continue the theme of locos, this is a Stanier 2-6-4T built by Alan Hammett from a NuCast kit. Lovely runner. It's hauling a short train north under the road bridge carrying Marine Drive and consists of empty tube wagons (some of which are inscribed underneath "Goddard - Lawrence" so a pretty good pedigree).

 

post-15489-0-77980000-1336120958_thumb.jpg

 

"City of Nottingham", built by Tony Wright and painted by Ian Rathbone, works north. Most of the red Duchesses received the BR pattern of lining before getting the LMS pattern which the model has. The livery is therefore strictly too late for the period that Hest Bank is set in, but it's my train set.....

 

post-15489-0-67088200-1336121268_thumb.jpg

 

By way of contrast to the exquisite workmanship of 46251, there follows another Duchess, this time a much modified Hornby Dublo bodyshell, with a scratch brass chassis, built by me many years ago. The camera reveals too much, but I am compelled by nostalgia (and the fact that it's a very good runner & hauler) to keep it and one day upgrade it?

 

post-15489-0-60357900-1336121449_thumb.jpg

 

Back to quality again; this is a modern Hornby Duchess of Montrose, modified by Tony Wright using a Comet detailing kit. A very good formula for getting a first rate model. It's hauling the up Caledonian, but please don't tell me that the brake 1st should be next to the loco and not the brake 2nd.which should be at the back of the train. I know!

 

post-15489-0-23112400-1336122021_thumb.jpg

 

Wills Finecast produced a body kit for many years for the Stanier 3 cylinder 2-6-4T. This is not too difficult to modify to represent one of the first batch of 8 of the 2 cylinder variants and this is what I did. It's a scratch brass chassis with an open frame motor and Comet valve gear and motion. Too bad I have yet to get around to weathering it.

 

post-15489-0-08676100-1336122846_thumb.jpg

 

Crab 42757 is returning north to its home shed of Kingmoor on a parcels working. The model is 25 years old and I built it from a Wills Finecast kit on a scratch brass chassis. I think I plundered the cylinders and valve gear from the Lima model produced in the 80s. The rest of it went in the bin. Incidentally if anyone thinks the tender lining is wrong, I can assure them I have the photo to prove otherwise!

 

post-15489-0-31234900-1336123357_thumb.jpg

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Looking at other superb layouts on this site, I am shamed by the state of the scenery on Hest and must make a determined effort to improve it. From my dossier (in which I have collected copies of all the photos and information that I could find of the real location and which now runs to a file about 2 inches thick) I have been looking in particular at the road bridge carrying the A5105 over the track. It's a composite structure of brick and concrete and should be reasonably straightforward to construct in plain and brick-embossed plasticard. Once that and the "Cinderella" bridge are done, I shall feel a lot happier and will feel able to tackle more of the green areas requiring attention.

 

The station footbridge has now been lowered to the correct height; it isn't strictly the correct pattern, but it is close enough for this philistine! However, I notice that during the 50s era, the down platform starter signal was a 2-aspect colour light attached to the bridge. I shall have to view the photos with a magnifying glass to see what kind of inspection platform was erected around it and install that too.

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Just found another reference source in the shape of the superb Cooper collection of photographs referred to in "railways of the North West". If I remember correctly the address is www.cooperline.co.uk, and it is well worth a visit if your interest lies in this region.

 

There are dozens of photos of Hest Bank, let alone the vast collection of photos of other north-western locations. The number of reference photos I now have to call on is much increased and, of course there are inevitably views which improve one's knowledge. Sadly in some cases, these improvements arrive after I have taken a best guess as to how a particular feature should look and show rather glaringly an error in the model. A case in point (ha-ha!) is the pointwork leading into the small yard, one of which I now realise is a left hander rather than a right hand. And there's a catch point needed. Errrhm!

 

More positively, other photos shed further light on features on which I have been searching for information, so overall, I'm pretty pleased.

 

One of the aspects that has struck me through my research is that the prototype kept (and keeps) changing. You think you know how a particular building should look, e.g. it has a lean-to shed at the western elevation, but then you find another photo on which the lean-to is absent; clearly at some stage a feature has been either built or demolished, or some inconsiderate person has built a garage or painted his house white. Am I getting paranoid about modelling correctness or does one just have to accept that one is never going to get it 100% right? Answers on the back of a £10 note, please!

