BITTON

[Andrew P]

Sorry but this thread was eventually abandoned.

 

BITTON

Why Bitton?

 
Well after a long spell with no trains running I thought it was about time I started a new thread. Since May this year we have moved House, and had a Mild Stroke, so nothing has really been done for some considerable time.
As I write this I still have no Potting Shed in which to build a Layout, but more of that in a mo, firstly let me tell you a bit about Bitton.
 
Bitton is situated on the Midland extension from Gloucester to the Midlands in the north and Bath therefore connecting direct to the Somerset and Dorset Railway and on to Bournemouth with trains such as The Pines Express passing through daily although not stopping, and a good selection of freight including Coal etc.
 
Bitton station, (the current headquarters of the Avon Valley Railway) is built out of local stone, and is almost identical to the Hornby Dent Station Building that I have, courtesy of Jeff, (Physicsman) and so it would be a shame not to use it.
 
The goods yard on the down side had four sidings and has a single road goods shed (almost identical to the Hornby Skaledale East Goods Shed), which I now have courtesy of Mike, (Mike61680 / Dent fame) and weigh bridge. From the goods yard Bitton dispatched paper to London from the Golden Valley Paper Mills, soda from the works at Keynsham and yellow ochre also from Golden Valley; coal merchants distributed coal from the station and local growers sent flowers and vegetables to the Bristol market.
 
With running powers over the GWR section from Gloucester, the Midland Railway also achieved a stable route from Birmingham to Bristol. Its search for further expansion brought proposals for a line from Yate to Thornbury (opened 2nd September 1872) and a branch from Mangotsfield to Bath which received Parliamentary approval in July 1864.
 
The original Line was closed by Dr Beching, and in July 1965 Bitton Yard was closed and notice of closure for the withdrawal of passenger services declared 3rd January 1966 as the fateful day. Difficulties with the replacement bus service delayed matters until 7th March 1966. Coal traffic to Bath Gas Works continued until July 1971, after which time the line was not used by any regular traffic. Track lifting for the now utterly defunct branch line began on 8th May 1972, reaching Bitton and removing the track there on 30th May, so another chapter in railway history had closed.
 
My model of Bitton will NOT BE A FAITHFUL COPY but more of a model of the station and yard for running trains and shunting goods traffic.
Below are some pics of Bitton and its track Plan.
 





 

THE POTTING SHED

When we move into the Bungalow I had intended to insulate and line the existing Pre Cast Concrete Garage, BUT I found a large crack in the floor,
Exhibit A,

and the back of the garage had collapsed in one corner. I looked at different ways to overcome the problem, but none seemed suitable.
In the end it was decided that as I physically still cant do any manual work we would get someone in to take down the CARBUNCLE and erect a new Shed, I would then insulate and line it out.
In the end I put the Garage on a well known auction site and it was SOLD within 8 hours of listing. The man and his Dad came yesterday, 9th Aug and demolished it, and took it away.
Exhibit B.




 
So now the base will be broken up and a new one laid on the 4th September and the new Potting Shed will go up a few days later.
I will have some more updates soon.
 
Bodge.
 
