David Todd Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 We need a few more members', to do, mainline station's,to the Kent Coast, Will soon have a full set. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Blue, love the pics! Thanks for posting - I hope I will be able to capture the character of the station, your input will be very gratefully received! Particularly like the last picture, nice to see this end of the junction and a bit of the substation which I do hope to include on the layout; I am now thinking I'd quite like to feature the signal box as well! Anything you are unsure about, i will try to help. I was there between 1984 to 2000 with a few breaks where i was in other signal boxes. Oposite the signalbox was a unelectrified siding which was used by tampers, wickham trollies etc The country end used to have two sidings. The upside siding (2 roads) was used to stable old condemmed stock (when i was first there). The down sidings was and still is used for holding empties. The paper dock was used as you suspected to unload papers directly into newsagents vans or if the lifts were out of service to get disabled passengers on/off trains. The up mainline used to run via platform 2 and terminating trains would use platform 1 but it was decided that trains would travel faster via platform 1 so during the remodeling around the late 80's the platform roles were reversed. If i recall, it was at this time the point work that conected platform 2 to the Bat and Ball Brach was also removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed a/c Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 What an entrance ! Welcome to the forum and I shall look forward to watching your layout develop. As said by other the platforms looks amazing. Regards Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjf4375 Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 Really useful info, thanks again Blue - it is good to hear from someone who knows the station and its workings so well, I'm sure I will need to pick your brains on many things so hope you wont mind! Was interested particularly in what you mention about the sidings - particularly the un-electrified one, I had noticed a siding right over to the left as you look through the road bridge from the platforms - always wondered whether it was in active use or not - I've incorporated it in the layout as I thought it would be a good place for departmental stuff to sit, tampers in particular! Sevenoaks fascinates me because of the sheer variety of movements, particularly freight and departmental, that come through there! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I am not sure, but i think the sidings was originally related to the coal yard (which is now where the car park is) i will always remember the look on a drivers face when taking a class 73 in there when all of a suden he came to a grinding holt amd had to change over from electric to diesel it wasnt used that much. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pandora Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 The "Gusset" #10 on your diagram is more than a siding, it is a loop which extends to a buffer stopped siding, you need extra pointwork to mimic Sevenoaks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pandora Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Anything you are unsure about, i will try to help. I was there between 1984 to 2000 with a few breaks where i was in other signal boxes. Oposite the signalbox was a unelectrified siding which was used by tampers, wickham trollies etc The country end used to have two sidings. The upside siding (2 roads) was used to stable old condemmed stock (when i was first there). The down sidings was and still is used for holding empties. The paper dock was used as you suspected to unload papers directly into newsagents vans or if the lifts were out of service to get disabled passengers on/off trains. The up mainline used to run via platform 2 and terminating trains would use platform 1 but it was decided that trains would travel faster via platform 1 so during the remodeling around the late 80's the platform roles were reversed. If i recall, it was at this time the point work that conected platform 2 to the Bat and Ball Brach was also removed. If you are stopped in platform 3, then if back to London via Orpington, Bat & Ball is without a route from teh paltform Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 (edited) Here is a track plan i copied into my note book when i was incident response from 1993. Obviously it isnt to scale, but i hope it will help you. Edited September 19, 2015 by Blue 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjf4375 Posted September 19, 2015 Author Share Posted September 19, 2015 (edited) Pandora, Blue - that's really helpful guys, many thanks. You're absolutely right re the 'gusset' marked 10 on my plan - actually my diagram doesn't show exactly what is built on the layout - there is an extra point there. However, I have also had to make another compromise re the siding. The railway track diagrams book shows the following, with the pointwork in question highlighted: Part of this pointwork is replicated on the layout, but when it came to the siding, it transpired that having it running all the way to that location brought it too close to the wall. I therefore had to cut the siding back, so it was still long enough to accommodate a 4 coach emu, but far enough away from the wall to allow clearance. I also couldn't really see the point (pardon the pun) in replicating that final point that connects the end of the gusset with the down main, as it would not add any operational value to the layout. So I omitted it! Agreed, it's a deviation from reality, but then the whole layout is a compromise, it's never going to be a 100% accurate because of the compression. The picture below hopefully explains: Edited September 19, 2015 by tjf4375 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold jamest Posted September 21, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 21, 2015 Hi, Thanks for the info on the lifting sections. Regards, James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjf4375 Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 No problem James, hope it was helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyddrail Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 I will post some more prototype pics when I get a chance. Regards the missing points on the gusset these turn the siding into 2 sidings, but that doesn't offer your model anything. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjf4375 Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 Thanks Lyddrail - any more pics you have will be more than welcome. I think that point was probably intended originally to allow a diesel loco pulling stock to escape back onto the main line. I dare say it is little used nowadays, and as you say it would not be of any benefit to my layout because it will only ever have EMUs in it (even though the photos here show different!