Newcastle Emlyn - Early goods rolling stock

[ChrisN]

Just now, Anotheran said:

Thanks Chris. When I double click on the image in the uploads list it just inserts it twice into the body of the post. If I get an answer from the help forum I'll post it as I regularly see posts that clearly have the same problem.

 

Umm, try clicking once?

[Anotheran]

2 minutes ago, ChrisN said:

Umm, try clicking once?

That just added it once

 

However, AndyY has answered my call with an answer that's a little embarrassing! "Have you tried clicking on the bin icon on the image?"

I looked and I saw. I clicked and it went!

 

In my defence the icon does overlay the image and it's in the same colour palette as my image so I simply hadn't seen it. I'd looked for a delete link, or item in the menu around the image, but not spotted the bin in the bottom right hand corner of my image!

 

Problem solved... thanks Andy! 

[ChrisN]

Perhaps that is what I did.  I should have tried loading and deleting rather than trying to remember.

[Mikkel]

5 hours ago, Anotheran said:

 

Thanks for the comment Jonathan.

 

I did think that about the garage but really don't have room for a layout even in the new house. However, I work from home and my office is 2.7m x 2.6m. In here at one end I have my work desk including PCs, printer etc and at the other end I have my modelling table. So rolling stock, buildings, trees etc will all be built in here. There's even enough space that I'll be able to bring in one of the 4 x 3 (reverting to feet now!) boards of the layout itself to work on. So the only work that will be conducted in the garage will be where it's needed for the whole length to be up at once. I may even bring a kettle into the room!

 

The room will also be large enough for some dioramas and I plan to do some of the buildings for NE in that format first as it means I can get a "layout" completed while still heading for the full station... Here's my first diorama plan which I hadn't planned to share just yet, but your comment made me think this was a good pace to put it! The reason I've picked this rather than the station building (for example) is that it has the engine shed that I've already started together with some of the technology (like the turntable and a signal) together with some trees, water and some big variations in height.

 

 

Kind regards, Neil

 

 

Hi Neil, that's a nice plan. I like the idea of building up the layout in diorama-style stages. I'm especially looking forward to seeing the engine shed develop, one of the nicest of several characterful features of the real NE, I think.

[Anotheran]

5 hours ago, Mikkel said:

 

Hi Neil, that's a nice plan. I like the idea of building up the layout in diorama-style stages. I'm especially looking forward to seeing the engine shed develop, one of the nicest of several characterful features of the real NE, I think.

Thank you Mikkel,

 

I've managed to come up with lots of nice plans. But once I get around to actually producing a finished product if it has half the atmosphere of your layouts I'll be delighted. I'm forever looking back to your blog for updates on the Finkerbury files and more secrets from the drawing office but he seems to be rather quiet at the moment!

 

Kind regards, Neil

[Mikkel]

Yes, sorry, I really must get on with that!  

 

I was just looking at this photo of the engine shed at NE and thinking what a great little scene it is: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/n/newcastle_emlyn/index6.shtml. A nice spot for that Severn Mill garden shed, maybe ( or are you sticking with the prototype buildings only).

[corneliuslundie]

Re sloping ground and level baseboards, we have the same problem with the new club layout, where the line rises towards the station from the fiddle yard/junction at about 1 in 45. We have gone for an open baseboard for that section linking - when we can work out how to do it - to an "upside down" fiddle yard board, which gives us about the amount of rise we need. The rest will be done scenically. I'll let you know if it works - one day!

Jonathan

[Anotheran]

12 hours ago, Mikkel said:

I was just looking at this photo of the engine shed at NE and thinking what a great little scene it is: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/n/newcastle_emlyn/index6.shtml. A nice spot for that Severn Mill garden shed, maybe ( or are you sticking with the prototype buildings only).

 

It was that picture that made me decide to go for the engine shed as the diorama. There's so much detail in it that can all be in that small space. Adding in the turntable isn't really needed, but adds a bit more of the technological development that I'm also looking for.

 

As for the shed, no it won't go here as I am keeping to prototype as much as I can for places where there are photos. But it will appear in one of the gardens of the houses that are in front of the platform. But it's quite a modern design, so I'll not be able to use it for the earliest time periods.

[petejones]

Any further work on this, Neil?

[Anotheran]

19 hours ago, petejones said:

Any further work on this, Neil?

 

Hi Pete,

 

Thanks for the interest. There's nothing really of photographic merit, mainly as a result of the school holidays having started.

 

However, I actually feel further on on two fronts. Then first is that I've had probably two or three full days worth of effort in garage and loft sorting stuff and clearing from garage to loft. So now in our double garage we have more than a single garage worth of floor space... just not all yet in one place. Still some way to go before I'm able to put in the dividing wall and floor, but I go in there now and see some light (well I do if I flick the switch anyway) as I have stood up Doxey End in the largest of the spaces, albeit on a sloping floor. The second area is that when I went with the family to Center Parcs I took my soldering projects box and finished off two MERG kits (A CANPAN and a CANPAN test module for those that are interested in such things). They're still to be tested as I didn't take all my equipment on holiday. But as they're for use on Doxey End (which I should probably update over on that thread) that doesn't really count as progress on this thread in the same way that garage clearance does!

