Elsbridge Tramway Company: Elsbridge Town - NeilHB's layout

[NeilHB]

First Wellsworth & Suddery Railway wagons are now lettered:

 

 

Must finish painting the underframe on No.3! 

[NeilHB]

Well all the stock for Elsbridge is now packed away, and most of the train room is in boxes. Just got to wait now for our vendor to get a shift on so we can sort out a moving date! 

 

Hopefully the next update will be once we’re in the new house  

[NeilHB]

I said next update after we’d moved house, but there was a small lie involved in that. There was one last project on the workbench that had to be completed before today - a retirement present for a much loved colleague. Those of you who know me well enough know that @Mike Bellamy and I have had the joy (though I’m not sure Mike would agree with that!) of working in the same department at Derby University, well up until today we did. 

 

Wanting to ensure that Mike had at least one railway themed retirement present, I’ve built, painted and lettered a Slaters Gloucester 6plank open in a very suitable livery...

 

 

 

Not quite sure who we’re going to ask for advice and guidance now at work. 

 

House completion set set for next Wednesday, so all being well normal service will be resumed shortly. 

[Mike Bellamy]

 

I was almost lost for words when I saw the Slaters box in between the bottles of beer in the gift wrapped basket. Oh great, I thought, another unbuilt kit to add to the pile that has been accumulating over a number of years - then Neil suggested that I should open the box - to find that not only was it already built, but it carried the lettering shown above. That must be one of the best leaving presents ever but despite Neil being very persuasive (as well as a great modeller), I think it will be some time before other kits are built to join this one.

 

Another gift was a chocolate loco which now lives in the fridge as it was going soft, and I was also given a gift card for B&Q - I will now think of my colleagues at work every time I sit on the toilet as we bought an extractor fan as part of our bathroom refurbishment . . . . . . . .!

 

Thanks again Neil

 

Mike (now 65 and unemployed)

[robertc]

A nicely done thoughtful present!

cheers

Bob

[NeilHB]

Pleased to report that we are now in the new house (finally!). 

 

Having unpacked most of the stuff, I decided it was time to get the trains out and see what it all looked like in the garage. I’ve got approximately a 10’ x 10’6”ish square to play with, so plenty of room for Elsbridge Wharf (I hope). 

 

 

Just messing around with the stock at the moment, seeing what works visually in the space available. There appears to be an influx of Wellsworth and Suddery stock (so it must be post 1912 after the tunnel through the ridge south of Crosby was cut to link the two railways). A1 ‘Edric’ waits to leave on a short passenger train, whilst MW K class ‘Thorkell’ shunts in the yard. 

 

The space I've been allocated needs partitioning off and insulating, so that’s the first task on the list once I’ve removed the existing workbenches and shelving units that are there. 

 

Currently ideas are mulling around something similar to Iain Rice’s Isle of Whithorn plan from the Light Railway Layout Design book:

 

 

It'll need a bit of adjustment to fit the space (curving the approach round a lot more for a start) but given that I’ll be using small locos and short trains I think it will fit. I was going to handbuild the track, but life’s too short, so I’ll be using Peco settrack points instead. 

 

I must admit I am really looking forward to getting going with building the layout - it’s been in the planning stages for long enough now!  

 

I’m also contemplating a change to the proposed motive power for Elsbridge, and thinking about moving away from the Rev. Awdry’s backstory that the line was operated by a fleet of coffee pot locomotives. There might still be one or two coffee pots (for shunting the wharf and working the quarry branch), but I’m thinking of moving towards having locos supplied by Fletcher Jennings and co - after all they were only just up the coast, and had a number of suitably small designs that I think would look rather good on Elsbridge:

 

 

One or two of these in some sort of Indian Red livery would look rather good (sorry thought I’d saved where I found the above photo from - now I can’t find it again!). I think it’s possibly a candidate for a 3D printed body and chassis, luckily there’s a tame 3D printer in our local group, who can no doubt be bribed with some beer tokens...

 

Stand by for more updates as and when.

