The Hintock Branch-1930's Dorset Joint GWR/SR Workings in OO

[Jock67B]

Evening(here!) John,

Apologies for being absent for a few days with medical issues.

I'm delighted that you are happy with the way your workmanship was presented in the RM Annual. It represents a modelling journey that most of us could only dream about.

I have to agree about the quality of the images - it's worth digging out an annual from twenty or more years ago to see just how far such illustrations have advanced.

Look forward to the next episode,

Kind regards,

Jock.

[john flann]

Jock, thank you for those kind words and it's good to see that you are up to posting again. It's a rotten business and attending on doctors and others with all the attendant happenings is really hard work. But you seem to be coping very well and that is pleasing. I sincerely hope progress is being made.

 

Now, here's something for you-a 3F with a load of coal, a sight that was no doubt familiar to you. Maybe bring a few memories back of lineside days gone by.

 

My every good wish.

 

[Andrew P]

That's the ONE THING I really miss about modelling the BR Period, and that is not being able to run nice mixed Private Owner Coal Trains. Looking very good John.

[john flann]

Agree Andy, I try to select wagons that are appropriate and colourful. The new Oxford Weymouth Co-Op are a nice green and they will be running after weathering to take away that  shiny out of the box look. I usually do the weathering when I have a brush still with paint from another job.

 

One day I'll make up a train of every PO coal wagon I have. Not that one would ever see a train like that at Hintock in the ordinary course of events.

 

And thanks gentlemen for the likes.

[Jock67B]

Evening John,

Thank you so much for the kind and supportive words and that lovely image.

We had a marshalling yard adjacent to Hurlford shed, and although there was always a real variety of stock in the 50s/60s, the name 'Barleith Mineral Sidings' gives a clue as to the most common product handled there. We had mainly 16T minerals from the many mines of the Ayrshire coalfield, although there were quite a few wooden wagons still in use (some ex G&SWR!), mainly for loco coal and ash. I loved the footplate rides up to the mines with a train of empties as dad would drop the wagons, and while the NCB lads loaded them, we would sit in the guards van, enjoying bacon butties and tea prepared on the pot bellied stove! There are quite a few tales to tell of his exploits which I really must commit to record. Very much a bygone era sadly - sorry to wander off down memory lane again.

Kind regards,

Jock

[john flann]

Good afternoon (to me) Jock,

 

Memories like that need to be shared and noted down. For once we go so has gone the event.

 

The memory of my first footplate trip (on an O2, BTW) still lives on in my mind as does that of my first goods brakevan trip. The footplate trip for a boy was a real adventure the brakevan later and when I was older and working was of how uncomfortable it was. I had  then too an LMR all stations pass and I regret now how little, in my own time, I made use of it. No memories to lose there-but there could have been some.

 

Anyway it's very good to have you active and to give you a little more to think about I'll now see (and post next) another image you might like.

 

My regards, 

[john flann]

 

Actually Jock, I found two.

 

[sjrixon]

I've hinted for Christmas to get the RM annual. Reading these great comments makes me hope they took the hint...

 

Love the 3f, and I'm a GWR man.

[Nearholmer]

I get very confused about these non-SR engines; I thought it was a Dean Goods, painted black. ;-)

 

Seriously though, there were only two goods engine designs from about 1885 onwards: round-topped firebox;and, Belpaire firebox.

 

K

[john flann]

 

Thanks gentlemen for your comments. When all's said and done 3F's are, or were, very practical hard working locos and I have a soft spot for them.

 

But, I think. it's perhaps time to return to Hintock as a Joint GWR/SR branch line (with maybe the GWR in the ascendancy) and as much as 3F's and their fellows have a place in this world, this image illustrates a typical scene. The loco is stationary at the 'Stop' notice to Hintock Diries private siding having left the empty milk tanks on the siding for Betty, the dairy horse, to pull them into position for loading.

 

It is, of course, so representative of everyday business. And that's basically what Hintock is all about.

 

Edited: to add the last sentence in the second paragraph.

[sp1]

Apologies for the sudden deluge of 'likes' John - been off the forum for a while and have been catching up!

Purchased the RM Annual just for the Hintock article - superb!

And yet another Hintock 'development' underway - looking forward to more

Steve

[Jock67B]

Evening John,

Missed out yesterday, so many thanks for the kind words and yet more very inspirational images!

Kind regards,

Jock.

[john flann]

I have been working on the backscene of Hintock Town Quay subject of the last post(s) and these show the result.

 

I would hope the images self-explanatory and therefore I don't think captions are necessary. But of course,if there are any questions or comments I shall be happy to respond.

 

 

One..

 

 

..two..

 

 

...three..

 

 

..four..