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http://www.cooperline.com/

 

If you haven't seen them, search by location "Grayrigg" there are a couple of incorrectly labelled Hest Bank photos in there

 

hth

 

Hello beast

 

Thanks for the hint, but having looked at the Cooper site where you suggest, I can't spot them. Am I missing something? Do you have reference numbers?

 

ATB

 

Terry D

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Hello beast

Thanks for the hint, but having looked at the Cooper site where you suggest, I can't spot them. Am I missing something? Do you have reference numbers?

ATB

Terry D

 

It's definitely not Grayrigg. - WD_C090 is the reference. Not so sure it's Hest Bank now.

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It's definitely not Grayrigg. - WD_C090 is the reference. Not so sure it's Hest Bank now.

 

Hello beast

 

Yes, I'm pretty sure it's not Hest as it seems to be 4 track and paired by speed. That rather suggests the Leyland area?

 

It hardly matters anyway in research terms, because the Cooper site has given me such a lot more material that it's going to take a while to digest all that. Thanks anyway.

 

TerryD

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Hello. I just found this thread when googling for images of hest bank, and so i have signed up to RMweb in order to make contact. It's of interest because, believe it or not, I too am making a model of hest bank, though in 2mm scale. It is not nearly so far along. I am focusing on the troughs just now, I have just completed the boards, and am currently laying cork, with track-laying to start in a couple of weeks. Period: 1962. Would be good to exchange notes. Tony H

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Hello. I just found this thread when googling for images of hest bank, and so i have signed up to RMweb in order to make contact. It's of interest because, believe it or not, I too am making a model of hest bank, though in 2mm scale. It is not nearly so far along. I am focusing on the troughs just now, I have just completed the boards, and am currently laying cork, with track-laying to start in a couple of weeks. Period: 1962. Would be good to exchange notes. Tony H

 

Hi Tony

 

Congratulations on your choice of prototype! I have a great deal of source material although I have obviously tended to focus on the pre 1958 era. Nevertheless a lot of the surrounding buildings and infrastructure remained unchanged throughout the 50s and 60s so a lot would be relevant. As a start point for photo references, I would heartily recommend the Cooperline website (as I mentioned earlier in the post) as it has a wealth of photos of Hest in your era. The photos are on the site in thumbnail form, but I admit I've cheated a bit and blown them up as I printed them off. I only just found this site myself a short time ago, and I would have benefited greatly if I'd found it earlier.

 

I think that if you can get some or all of the troughs in, that would be great; hope you've got plenty of space as you'd need it! Please let me know if there are any more specific areas of query and good luck!

 

Terry D

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Hi Tony

 

Congratulations on your choice of prototype! I have a great deal of source material although I have obviously tended to focus on the pre 1958 era. Nevertheless a lot of the surrounding buildings and infrastructure remained unchanged throughout the 50s and 60s so a lot would be relevant. As a start point for photo references, I would heartily recommend the Cooperline website (as I mentioned earlier in the post) as it has a wealth of photos of Hest in your era. The photos are on the site in thumbnail form, but I admit I've cheated a bit and blown them up as I printed them off. I only just found this site myself a short time ago, and I would have benefited greatly if I'd found it earlier.

 

I think that if you can get some or all of the troughs in, that would be great; hope you've got plenty of space as you'd need it! Please let me know if there are any more specific areas of query and good luck!

 

Terry D

I dedcided to do this because I wanted a main-line with a Duchess and diesel mixture, and I lived in Bare as a kid in the mid-1960s.

 

I started collecting information slowly in the mid-1990s, and have a fair amount now: These are the books that i have found the most helpful:

Ron Herbert, The Working Railway, both vols

Andrew McRae, British Railway Camping Coach Holidays: The 1930s and British Railways (London Midland Region), see pp.66-81.

plus the Darnborough book that you mention.

R Kirkman and P van Zellar, Rails to the Lancashire Coast - has a nice colour photo on the cover (shows the catch point clearly as of 1964), and on p.71 there is an LNWR period photo of part of the station and yard which shows part of a loading dock on the west side, which survived until at least the mid-1960s. (for which see also p.68 of the Camping Coach book). There was no buffer stop off the catch point line.

 

Websites: I have found a lot of photos by google image searches. Some of the best are some 15-20 colour photos in the mid-1960s by Geoff Plumb (google Geoff Plumb Hest bank and you will find the relevant section on his site). I didn't know the Cooperline site until yesterday, and yes, there's a lot there, must make time to go through it.

 

I got a set of about 30 contact prints of the 1965 crash clear-up from the archives of the Morecambe Visitor. Many are not great, but I ordered proper prints of three pix that had detail of the crossing etc.

