Jump to content
 

Beer, anyone?


Gwiwer

Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Premium

Ladies and gentlemen.

 

Many of you have followed my progress with Penhayle Bay and made constructive comments thereon for which I thank you for your interest, time and feedback. That project is now at a mature stage and has little further realistic development potential. It is not about to be broken up or cast aside! I am keeping it in good order and have a modest program of works to be done through our current winter period to allow it to run smoothly for at least another year and hopefully 2 - 3 more yet.

 

But it is time to consider where I go from here. Penhayle Bay is my first build and my first fixed layout. The techniques were largely self-taught and have been refined and developed over the seven years since it began as an oval of track on the dining room table.

 

Where to site my next full-size layout (as distinct from a small diorama project which is slowly taking shape) and what form it should take has proved challenging in the think-tank department. There is no suitable room indoors for anything more than a 4' x 2' portable plank and in any case it would need to somehow be cat-proof as well. Outdoors has limitations on quality and presentation (as I know only too well from Penhayle Bay) and the available space is already fully occupied by the present layout which is not going to be hacked about to accommodate a new project.

 

I do however have space beneath the present layout to create shelves upon which to store a new layout whilst under construction and which can be kept largely weather-proof until the later stages of detailing. So that is where the new layout will be created and live for some time to come. The space available allows for up to four boards each some 6' x 2' 6" though they don't have to necessarily be the full size.

 

So ..... what will sit on top of those boards which are now scheduled for construction beginning at the very end of this year and through 2013? That is where the title comes in.

 

I am moving somewhat east of my current Cornish theme into an area I know less well though have some connections with. The project will take over where the SR left off at Seaton and will bring that line through to the adjoining village of BEER. The location is well-known as the home of Peco and their Beer Heights Light Railway. The terrain is challenging indeed. I shall also work on the assumption that despite massive hills being in the way that the original intention to build west from Dorchester was in fact progressed and that a line came along the coast via Bridport and Lyme Regis to reach Seaton where it joined the branch from the main line.

 

My project will represent a fictitious station in the village of Beer which would be situated on a small relatively flat area of land above the main village centre along Bovey Lane but well below the Peco premises. This gives an approach through a tunnel from the Seaton direction to a small station which would owe something to both Seaton itself and to Ilfracombe in design and layout. Beer station will have four platforms. Three will serve the routes towards Seaton Junction and Dorchester. The fourth will be a higher level (but linked to the main lines) for trains running beyond to Branscombe and Sidmouth where the line would rejoin the SR routes which existed in the area. Since massive earthworks are required between Beer and Sidmouth the SR ran out of money and this section never made it past being a single-track branch line worked as a shuttle.

 

The first board to be built is planned to carry Beer station itself with the second the run-off towards Seaton. Much later there will be a third and fourth board carrying, respectively, a representation of the massive coastal cliffs between Beer and Branscombe and then Branscombe Halt itself. That line will then lead off into another tunnel which is geographically required to get the line beneath yet another hill towards Sidmouth. Branscombe will be a small halt of the style seen between Torrington and Halwill Junction but will have a small goods yard as well. It will owe more than a little to Ventnor and Brighton Kemp Town in its situation and track plan. That is the second phase and realistically not due for build until 2014.

 

With the SR's ingenuity and innovation I will assume that electrification progressed west of Bournemouth a little earlier than in reality and that, due to the very hilly nature of the coast, it was deemed expeditious to take the "juice" to Beer via Lyme Regis but not via Salisbury. Two platforms at Beer will therefore be electrified and I have set myself the challenge of operation using a live third rail to support the traditional track current (but not as the sole source of power) and with suitable rolling stock adapted for live pick-up.

 

During the week which saw me show Penhayle Bay at the RWweb Taunton member's day I also spent some time photographing the area of the new layout and therefore have a substantial amount of the groundwork done. The next stage - now that I have committed this to cyberspace (and what goes on the web stays on the web so I have no get-out!) - is to get things onto paper in scale form.