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjf4375 Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 (edited) Progress has been a bit 'fragmented' this weekend, although I did manage to get a few things done. The ballasting to the up line on platform 1 is now complete, and some of the third rail has gone in. I've made a start with laying out the carpark on the west side of the station, and also started building the west entrance block, which is seen here in its partially completed state to give a sense of scale! Finally, I'be built the block of portacabins that is situated at the southern end of the site near the end of platforms 1/2. This turned out to be much longer than I realised! Sorry this isn't much to report, or terribly exciting but just thought I would post an update to let you know things are moving forward Comments and feedback most welcome as always. View looking north towards the station, as seen from a train coming into platform 1. The bank on the left rises to the level of the west entrance carpark, and will be covered in grass and foliage when finished. Some of the newly laid 3rd rail is visible in the foreground! The portacabin offices, which will be sited near the southern end of the platforms. It is 30cm long, which is much longer than I realised it would be! They still need rainwater goods and staircases, which will come later when they are ready to be placed in situ. The west entrance block is making progress. Construction is mount board, with printed textures and styrene box-siding for the upper parts. The support structure for the carpark, similar in height to the platforms, is also in place. Edited September 21, 2015 by tjf4375 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Wow i love it. You have the upside entrance looking almost exactly as i remember it. I hated that side. It was a magnet for flys in the summer and we could spend several hours sweeping up dead ones. The downstairs buffet was hardly ever used, and if it was, it was only for the morning rush for newspapers. The ticket office was open for about two hours each morning, and when we got the gates, it caused chaos for weeks until the passengers got used too it. The portacabins were there for the engineers doing the work resignalling work for the then new Ashord IECC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyddrail Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 I like the buildings, especially the Westinghouse portacabins, that is big. We used to access the track from the gate at the end of their compound when working in Sevenoaks tunnel. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjf4375 Posted September 22, 2015 Author Share Posted September 22, 2015 Cheers Blue - it's really good to know I'm on the right track - the upside block does seem rather a strange and forgotten area! Probably not very nice to be using that entrance/exit at night if you're on your own, as it's quite isolated as well! Interesting to read about the reason for the porta-cabins, I did wonder what their use was - are they still used for anything these days? I guess it would be quite expensive to remove them and they've just been left there? Next step will be the cable trunking along the down side opposite platform 4 and ballasting, before the ground floor brick pier supporting the end of the ticket hall goes in. It certainly is an interesting building, that's for sure! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 This is really interesting, and excellent modelling too. Bit "late period" for my tastes, being one of those who was never a great fan of the "architecture", which I thought looked cheap and nasty even when it was new. The previous decaying timber-work had more atmosphere! Anyway, I'm delighted to see mention of the substation (all third rail layouts need one IMHO, and they are very rarely represented accurately) ......... When you eventually get to that bit, you may find that the visible electrical equipment takes a bit of "getting your head round" if you aren't familiar with it ........... PM me a reminder if you need help, and I will try to advise. Also, I remember there being a mechanical detonator-placer, operated from the signal-box, on the up branch road. A tad microscopic for modelling perhaps, but maybe one of the other followers could tell us how long it lasted - it seemed a late survivor to me. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 This is really interesting, and excellent modelling too. Bit "late period" for my tastes, being one of those who was never a great fan of the "architecture", which I thought looked cheap and nasty even when it was new. The previous decaying timber-work had more atmosphere! Anyway, I'm delighted to see mention of the substation (all third rail layouts need one IMHO, and they are very rarely represented accurately) ......... When you eventually get to that bit, you may find that the visible electrical equipment takes a bit of "getting your head round" if you aren't familiar with it ........... PM me a reminder if you need help, and I will try to advise. Also, I remember there being a mechanical detonator-placer, operated from the signal-box, on the up branch road. A tad microscopic for modelling perhaps, but maybe one of the other followers could tell us how long it lasted - it seemed a late survivor to me. Kevin I don't recall the detonator being there when i was in the box from 1984 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjf4375 Posted September 22, 2015 Author Share Posted September 22, 2015 Hi Kevin, thanks loads for the comments! I totally agree with you about the architecture - it is certainly an 'acquired taste' and probably would have been very bitterly disliked when it first replaced the old wooden station in the 70s. Today I think the best reception it gets is indifference! Kind of a shame as it does have some interesting features, and is rather nice from a modelling point of view because of its geometric 'block' design. Thank you very much for your offer of help re the substation - I will certainly take you up on that when I get to that stage - I know there is an 'RTR' station available from Bachmann, but it's rather crude and I am hoping to create something a bit more convincing for that area. It won't be an exact replica, because the gap between the main lines and the Otford branch is not as large on my layout as it is in reality, but a good 'resemblance' would certainly be good! I am very glad I posted the layout on here because I have had so many kind offers of help from people who know SEV and surrounding area much better than I do, and you just cant buy that expertise! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCML100 Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Only just come across this thread. And what a great layout. Will be following with interest and keep the good work up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjf4375 Posted September 23, 2015 Author Share Posted September 23, 2015 Thanks Peter! I'm a big fan of Ammanford Junction too, superb layout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 Looks very interesting!! wil follow this... cheers neil.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjf4375 Posted October 11, 2015 Author Share Posted October 11, 2015 Thanks Neil, more updates to come shortly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjf4375 Posted November 4, 2015 Author Share Posted November 4, 2015 (edited) Hello all! Sorry about the lack of updates - things have been happening and somehow it's been things that haven't really made a great difference to the layout - track weathering, ballasting and wotnot, which is all pretty tedious! But I just wanted to post a few pics to let you know the layout is still alive and well! Overall view - it's a bit of a building site at the moment, but definitely making progress! The view looking south from platform 4, before the track was ballasted. This shows the curvature of the track leading out of the station and round to the tunnel close up view of track, this isn't the most interesting picture in the world but I was quite pleased with the cable trunking! Ballasting of the southern end is progressing well, and the 3rd rail is (slowly) being installed This view is taken from the north end of platforms 1-2, looking south. The 'brown patch' will soon be covered in foliage! The now disused newspapers platform - part of the ticket hall building is seen in the background. View taken from platform 1 (up platform). You can get a better idea of where all the buildings will be. Southbound view of the down side buildings and wall sections. The blue tape indicates the footprint of the bridge over the platforms. View at the southbound end - and the two 'work horses' of the Kent Coast, the 4-VEP and 4-CEP. Once again it is a bit of a building site, but hope you like the pics and comments/feedback always welcome! Edited November 4, 2015 by tjf4375 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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