Hest Bank in 4mm scale

[TerryD1471]

The milk train is now about to pass beneath the gantry on its way toward Lancaster and beyond.

Different day, same working, but this time the milk train meets a coal empties working north behind another super D.

Another Super D hauled coal empties wheezes northward as a Barrow-Preston semi-fast restarts after its stop at Hest Bank, one of the few workings to halt there.

Another view of the same coal empties (40+) making its weary way north.

Edited March 3, 2013 by TerryD1471

[TerryD1471]

Apologies for the fact that the photos didn't upload with the captions. I don't BELIEVE it was my fault.

 

Two of the pics were very badly lit, so I haven't included them here. The rest are in the order of the captions in the earkier post.

 

The 8F hauled oil train is halted at the gantry awaiting the passage of a down train before following it onto the down main itself.

Rebuilt Patriot wheels a mixed bag of ex LMS coaching stock forming a Euston-Barrow working towards Carnforth where it will turn left off the WCML.

Turn around and we see her making for the north. Those back gardens of the houses which overlooked the line had a fantastic view in the 1950s era.

Turn around and we see her making for the north. Those back gardens of the houses which overlooked the line had a fantastic view in the 1950s era.

A loaded tube train behind a Flying Pig heads for Workington, which it will reach by traversing the Cumbrian coast line through Barrow.

And this is the reason I have not done much scenic work recently.

 

A load of Comet etched brass sides are being turned into about 20 coaches, mostly LMS period 2 and 3 and these are a few of them in work-in-progress. Long way to go.

Edited March 3, 2013 by TerryD1471

[TerryD1471]

I'VE HAD ENOUGH!

 

I COULDN'T STAND the appalling mess of carpet underlay which I had intemperately installed on the bank. It was trying to masquerade as grass and was failing miserably, so I've ripped it all up and have spent some time glueing down some pieces of hanging basket liner acquired from a friendly garden centre. You know how it is when you stand back (after having trodden on something you wished you hadn't) and looked at it and said "That's better!".

[TerryD1471]

So I bit the bullet and ripped up all the offending carpet (or should that be crapet?) underlay and started all over with some liners for hanging baskets. Judge for your self whether the end result is an improvement.

 

 

Jubilee wheels fully fitted van train north for Carlisle. Like many other locos in my collection, it has yet to receive front couplings, lamps etc. but these will come.

 

Same train from a more southerly viewpoint. It's all far too clean, but I've been busy gardening!

 

 

Class mate on a down Liverpool-Glasgow. The cameraman was obviously overcome with excitement and couldn't keep still!

 

 

Sorry, should have rotated that picture! Same train.

 

 

Another one I should have rotated. A Royal Scot rushes north through Hest with a Euston-Glasgow express.

 

The Scot in question is 46144 Honourable Artillery Company.

 

The up Caledonian speeds southward with its limited load behind 46244 King George VI.

 

Experts will note that the 8 coach Caledonian is composed largely of the wrong stock. Only 2 of the 8 vehicles are correct and even those (as Eric Morecambe would say) are not necessarily in the right places.

 

Pick up freight makes its sedate way south behind a venerable 3F. The model is almost as venerable, being a Triang model with Romford whhels, reduced gearing and a Ratio tender.

 

Elderly Jamieson Jubilee hauls a test train of new-built coaches still awaiting glazing and internals, to see if they would run round the layout without derailing. 4 of the 5 did!

 

 

The up Royal Scot passes swiftly southwards behind a maroon Duchess.

 

 

On a different day, a similar train meets a down working also red Duchess hauled; for any spotters present, a happy meeting!

Edited March 8, 2013 by TerryD1471

[11B]

Hi Terry,

 

Looking good. Strangely I thought of you (well your layout) as I drove home down Morecambe prom looking at the embankment with the houses on it.

At the risk of starting all out war (tin hat and flack jacket on, running to the door!!!) in your last photo, should the signal on the up main be upper quadrants instead of lower quadrants?

I am quite (well very) envious of the comit coaches.

A stunning layout.

 

Kind regards

 

Ian

[TerryD1471]

Hi Terry,

 

Looking good. Strangely I thought of you (well your layout) as I drove home down Morecambe prom looking at the embankment with the houses on it.

At the risk of starting all out war (tin hat and flack jacket on, running to the door!!!) in your last photo, should the signal on the up main be upper quadrants instead of lower quadrants?

I am quite (well very) envious of the comit coaches.

A stunning layout.

 

Kind regards

 

Ian

Thanks for your kind remarks, Ian, much appreciated.

