Blackgill: Tyne Dock to Consett in P4

[Enterprisingwestern]

Quiet time at Blackgill shed. All the locos are in good fettle and out at work. Not a spare... or under repair to be seen.

 

BlackgillS4UM-13-sm.jpg

 

Porcy

 

Anybody want to buy a set of modelling tools?, mine are surplus to requirements now.

 

Mike.

[Mallard60022]

....and I now I love even more that shed shot; OK it should be really  filthy but what the heck......the building is absolutely superb in every way.

P

[Arpster]

Many thanks to Blackanddeckerboy for the brilliant video - I'm suprised you managed to capture as much footage as that of trains running without derails or stopping dead due to operator ineptitude!

 

And Porcy - that shot in the shed looks fantastic. We should have tried to get a similar one when it was full of locos. Yes, it should be a bit more filthy than it is though!

 

All the best,

 

Arp

[black and decker boy]

Tripped over this nugget. Shows just how good Blackgill is

 

[Arpster]

Those of you who have bought Model Railway Journal No. 226 will have seen that it contains the second part of the article on Blackgill. Hopefully this will give those of you who are interested some more details on construction of the layout, electrics, buildings, signals and operation. There are also a few new photos in there! I'll have a look through the photos that were sent in to accompany the article and post any that weren't used there on RMWeb. I'm certainly very pleased with the article and I'm sure my dad will be too when he gets back from Florida to see it. Thanks very much to Pauls Willis and Karau for bringing this to press!

 

All the best,

 

Arp

[micklner]

May I suggest you post them all, as not verybody can access MRJ . (Photos are excellent got a copy today)

[DougN]

Arpster, it would be great to see the photos as it takes a few extra months to get to this side of the earth... it will not stop me buying the MRJ.. I know it will be on a ship some where! I will enjoy it when it turns up.

[Mallard60022]

Pics from MRJ may now be their (MRJ) copyright?
P
 

[Arpster]

Yes, I'm not sure how the copyright works, to be honest. I did take them all originally but I don't want to get in trouble with the legal police! But I have other ones I can post on here for sure (and will do so later today if I get time).

 

All the  best,

 

Arp

[Porcy Mane]

Yes, I'm not sure how the copyright works, to be honest. I did take them all originally but I don't want to get in trouble with the legal police! But I have other ones I can post on here for sure (and will do so later today if I get time).

 

All the  best,

 

Arp

As long as you have not signed any document assigning your copyright to "AN Other" the copyright remains with you. (And for seventy years after you've been boxed up and sent on your merry way.)

Porcy

[Class 74]

One of the best layouts here! And there are a lot of amazing layouts in this forum... fantastic!

 

Cheers

Simon

[Arpster]

I certainly didn't sign any such document but I'm not sure what my dad did. I'll have a word when he's back from his Floridian recovery period! In the meantime, here's the photos they didn't use...

 

First up some construction photos from back in the mists of time. This is the plywood skeleton of the baseboard at the Tyne Dock end of the layout (where the tunnel is) before the addition of scenery. This was as-built, before the remodelling of the trackwork to remove the point in the tunnel (which sadly didn't seem to have a lot of effect on reducing derailments at Scaleforum this year!).

 

 

This is the same baseboard viewed from underneath showing the method of construction using plywood. The right-hand endplate is fitted with the metal 'tongues' which allow the scenic boards to be fitted together (they're only on one end as it's the first board). The support trestles fit on dowels into the two holes in each end plate.

 

 

A glimpse of one of the old GPO relays that are used to operate points and signals. The relay is fitted with an arm which holds a small adjustable brass tube. This is then attached to the fishing wire which actually operates the arm of the signal (seen disappearing through the hole in the baseboard).

 

 

The baseboard set up on its tressle (the low one for the loft!) showing the end profile:

 

 

And finally a close-up of the arrangement of point tie-bars from above the scenics:

 

 

Now for a scenic interlude...

 

The crew of the shed pilot have a rest between jobs in the depot yard:

 

 

Another view of Blackgill motive power depot:

 

 

And close-up in black and white:

 

 

A view of the shed from the outside. It has seen better days:

 

 

The yard office in the sunset. They're still not doing any work...:

 

 

A view back up the hill to Consett from the guards van of an empty iron ore train on its way back to Tyne Dock:

 

 

The station buildings in the twighlight of passenger service:

 

 

The sun sets on Blackgill's goods shed:

 

 

The signal box:

 

 

We're taking a chance to run over the crossing after the bobby has closed the gates to road traffic. Thankfully the signals are still at danger and we can hear the sound of a Consett-bound freight battling up the hill on the other side of the tunnel:

 

 

The Bank Tavern:

 

 

A look into the tunnel mouth. That old Kodak film really does yellow with age...:

 

 

After five minutes of gradually-increasing noise, a 9F finally appears from the tunnel at the head of a loaded ore train.

 

 

And finally, here's the motley Blackgill crew at Scaleforum displaying their ill-gotten gains.

 

 

Hope you enjoyed the photos.

 

Arp

[Joseph_Pestell]

How did I miss this one so  far? Thanks to John (South Pelaw) for link from his thread.

 

A great advert for S4 modelling. I hope that I can get to Aylesbury in May for Railex.