 

I go away again in a week and will be taking some wagon kits related to Newcastle Emlyn with me (I've also been active on eBay again!) so if there's no progress at home before then at least I'll have more wagons by the end of the school holidays, which I think is quite an achievement given keeping three kids occupied around working hours is a fair workload in itself! I also need to get on with writing up my scenarios that I kicked off with 1896 over a year ago!

[petejones]

Thanks for the update, Neil. I know it's difficult finding the time to spend on hobby projects.

[Anotheran]

I have a point of interest and a puzzle for those of you that are still following me here...

 

Over lunch I was looking at the 1911 working timetables and came across the following piece:

 

I've read it before, but didn't really take a huge notice of some of the bits that didn't have an entry against Newcastle Emlyn. But this time I noticed the comments in the columns relating to the morning branch goods. They state: "Worked by Two Engines and Two Guards. S. T. Nos. 576 and 596. To be extended to Newcastle Emlyn for cattle traffic when required." The R at the top of the column shows in the key as "To be made up to a double load."

 

So I've got an interesting train that I can model. But what are S.T. 576 and 596? I assumed that "S.T." was saddle tank and guessed that they were 517 locos. So I looked them up in the RCTS Four-coupled Locomotives book. 576 was indeed a 517, but it was built from new (according to RCTS) with side tanks, not saddle tanks. So I guess "S. T." means side tanks, at least in this case. But what of 596. It's not listed as a 517 in the RCTS book, or indeed as anything else that I could find. I even checked the Absorbed Engines book and found nothing.

 

Can anyone assist in where I go from here? Does the RCTS booklet have a missing block in it's 517 list, or was the timetable inaccurate, or have I got it completely wrong? I'd like to know as it gives me scope to run double headers into NE, which is definitely not something that I was expecting!

 

Kind regards, Neil

 

[corneliuslundie]

I suspect the ST means "Station Truck", ie a regular scheduled van which conveyed small goods items. They certainly crop up on the PPL-Neath line in 1907. I have a feeling that there is something about them, possibly even a list, in one of the books I have - but which one?? See the attached from the Service Timetable. Sorry it is not a very good copy but I no longer have the original photocopy.

Note Truck no 621.

Jonathan

 

Edited August 7, 2019 by corneliuslundie
added comment

[Anotheran]

Jonathan,

 

You are, of course, correct. How am I so sure... because it fits in with a note I have with the WTTs (written by me 3 years ago) that states "WTTs including speed restrictions and station truck information". I couldn't find the station truck information that I'd mentioned... but I was looking straight at it! So obviously when I first looked at the WTTs I knew what I was looking at. I wonder what else I have subsequently forgotten! 

 

Thank you for the excellent reminder. I will go back to the documents later and find the pages that detail 576 and 596.

 

Kind regards, Neil

[Mikkel]

On 07/08/2019 at 21:07, corneliuslundie said:

I suspect the ST means "Station Truck", ie a regular scheduled van which conveyed small goods items. They certainly crop up on the PPL-Neath line in 1907. I have a feeling that there is something about them, possibly even a list, in one of the books I have - but which one??

 

Were you thinking of GWR Goods Services 2A by Tony Atkins? He has an interesting section on station trucks and pick-up trucks, although there is no actual list as far as I can see.   Incidentally Tony Atkins mentions that the numbering of station trucks changed 'almost yearly' as traffic and stations needing services fluctuated.

[Anotheran]

Sorry that my first post in ages is completely off topic... But it's my thread... 

 

Just had my first experience of Avanti West Coast on the 20:30 from Euston arriving Stafford at 21:59. Arrived perfectly on time. But as we came towards Stafford I felt that it didn't seem normal. Sure enough we pulled up at platform 1, which for those of you not familiar with Stafford is the Up platform. I hesitate to say it, but got there fast on the wrong side of the road... How very Italian!

 

However, it did mean that I could get out of the train straight out the exit and not have to use the bridge... So long may it continue. 

[Sasquatch]

Lucky there were no up trains really, could have ended in one big cannoli!

 

My ex wife's brother-in-law lives in Stafford, so I'm a bit familiar with that journey and remember seeing trains running backwards in front of 86s and 87s.

 

Regards Shaun

[jmashere2@gmail.com]

On 18/12/2014 at 06:47, Anotheran said:

Mike, you may not have realised it, but you set me a challenge there!

 

While the timetable graph took quite a bit of time it wasn't particularly difficult, just repetitive in what needed to be done line by line, point by point etc... so I thought I'd see if I could knock up a macro to do the hard work for me. The result for the 1911 timetable is below:

 

 

At the moment it's a bit clunky. You can add any number of stations by inserting columns in the table that starts in cell B10, and any number of trains can be added by inserting rows in the same table, but at the moment you have to put the limit data in the table in the top left corner. It then uses the colours in the colour key (that you can change to whatever colours you want) matching them against the codes in the first column of the timetable and draws the chart... as on the right. (Actually it draws it about a quarter of the size, but I have resized and positioned it)

 

It does need intermediate stations to have two columns so that arrival and departure times can be shown on the same row, and at the moment it will show an empty section (as in not join the points) if the train doesn't stop at an intermediate station.