 

The build will require adaptation of RtP structures and significant scratch building. There will be a major structural feature on board three which may require me to learn metalworking skills I do not yet possess. The whole is intended to be built to exhibition standards and to be transportable when so required. Track will be Code 75 with electrofrog points as opposed to the Code 100 and insulfrogs I currently use but no decision has yet been taken on the DC / DCC issue. I do not intend at this stage to represent the BHLR nor the Seaton Tramway. Both are tempting and a case of "close but no cigar". Seaton is off my layout by a couple of miles and the Peco premises are located where the public viewing area will be. My trains will tunnel beneath the hill which has the BHLR running along its upper slopes.

 

I am tempted to stay with DC and install the required switching rather than have two layouts running different systems. There will be some overlap of stock between them but I have, or have on pre-order, almost everything needed already in terms of motive power. The Branscombe service will worked by an O2 and gate stock or, in later days, by a Thumper unit. The main lines will see SR West of England steam and diesel types plus some electrics which will carry 1:76 representations of my Modeller's Licence in the windows ;)

 

Beer anyone? I hope to enjoy it with you.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello Rick,

 

Another fascinating what-if to follow! You mentioned stations (buildings I guess). The original Seaton building was a rather mean affair, which got replaced by a more stylish job in the course of time. This later one was in the Southern's own Art Deco House style, and to a different degree, so was the building at Ilfracombe. So, I shall be curious to see your choice of station for Beer. I have been challenged for a suitable architect for own my Minster-on-Fosse terminus. You may just have given me a very acceptable solution.

 

Ventnor station site, with its chalk cliffs, O2s, panelled coach stock, and individual track plan, should also give much legitimate inspiration. There is a prototype for everything, when one looks hard enough.

 

PB

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi

That's a nice challenge. Funnily enough, I was looking for somewhere to run my forthcoming O2, push pull's and had settled on Seaton having spent 10 consecutive years on the beach at Beer holidaying with my parents in the late 50's/early 60's. Only at the pictures in books stage so nothing to show for some time.

Will watch with interest.

 

Ray.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Guest Moria

Having watched Penhayle Bay develop, I shall watch this one with great interest.

 

Good luck with the project.

 

Graham

Link to post
Share on other sites

I recently had a "walking holiday" centred in the very area you are proposing to model.

 

My knees can attest to the lack of flat areas in the vicinity of Beer and Branscombe with plenty of steep climbs tackled.

 

I will look forward to seeing your interpretation of this very interesting "might have been" scenario.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

A few of the reference photos:

 

First the setting for Beer' station which will feature these cottages as a low-relief (or possibly fully-modelled) backdrop and with the station at a slightly lower level than the street.

 

post-3305-0-15231400-1342418883_thumb.jpg

 

The the location of the approach from Seaton. Given that the railway will be lower than the road this spot makes a perfect point for a bridge with a tunnel mouth just beyond to take the tracks off-scene.

 

post-3305-0-87085200-1342418916_thumb.jpg

 

Then moving onto the coast the scale of the cliffs is huge and it is proposed that the railway makes use of existing features to pass between Beer and Branscombe. It will therefore tunnel beneath the hill which is composed of Beer Stone and upon which Peco's premises sit and emerge from that tunnel dramatically above the rocky coastline.

 

post-3305-0-93596100-1342418848_thumb.jpg

 

The big hole is man-made and is a "back door" to Beer Quarry Caves from whence rock was lowered occasionally to waiting vessels on the foreshore. I don't fancy that as a day job! But I do fancy my chances of using this great opening as a tunnel portal with a curved viaduct across the cliff face back to the tunnel from Beer station

 

post-3305-0-37750000-1342418815_thumb.jpg

 

The white cliffs of Beer are comprised of strongly-banded chalk with flints and nodules which I shall need to represent (and for which I have a couple of techniques ready to try when the time comes) but as the opportunity presented itself I collected some reference shots of the geology.

 

post-3305-0-54982200-1342418768_thumb.jpg

 

Branscombe village is on red sandstone as opposed to chalk with a very different character to its neighbour as a result. The line will criss the valley almost east-west near the top of this very long settlement at the location known as Fountain Head. Some of the cottages and the very distinctive church will be featured in the later stages of the build.

 

post-3305-0-82347900-1342418948_thumb.jpg

 

post-3305-0-81420700-1342418983_thumb.jpg

 

post-3305-0-10824500-1342419452_thumb.jpg

 

I hope this gives some flavour and an idea of just how ambitious this project is!

post-3305-0-71689300-1342419024_thumb.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

More strength to your (beer) elbow.