 

 

and five shows the finished result.

 

I have other images showing more detail and these will follow.

 

All in all I'm satisfied and I think Hintock TQ does look the better for it. Too it's a very satisfying layout to "play with" in an organized manner. That i enjoy. One of the merits of a small operational layout. I commend them.

 

The Hntock TQ expansion, to those unaware of how it came about, is dealt with in a new post, among others, on my website http://www.hintockbranch.com/ It's worth a look.

[Jock67B]

Morning John,

Thanks as always for the lovely images - for once I had a proper look at the background instead of just considering the general atmosphere, having been happy to concentrate on my favourite elements, the stock and track work. I think the use of (very) low relief 'gable ends' is inspired. At certain angles, it just doesn't look like a model!

Look forward to your next post as usual,

Kind regards,

Jock.

[NHY 581]

Thank you for the above images,John. Having just finished a busy night shifts, an opportunity to mull them over assisted by a glass of port was a perfect antidote.

 

Just right.

 

Rob.

[mullie]

Looks very good John.

 

As you know I have used photographic backscenes for a few years and have recently returned to simpler painted backscenes because they draw the eye far less. Like all your layouts HTQ just works including the simple sky in the background.

[john flann]

Thanks gentlemen for your interest and approval of what I've done here but I realize to describe it as the 'back scene' is not strictly correct as that itself has remained unchanged.

 

What I've done is to improve is what is in place immediately in front of it. It is the two taken together that makes the whole scene. There the two complement each other. That is always what I aim for.

 

This is best seen in the last image showing what is more or less, the whole layout.

 

As Mullie says, the trick is to get the two compatible.

[westerhamstation]

Hi John, great stuff, it looks just right and with just the sky as a background it takes your eye onwards. All the best Adrian.

[john flann]

 

You are quite right Adrian, it's that degree of subtlety that does the trick. Here are four more exapmples.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you and others approve. I enjoyed taking these photos. That certainly show off the scene quite well. Nice little exercises in composition.

 

My regards,

[georgeT]

Hello John, l see something different every time l visit 'Hintock' and the backscenes are great, well done...

[john flann]

Thanks George for telling me that,

 

It is appreciated as are the others that have been kindly made, along with the 'likes'.

 

I get a lot of fun from Hintock and I'm happy to share it.

[Jock67B]

Evening John,

Since you ask, I most certainly do approve of those images - each one stands on its own, especially when blown up. Inspirational as ever thank you,

Kind regards,

Jock.

[NHY 581]

Popped in on Hintock after finishing a long day.

 

Sublime. Thank you John.

 

Perfect antidote.

 

 

Rob

[john flann]

 

This enhancement to Hintock TQ has proved very interesting to do.It developed as I proceeded and gained inspiration. Perhaps what encouraged me was the interest shown by fellow members, their 'likes' and warm comments for which I thank you.

 

This shot shows the new structure and my standard method of building using good quality card braced with dowel and ready to be faced with Slater's plasticard.

 

 

Here can be better seen the chimney which adds mass to the building. The chimney I built over forty years ago for my Melbury layout. When i scrapped that I saved the chimney thinking it would come in usful some day-and it has.

 

 

This puts the new structure into some context. The new siding to the right and the wall I subsequently removed. It rather crowded the layout, added nothing to the operation nor to the scenics. I was better off without the siding and wall. At the planning stage I thought I had a good idea but in practice it  proved not so.

 

 

The finished job. I'll say more about the completed building and scenery in a later post. The whole now hangs together along the rear of the layout each part fitting in nicely with its neighbours and melding into the backscene itself. I'm very pleased with it.

 

I make no apologies for the presence of the 1F. The LMSR in guise of the S&DR, has running rights on the Port Bredy Branch but more to the point the loco is a flawless performer on Hintock TQ in its Inglenook role. There I can quietly enjoy "playing" with it in odd snatches of time. It's very relaxing and the shunting puzzles pleasantly and intellectually demanding.

[john flann]

 

 

This is to thank you gentlemen for your continued interest in my activities and in particular the "agree' from Courths Veill on the subject of the value of small playable layouts.

 

I have been an advocate of them for years as my modelling has shown and they do demonstrate how a reasonably realistic layout can be created in a small area and lead to a lot of pleasure, at least to the likes of me, without a great deal of what can become hard labour and a source of dis-satisfaction.

 

I shall return in a further post to Hintock TQ but I wanted to get that said. Meantime you might like this image; it shows how a mirror can lead to a sense of space. It's unfortunate here what is reflected back, though there is a nice green loco to make up for that.

 

What detracts is the platform face; this is not normally on view so therefore not modelled; however I do get caught out at a later stage when seeking out new camera angles in familiar scenes!