Elsbridge Tramway Company: Elsbridge Town - NeilHB's layout

[EKR]

Hi Neil,

 

Reading this thread reminded me that D&S does a kit for the no.16 guards van to go with the Upwelling coaches.

Quirky converted GER van with duckets and a central end door with gangway access to the tram cars.

Scrapped in 1928 (?) so photos are poor.

Nice kit to build.

[Guest Isambarduk]

W&UT Van No. 16: "Nice kit to build."

Yes, I agree. I built the underframes with added details many years ago (2001) and then the project stalled - but I shall return to it one day!  Here is a photo of it being used as a boiler truck for a Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST (Easingwold No. 2); this is another project that stalled, partly because I was diverted into a major conversion of an Ixion Hudswell Clarke into GCR 0-6-0ST Humber (see: www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/69095-idea-conversion-of-ixion-hudswell-clarke/ )
 

David

Edited January 13, 2016 by Isambarduk

[Edwardian]

I am very pleased to have spotted this thread.  I can say that, doubtless in common with many, I am a life-long fan of Sudrian Railways, indeed, I think it fair to say they are responsible for my interest in railways.

 

I am glad to see that people model Sudrian railways, having oft toyed with an OO 'finescale' layout based upon the system.  However, I love the Victorian and Edwardian scene, particularly some of the small networks, and an Edwardian Sudrian layout is a very splendid idea.

 

I have very much enjoyed catching up with progress and I look forward to seeing more.  Greatly inspiring stuff for me.

[NeilHB]

Thanks Edwardian, very much appreciated. Will admit I haven't made much progress in recent weeks, other than odd little bits here and there which weren't worth posting about. Managed to snag a bargain on eBay the other day though so gained a couple of trams which will be converted into ex-horse drawn tramcars converted to run behind the coffee pots during the early days. One Bachmann 0n30 streetcar converted to standard gauge, and the other looks like it was a resin kit mounted on a modified Hornby motor bogie - so not only have I gained two coaches but two nicely running chassis' as well - just need to work out what to use them for now!

[hartleymartin]

The On30 Bachmann teamcar is quite narrow. I tried converting one some years back but got stuck on it.

[NeilHB]

You are quite correct Martin, however I think it should be relatively easy to widen the body with new ends and roof. The curved dashboards at each end will go and be replaced with some of a more suitable design - just got to decide what that design is first!

[hartleymartin]

I cannot find it now, but I did widen one of these bodies to make a Sydney C class tram. No idea how I did it though.

[NeilHB]

If you do manage to find it Martin would you post some photos please? Be interesting to see how it looks.

[NeilHB]

Finally some progress!

I haven't made much progress on the layout at all in the last month, in fact I haven't really ventured into the train room for the best part of a month...finally made it in there at the weekend and managed to have a good tidy and clear out. Buying a nice new bookcase from Argos for some (!) of my railway books to live on has made a big difference and means that I can actually see the floor...

Having had a good (if somewhat cold) day at the Kettering show I returned home with a couple more times of rolling stock to build courtesy of Ragstone Models.

The first item up on the workbench is ex Wisbech & Upwell Tramway luggage van No.9 (or to those of you familiar with the work of the Rev. Awdry - Elsie) - a very nice whitemetal kit with a minimum of flash. Just over an hours work has seen the basic chassis and body assembled:

Having done that I realised the layout needed a good tidy - having become a bit of a dumping ground for various tools and projects I couldn't use it - now I can:

I would have made more progress tonight where it not for the actions of youngest helper (Tigger) who decided that both the layout and the workbench needed a good inspection...

[Andrew Young]

Hi Neil,

 

Glad it's not just me who's found life getting in the way of modelling recently. I like the look of the little luggage van, who's kit is it, or is it another of your eBay finds...?

 

As for Tigger, suspect more hindrance than help!!

 

Also, do I spy some more red locos than when you last posted?

 

Cheers,

Andrew

Edited March 16, 2016 by Andrew Young

[NeilHB]

Hi Andy,

 

Thanks. The van is from Ragstone Models - http://www.ragstonemodels.co.uk - I picked it up from Kettering along with me of their Great Eastern dumb buffered ballast wagons. All it needs adding is some lowmac wheels from Slaters for the van - total cost about £55 so not too bad all in.

 

Tigger - yes definitely a hindrance - spent more time turfing him off the layout than doing anything else tonight!

 

Yes well spotted about the locos - need to actually get round to finishing off the repainted of the Peckett and the Hudswell Clarke. I bought one of Paul's cast brass Peckett domes at Kettering so need to sort that out and get it fitted - should hopefully look quite nice when it's finished.

 

Cheers,

 

Neil

[Andrew Young]

Yes, will look good, you'll have to get the polish out for that dome!

 

Thanks for the tip about the luggage van, will have to look out for one next time I see their stand.

 

Cheers,

Andrew

[DLT]

 

David

 

Now that's taking freelance loco design a bit TOO far......

Edited March 17, 2016 by DLT

[DLT]

W&UT Van No. 16: "Nice kit to build."

 

Yes, I agree. I built the underframes with added details many years ago (2001) and then the project stalled - but I shall return to it one day!  Here is a photo of it being used as a boiler truck for a Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST (Easingwold No. 2); this is another project that stalled, partly because I was diverted into a major conversion of an Ixion Hudswell Clarke into GCR 0-6-0ST Humber (see: www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/69095-idea-conversion-of-ixion-hudswell-clarke/ )

 

David

 

That's a nice looking casting, I presume resin?  Please can you tell us the origin of the chimney?