 

Prototype workings: I have managed to get copies of the 1962 working timetables and the 1960 and 1961 carriage marshalling books plus a few STNs. I have the various appendices etc, and the only special instruciton that I've noticed abnd remember is a specification about the maximum number of wagons allowed on the Morecambe spur. FWIW I also have the freight WTT for Euxton Jn-Gretna Jn 21 Sept 1953 UFN, and the passenger WTT for 11 June-16 sept 1956. Very helpful for loco info are the WCML sighting reports being published by Chris Coates. I believe 1959 is available and that he wants to do earlier years as well.

 

So far as I have been able to establish, the up semaphore at the crossing was replaced with colour light some time between early June 1962 and April 1963 - I would love to know when. I assume that the bracket on the platform end was removed at the same time. The loop line in the yard was removed in August 1963.

 

I would like to get more information about the buffer stops. The platform line had a metal one, but i don't know whether it was LNWR or LMS pattern by the 1950s. The other line apparently had some kind of wooden concoction, but i have not found any clear photo. The platform line was skewed to avoid a small wooden (?) structure at the back of the down waiting shelter - no idea what it was or really what it looked like. See p. 68 of the Camping coach book.

 

I haven't done much research yet into the buildings on Marine Drive. Any info would be very welcome.

 

I am struggling to find pictures of:

1/ the two sets of tanks and huts serving the water troughs, on the east side of the line

2/. the down distant signal for Bolton le Sands crossing, located somewhere between Pasture Lane bridge and the foot crossing (I'd like to know exactly where)

3/ Pasture Lane bridge

 

As for my layout, no, I don't have enough room at home, I envy your shed. Nonetheless, the plan is 11 x 1m boards, covering the line from Pasture Lane bridge to the A5105 bridge. Phase 1 is to build the northern part, as far as the south end of the troughs: that's boards 1-6, which are all but ready for the track. Phase 2, in the distant future, will have the crossing and station on boards 7 and 8, then the cutting on boards 9-11. Boards 7 and 8 are built and awaiting cork underlay, whereas 9-11 aren't built yet. I haven't decided what to do off-scene - possibly cassettes. The latter are attractive because I am building in 2mm finescale, and the fewer points I need to build the better. Perhaps it's not impossible to mix cassettes with a through circuit capability. Whatever, i'm inclined to leave the Morecambe line as a branch to a dead-end.

 

Hope that's of interest, and if you can help with any of my queries, many thanks. Best, Tony H

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I dedcided to do this because I wanted a main-line with a Duchess and diesel mixture, and I lived in Bare as a kid in the mid-1960s.

 

I started collecting information slowly in the mid-1990s, and have a fair amount now: These are the books that i have found the most helpful:

Ron Herbert, The Working Railway, both vols

Andrew McRae, British Railway Camping Coach Holidays: The 1930s and British Railways (London Midland Region), see pp.66-81.

plus the Darnborough book that you mention.

R Kirkman and P van Zellar, Rails to the Lancashire Coast - has a nice colour photo on the cover (shows the catch point clearly as of 1964), and on p.71 there is an LNWR period photo of part of the station and yard which shows part of a loading dock on the west side, which survived until at least the mid-1960s. (for which see also p.68 of the Camping Coach book). There was no buffer stop off the catch point line.

 

Websites: I have found a lot of photos by google image searches. Some of the best are some 15-20 colour photos in the mid-1960s by Geoff Plumb (google Geoff Plumb Hest bank and you will find the relevant section on his site). I didn't know the Cooperline site until yesterday, and yes, there's a lot there, must make time to go through it.

 

I got a set of about 30 contact prints of the 1965 crash clear-up from the archives of the Morecambe Visitor. Many are not great, but I ordered proper prints of three pix that had detail of the crossing etc.

 

Prototype workings: I have managed to get copies of the 1962 working timetables and the 1960 and 1961 carriage marshalling books plus a few STNs. I have the various appendices etc, and the only special instruciton that I've noticed abnd remember is a specification about the maximum number of wagons allowed on the Morecambe spur. FWIW I also have the freight WTT for Euxton Jn-Gretna Jn 21 Sept 1953 UFN, and the passenger WTT for 11 June-16 sept 1956. Very helpful for loco info are the WCML sighting reports being published by Chris Coates. I believe 1959 is available and that he wants to do earlier years as well.

