West Pennard

[NigeF51D]

Hi,

 

As I mentioned in my first post, I'm planning on building an S & D themed layout. It will be an N gauge 12' x 2'6" model based on West Pennard with all the sidings and set loosely in the period just before the closure of the goods facilities.

 

I have several books about the railway, most of which feature photos of the station. What I would like help with, please, is whether any drawings exist for the buildings at West Pennard, i.e. the signal box, station building and the goods shed. Any other details would, of course, be very welcome.

 

Many thanks,

 

Regards,

 

Nige

[Tim Chambers]

Hi Nige, British Railway Modelling December 1994 has an article on the building of a model of the 'box with a rather basic drawing, sadly without any "scale" or dimensions.I presume the drawing is to 4mm scale, taken from photographs in the usual sources, Middleton Press, Judge and Potts etc. Must say, it looks a cracking model!

[Captain Kernow]

Nige - the box at West Pennard shared much with the other S&DJR boxes of the period, and there are scale drawings of similar boxes in 'Radstock Coal & Steam' (Vol 2) - Millstream Books, and drawings of Midsomer Norton box in 'All About Midsomer Norton' by John Childs, published by HMRS (might be out of print now).

[R A Watson]

The book Somerset And Dorset, Then and Now by Hawkins (isbn 0-095529081-3-1) states that the buildings still stand albeit modified for domestic use

 

I have just checked Google Earth and the goods shed ad station house are recognisable together with another structure in approximately the signal box location.

 

The premises are used as a base for a transport company and the buildings are family homes for the proprietor's family.

 

Perhaps a contact with them should be the next step.

 

Waly

[RailWest]

When you say "....set loosely in the period just before the closure of the goods facilities...", just how 'loose' or not do you want to be in terms of the various changes?

 

I would agree with the previous comments about using drawings for other S&DJR Type 2 boxes as a basis, bearing in mind that the internal arrangements will differ a bit.

[Captain Kernow]

Nige - you have a PM...

[Blandford1969]

The S&D trust journal had a drawing of the main building in the 90s from memory.

[NigeF51D]

Hi Everyone,

 

Thanks for the replies and the book references. I've got the Hawkins book but not the others or the the magazines for that matter. Something to add to my collection at some point. Thanks also for the PM  .

 

Time permitting, I might try to get over to Midsomer Norton this Sunday for a look at the shop and the buildings.

 

As regards 'how loosely', it is just so that I can expand the amount and type of S & D trains that I can run on the layout as the line would've been very quiet otherwise. For instance, I'm going to model a Standard 4 tank (80138) in 7¼" gauge one day and it would be nice to have one on the layout as well. The track layout itself will be fairly accurate although the overall length will have to be compressed and there won't be a long straight at either end of the station.

 

Regards,

 

Nige

[Captain Kernow]

Nige,

 

You can get away with the occasional 80XXX 2-6-4T use at a place like West Pennard, as indeed you can using an 82XXX 2-6-2T, apart from the usual Ivatt tanks, Collett 0-6-0s and panniers.

 

2P 4-4-0s occasionally went down the branch as well, possibly the occasional 4MT 75XXX 4-6-0. Also 4Fs, Johnson 3Fs and Johnson 0-4-4T 1Ps (a bit earlier than the ex-GW stuff, I don't think they would have been seen together).

 

I think that on one occasion at least, a Stanier Class 3 2-6-2T (not available R-T-R) was photographed at Glastonbury, so would have gone through West Pennard - a rare beast indeed!

[RailWest]

In looking at the buildings at MSN, you need to be cautious of the fact these are "Bath Extension" rather than 'true' Somerset Central buildings. Having said that, the comparison is likely to be much better than with the Dorset Central structure at Shillingstone.

 

I would certainly recommend a visit to the prototype at WP if you can arrange it.

[Captain Kernow]

Certainly the Highbridge Branch had a right mixture of signal box styles, from the 'L&SWR/Cole' style at Pylle, the 'Northern Extension' design at West Pennard and Highbridge East and the later (L&SWR-influenced?) design at Glastonbury  and Shapwick (which was similar to Radstock station and also that at Moorewood).

 

The West Pennard box was not platform-mounted, so you'll need to allow for that, if using the plans for Midsomer Norton, but they appear to be very similar.

[NigeF51D]

I've started a thread over on the N Gauge Forum as well about my planned model and included there a jpg of the latest version of the track plan.

 

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=11176.0

 

Thanks again,

 

Nige

[ikcdab]

The SDRT used to have a system of "station stewards" and a good few years ago I briefly held the position for west pennard. I did measure up and prepare drawings for all the buildings and then passed them on to my successor must be 15 years ago. A browse of their website might reveal th current steward and could prove fruitful.

[Blandford1969]

Plans of West Pennard (main building) appeared in issue 173 of the Bulletin - There is nothing on the Trust web site and only a couple of photos in the members only section. If you drop me a Pm I may be able to help with the drawing of the main building.