Mick, (Donnington Road) has very kindly done a full index for me and I will endeavour to keep it up to date, Thanks Mick. 
Page 001         Post 1              Introduction to Bitton
Page 001         Post 1              Track Plan
Page 001         Post 1              The old Potting Shed photos
Page 005         Post 118          Potting Shed features
Page 006         Post 131          Bitton prototype photos
Page 006         Post 136          Thinking of the layout inside the Potting Shed
Page 010         Post 229          Layout schematic
Page 011         Post 255          Marcway track cost and discussion
Page 014         Post 326          The back garden getting sorted (photos)
Page 015         Post 352          The Bitton Row Cottages (photos)
Page 016         Post 386          Reference to Mangotsfield
Page 017         Post 419          Ideas on ballasting track
Page 019         Post 455          Refresh of Bitton so far 27 August 2014
Page 020         Post 481          Signalling Bitton (photos)
Page 022         Post 541          Bitton station bridge photos
Page 022         Post 544          Bitton signal box photo
Page 023         Post 561          Bitton station photos
Page 025         Post 602          Bitton goods shed (photos)
Page 026         Post 632          Book: The Mangotsfield To Bath Line (photos)
Page 027         Post 668          Bitton station in preservation (photos)
Page 028         Post 679          Interesting facts about Bitton
Page 028         Post 696          Bitton yard crane (photo)
Page 031         Post 753          Track requirements for the layout
Page 032         Post 776          The Potting Shed increases in size!
Page 032         Post 779          The old Potting Shed base goes (photos)
Page 032         Post 783          The new Potting Shed base begins (photos)
Page 033         Post 801          Fitting the trackplan to the new size Potting Shed (photos)
Page 034         Post 842          Potting Shed thoughts about flooring
Page 036         Post 885          Bitton workings and more signalling
Page 039         Post 967          Revised layout track plan
Page 043         Post 1067        Rubber floor mats
Page 048         Post 1183        Waiting for the Potting Shed (photo)
Page 048         Post 1193        THE NEW POTTING SHED ARRIVES! (photos)
Page 050         Post 1240        Insulating the Potting Shed (photos)
Page 053         Post 1301        Potting Shed door (photos)
Page 054         Post 1331        Ply lining the Potting Shed (photos)
Page 054         Post 1338        Electrical thoughts
Page 055         Post 1367        Weather vane (photos)
Page 057         Post 1418        Workbench/access/layout ideas (plan)
Page 059         Post 1451        More insulation in the Potting Shed (photos)
Page 061         Post 1501        More ply lining in the Potting Shed (photos)
Page 062         Post 1543        More ply lining in the Potting Shed (photos)
Page 063         Post 1551        Potting Shed exterior (photos)
Page 063         Post 1569        The interior starts to get painted (photos)
Page 064         Post 1577        Painting the interior (photos)
Page 064         Post 1598        My first piece of track for Bitton built by Jason (photo)
Page 066         Post 1639        Potting Shed interior (photos)
Page 067         Post 1658        Kitchen units going in the Potting Shed (photos)
Page 069         Post 1703        Potting Shed lighting (photos)
Page 070         Post 1729        Layout orientation in the Potting Shed (plan)
Page 072         Post 1789        Double glazing the Potting Shed (photos)
Page 074         Post 1829        The workbench and spray booth (photo)
Page 074         Post 1848        Comparing the old Potting Shed with the new (photos)
Page 075         Post 1864        Baseboard frames start to go in (photos)
Page 077         Post 1919        More baseboard frames (photos)
Page 078         Post 1935        Exterior electrics to the Potting Shed (photos)
Page 080         Post 1986        Trackwork for the layout discussion
Page 084         Post 2100        Potting Shed interior (photos)
Page 087         Post 2152        Experimenting with track formation on the baseboards (photos)
Page 088         Post 2180        Experimenting with the fiddle yard (photos)
Page 094         Post 2347        Templot plan of Bitton by Cav
Page 102         Post 2530        Potting shed door gets insulation
Page 102        Post 2541       First attempt at a Point build.
Page 107        Post 2655       First Baseboard.
Page   108         Most of the Page    Goods Yard operation. 
Page   109         Post 2708           Board edging over original Ordinance plan.
