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Alcanman
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Once again, I’ve returned to one of favourite themes for a small modern era layout - Wagonload freight services. This type of layout offers the opportunity to run short trains with large locos.

 

 

 

In 1983,during the BR Speedlink era, Deanside Transit came into the ownership of JG Russell who operated the large distribution depot. Traffic at that time was very varied. Most traffic came via trip workings from Mossend. However, there was the well known (6L80) direct service from Wisbech, Cambs conveying Spillers pet food.

 

 

Deanside continued into the EWS Enterprise era with the following trip workings:

 

6D30  Mossend – Deanside

 

6D31 Deanside - Mossend

 

 

I cannot find reference to exactly when Deanside ceased receiving rail traffic . In any event, I’ve imagined that it continued to operate under DB Cargo.

 

 

Traffic has considerably reduced with only paper products, (imported via Immingham) arriving in VGA vans, and some steel traffic,(although there is no evidence that steel was ever handled at Deanside.) I just like steel wagons!  Other types of wagons may be seen from time to time.

 

 

In addition to the trip workings above, there are 2 kickback sidings which see the occasional engineers wagon or two and locos stabled.

 

 

Here are a few photos to show the variety of motive power used

 

 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/60539035@N02/6066522471/in/photolist-af5vM2-UQx9fq-m77cm-uS3BS5-9uuZvi-Rpd5Em-RWyGnr-85KK7W-9CCKqs-h5Dhx7-7cErL9-27tHnoY-dT2pv4-MSix2U-WUU3of-aTixG8-9fnJ7x-aE1KA2-89u2L5-cU9QS5-5o6yRZ-Xegeau-f4tLS8-dYDBXd-a7TYvr-8AFXG1-8B4YvY-aE5B3C-pjfUa9-6w9y8h-EpAxpF-SZ73ur-VamFLk-zAPR8E-QjjMea-G8y2fQ-CSZUUT-MkDgNi-vLR7cK-23uiy9n-bjW5qm-CudHjY-M1UjaV-bhZAYv-HzzKBy-QLZnPq-Djs9vn-kRrnHD-Gkst93-L9vJcd

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21513703@N06/19524792012/in/photolist-5o6yRZ-Xegeau-f4tLS8-dYDBXd-a7TYvr-8AFXG1-8B4YvY-aE5B3C-pjfUa9-6w9y8h-EpAxpF-SZ73ur-VamFLk-zAPR8E-QjjMea-G8y2fQ-CSZUUT-MkDgNi-vLR7cK-23uiy9n-bjW5qm-CudHjY-M1UjaV-bhZAYv-HzzKBy-QLZnPq-Djs9vn-kRrnHD-Gkst93-L9vJcd-Kbr2Dk-CK3dST-KfSGbr-L37GgN-G7x6F2-NX4tXV-NPfGQa-L38kYw-QLLKQR-Ph9kKd-251mJC1-uKhCkG-t8uKCJ-KfSH2z-NrKUJN-L5F8pg-L9vHHN-x3BghY-x3Bgad-vKkEr3

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21513703@N06/10554249044/in/photolist-kojTAR-9CCKqs-QjjMea-cT8YYQ-22Gucge-pM25eE-85FWCx-qHWXzo-aZjgFx-85KLtN-9uuZvi-Rpd5Em-85KK7W-h5Dhx7-dT2pv4-27tHnoY-7cErL9-EpAxpF-6w9y8h-VamFLk-zAPR8E-vLR7cK

 

Track Plan, my usual 9ft x 15ins

 

post-7898-0-13455600-1535190070_thumb.jpg

 

 

Edited by Alcanman
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Interesting.... and following!

I've also been unable to find out when rail traffic ended, the last flow being paper (Stora Enso) as mentioned. Deanside is also mentioned as a timber loading point but that was c1999-2000. Agree every freight yard needs an excuse for some steel traffic. How about BDAs delivering plate for onward transfer to BAE shipbuilders on the Clyde? 

 

Apparently the site was originally a WWII Canadian Airforce depot.

 

Alan

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I've been fascinated by Deanside Transit for 30 years ever since I saw it in 'Freight Only volume 3' by Michael Rhodes and Paul Shannon published in 1988.