 

So far as I have been able to establish, the up semaphore at the crossing was replaced with colour light some time between early June 1962 and April 1963 - I would love to know when. I assume that the bracket on the platform end was removed at the same time. The loop line in the yard was removed in August 1963.

 

I would like to get more information about the buffer stops. The platform line had a metal one, but i don't know whether it was LNWR or LMS pattern by the 1950s. The other line apparently had some kind of wooden concoction, but i have not found any clear photo. The platform line was skewed to avoid a small wooden (?) structure at the back of the down waiting shelter - no idea what it was or really what it looked like. See p. 68 of the Camping coach book.

 

I haven't done much research yet into the buildings on Marine Drive. Any info would be very welcome.

 

I am struggling to find pictures of:

1/ the two sets of tanks and huts serving the water troughs, on the east side of the line

2/. the down distant signal for Bolton le Sands crossing, located somewhere between Pasture Lane bridge and the foot crossing (I'd like to know exactly where)

3/ Pasture Lane bridge

 

As for my layout, no, I don't have enough room at home, I envy your shed. Nonetheless, the plan is 11 x 1m boards, covering the line from Pasture Lane bridge to the A5105 bridge. Phase 1 is to build the northern part, as far as the south end of the troughs: that's boards 1-6, which are all but ready for the track. Phase 2, in the distant future, will have the crossing and station on boards 7 and 8, then the cutting on boards 9-11. Boards 7 and 8 are built and awaiting cork underlay, whereas 9-11 aren't built yet. I haven't decided what to do off-scene - possibly cassettes. The latter are attractive because I am building in 2mm finescale, and the fewer points I need to build the better. Perhaps it's not impossible to mix cassettes with a through circuit capability. Whatever, i'm inclined to leave the Morecambe line as a branch to a dead-end.

 

Hope that's of interest, and if you can help with any of my queries, many thanks. Best, Tony H

 

Hello Tony

Thanks for your message.

I checked the Geoff Plumb site you mentioned and it's very interesting with good colour prints which will help fill in some more gaps in my knowledge. Also (off topic) it's given me a few views of Aberystwyth which interest me as well.

 

The books you mention fortunately I already have except for the Kirkman & van Zellar; I'll look into that.

 

As regards your queries, can I suggest that the Cooperline site will give you quite a bit more source material. Most of the captions are sound, but one or two are not, so use with care. I have checked the Bolton le Sands section and also "near Hest Bank" and there appear to be two shots of Pasture Lane bridge. Couldn't be sure about whether you'll find detail on the huts/tanks. There are many photos to look at, so it'll give you hours of fun!

 

Your point about the bay platform road being skewed intrigues me. It's only slight, but it's there. The aerial views taken after the '65 crash prove it, albeit that much of that spot is in shadow. I can only concur with you that the bay buffer stop is a railbuilt one, while the best view I have seen of siding 2's stop is that it's sleeperbuilt and extends back further than I would expect.

 

I have done some groundwork on the buildings on the west side of Marine Drive. With the help of photos I took onsite years ago and Google maps streetview, I have identified 26 separate buildings (counting a pair of semi-detached houses as one structure) fronting the A5105 road between the overbridge and the station building. Most of these seem to date from the 1930s and the majority are bungalows. I will pass on what information I have with pleasure. I can scan in the information and Email it if you wish.

 

Also did you see the article by Keith Miles on Hest Bank in March 2011 issue of BRILL with a further page or two in August 2011?

 

All the best

 

Terry D

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Hello Tony

Thanks for your message.

I checked the Geoff Plumb site you mentioned and it's very interesting with good colour prints which will help fill in some more gaps in my knowledge. Also (off topic) it's given me a few views of Aberystwyth which interest me as well.

 

The books you mention fortunately I already have except for the Kirkman & van Zellar; I'll look into that.

 

As regards your queries, can I suggest that the Cooperline site will give you quite a bit more source material. Most of the captions are sound, but one or two are not, so use with care. I have checked the Bolton le Sands section and also "near Hest Bank" and there appear to be two shots of Pasture Lane bridge. Couldn't be sure about whether you'll find detail on the huts/tanks. There are many photos to look at, so it'll give you hours of fun!

 

Your point about the bay platform road being skewed intrigues me. It's only slight, but it's there. The aerial views taken after the '65 crash prove it, albeit that much of that spot is in shadow. I can only concur with you that the bay buffer stop is a railbuilt one, while the best view I have seen of siding 2's stop is that it's sleeperbuilt and extends back further than I would expect.