Page   110         Post 2714           Track on graphed board for size testing.
Page   113         Post 2802           First 3 Baseboards completed.
Page   115         Post   2873        Start of Condensation discussions.
Page   119         Post 2956           First main Point Build
Page   128         Post 3188           First Point Final Test with stock, (pushing / pulling). 
Page   128         Post 3189            Gauge and Standards explained by Cav, (RBE) in simple terms.
Page   132         Post 3293           Larry's Ballasting and Track Laying method.
Page   137         Post 3406           Over Centre Clips.
Page   137         Post 3423           Big Bertha finished and trialed in position 
Page   138         Post  3429          Start of lengthy debate about Ballast Adhesive, Tape, PVA, Copydex etc.
Page   143         Post  3563          Double Point for Goods Yard.
Page   144         Post  3598          Final test fitting of Goods Shed release points.
Page   145         Post  3601          End Loading Dock discussion.
Page   145         Post  3608          Electrically gapping the points.
Page   146         Post  3631          Cattle Dock Picks.
Page   146         Post  3634          Cross Board Strengtheners.
Page   147         Post  3653          Ariel View of Station.
Page   148         Post   3681         Sticking down foam.
Page   148         Post   3696         Paint foam Blackboard Paint from  B & Q.
Page   149         Post   3708         Start of Up Platform.
Page   149         Post   3723         First holes for Point Motors.
Page   150         Post   3726         Index.
Page   152         Post   3776         Up Platform.
Page   152         Post   3785         First Train to run on Bitton.
Page   153         Post   3822         Sky Back Scene.
Page   155         Post   3851         First Storage Yard board over Work Bench.
Page   156         Post   3876         Re Done Backscene.
Page   156         Post   3888         Bus Bar discussion.
Page   159         Post   3951         SPA Wagon
Page   159         Post   3967         First Track laying through Station. 
Page   160         Post   3984         Dowels and Plugs.
Page   160         Post   3989         Up Main Line laid.
Page   160         Post   3993         Down Main Line laid.
Page   161         Post   4021         Wiring Scenic Board 1 Bus Bar etc.
Page   162         Post   4038         Storage Yard Board 2 construction.
Page   163         Post   4056         Storage Yard Board 3 construction.
Page   163         Post   4070         Wiring Scenic Board 2 Bus Bar etc.
Page   163         Post   4071         Modratec Lever Pics.
Page   163         Post   4073         Magnets ordered.
Page   163         Post   4075         Scalefour Society Lever Frames.
Page   164         Post   4076         Laying Big Bertha.
Page   165         Post   4101         Start of Magnet discussion.
Page   167         Post   4151         Blue Fleet Pics.
Page   168         Post   4186         Single Slip Wiring Diagram by Clive Mortimer
Page   168         Post   4196         Bib Bertha laid and wired.
Page   169         Post   4201         Black 5 running over MAGNETS
Page   169         Post   4215         Black 5 Sound settings.
Page   171         Post   4253         Goods Loop Points Laid.
Page   171         Post   4256         Blue 31 Details and SWD Sound fitted.
Page   173         Post   4310         Trebudoc test Video, ( NOW WORKING)
Page   173         Post   4319         Lee doing the end board.
Page   174         Post   4328         Green Class 25 Shunting the Coal Yard VIDEO.
Page   175         Post   4335         Pics from Kingsmill.
Page   178         Post   4450         Black 5 on the Bitton Coals VIDEO.   
Page   180         Post   4477         Last Point laid and wired and tested with Blue 47's 
Page   180         Post   4495         Sound comparison, Legoman 33 & SWD 47 
Page   182         Post   4530         Main Platform construction.
Page   184         Post   4593         9F Video.
Page   184         Post   4596         108 Sound Video.
Page   185         Post   4601         Std 4 Video.
Page   185         Post   4623         Start of outer embankment.
Page   186         Post   4631         Georges explanation of how I was feeling.
Page   187         Post   4663         My response.
Page   188         Post   4678         My solution.
Page   188         Post    4686         Sticking down the outer embankment. 
Page   189         Post    4716         George's Class 47 Video.
Page   191         Post    4752         Foam laid on Storage yard.
Page   191         Post    4769         Storage tester.
Page   193         Post    4809         Speedlink Yard tester.