 

But, I'm pleased with the result so far. I'll tweak it a bit more and then make it available if anyone else is interested (though I doubt I can post a macro enabled file on this site, so would probably need to be by PM). The one shown above took about 10 minutes to enter the timetable data, and about 5 seconds to resize the chart once the macro had drawn it.The chart can then be copied and pasted anywhere else independent of the timetable. The last one took the same data entry time, but about another 15 minutes to draw and format the chart... so my bit of playing with Excel has paid off for me!

 

Kind regards, Neil

Hi Neil is it possible to share that excel for train graph please. 

Edited July 16, 2020 by jmashere2@gmail.com

[jmashere2@gmail.com]

On 16/12/2014 at 06:16, Anotheran said:

The final thing that I've been spending work time doing is some more playing around with Excel. This time I took the 1906 timetable and looked at the whole branch so I reproduced the passenger trains in a chart format.

 

 

I find this quite fascinating as it shows the NE movements in the context of the full length of the single track branch. For this year I don't yet have the freight times, but this will be one branch freight (as required) and one through freight from Carmarthen each day, as per 1896 and 1911. In 1906, however, there's not as much space to fit those freights in, so I will be interested to see where it does go!

 

On the diagram purple and blue are down (as if I needed to tell you that!) with the purple one being the train that appears timetabled all the way through from London! Red and orange are up, with orange being the through train. On those through trains it would be interesting to find out how many carriages are added and removed on the complete journey!

 

The point markers mark the stopping places with square ones being Saturday only. I plan on making my 1906 timetable Saturday as that will mean I have fourteen passenger movements and four freight (and associated shunting) movements. I don't want mainline busy, but I want as much of a timetable as I can get on my little BLT!

Hi is it possible to share the train graph excel please. 

[petejones]

Loco 9632 at Newcastle Emlyn station, 1956 (GW Steam Off The Beaten Track, 1975):

 

[petejones]

Of possible interest, by a local lady:

 

 

[kingfisher9147]

Hi Neil, just come across your thread. I am modelling the gwili railway and during my research came across this book by oakwood press on the Manchester and milford railway by j. S holden. There's some good information on the Newcastle Emlyn branch but also about the stock. Hope this helps Mike 

[Anotheran]

On 05/07/2021 at 17:48, kingfisher9147 said:

Hi Neil, just come across your thread. I am modelling the gwili railway and during my research came across this book by oakwood press on the Manchester and milford railway by j. S holden. There's some good information on the Newcastle Emlyn branch but also about the stock. Hope this helps Mike 

 

Hi Mike, sorry it's taken so long to reply, I've not had a lot of chance for any railway related activity for quite a while. I do have a copy of that book and you're correct about it being full of useful and interesting information on both the lines and the stock. It's very much my key resource for my roster over the years. I look forward to looking at a thread on your Gwili layout. 

 

Neil

[mike morley]

Cast your minds back, oh, nearly four years to the debate on this thread about whether standard gauge wagons had slates loaded lengthways or crossways, and the accompanying frustration that none of us could find a decent photograph to resolve the matter.

 

'Welsh Steam' by Gwyn Briwnant-Jones. Page 51. A picture of a Barclay 0-4-0 well tank shunting at Port Dinorwic. Very prominent in the left foreground is a birds eye view into the interior of four standard gauge wagons carrying slates loaded crossways.

 

I think that means I've got some wagon-loads to replace . . .

[Anotheran]

3 hours ago, mike morley said:

Cast your minds back, oh, nearly four years to the debate on this thread about whether standard gauge wagons had slates loaded lengthways or crossways, and the accompanying frustration that none of us could find a decent photograph to resolve the matter.

 

'Welsh Steam' by Gwyn Briwnant-Jones. Page 51. A picture of a Barclay 0-4-0 well tank shunting at Port Dinorwic. Very prominent in the left foreground is a birds eye view into the interior of four standard gauge wagons carrying slates loaded crossways.

 

I think that means I've got some wagon-loads to replace . . .

Hi Mike and thanks for that!

 

It's never me that resurrects my topic, and I think you've now done it twice! Sadly almost all of my modelling has had to take a big backward step in priority over the last couple of years. I've even stopped purchasing kits on eBay. I am keeping track of some of my favourite threads on here and every now and again I get out my plans or the solvent and a kit. But nothing really thread worthy. I will be trying to do more over the summer...

 

As for the slates... I saw your post and have immediately purchased a used copy from Amazon £2.90, post free. I know it will just annoy me that I've got more to look at and still no time to put it to good use. But curiosity just got the better of me! Thank you for the reference, and the prompt to get me back on here and thinking of doing some modelling again!

 

Neil