 

A check of the register of plans (all held in Taunton now) shows the following:

PLAN West Pennard sidings to foodstore D 53 PLAN West Pennard. Signal and Locking plans. D 2000 PLAN West Pennard. Signal diagram and locking plan. D 2057

 

Duncan

[RailWest]

The SDRT "Station Steward" system sadly died out over a period of years and there have not been any now probably for at least a decade. I'm not aware that there was any arrangement in place for any 'private' records held by the Stewards to be passed to the Trust.

 

There were three microfiche print copies of the signalling 'box diagram' in the Archives, of which two are for the S&DJR period, but the is a third from the BR era. I have it referenced as "WEST_PENNARD_DIAGRAM_DOG_CHART_AP56" - although it does include the 'dog chart', it also has a copy of the diagram on the same microfiche.

[NigeF51D]

Hi,

 

I had a very productive visit to the Archives at Taunton recently and with some more books added to my collection, I've decided to re-hash the track plan to one closer to what it was in the late fifties & early sixties i.e. prior to the removal of the extra siding to the Food Store.

 

Nige

[NigeF51D]

Hi all,

 

It's been a while since I've had a chance to post anything, so here's a quick update. I've sorted the track plan for the station area and am now working on the fiddle yard design. As yet, I haven't cut any wood. Measure twice (or more), cut once springs to mind!

 

I've been looking through the S & D books I've got in an effort to identify locos used on trains both on and originating from the branch. What I would like to ask is; does anyone have any evidence that 2-6-4T's ran on the branch and as to what, if any, diesels were used on the branch demolition trains through West Pennard? I've found that 7F 53807 ran the branch on a 'special', would any others of the class have done so at any time?

 

Regards and thanks,

 

Nige

[Blandford1969]

Originally the 7fs were shedded at Highbidge due to height issues. I would have thought it not beyond the bounds that others would have worked up the branch, although at the moment I cant recall photos.

 

I have not seen a 2-6-4, but again not to say they did not.

 

Ones you can use are the obvious 1P, 2P 4-4-0, 3f 0-6-0 tender locos, 3p 2-6-2 for a short time in 1960 (40171 for example), panniers, 22 and 32xx, a 45xx ran on an Obo special on one occasion, the 3mt 82xxx ran on the line. 

 

Will see what photos I can find to help on numbers

 

regards

 

Duncan

[queensquare]

Originally the 7fs were shedded at Highbidge due to height issues. I would have thought it not beyond the bounds that others would have worked up the branch, although at the moment I cant recall photos.

 

I have not seen a 2-6-4, but again not to say they did not.

 

Ones you can use are the obvious 1P, 2P 4-4-0, 3f 0-6-0 tender locos, 3p 2-6-2 for a short time in 1960 (40171 for example), panniers, 22 and 32xx, a 45xx ran on an Obo special on one occasion, the 3mt 82xxx ran on the line. 

 

Will see what photos I can find to help on numbers

 

regards

 

Duncan

 

Afraid you've got a bit confused here. The 7Fs were never shedded at Highbridge and very rarely worked the branch. In fact I can't think of any pictures of them working on the branch other than works visits to Highbridge pre 1930.

When newly delivered in 1914 the first batch were initially shedded at Radstock for a short time until the cab roof vent and chimney lip had been modified.

 

Jerry 

[Blandford1969]

Ahh yes your right, sorry

[rogerSDJR]

Hi Nige

A bit after the even!

I have several drawings of the buildings at West Pennard, some well drawn others just dimensioned sketches. Also a plan of the food factory which was served by the new siding [i recently found a photo showing part of the front of this building].

Let me know if I can be of any help.

 

Regards Roger

[NigeF51D]

Hi Roger,

 

I  would certainly be interested to see your drawings/images.

 

Due to various factors, the layout hasn't progressed very much at all. I have had to make more economies of size than envisaged and as a result modified the track plan slightly. It is still largely West Pennard, but I'm considering renaming it as Pennard Lane.

 

Regards,

 

Nige

[phil_sutters]

Having just spotted this thread, because of its recent additions, I am sure that on the loco front you will have come across the Newman Family website at http://www.newman-family-tree.net/S&D/index.html

Dad's albums do show that at least 2P 40563 did get as far up the Burnham line as Highbridge Wharf.  http://www.ipernity.com/doc/philsutters/26460169 

Apart from that he didn't record, photographically at least, anything more unusual and he doesn't have any photos of West Pennard.

[Blandford1969]

I have got a negative of a 2p coming into West Pennard from Glastonbury and like Phil one of 2ps stored at Highbridge.

[rogerSDJR]

Hi Roger,

 

I  would certainly be interested to see your drawings/images.

 

Due to various factors, the layout hasn't progressed very much at all. I have had to make more economies of size than envisaged and as a result modified the track plan slightly. It is still largely West Pennard, but I'm considering renaming it as Pennard Lane.

 

Regards,

 

Nige

Hi Nige

 

I also am having to reduce the size of my layout in 4mm due to size and also time! I have revised the layout but also kept the MOW building albeit in a different place.

 

As far as the drawings are concerned I shall be re-drawing some in the next two weeks whilst off from work, but I do have an excellent drawing of the station main building, how can I get them to you?

 

Regards

 

Roger

PS I'm new to this forum!