Page   195         Post    4857         Jason's Yard idea.

Page   196         Post    4900         Door lifting section.

Page   197         Post    4913         Door section backscene.

Page   198         Post    4927         Door section Track laid.

Page   198         Post    4930         Door section Video. 

Page   198         Post    4947         Door with Trains under their own power.

Page   200         Post    4980         Stock pic's on Eddington Yard.

Page   200         Post    4982         New Index.

Page   202         Post    5031         Re Laid joints and Running Video.

Page   202         Post    5046         Up Storage Yard Laid.

Page   203         Post    5053         Down Storage Yard Laid.

Page   204         Post    5091         Steam on Bitton Video.

Page   204         Post    5093         Avon Valley Railway Videos.

Page   204         Post    5100         Bitton in Blue.

 

 
 
 
 
EDIT = To add links to sites of use during the build.
Station Building Windows = www.ajaustin27@gmail.com 
Bargeboards = They are available as an etch from ScaleLink
Flicker Photos from Brett / BEEJAY, https://www.flickr.com/photos/-beej-/

Edited November 15, 2017 by Andrew P

[kevinklein]

nice to see this thread finally started! all the best!

[Andrew P]

nice to see this thread finally started! all the best!

Thanks Kevin, I wasn't sure whether to start the topic yet or wait till the shed was up and lined. but at least this way I can include the shed build that might be of interest to some people as well.

 

Meant to say, nice AXE behind you, I had the Jazz and Pression when I was in a band,

Now I just have a Jasmine Acoustic (by Takamine), and a 335 copy.

 

Bodge

Edited August 10, 2014 by Andrew P

[kevinklein]

its an old japanese, but very nice copy from SX, when the japanese used real wood... but its really only decoration, i don`t play any more

 

by the way, congratulations on the elegant solution to your garage problem... even if you only got pennies for the garage, it must be a good feeling to be paid to have someone else do the hard work!

 

edit one may not use the short familiar form of japanese... how silly!

Edited August 10, 2014 by kevinklein

[Andrew P]

its an old japanese, but very nice copy from SX, when the japanese used real wood... but its really only decoration, i don`t play any more

 

by the way, congratulations on the elegant solution to your garage problem... even if you only got pennies for the garage, it must be a good feeling to be paid to have someone else do the hard work!

 

edit one may not use the short familiar form of japanese... how silly!

The Builder wanted £550 to dismantle and remove the garage, I sold it for £100 so I'm effectively £650 better off towards the new shed, LOVE IT, hahahha

 

Bodge.

[Jock67B]

Great choice Andy, should allow lots of modellers licence on the stock you run without offending the 'rivet counters' too much! Good to see you've now got planning to keep you busy while your 'bunker' is being sorted.

Look forward to to lots of posts on the planning and baseboard stages so I can crib ideas!!

Kind regards,

Jock.

[Andrew P]

Great choice Andy, should allow lots of modellers licence on the stock you run without offending the 'rivet counters' too much! Good to see you've now got planning to keep you busy while your 'bunker' is being sorted.

Look forward to to lots of posts on the planning and baseboard stages so I can crib ideas!!

Kind regards,

Jock.

Crib all you like my friend, I probably cribbed them off someone else anyway, but not our Jeff, (Phyisicsman), I couldn't afford that much timber, ahhahah.

 

Bodge.

[Andrew P]

Another thing that I forgot to mention in my intro was that I like to build Layouts with a connection to either myself or my Family, i.e. Deesdale after my Wife, Glen Roy after my late Farther etc.

So Bitton is a change from my normal practice.

 

Bodge.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Andrew P

[bbishop]

Andrew,

 

Have you bitten off more than you can chew?

 

Bill

[Indomitable026]

Great stuff

 

This is interesting, looking forward to the shed!

[Physicsman]

Nice intro, Andy. I think my intro to KL2 will be "Well, you've all been reading KL. So here's KL2...."

 

You've clearly been using your time to give this project a lot of thought. Just make sure you can comfortably fit the track plan into your new shed. If necessary, spend a bit more for a slightly larger model.

 

And good look with the fissure in the concrete base!

 

Jeff

[Rowsley17D]

Hi Andy, well done on the new thread and a Midland layout to boot. Looking forward to plenty of Fowler's and Stanier's finest.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

A very interesting prototype to model Andy. In effect you get most of the S&D traffic, plus the variety of locos which worked down from the north. You can easily justify GW, SR , LMS, LNER, BR Standards, diesel-electrics and diesel-hydraulics on it. Examples of each have all passed through Bitton.

 

My one tip. Now you have a plan, STICK to it.

 

Best wishes,

Peter

[Allegheny1600]

Hi Andy,

Congratulations on starting your new topic and a great prototype!