 

Their description at the time that 'The Speedlink distribution depot at Deanside is one of the jewels in the Railfreight crown north of the border'. Of course, it would an excellent subject for a 1980s layout.

 

As it is 20 years since I started using my unconventional method of based building, I thought I'd mention it again for those who haven't seen it.

 

This is the 3x1 timber frame built in 1998 which has supported countless layouts including Deanside.

 

 

post-7898-0-08611100-1535283657.jpg

 

 

For each new layout it's simply a matter of removing the 12mm MDF baseboards which are screwed in place and replacing with new MDF.

 

 

post-7898-0-37969900-1535283762.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Interesting.... and following!

I've also been unable to find out when rail traffic ended, the last flow being paper (Stora Enso) as mentioned. Deanside is also mentioned as a timber loading point but that was c1999-2000. Agree every freight yard needs an excuse for some steel traffic. How about BDAs delivering plate for onward transfer to BAE shipbuilders on the Clyde? 

 

Apparently the site was originally a WWII Canadian Airforce depot.

 

Alan

It had served as storage for Canadian-built aircraft, imported in kit form, amongst other things; presumably they'd be taken to what is now Glasgow airport for assembly and testing.

I hadn't realised that Deanside were part of the Russell group.

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presumably they'd be taken to what is now Glasgow airport for assembly and testing.

I think it would have been Renfrew airport back then before it moved to Abbotsinch. The runway is now the M8 roughly from Deanside towards Paisley.

Paul.

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I think it would have been Renfrew airport back then before it moved to Abbotsinch. The runway is now the M8 roughly from Deanside towards Paisley.

Paul.

Yes but where the current airport is was the Royal Naval Air Station Abbotsinch . Glasgow Airport was built on the RNAS and the adjacent Renfrew airport closed . You are correct the M8 alignment between Paisley and Hillington was the runway of the old Renfrew Airport. Planes would have been reconstructed at the RNAS.

 

As to the the last date , I used to go to a factory adjacent and well remember the ying ying of Class 66s . There was only one train a day and I don’t think it ran every day. I was told the train contained pet food and whisky . Russell’s is a bonded warehouse . From memory the wagons were VGAs . They were certainly closed wagons, I never saw open ones . The last time I remember seeing them would be around 2010/2011 . Never saw a Class 67 there .

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Interesting to see Cargowaggon twins mixed with bogie Cargowaggons in that excellent photo by Tom Smith. And nice layout idea.

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

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Hello

Interesting layout idea.

I found a picture of a 67 on cargowaggons heading to Deanside

https://goo.gl/images/QmGkG4

 

 

There is also a picture of a 56 on megafrets with containers for Deanside Intermodal, is this the same place?

 

Thanks, Matt

 

Yes. EWS used Enterprise services to handle some Intermodal traffic.

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Layout progress update.

 

 

3mm cork tiles glued on top of the MDF baseboards enables track to be lightly pinned until final positioning. I will then glue the track with PVA and proceed with wiring.

 

Here is a pic of the entire layout.

 

 

post-7898-0-20232300-1535478233_thumb.jpg

 

 

and the scenic section, approx 6ft x 15ins.

 

 

post-7898-0-11459100-1535478292_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanks Steve.

 

No, it's not fixed to the wall. It's simply sits on top of the IKEA units. This makes it easy to wire up the layout. After glueing the track down and soldering the track feeders dropper wires,  I can lift up

 

the entire layout and stand it on it's side, balanced on the IKEA units, then and connect all the wires. 

 

I've finished wiring up the layout and all is working smoothly. 

 

 

post-7898-0-27005800-1535547128_thumb.jpg

 

 

post-7898-0-52305700-1535547191_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanks Lee.

 

It was nice to have a chat yesterday and got me thinking more about operating the layout in 2 time periods.

 

Present day and my favourite 1980s BR Speedlink era.

 

 

post-7898-0-52724400-1535791262_thumb.jpg

 

 

ps I managed to get most of the track painted yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

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Would make sense.

 

I’m just toying with the idea of a minimalistic sea front scene with interchangeable buildings for different periods.....but then again the Heljan O gauge announcements may blow everything out the water ...

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