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

[mullie]

I have read most books available on the history of the line and seem to remember that a lot of consideration was given to keeping the line open because of the need to move the stone. Even today, a modern articulated lorry only takes one piece at a time. Think how many road journeys could have been saved moving the stone by rail even if loading was concentrated in the Victoria Square area. For those who don't know the area, the one road crosses the causeway from 'England' at sea level and enters what is known as Underhill. By the time it gets to where I live we are around 500 feet above sea level and the change has been made in around a mile, no wonder the line went right round the outside of the island to gain the necessary height. I do think a 'what if' could make a great basis for a model, how would the line look in the 70s or 80s or even now? I may even be tempted myself someday.

[john flann]

Martyn, understandably I know little or nothing about the current history and what you say makes a lot of sense in today's world. But unfortunately it's not likely to happen.

 

That climb through Fortune's Well is severe indeed and my elderly (they seemed "old" to me at the time) maiden aunts expressed great concern when traveling upward and around the hairpin corner at Yeates, on the local six wheeled buses.

 

On your basis it would certainly make a credible "what if" project.

[Gwiwer]

 

 

if you do perchance on another visit take an image of mine I hope you'll tell me which one.

 

Of course, John.  With the technology we have now it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that I might even manage to access the Hintock threads via 4G coverage on the iPhone whilst in the area and produces a superimposed shot somehow.  The River Bride which gives its name to Little Bredy, Long Bredy, Burton Bradstock and Port Bredy flows into the sea at Burton Freshwater which scenically is perhaps less interesting than West Bay which was the terminus of the line latterly known as the Bridport branch and upon which I travelled on its last day of service.

[mullie]

Martyn, understandably I know little or nothing about the current history and what you say makes a lot of sense in today's world. But unfortunately it's not likely to happen.

 

That climb through Fortune's Well is severe indeed and my elderly (they seemed "old" to me at the time) maiden aunts expressed great concern when traveling upward and around the hairpin corner at Yeates, on the local six wheeled buses.

 

On your basis it would certainly make a credible "what if" project.

There was a proposal to reinstate the line as a type of tramway/light railway at least as far as the Sailing Academy for the 2012 Olympics.

[Jwnewall]

Hello, i live on Portland and seen here you talk about it a lot

 

I can't go through sixty odd pages so can i just plainly ask please:

 

What has this got to do with Easton station?

and how does it link to portland in general?

 

I want to model Easton station but i have already started building a imaginary layout of my own so im not scrapping it just to do a station from down the road

 

thanks in advance

[john flann]

Jwne...this response has been delayed because of a computer issue-it was diagnosed that I needed a new key board.

 

The answer you are seeking lies in those "sixty odd pages" and they would reveal my roots on Portland go back over five hundred years, furthermore I spent a lot of my boyhood there and it is from  the Easton branch much of my original inspiration was derived.

 

Apart from all that the "sixty odd pages" are a good read for any modeller interested in operation and creating the W Dorset scene.`

 

All this you can read about too on my website http://www.hintockbranch.com/

 

You say you are modelling Easton; if you have not already done so why not start your own thread and share it with us?

 

Below is an image of the station at Hintock taken when the layout was being enlarged, but the point of my displaying it is because the station building is based on that at Easton.

 

[john flann]

 

Back to current happenings at Port Bredy...

 

 

... progress has been made in adding gutters, downspouts and painting roofs. The station area has been tidied up and the trees re-arranged. Still provisional though.

 

 

Since I started on PB it has matured and grown so much so that a two coach set is justified. (It still leaves room to spare when standing at the platform.} And in typical GWR fashion for a minor branch line it's a mis-matched pair. I rather like it.

 

 

Attention has been given to the RH end This also has matured and is now beginning to have some presence. The Co-Op looks OK where it is and further along on what is known as the "Farmers siding" is now the premises of Sinclair a seed and provender merchant. (I shall recount the story behind Sinclair's on another occasion.)

 

 

The coal siding is now the shorter front one. Much better positioned in every respect.

 

 

Seen too is the two coach passenger train and that in its new status works through to Weymouth.

 

 

A closer view of Sinclair's and not finally finished. It's history too is interesting for its had a long life in various different guises.

 

[St Enodoc]

DSC_0048-1.jpg

 

Back to current happenings at Port Bredy...

 

DSC_0051-1.jpg

 

... progress has been made in adding gutters, downspouts and painting roofs. The station area has been tidied up and the trees re-arranged. Still provisional though.

 

DSC_0054-1.jpg

 

Since I started on PB it has matured and grown so much so that a two coach set is justified. (It still leaves room to spare when standing at the platform.} And in typical GWR fashion for a minor branch line it's a mis-matched pair. I rather like it.

 

DSC_0040-1.jpg

 

Attention has been given to the RH end This also has matured and is now beginning to have some presence. The Co-Op looks OK where it is and further along on what is known as the "Farmers siding" is now the premises of Sinclair a seed and provender merchant. (I shall recount the story behind Sinclair's on another occasion.)

 

DSC_0041-1.jpg

 

The coal siding is now the shorter front one. Much better positioned in every respect.

 

DSC_0042-1.jpg

 

Seen too is the two coach passenger train and that in its new status works through to Weymouth.