A few years ago, my beloved bought me a full days railway experience on the Avon valley railway - it was a fantastic day out if a bit of a drive down from Derby, I'd highly recommend it! The staff were very friendly, I even got an invite to become a regular there were it not for the distance, I would have joined up.

All the best,

John.

[uax6]

Must be a good feeling that you are now progressing towards the LGP... Now what is the chance that you will go all retro and choose to have the layout based in the late pre-grouping or early grouping? (thinking blue SDJR  8F's and blue coaches.....)

 

Andy G

[Jintyman]

Hi Andy,

Nice to see you're feeling well enough to contemplate a new layout. Just don't do too much too soon, the best thing though is to look forward and plan ahead.

All the very best

 

Jinty ;-)

[ChrisN]

Andy,

It is good you have made a start and I like the plan.  As Peter said you can run almost anything in terms of locos and as you have a wide liking of them that should be good.  Do what you are comfortable with and if in the end it means Peco code 75, resin buildings and weathering RTR stock I am sure that what you produce will look excellent.

 

NOW, do not forget to take it easy.  The reason the man who took the shed's dad has had three heart attacks is because he has obviously 'listened' to advice and has lost weight and stopped smoking!

 

Have fun, it is  hobby

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Oh, one last thing Andy.

 

Make sure you have good security on the new garage. I'm sure we've all read about the unfortunate experiences of Jenny Emily on another thread.

 

Try not to give away your address Andy. By the views you've shown of your old garage and the double-edge sword of "Google Streetview", it wouldn't be too difficult to suss out your particular house.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Western Sunset

[Andrew P]

Well cheers all, I normally reply to individual post's as I feel its the right thing to do, but I have had so many hits that I will do JOINT THANK YOU to you all for your well wishes.

 

I will have enough room for the track to run in an arc along one side of the 16ft shed, I will probably end up with about 15.5 inside after lining and about 8ft across so the width is a little tighter than I would have liked but hey ho I have to live with that.

 

From the Station Plan in post #1 I will be working from the Goods Yard side so that the arc will run the length of the Shed and I will have the goods Yard right in front of me.

I may yet do a branch off a one end but that's another story for another day.

 

Bodge.

[Andrew P]

Oh, one last thing Andy.

 

Make sure you have good security on the new garage. I'm sure we've all read about the unfortunate experiences of Jenny Emily on another thread.

 

Try not to give away your address Andy. By the views you've shown of your old garage and the double-edge sword of "Google Streetview", it wouldn't be too difficult to suss out your particular house.

Thanks Peter, that's a very valid point, the Shed is having a Steel double locking door, and the windows will be barred and curtained, plus I have an alarm system and security lighting to sort out.

 

Bodge

[john flann]

Andy, glad you feel ready to build anew. I look forward to seeing your progress.Nice simple and interesting track plan.

 

You should get hours of pleasure from this.

[Andrew P]

Andy, glad you feel ready to build anew. I look forward to seeing your progress.Nice simple and interesting track plan.

 

You should get hours of pleasure from this.

Thanks John, the original plan was for a U shaped BLT but as I have so much stock that I couldn't bear to part with, (things like Sound Black5, 8F, 3F, 4F etc) I just wanted an excuse to use them along with my Prairies and Panniers. I also have a love of Bulleids so to be able to run the Pines would be good as well.

The biggest problem is that I'll end up needing a 40 road fiddle yard to accommodate it all.

 

Thanks for your support.

Bodge.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Andrew P

[The Bigbee Line]

Hope your going to build as quick as Coachman. Looking forward to following the proceedings.

[Andrew P]

Hope your going to build as quick as Coachman. Looking forward to following the proceedings.

Cheers Ernie, I cant even keep up with just reading about his exploits let alone lay, lift, lay, lift and re lay at his rate. The thing is though, he does such a good job of it every time, so neat, I've still a lot to learn.

 

Bodge.

[Andrew P]

I've just had a phone call from George T, he's at work, but has said he want's to do some buildings, and although I have have the buildings for Bitton Station and goods yard, I will be having a branch off to a small Terminus so I'm hoping he can do that for me as a joint project like we did with Trebudoc.

 

Bodge.