[New Haven Neil]

Excellent stuff, loved the old film too - did you see the bus on the bridge.....

 

It really showed how hard those 9F's worked, but they didn't hang around either.

[DLT]

Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Arp

Certainly did, even though I've only just seen them.  Superb

What are the trophies you are showing?

Thanks,

Dave.

[Porcy Mane]

What are the trophies you are showing?

 

"Best looking operators!" and "silliest smilers" awards. 

 

P

[davefrk]

I was just about to say - what a motley looking crew, can't Eddy find any better looking individuals to stand behind the railway?

 

Dave Franks.

I'm in for it now at Railex.....

[Arpster]

"Best looking operators!" and "silliest smilers" awards. 

 

P

 

As far as I can see I'm the only one actually smiling! The rest seem to be grimaces.

 

The awards are actually the York Trophy for best layout (a source of great pride and currently displayed on the mantlepiece in my dad's house despite being a bit of a brute!) and a rather unexpected award for 'Best Scratchbuilt Structure' for the engine shed.

 

Preparations are still in full swing for Aylesbury in May, with another passenger rake in progress, a V3 currently being lined, a couple of diesels (gasp!) in the works, along with their associated brake tender, and a nice little NCB saddletank just about finished. I'll have to go over and get some photos of these when they're completed.

 

Thanks for looking in,

 

Arp

[Arpster]

Evening, all.

With less than two weeks to go until Railex in Aylesbury, Blackgill was up and running today to make sure everything is in working order. A few broken wires were discovered, a few points out of gauge, the level crossing gates were misbehaving, but generally it worked reasonably well given that it's been in pieces since Scaleforum last September! I took the opportunity to take a few photos this evening when I paid my dad a visit to see how he was getting on. Hope you enjoy them!

 

The colliery pilot from the nearby pit waits at the end of the branch for a train of empties to be brought into the reception sidings..

 

 

...and moves on to take some water in the meantime.

 

 

The ancient side of Consett circle passenger trains; a V3 on a Blackhill to Newcastle stopper (via Stanley) pulls into the station, its coaches still in LNER livery (as they would be until they were scrapped on the cessation of passenger services).

 

 

The brake coach has seen better days.

 

 

Luckily, in the fictitious world of Blackgill we can help our passengers out a little. The modern take on Consett trains is seen in the form of a brand new 2-car Derby Lightweight DMU. What comfort!

 

And now for something completely different; when Blackgill was built it was wired for darkness. Buildings, yardlamps, even signal are all equipped for night-time operation, but they've never worked properly...until now. So here's a few experimental darkness photos for you to cast your eye over. I've not perfected the photography just yet, but it's a first attempt at least. Visitors to Railex may be treated to a little peek of this 'new feature' during the exhibition if they're lucky!

 

 

Blackgill station at night, its warm and inviting waiting room a godsend on a cold County Durham night.

 

 

Blackgill box in the darkness, the bobby still hard at work keeping those round-the-clock ore trains on the move up to Consett.

 

 

The evening DMU service to Consett disappear up the hill past the engine shed.

 

 

The coaling stage (someone needs to put that chain back on its pulley!).

 

 

The main entrance to the station (I couldn't get my camera in a better position to take a photo from any further back up in the loft!).

 

 

The level crossing at night. Watch out for those gates!

 

 

A glimpse inside the shed (which is almost impossible to do in the loft!) to show the lamps that dimly illuminate the fitters as they work.

 

That's all for now, folks. Hope you like. If anyone has any questions then feel free to ask and I'll pass them on to my dad for an answer. Or maybe you can ask us in person at Railex (assuming we're not falling out with each other over malfunctioning trackwork or wilfully-ignored timetables!).

 

All the best,

 

Arp

[johndon]

Great pics Arp, had the pleasure of a quick chat with your dad at Scalefour North (tried to persuade him to lend me a 9F if I ever get South Pelaw Junction built )

 

John

[Taz]

Loved this at Scaleforum and looking forward to seeing it again at RailEx.

[Arpster]

Great pics Arp, had the pleasure of a quick chat with your dad at Scalefour North (tried to persuade him to lend me a 9F if I ever get South Pelaw Junction built )

 

John

 

I hope he was polite and cheery, and not his usual grumpy self!

 

Having looked at the 'night-time' photos on my monitor at work, it seems that they're a bit dark. I'll have to have a go at taking longer exposures to see if I can better capture the subdued 1950s railway lighting!

 

Arp

[johndon]

I hope he was polite and cheery, and not his usual grumpy self!

 

Couldn't possible comment  

 

Seriously, he was great, I also got to meet 3 of the other guys in the Scalefour pic and now can't seem to get away from them having bumped into one or more of them at both the York and Spennymoor shows.  I am really looking forward to seeing Blackgill at Railex NE later in the year.

 

John

[Arpster]

Blackgill is all set up and ready to go at Scalefour North in Wakefield. Come and say hello if you're at the show. There's an bonus 9F this year, with 92099 emerging from the works, and we might even be demonstrating the new 'Dusk Mode' option!

 

 

All the best,

 

Arp

[DougN]

Great to hear your back Arp... I look forward to more photos on here and the scalefour web site. Unfortunately I won't be able to see the layout in the flesh! Australia to Scaleforum/ scalefour North is not just dropping in!