[sir douglas]

FJ No 34 "Bodmin", i forget where or when

[NeilHB]

Thanks Sam. I think Bodmin is a slightly enlarged version of the above with 4’ drivers (according to the Iain Rice drawing I have) and an 8’ wheelbase. The one I posted I think has 3’6” drivers and a 6’ wheelbase. 

 

Not sure how accurate Rice’s drawing is mind, as the FJ works list that I have states that Bodmin had 3’6” drivers. 

 

More research required I think. 

[Ruston]

This looks more like the one in the engraving, Neil. The obvious difference being that this has a running plate and splashers but otherwise is very similar.

Edited August 20, 2019 by Ruston

[NeilHB]

Thanks Dave - I’ve not seen photos of Abernant before so that’s greatly appreciated  

 

Looks like the 0-4-0ST’s were mostly photo’d from the rear 3/4 view - not seen a photo yet which shows the smokebox in any detail! 

[hartleymartin]

I reckon they would have had the typical flip-up semi-circular flat smokebox door typical of the era.

[NeilHB]

Yes that was my thought as well Martin. A front view would still be useful to confirm smokebox shape (i.e. round like Talyllyn or flat sided like Bodmin (though suspect the latter may be a Rice invention!)).

[Andrew Young]

On 20/08/2019 at 13:14, NeilHB said:

Yes that was my thought as well Martin. A front view would still be useful to confirm smokebox shape (i.e. round like Talyllyn or flat sided like Bodmin (though suspect the latter may be a Rice invention!)).

 

Agree with you about questioning Rice’s FJ saddle tank shape, just doesn’t look right in his drawing. Both of the above photos of FJ locos look to me like they have the same shape saddle tanks as Talyllyn. Must lend you my FJ books...

[NeilHB]

Earlier this week my nameplate order arrived from Narrow Planet, so I’ve been busy painting the nameplates and affixing them to the three Wellsworth & Suddery Railway engines which were ready to receive them.

 

First up we have Manning Wardle K class “Thorkell”:

 

Manning Wardle F class “Godred”:

 

And LBSCR A1 “Edric”:

 

I’ve also got the nameplates ready for the next W&SR loco, which will hopefully spur me into action to build it! 

 

Fletcher Jennings J (Jason) class “Rognvald”:

 

 

And my outline sketch of what I think it will look like when built:

 

It’ll be built around a spare Dapol A1 chassis, as with 4’ drivers and a 12’ wheelbase it matches nicely. The Terrier chassis is slightly longer at the rear than the J class, but I can live with that as I can fit a larger, more enclosed cab to it. 

[Northroader]

Can you get Dapol chassis without the superstructure, or did you dump the upperworks from a complete loco?

[NeilHB]

36 minutes ago, Northroader said:

Can you get Dapol chassis without the superstructure, or did you dump the upperworks from a complete loco?

 

Purchased a complete one (very) cheaply from DCC Supplies - a second that supposedly had glue marks on the paint (one very minor) and was a noisy runner (not really). 

 

Shall keep the bodywork and will use it to enable me to swap identities with the other 3 terriers that I have. 

[NeilHB]

A good day at Guildex today, seeing the show and helping Paul out behind the EDM Models Stand alongside Mike and Andrew. We even had a mini-meeting of the Trent Valley Area Group behind the stand when Phil T joined us as well! 

 

I was very good and didn’t buy too much (other than a large supply of axleboxes from the E&T stand) up until the last hour...

 

 

 

 

 

Not a bad haul! They need a little bit of work (new buffers and couplings plus some minor repairs), but they’ll do nicely for the layout once sorted.

 

I’m particularly taken with the horse box livery, and am now wondering what my Knapford and Elsbridge coaches would look like in SE&CR Lake!  

[BackRoomBoffin]

On 19/08/2019 at 14:20, NeilHB said:

 

 

 

I’m also contemplating a change to the proposed motive power for Elsbridge, and thinking about moving away from the Rev. Awdry’s backstory that the line was operated by a fleet of coffee pot locomotives. There might still be one or two coffee pots (for shunting the wharf and working the quarry branch), but I’m thinking of moving towards having locos supplied by Fletcher Jennings and co - after all they were only just up the coast, and had a number of suitably small designs that I think would look rather good on Elsbridge: 

 

 

 

...Wandering through and found this --- stunned and impressed!