 

Actually, way back in the post (can't even remember where), I did excuse myself for temporarily having an elderly Crescent lower quadrant diecast signal on the up main instead of the correct upper quadrant pattern. It's one of those jobs that has to take its place in the queue, but I have bought some square brass tube which I intend to slot out to form the main support pillar and some thin brass tube for the two signal posts. When I'm feeling brave, it'll get done!

 

Terry

[beast66606]

Hi Terry,

 

Looking good. Strangely I thought of you (well your layout) as I drove home down Morecambe prom looking at the embankment with the houses on it.

At the risk of starting all out war (tin hat and flack jacket on, running to the door!!!) in your last photo, should the signal on the up main be upper quadrants instead of lower quadrants?

I am quite (well very) envious of the comit coaches.

A stunning layout.

 

Kind regards

 

Ian

 

The signal was discussed on page 1

[11B]

Hi Beast 66606, Sorry yes it was, I seem to have forgotton/missed that...... Thanks for the reminder

 

Kind regards

 

Ian

Edited March 8, 2013 by 11B

[TerryD1471]

Quick update; coach building going OK but has taken a slight back seat, because I finally got around to wiring up the points on the scenic section of the layout. This means that trains can now get on to and off the Morecambe branch under the control of a panel with nice switches, rather than some great human leaning over the backscene and poking the motors with his finger.

 

Also a bit of an experiment with movies:-..................................... (utters muffled oath!)

 

(Well I tried to upload a movie of a guest Beyer Garratt which has just been in the shops for some repair work, but unfortunately I can only assume that the file size is too large to allow it to upload. Pity really, because it was running nicely and with a quantity of tube wagons behind it, it made a decent looking train, even if, in reality, these beasts never strayed this far north and west.)

 

Also I've been resurrecting an ancient project; an old Hornby Dublo Duchess body with modifications, atop a scratch brass chassis fitted with a Pittman motor. This had lain untouched for more than 15 years, looking accusingly at me from a box of bits, so I resolved to do something with it. It now runs very sweetly and speedily and I now have a renewed incentive to complete it with a Comet tender and put it into service. It promises to be a good performer, so watch this space!

 

(Still peeved that I couldn't get that movie to upload!!!)

 

[beast66606]

Terry,

 

Get yourself a YouTube account and load the movie there, and then provide a link on here.

 

For example

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2-5eeW6ixo

 

If you need assistance ask away or send me a PM

[TerryD1471]

Thanks Beast (Dave)

 

I will try that when I'm feeling strong! Meanwhile, here are a few more pictures which (I hope) may be of interest.

 

 

The Beyer Garratt mentioned in an earlier post is sitting in the bay, as the raw Duchess (just a rolling chassis with the body in primer) runs past on the up main on a test run.

 

 

One of Polmadie's big-tender Brits heads a Glasgow-Birmingham working up the main as a parcels working behind a Stanier 2-6-4T (built from a Nu-Cast kit) runs into the down platform at Hest Bank.

 

 

A long mixed freight behind an 8F (actually a much modified Hornby Dublo one over 50 yrs old) trundles up towards Lancaster, having just passed another parcels working; the usual mixed bag of BGs, GUVs etc.

 

 

The same train a bit further south about to pass beneath cinderella bridge as a Fowler 4F waits for the road to clear before venturing onto the down main and back to Carnforth for servicing

 

 

A rebuilt Patriot slows to a crawl as it negotiates the crossover leaving the Morecambe branch to join the down main on its way north with a working for Glasgow. A long mixed freight heads south.

 

Same pair of trains from a different viewpoint, taken to illustrate (inter alia) the articulated pair of coaches at the rear of the Glasgow train, built from Comet kits. Not a patch on Coachmann's lovely work, but at least they add variety and hopefully a touch of authenticity

[beast66606]

For info.

 

The replacement BR signal box was abolished over the weekend (as from 15:15 on 27 April, thanks to Rob Daniels on the signal box forum)  and control of the level crossing (and Bolton-le-Sands) passed to Preston PSB

[11B]

For info.

 

The replacement BR signal box was abolished over the weekend (as from 15:15 on 27 April, thanks to Rob Daniels on the signal box forum)  and control of the level crossing (and Bolton-le-Sands) passed to Preston PSB

Hi,

Slightly off topic (sorry), I assume that this happened to Bare Lane box at the same time?

Ian

[beast66606]

Hi,

Slightly off topic (sorry), I assume that this happened to Bare Lane box at the same time?

Ian

 

Hi Ian,

 

Bare Lane was abolished on 08 December 2012.