 

DSC_0039-1.jpg

 

A closer view of Sinclair's and not finally finished. It's history too is interesting for its had a long life in various different guises.

Look forward to hearing more about Sinclair's. It looks as though its provenance is from your current rather than previous side of the Atlantic.

[john flann]

St E, yes, thank you for your interest and comment, one cannot totally hide the buildings origins and I shall delay telling of that along with a note about Archy the Sinclair family  member who is currently running the business, until I have taken more pictures. It's been around for me since, I think the late 1970's. And crossed the Atlantic twice.

 

But the building in its present incarnation fits the bill.  What I wanted for that corner was something substantial yet not overbearing nor attention seeking. As presented it's a reasonably appearing structure of an interesting shape and gentle colour performing an apt commercial purpose. Matters I give a lot of thought to.

[Andy R]

Developing nicely John. The south west Dorest area provides good scope for railway back stories like yours and others exploring this area in model form. You lead the way though. Your modelling is effective and efficient. The railway accountants should be happy!

Regards Abdy R

[Andrew P]

Excellent pics and Story line as usual John, Thanks.

[john flann]

Andy, thank you, thinking up the back story is indeed fun. You enjoy it as much as me.

 

i have some news for you, will email tomorrow.

[john flann]

 

This is the immediate predecessor of Sinclair's as it was on my Providence River layout. The basic building was an inexpensive American plastic kit sold as a schoolhouse. First with minor additions it served as a small freight house. Then as shown here, with a new roof and additions it served as Phillips grain and seed merchants.

 

 

Now with further refinements it serves Archy Sinclair's provender and seed business.

 

 

Archy's grandfather Dougal founded the business soon after the Port Bredy branch was opened and it's prospered in the hands of  the family ever since. He was a lowland Scot gone to sea but one day with his ship unloading at Port Bredy he stepped ashore and never went back. For once there he met a winsome dairy maid Rosemary Elliot, the pair fell in love and as the saying goes-the rest is history.

 

 

All these images show Sinclairs in better views as indeed they are of Hintock itself for this RH end is opened up and a totally improved view obtained.

 

 

What's aided this is the removal of the end back scene and a 6" addition. A simple box shown upside down.

 

 

Across diagonally I will add an overbridge, and extend slightly the further siding. This will add to the appearance of the remainder to the L as  it seemed to be losing its open and uncramped appeal.

 

The board too will facilitate the transaction to the next board of a scenic nature. And probably a private siding to a brewery- the producer of another well admired ales- Jergen's Port Bredy Dorset Ale.  Next would be the staging yard. A 15'0 wall awaits my pleasure.

 

NOTE: the images have got out of sequence and repeated, but rather than try (and fail) to correct them I think you will be able to makes sense of the post.

[NHY 581]

Lovely to see this progressing. First class, as always,John.

 

Rob.

[john flann]

I don't enjoy taking and posting work-in-progress pictures-so there will be no more. But, of course, if any member has a question to ask I shall be happy to respond.

 

With that said, here are some images (not seen before though perhaps somewhat similar) of photographic locations l particularly like. I hope you will enjoy them. Without captions. Pictures speak better than words.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delightful scenes, I suggest. A lightly weathered SR O2, wagons similarly showing signs of everyday wear in a lightly detailed setting and on a summer's day at Hintock.

 

What can be fairer than that?

[Removed a/c]

Such a tranquil place...........the weather looks better than it does here,  almost 40 with the humidity !! 

[john flann]

Dave is it?, you can't beat the Hintock summer, here today it's cooler than the 100F+ of the past few weeks, a pleasant 80F, bright sun, very dry and a fresh breeze from the N. Idyllic.

[mullie]

Weather is good in the Hintock at the moment too. A bit breezy (and not just on Portland), sunny and warm most days.

[Removed a/c]

Dave is it?, you can't beat the Hintock summer, here today it's cooler than the 100F+ of the past few weeks, a pleasant 80F, bright sun, very dry and a fresh breeze from the N. Idyllic.

Scott.......................hoping for cooler weather here, looks like we have a few more days to wait. 

[NHY 581]

Nice photos, John. Of interest, to me at least, is the O2. 207 spent time on the Lyme Regis branch, filling in for missing Radial tanks when the need arose.

 

Rob.

[john flann]

Thanks Rob, I wasn't aware of that. So 207 must have been shedded hereabout and thus perfectly suited to the Hintock Branch. Serendipity.

 

Glad too you enjoyed the photos. They do make a very viewable set. Seem to have that "atmosphere" about them and everything fitting together so very nicely.

 

Currently I'm enjoying the third one as my screen saver.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

John,

Down by the River Frome at East Stoke (between Wool and Wareham) yesterday afternoon.....

 

[john flann]

Thanks Peter, beautiful. I'm enjoying that. It was good of you to think of Hintock and post it.

 

It's actually just come at the right time too because at PB I intend to add a board at the RH end and along the front I intended a river bank scene. That's very inspirational. I'll see what I can come up with eventually-I have to finish the LH board first.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

My pleasure John.

This is the view to the right of the one above, as the River Frome flows downstream.

 

[john flann]

Better still, Peter, thank you. I won't be lost for guidance when I get around to it. Encourages me to get on with what I need to do first.