 

Fletcher Jennings did actually make their own 'coffee pots' (ie VBTs) by the way; and of course there were the Bamford locomotives being used at Piel and Walney gravel co on the bottom end of the Furness peninsular. (This is all in Rowland Abbott's book on Vertical boiler locos).

 

It's all amazing stuff anyway and a great concept.

[NeilHB]

Some actual modelling has now taken place in the new house (hurrah!). 

 

I’ve repainted a couple of my Furness Railway wagons, as I wasn’t happy with the shade of grey I’d used previously. They’ve also now had some proper transfers added, now that I’ve managed to get hold of a set of HMRS LMS Pre-grouping ones:

 

 

 

Must get on and finish the Gloucester 4-plank (modified Slaters Gloucester 5-plank). I’ve got enough letters for a further wagon (sadly the sheet only gives you enough for 4 wagons), so I’ve got to decide now between 4 wagons as to which one gets repainted and lettered next. Think I need to tone down the interior as well with a darker wash as it looks a little too clean at the moment! 

 

Don’t suppose anyone has a few spare sets of FR lettering from the HMRS LMS Pre-grouping sheet that they don’t need/want please? Have another 4 wagons at least to letter and I don’t really want to have to buy a full sheet, plus there’s plans for at least another half dozen or so Furness wagons to emerge from the workbench at some point. Happy to exchange for beer/modelling tokens  

[NeilHB]

Productive couple of hours at the dining table this afternoon, putting together a Furness Wagon Company Furness Railway 10T van kit. It’s not as Marc intended though, as I’ve gone for one of the wooden underframe variations, so have scratchbuilt a new u/f from plastic strip. It makes a nice little adddition to the ever expanding Furness Railway fleet:

 

 

 

I’ve another one to build in a box somewhere, which I’ll turn out with the steel u/f as intended. 

[BritishGypsum4]

I have been playing catch up in terms of trying to read the various topics and threads here on RMWeb. I don't get on very often, probably because I am stuck with regards to my modelling aspirations as I don't have room (There is a valid reason for this at the moment). What I did find interesting Neil is that you have a garage that is 10' by 10' 6".

This is a great interest to me of what you will fit in as my attic is the same dimensions over the extension. There was a layout in there when I viewed the house and so my mind was working overtime!
I look forward to seeing the updates as and when you put them up. I have thoroughly enjoyed viewing the photos and what you have been up to on the project. Love the names you have used for the locomotives. I'd definitely say very appropriate and fitting! As for the Coffeepots... Got to be an interesting modelling subjects. I'd be interested if anyone ever did a kit for a standard gauge version.
 

[NeilHB]

15 hours ago, BritishGypsum4 said:

I have been playing catch up in terms of trying to read the various topics and threads here on RMWeb. I don't get on very often, probably because I am stuck with regards to my modelling aspirations as I don't have room (There is a valid reason for this at the moment). What I did find interesting Neil is that you have a garage that is 10' by 10' 6".

This is a great interest to me of what you will fit in as my attic is the same dimensions over the extension. There was a layout in there when I viewed the house and so my mind was working overtime!
I look forward to seeing the updates as and when you put them up. I have thoroughly enjoyed viewing the photos and what you have been up to on the project. Love the names you have used for the locomotives. I'd definitely say very appropriate and fitting! As for the Coffeepots... Got to be an interesting modelling subjects. I'd be interested if anyone ever did a kit for a standard gauge version.
 

 

Thanks BG4, much appreciated. 

 

I'm still deciding on track plan etc., and whether I want to use as much of the space for one big project, or have a couple of smaller projects (which would probably be easier to complete!). 

 

You can thank the good Reverend for the names - all lifted from 'The Island of Sodor: It's People, History and Places'. 

 

Coffee Pot wise yes a kit for one would be excellent, and would certainly save me some time! 