 

cheers.

[TerryD1471]

Thanks Dave

 

Always good to get well-informed comment.

 

I guess the one thing we can be sure of is change, no matter how much we dislike some aspects of it.

 

Me, I've got one foot firmly planted in summer 1958. 11 plus is over, but I haven't yet undergone the trauma of switching to big school. My mates and I still play with Hornby Dublo 3 rail & Dinky toys and read the Eagle and Meccano Magazine. Steam still reigns over most of BR, forays into the country reveal little used branch lines and the sun shines all summer. Mind you, nostalgia isn't what it was!

 

Terry D

[11B]

I see as I passed Hest Bank yesterday that the house by the level crossing (under the foot bridge, same side as the signal box), is now a pile of bricks!!!

 

Something else gone of ever.......

 

Ian

[ColinK]

Hi Terry, many thanks for putting your layout on RM web. I found the thread purely by chance. I've just moved to the Hest Bank area and was trying to work out what the track plan and station used to be like, your layout pics have provided all the answers. Cheers.

[beast66606]

I've seen reports that the crossing keepers cottage has recently been demolished, the (last) signal box is to lose it's top floor, the base contains the interlocking so it cannot be completely demolished. (The old Tebay No.2 is in the same state)

[big jim]

For info.

 

The replacement BR signal box was abolished over the weekend (as from 15:15 on 27 April, thanks to Rob Daniels on the signal box forum) and control of the level crossing (and Bolton-le-Sands) passed to Preston PSB

That will explain why the signaller hasnt been waving back at me when i've been passing recently

[edward66]

The cottage is now cleared, just a concrete slab remains and shiny new fencing is being erected, looks like the little storage area for track stuff is being extended.

 

Edward

[TerryD1471]

Thanks to you all for your continued contributions, Ian, Colin, Dave, Jim & Edward. So the little cottage is no more; shame, but it honestly looked too small for anyone to live in anyway!

 

I'm afraid I haven't posted anything here for quite a while. We have been preparing to host a family wedding here at home, so it's been all hands to the pumps and everything else has taken a back seat, modelling included.

 

The wedding over and a slightly autumnal feel to the air heralds a fresh bout of modelling to rectify that situation soon and I am encouraged by the arrival of a Compound 4P and a Fowler 4F courtesy of Messrs Bachmann, not to mention a "cheapo" Hornby Duchess in need of a repaint courtesy of Ebay.

 

Thank you all once again for your posts.

 

Terry D

 

 

[big jim]

The cottage is now cleared, just a concrete slab remains and shiny new fencing is being erected, looks like the little storage area for track stuff is being extended.

 

Edward

a bit futher down the line, the house just north of barton and boughton loop north of preston has also been demolished in the last few weeks too

[TerryD1471]

Hi Terry, many thanks for putting your layout on RM web. I found the thread purely by chance. I've just moved to the Hest Bank area and was trying to work out what the track plan and station used to be like, your layout pics have provided all the answers. Cheers.

Colin

 

I'd just like to mention the debt I owe principally to the following:-

 

Antony Darnborough's book West Coast Steam, which got me going on this layout.

 

W D Cooper's photo collection which can be found at Cooperline.com

 

and Flickr: Trains at Hest Bank Lancashire.

 

All these sources proved invaluable in giving me research material.

 

I would caution you, too, that the model has had to be bent to ensure it fitted onto the available baseboard width and also that the track length overall was shortened by about 8%, mostly in the stretch before the A5105 road bridge. Thus the gentle curve through the station should actually be straight, while southward from there towards the footbridge ("Cinderella bridge") the lines should curve very gently eastwards. Site restrictions have meant that on the model, it swings slightly west and then sharply to the east. Hope that's clear!

 

You can't beat photographic evidence and I wish I had had more of it before the track was laid!

 

Terry

[ColinK]

Thanks and understood Terry. From looking at your layout pics I now know the track layout, where the platforms were etc. So its the model helping me understand what used to be there compared with what is left.

 

A friend has lent me the Antony Damborough's excellent book.

 

Looking forward to seeing more of your model.

[TerryD1471]

Returned late last night from a trip to see again Roy Jackson's inspirational layout "Retford" and meet up once again with some of my old mates from the Wolverhampton Club. It was also a pleasure to meet Mick Moore, who built the excellent signal gantry now residing on Hest. It was good to be able to tell him how much I appreciated the workmanship and to show him a pic of it in place.

 

Very grateful to Dave Nicholls who drove about 2/3 of my journey (and all of his own). A round trip of 500 miles by road in one day is not something I want to do too often!