Princetown?

[KeithMacdonald]

I did search for a Princetown topic, but didn't find one, so apologies in advance if I've missed it.

 

Has anyone modelled Princetown?

 

I haven't included the prison, although it might be fun to model Norman Stanley Fletcher arriving for some porridge ;-)

 

[brianusa]

Don't know if you know of it but once upon a time there was an extra siding that came off the curve to the engine shed.  It crossed the T/T siding between the Engine Shed and the T/T and ended up a few yards past the boundary  wall.  Don't know its purpose but it can be seen on some maps but I don't think it lasted for very long.

       Brian.

[Chris Chewter]

There are a few versions modelled.  I'm aware of one I think in Australia,

 

 

The other is here:

 

 

But you are correct that no-one on RMWeb has modelled it as far as I'm aware!

 

To me Princetown is a lovely branch, but then I remember walking it as a teenager imagining lonely praries hauling their single coach trains up onto the bleak moor.

 

If you are actually thinking of modelling Princetown, there are some beautiful photographs available on this website which is well worth a look:

 

https://oldprincetown.weebly.com/princetown-railway.html

 

The buildings are also generally available as laser cut kits.  Timbertracks did them, but they are not available any more, however Rail Model do the engine shed and goods shed.

 

https://railmodel.co.uk/search?type=product&q=princetown

I'd also get Paul Karaus book Great western branch Line Termini Volume Two which has the station drawn up in it,

 

I think the thing that put me off was the use of the 44xx prairies.  A very particular class of loco which is not available in ready to run, so it depends whether you're happy to run a Bachmann small prairie instead or model one yourself, assuming you work in 4mm.  Also, the turntable is miniscule, so will need a bit of modelling there!

 

Hopefully the fact that someone has modelled it before dosn't put you off.  Would be good to see someone on RMWeb attempt this one!

Edited September 28, 2019 by Captainalbino
Found missing video link

[Siberian Snooper]

Tavistock Railway Circle did a model of it many years ago and currently one of the members of Plymouth North Road club has one in progress.

 

 

[Neal Ball]

It will be good to see it develop here on RMweb

 

Good luck with the project.

[KeithMacdonald]

Good news for any modelling anywhere on the Princetown branch?

In the latest Rapido newsletter:
 

Quote

Our new '44XX' will be perfect for layouts inspired by the Princetown Railway, that twisting, climbing branch line that penetrated deepest, darkest Dartmoor. '44XXs' were prime motive power on the branch from 1905 until October 1954. No. 4403 shunts at Princetown in the 1920s.

 

https://rapidotrains.co.uk/gwr-small-prairie/

 

Would their B-Set be appropriate as well?

https://rapidotrains.co.uk/gwr-b-set-coaches/

 

But which era?

GWR

https://rapidotrains.co.uk/product/dia-e140-b-set-gwr-shirtbutton-livery/

or BR

https://rapidotrains.co.uk/product/dia-e140-b-set-br-crimson/

 

[Miss Prism]

I don't think B-sets worked the Princetown branch.

[KeithMacdonald]

7 minutes ago, Miss Prism said:

I don't think B-sets worked the Princetown branch.

 

Certainly looks like single-coach working was the norm. But what kind of coach?

 

Quote

Small prairie 2-6-2T 4410 at the tranquil location of Dousland on the Princetown branch not long before closure in the mid 1950s.

 

 

Quote

4568 at Princetown

 

 

But - as an exception to the rule - see the 4th pic down the page here:

https://oldprincetown.weebly.com/princetown-railway.html

Double-headed with five coaches - a holiday special perhaps?

 

[57xx]

6 minutes ago, KeithMacdonald said:

 

Double-headed with five coaches - a holiday special perhaps?

 

 

Keep scrolling down, there are more pics of it and the caption states it's an August bank holiday special.

[Miss Prism]

4 minutes ago, KeithMacdonald said:

Certainly looks like single-coach working was the norm. But what kind of coach?

 

A single brake compo was usually more than enough for branch traffic.  A 2-firsts E157 was a regular in later years 

 

4 minutes ago, KeithMacdonald said:

https://oldprincetown.weebly.com/princetown-railway.html

Double-headed with five coaches - a holiday special perhaps?

 

It does say it's a bank holiday.

 

[33C]

I seem to remember, that an article appeared in the Railway Modeller, late eighties I think, of a garden railway built using materials recovered from the actual station sites. Eg. Princetown was made from Princetown! It used homemade, concrete sleepers and Triang BIG BIG motive power, but each station was modelled correctly. Anybody remember it too?

[chris45lsw]

2 hours ago, KeithMacdonald said:

 

Certainly looks like single-coach working was the norm. But what kind of coach?

 

 

 

 

 

But - as an exception to the rule - see the 4th pic down the page here:

https://oldprincetown.weebly.com/princetown-railway.html

Double-headed with five coaches - a holiday special perhaps?

 

The usual branch train seems to have been a Corridor Brake Composite and 4568 in this pic and one of the same engine on the 'Old Princeton' site is coupled to a 61ft  E159 1938 'Sunshine' BCK as modelled by Bachmann.  I imagine other diagrams could appear from time to time as well.  I think an additional coach might have been added on market days, probably an all third.

 

Chris KT

[melmoth]

3 hours ago, 33C said:

I seem to remember, that an article appeared in the Railway Modeller, late eighties I think, of a garden railway built using materials recovered from the actual station sites. Eg. Princetown was made from Princetown! It used homemade, concrete sleepers and Triang BIG BIG motive power, but each station was modelled correctly. Anybody remember it too?

 

I remember that. There were two articles a few years apart, probably in the August issues of whichever years.  I think the first article might have been 1983/84. The line also used Mamod steam locos, but I though that the sleepers were wooden - there was a comment about the aroma of creosote and live steam in the article somewhere. I think the builder was someone called Robin, but I forget the surname. I think it's been discussed on here before, some years ago.