 

I have done some groundwork on the buildings on the west side of Marine Drive. With the help of photos I took onsite years ago and Google maps streetview, I have identified 26 separate buildings (counting a pair of semi-detached houses as one structure) fronting the A5105 road between the overbridge and the station building. Most of these seem to date from the 1930s and the majority are bungalows. I will pass on what information I have with pleasure. I can scan in the information and Email it if you wish.

 

Also did you see the article by Keith Miles on Hest Bank in March 2011 issue of BRILL with a further page or two in August 2011?

 

All the best

 

Terry D

 

Thanks for this.

 

I'll have a careful look through the cooperline site soon, probably next week. I didn't see the BRILL items. Many thanks for offering to scan your buildings info. My email is heycons2@onetel.com

 

If you want the 1950s WTTs that i have I can look into getting scans for you.

 

Someone mentioned to me the other day that Bachmann will soon release an 00 model of the current hest bank signal box. If they repeat it in N i shall be very pleased.

 

There are 1960s photos scattered about in various books, eg.

Welch, Lancashire steam Finale, frontspiece and p.18

Beecroft & Pirt, Steam memories 1950s-1960s No.21: WCML and branches in lancashire, pp.60-68

Ballantyne, London Midland Steam in Colour, p.78

 

Must get round to going through all my books and making a proper list of relevant pix!

 

best, tony

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  • 3 weeks later...

It's been a long time since I contributed anything to this thread, so here is another set of photos which will rather point up the fact that the promised scenic work has yet to start.

 

This an up Glasgow-Manchester working hauled, very appropriately, by 46135 East Lancashire Regiment and composed mostly of Eastern Region stock.

 

post-15489-0-10753600-1339061947_thumb.jpg

 

The same working on a different day, this time hauled by Low Moor Jubilee 45695 Minotaur.

 

post-15489-0-04537800-1339062014_thumb.jpg

 

The same train is now seen just a few yards further south about to head under Cinderella bridge on its way toward Lancaster.

 

post-15489-0-55374200-1339062052_thumb.jpg

 

A northbound Euston - Glasgow working composed of Stanier Period 3 stock (except the Period 2 diner) all from Hornby's stable. It's nice stock, with very fine detail (almost too fine at times) but I await the Bachmann porthole Period 3 stock with interest.

 

post-15489-0-36081500-1339062083_thumb.jpg

 

Same train different view. More pictures soon.

post-15489-0-86926000-1339062694_thumb.jpg

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Yet more

45621 Northern Rhodesia makes its way north with a featherweight 6 coach express for Windermere

post-15489-0-65942800-1339078244_thumb.jpg

A pick up freight in charge of 44454 an old Airfix 4F with a Comet chassis heads for Carnforth before turning towards Barrow.

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The archetypal West Coast main line freight. A fully fitted van train behind a Black 5 speeds northward for Carlisle.

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On a different day, the same working is handled by 45518 Bradshaw. This is a Hornby bodyshell on a Bachmann chassis with a Ks tender and obviously predates Bachmann's excellent current offering.

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An ex-works 3F trundles gently up towards Lancaster with an empty minerals working, consisting mainly of 21 ton wagons.

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Mold Junction's WD no 90157 hauls an empty steels train back towards industrial Lancashire.

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A very uniform rake of Mk 1 coaches in carmine & cream on an up Glasgow-Birmingham working.

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The same train taken form a more traditional front viewpoint. City of Chester is in charge.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Pleased to say that a bit of progress has been made on the scenic side. The point motors mounted on the surface, although vital, were visually offensive, but it always was the plan to build up the scenery around them (while still allowing access to them), because in the prototype, the land level there is higher than the track.

 

It was also decided to try using a scenic technique which has been applied successfully on Wolverhampton MRC's layouts in the past, that of gluing pieces of old felt carpet underlay onto the scenery to represent rough grass.

 

Well, I did that, but the trial section finished up looking like a dodgy false beard stuck to the face of a beloved great aunt! But one has to persevere. After all, using the artist's technique of looking critically at one's subject to see what you can actually see, you realise that grass is very rarely actually green and rough grass particularly adopts many colours from light straw through to brown. Felt underlay doesn't require that much doctoring to look right.

 

More photos to follow.

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On the operations side of the layout, I was very pleased to be able to acquire 2 working timetables, 1 freight and 1 passenger from the 1950s. (Thanks again, Tony). The variety of traffic booked to pass through this location was truly astonishing and it is going to take a deal of digesting to fit the trains I presently have (or have in the offing) into a realistic working sequence timetable. Great stuff!

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