"Out to Braysdown"

[Radial415]

"Out to Braysdown"

 

Writhlington Colliery, Former S&D in N gauge

 

Whilst I am a long time lurker on this forum, this is my first post; Partially because I haven't had anything much to post about until now. However, a layout is now in progress, and so I thought it was about time I got round to sharing my modelling 'endeavours'! This all started some time ago when a friend and I began to think it might be nice to build a model railway together - fast forward one and a half years, and we have finally made a start. My interests have largely been geared towards BR Southern Region, whilst my friend (now also housemate) is firmly Midland Region. Since we are both studying at Uni together in the West Country, the Slow & Dirty seems like a pretty ideal compromise. Hopefully we'll be able to make reasonable progress on the model, although church commitments and trying to get a degree (plus a student budget) might well make things a tad slow...

 

As a bit of background to the layout itself, Writhlington Colliery lay just to the east of Radstock. Outlasting the S&D itself through the temporary connection to the now long gone ex-GWR route through Radstock, the colliery was active well into the '70s, however the period we are modelling will loosely cover the period from around 1955 until the final trains in 1966. One challenge with this project is that we set ourselves a maximum baseboard size of 1220x400mm. This means that one or two compromises have had to be made in terms of where the individual colliery buildings will sit and on a few siding lengths. We have also changed a single slip to a double slip, because at the end of the day it's our railway and it'll make it more fun "versatile" to operate when no one's looking! Otherwise, we're aiming to stick as closely to the prototype as possible, and with any luck the model will retain the feel of the real location. A parcel containing the necessary track (although helpfully not fishplates which we forgot to stock up on) arrived from eHattons yesterday, so we're just starting to think about track laying. Current rolling stock and motive power extends to a 9F, 4F, two maroon mk1s and four 16t mineral wagons - we might not be doing summer Saturday running just yet... Anyway, here's some pictures, which will inevitably explain things far better than I can with words. Some photos might be a bit blurry, especially the visualisation test model, but it's quite tricky taking good close-ups of something modelled in 1:740 scale...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Spitfire2865]

Thats quite a few points for such a small layout.

Though that framework looks nice and neat. Wish I was that good at baseboard building.

And that miniature model is a great project in itself.

[Dazzler Fan]

+

Hi!

 

Nice, and in limited space.

 

Like your idea of the double slip, mine is still a single.
Of course the Slip did not exist in printed plans.

 

"Empties" siding was quite steep to a mid-level.

Writhlington Sidings ran below the mainline.

Entry to those sidings had a passing loop, and there

were two more sidings before the ground fell to the river.

 

For strength and lightness many miss a valuable property

of a good plywood.

 

Noel

 

Ian Smith has a useful 2mm GWR 10T Brake that can double for

an S&D Brake with slight modification
 

PLUG! - "N" gauge Sheave Wheels are now available

- and possibly a stationary model of 25a.

[Radial415]

Thanks for your comments. I must admit that I can't personally take responsibility for the baseboard; it was primarily my mate's work. The framework can take all of his weight, so hopefully it'll be strong enough for a model railway! Re the loaded sidings, we're deliberately modelling only the western end of the loop in front of them and imagining the end of the loop and the loaded sidings to exist in the fiddle yard area, partially because they wouldn't fit, but also because it prevents us from needing more wagons than we can afford - otherwise we would have potentially needed £100+ of rolling stock just sat out on the layout. Equally, we plan to extend the empties siding and the colliery sidings through the backscene to enable the 'recycling' and loading of wagons respectively.

 

The issue of levels is one that we're currently trying to work out a solution to. Fundamental to this issue is the fact that n scale wagons don't traditionally come fitted with brakes. This makes sidings on an incline quite tricky. To solve this, we're thinking of raising the mainline at the Wellow end with an extra layer of cork or two. We're then thinking of building the empties siding such that it has an initial decline but then levels out. This probably won't replicate the full extent of the dramatic effect of the siding dropping away, but should hopefully give an impression of the different levels. The whole issue of where levels sit also extends to the colliery itself. The prototype sat further back away from the mainline, however we simply don't have the space to do this. The head of the colliery sidings was already at 1 in 26, so we're currently working on how to give an impression of how it sat lower than the mainline. This also condenses the area in which the road runs underneath the mainline, and Wellow Brook runs underneath the colliery sidings and then the road. But then that's all part of the fun!

 

P.S. If anyone wants to know more about the prototype, I'd highly recommend Chris Handley's 'Radstock - Coal and Steam volume 2'.

[treggyman]

Hi

 

Following your recommendation I duly bought a copy of Chris Handley's book from a well known auction site.....

 

It arrived last Saturday & although I've not read it yet but skimmed it it is a wealth of useful information....

Lots of drawings,period pics etc....

Well worth it.....

 

I'm modelling a supposed location inspired by Norton Hill colliery & Midsomer Norton....BUT single line so a supposed branch..... The pictures will be fantastic inspiration for the background buildings & surroundings.....

Thanks for the heads up

 

Looking forward to your next instalment......

 

Cheers Bill