 

I've not been idle recently though, and have been drawing a Fletcher Jennings A class Mineral Engine, ready to hand over to the tame 3D printer in our group later this week: 

 

 

As I hinted at further up the page, I've been contemplating moving away from the Reverend's back story for the Ffarquhar branch, and have now decided on a mid-1860's opening date for the line, thus justifying a couple of Messer's Fletcher Jennings delightful products as the main motive power. There'll still be a coffee pot or two, but they won't be the main motive power. 

 

For sometime I've been following Corb's somewhat darker approach to the North Western Railway and its parent companies, and this has set me thinking about what I want from my own version of the Knapford & Elsbridge Railway, and in particular around the traffic generated by the areas of population served by the railway. 

 

Traffic wise so far there are the following identified: 

 

Dairy at Elsbridge

Lead Mines at Toryreck

Coal inwards - domestic and industry (dairy, lead mines, railway, brewery)

Produce outwards from farms in the area

Livestock (mostly sheep given the moorland nature of the upper reaches of the line?)

Stone traffic (I'm bringing the opening of the quarry at Anopha/Ffarquhar forward by a considerable margin)

Brewery (in memory of a good friend who passed away recently this will be the Allsopp Brewing Company - he'd appreciate that)

 

Bringing forward the opening of the quarries at Anopha does mean that I could consider modelling Ffarquhar, but on a smaller scale than depicted in the books. 

 

Plenty of food for thought there I think for today. 

 

Thoughts? 

 

 

[BritishGypsum4]

I, too, have that book and am hoping that one day, when my garage is devoid of its current contents to do a section of either the main line or Ffarquhar branch but setting it in the 1920s-1930s. I enjoy what Corbs has done and the back story to his models. I agree that they are dark and I like it for that reason.

I like the idea of pushing back the timeline that Rev Awdry created as many things seemed a little late for me however he and his brother put a lot of effort into trying to give the Island that sense of realism. It makes me wonder what didn't manage to make it into that book as there was a lot of material cut out before the publishers would go with it.

 

The traffic you have mentioned gives plenty of scope for running a variety of trains in amongst the passenger and I do think that the Fletcher Jennings choice makes sense given the close proximity to the Island. Never realised how small a boiler was on the A Class mineral engines! They do look a little commical but I love oddities and unique locomotives myself and would agree to them being a good choice for the branch line trains. Certainly would relegate the Coffeepots to shunting and lesser dutes too. Some lovely ideas there.

[NeilHB]

Yes I think the early days of the Ffarquhar branch are what appeal most to me - back when it was a bit more of a bucolic backwater and the coffee pots were still in use. 

 

It would be very interesting to see the original, unpublished manuscript for IoS, particularly the Reverends thoughts and plans for the other early railways on Sodor. 

 

The A class are quite dainty machines - my friend and I have a theory that basically the boiler/cylinders/saddletank etc. were standard across all the gauges, and the rest were just changed to suit the needs of the individual customers. 

 

Coffee pots wise yes definitely for shunting, and probably working the quarry tramroad if I do build Ffarquhar. 

[NeilHB]

First bit of modelling today - not felt like doing any for the last few weeks as the start of the new academic year is always a little bit mental at work! 

 

Took myself to off to the Mickleover Model Railway Groups Exhibition today - less than a five minute walk to the show from the new house so very good in my book. 

 

I managed to not spend too much, though did buy a part built Slaters Midland brake van, and a bag of Slaters wagon underframe parts (two complete and enough parts for 3 more, less wheels etc.) - nice little bargain for £30 for all of it  

 

I’ve made a start on lettering up the rest of the Wellsworth & Suddery Railway goods stock that’s ready -  

 

 

Just need to paint the underframe on the van, and sort out a new roof for the brakevan. 

 

Next up the newly purchased brakevan was dismantled into its component parts (not glued together very well fortuitously), and a swift rebuild was commenced...

 

 

They’re breeding! A few differences between the two, I think I shall finish the new one off in NWR brown livery. If I order some more bits from Slaters I’ll have enough to build a third one...