 

Many thanks,

Dave.

[Guest Isambarduk]

Dave, Yes, the casting is resin. 

 

Both the white metal chimney casting and the resin smokebox/tank/firebox were supplied in the erstwhile Impetus kit for the Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST.  I was easily able to fettle the resin casting but the white metal chimney casting was a little too short (I seem to remember) and the junctions between the saddle and the main body and between the main body and the rim were none too clean.  I cut the casting into three, cleaned up the saddle, partly re-machined and cleaned up the rim, and then turned a new main body in brass to finish up with what you see in the photo.

 

Actually, the safety valves were a bit more demanding.  Again, I was able to use the casting for the saddle but I made a new set of safety valve bodies to replace the single casting that was supplied.  When I came to rework my Ixion Hudswell Clarke, I made a similar set in the same way, which I describe here: www.davidlosmith.co.uk/GCR_Humber.htm#SafetyValves

 

 

The original Ixion safety valve assembly (left) and my creation for Easingwold No. 2 (centre) that enticed me to make another for GCR No. 278 (right)

 

David

[NeilHB]

Productive afternoon today - got the W&U luggage van to the point where I could put a coat of primer on it, while that was drying I built the other kit I purchased at Kettering, also from Ragstone Models this is a GER dumb buffered ballast wagon from the 1880s - I can't resist a nice dumb buffered open...

 

Next I started on cutting down in length the resin tramcar I bought from eBay a month or so ago - no photos yet as I'm still waiting for the glue to dry...this will replace the scratch built tramcar built previously as I wasn't happy with how it looked (don't worry I will come back to it one day).

 

Lastly a quick photo for Mr Young - 3 red engines all in a row...

 

Really must get the Peckett and the HC finished off and put back together properly!

[NeilHB]

As promised, some photos of the tramcar conversion - I will say this - it's a bit small! So perfectly suited to Elsbridge Wharf then.

Makes a Slaters MR 8T van looks positively huge next to it...!

Still a fair bit to do including cutting down the clerestory roof to fit and filing in the various gaps etc. in the sides/roof. Livery wise I'm thinking the reverse of what it currently is - maroon with a white/cream body side panel. I wasn't sure when I started this project how it would look, however I'm quite pleased with it so far - hopefully it gives the right impression of a railway struggling to make ends meet and having to make do with whatever stock was to hand.

Speaking of maroon - I got the minidrill out the other night and played with the polishing attachments - cue one shiny brass Peckett dome/safety valves:

Shiny!

[Dava]

That tramcar conversion is pure Wantage Tramway. You need to finish your vertical boiler loco to haul it! Or that Manning Wardle would look the part?

 

Dava

[NeilHB]

Thanks Dave - I really must get cracking with coffee pot again! The MW would look good too - currently with Tim for rebuilding as the chassis when bought was decidedly wonky...

[Dava]

Oh dear...I've got one of those Slater MW kits part-built by someone else in the 'resurrection' box to sort out!

 

Dava

[NeilHB]

Is it the 0-4-0 you've got? The trick with them is ensuring that the crossheads have enough room - I think Tim said he'd replaced the crankpins on mine with Markits one as they were smaller, plus fitting different pickups as the Slaters one supplied (and already fitted) weren't that great. Hopefully yours isn't in the same situation that mine was where the rear wheels were glued to the axle.

Which motor/gearbox does yours have - mine is fitted with the original two part plastic gearbox - I don't think they've made that one in a while which shows how old the kit is.

Incidentally I've got an unbuilt kit of the K class 0-6-0s in the to-do pile...

[Mike Bellamy]

Incidentally I've got an unbuilt kit of the K class 0-6-0s in the to-do pile...

 

 . . . . and me - based on the fact that I don't even own a soldering iron, solder or flux, you can probably guess that it's a long term project !

 

.

[NeilHB]

A track plan, a track plan, my kingdom for a track plan...

So, it's only taken me the best part of a year, but I think I've finally come up with a track plan for EW that I actually like, and that hopefully won't drive me round the bend having to hand lay all the track and points for:

The railway enters from the right hand end, hidden behind some large trees to pass across an ungated level crossing (minor road) and past the tramway cottage that now serves as the station masters residence. The line then splits to form the run round loop, with the left hand line giving access to the small goods yard (goods shed and coal staithes plus coal merchants office). The right hand side of the loop gives access via a kickback siding to the engine shed - wood and corrugated iron I think would be suitable here - before both lines rejoin at the beginning of the platform. A nice timber overall roof for the platform also doubles as a carriage shed and serves to give the passengers some protection from the wilds of the Sudrian landscape!

Still trying to work out board sizes, probably no deeper than 2', and each board maybe 3'-3'6" in length - the room the layout will live in is a tad over 9' long, so ideally it's got to fit in that space.

[Dava]

Nice & compact. Maybe the line's engineer grew up in Wantage? Trams & MW should be at home!

 

Dava

[NeilHB]

Thanks Dave - drawn in a quiet moment on my lunch break at work this afternoon - only just realised now that there are definite shades of Wantage in there...

Incidentally, the Rev. Awdry states in his 'bible' about Sodor that the first Sir Topham Hatt, who was engineer to the Knapford and Elsbridge Railway, was apprenticed at Swindon works prior to coming to Sodor - so entirely plausible that he could have been influenced by Wantage after all!