 

PB

 

PS

 

Don't forget to add a 4-4-2T Radial to next year's wish list., Bachmann's new Pill Box brake van will also fit the local freight traffic. (Stone exports? Abattoir exports? Watney's imports?)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Gwiwer.

 

Reading this with great interest. There is a lot of research going on here. i was just wondering if you were aware that there was a proposal for a link from Bridport to Lyme Regis by a Sir John Hawkshaw. Have a look at this it may give you some more ideas its a very interesting read.

 

http://www.freshford.com/hawkshaw.htm

 

Colin

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Rick,

Only just noticed this linked from your other thread.

Sounds and looks like great idea, I will be following your progress with this, I like the idea of working juice can we expect some real live sparks. :locomotive:

 

I am no expert but if you need a hand with building boards or anything give a shout, I would be happy to help if you need it.

 

Cheers Peter.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Thanks Peter. At the moment I expect to cut the first wood during September while the Good Lady is overseas. I have some hand-drawn sketches of the track plan but it's coming together slowly and surely. Live juice will be a challenge but I enjoy setting myself little challenges and as you say we should get some "live sparks" as well. My thinking is to wire all the conductor rails to the same side as one running rail and all the pick-up shoes to the same side of the motor. I reckon that might save a few shorts and headaches.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Peter. At the moment I expect to cut the first wood during September while the Good Lady is overseas. I have some hand-drawn sketches of the track plan but it's coming together slowly and surely. Live juice will be a challenge but I enjoy setting myself little challenges and as you say we should get some "live sparks" as well. My thinking is to wire all the conductor rails to the same side as one running rail and all the pick-up shoes to the same side of the motor. I reckon that might save a few shorts and headaches.

 

No worries, I will be overseas mid Sept to late Oct.

Live sparks, cool. Having the juice rail the one side my cause problems depending on how many points you are going to have but then the real things did get gapped now and then, it use to happen to the shunters at Eastleigh depot if we stopped in the wrong spot.

 

Cheers Peter.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

The juice rail will be placed prototypically. Mostly in the six-foot but on the other side as necessary. My intention is to wire the lot as a single circuit irrespective of which side of the running rails the juice is (just with the odd insulated joint) and keep the feed to one side of the motor rather than add complexities. So whether the juice is picked up from the left or right hand side it will be fed to the input side of the motor with the track acting as the return path. Exactly as the SR does it, in fact. The easy way with a model might be to simply run an electrical spur from each pick-up shoe to the nearest set of wheels. That would cause complications since every time the juice rail changed sides it would reverse the current across the motor.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Rick,

 

We've holidayed several times in the Sidmouth area and explored the byways, villages and hamlets along the coast as far as Seaton, therefore the pictures in your thread are familiar and bring back happy memories. Good luck with the project, I'll look out for progress.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
  • 2 years later...
  • RMweb Premium

A new "like" on an earlier post - for which many thanks - has reminded me that it's time I revisited Beer and Branscombe.  The new job is slowly starting to settle down and I can plan ahead.  I'll include some practical planning for where to put a new layout which already has the running rails laid and the rolling stock and some RtP buildings purchased.  

 

It's high time I did some graft in the backyard and got this project on the move again.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Rick, it was me that gave you the like for the cottage pics last night, I'm looking for inspiration for my WR / BR BLT and remembered the pic I took back in 2010, I was lucky to catch it in full bloom, and BLOOMIN gorgeous it was too complete with JRT looking out of the upstairs window.

 

post-9335-0-33925100-1432455193_thumb.jpg

 

post-9335-0-25152100-1432455232_thumb.jpg

 

post-9335-0-15441800-1432455268_thumb.jpg

 

And the view across the road to the gardens.

 

post-9335-0-37434100-1432455336_thumb.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Branscombe puts on a stunning show through most of the year but it can often be at its best with the Spring flowers in full bloom.  The lack of holiday traffic through that long narrow street then also makes it possible to take pictures in your own good time rather than dodging the cars or - as I once had to - by pausing only long enough to grab snapshots through the lowered driver's window as a queue formed behind me!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...