London Road - LNWR 1907

[philip-griffiths]

18 hours ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

 

Philip,

 

this is a MMR kit, a mix of ply and laser cut card.

 

I wasn't previously aware of the Townstreet Coal Hole which only appears in the new models section. It isn't referred to as a LNWR model and while the tank is more accurate than the MMR kit, the rest isn't, nor does it include the coal "chute" in the outside wall by the coaling stage.

 

The MMR kit is, I think, more adaptable than the Townstreet version. I am following the dimensions set out Jack Nelson's LNWR Portrayed.

 

I have also been studying LMS Engine Sheds, Vol. 1 - The LNWR. None of the kits available for Northlight engine sheds are near enough to F W Webb's design but I understand that anothe company is starting work on one.

 

Jol

Hi Jol. 
 

Understand, this is the model have. Agree that it is not totally like the LNWR  version. 
 

also the denbeigh coal hole I have was from Bachmann. 
 

prototype is the only LNWR north light shed I know of. But it is not that robust. It would be something I’d like to explore in terms of laser cut because of the standard parts. 
 

regards. 

[Jol Wilkinson]

Hi Philip,

 

that's the best version of a LNWR Coal Hole I have seen. What make/kit is it or did you scratchbuild it? It has one more "bay" then the Townstreet version on their website.

 

Intentio already produce laser cut 7mm Northlight wall panels which are based on the LNWR shed, so hopefully a 4mm version and full kit will follow.

 

Jol

[Brassey]

5 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

At one time Brassmasters had a range of kits for Whale and Bowen-Cooke engines.

 

Yes that was the subject of the original thread but I managed to post this in the wrong one.  This is the correct one:

 

 

[Jol Wilkinson]

6 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

No, indeed you did not, you clearly said John did. Also I was wilfully chosing to assume you were referring to a Webb Precursor rather than a Whale Precursor, which was naughty since the context had clearly been set by the discussion of Whale tenders. Also I was derailed by @lezz01's mention of the LRM website. At one time Brassmasters had a range of kits for Whale and Bowen-Cooke engines.

 

According to the Brassmasters website, they are still available while parts stocks last. They don't however appear in their price list but suitable grovelling will get an definitive answer.

 

I  had a chat with John Redrup today and asked if he has a Precursor kit. Despite his preference to earlier period locos, he did plead guilty.

 

We also discussed several items that are "under development", including one LNWR wagon kit that is just now in production. I don't have full details yet but will put something on the LRM New Kits thread when I do.

[philip-griffiths]

2 hours ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

Hi Philip,

 

that's the best version of a LNWR Coal Hole I have seen. What make/kit is it or did you scratchbuild it? It has one more "bay" then the Townstreet version on their website.

 

Intentio already produce laser cut 7mm Northlight wall panels which are based on the LNWR shed, so hopefully a 4mm version and full kit will follow.

 

Jol

Jol. Townstreet. 
 

I think it was kit 55.  This is the picture on the box. 

Edited August 2, 2023 by philip-griffiths
Mistake.

[Hibelroad]

I've recently come across this water tower at Holyhead which clearly shows the LNWR tank design. The whole structure looks like it should be a coal hole but there is no indication or brickwork to show that it ever was. As far as I know this must be one of the last LNWR tanks on existence but I cannot find anything out about it, as it is some way from the station it seems to have been missed by photographers in the past and not mentioned in any books I have which cover the station and engine shed.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/XfszMgDgoDX3Ghhk8

[philip-griffiths]

1 hour ago, Hibelroad said:

I've recently come across this water tower at Holyhead which clearly shows the LNWR tank design. The whole structure looks like it should be a coal hole but there is no indication or brickwork to show that it ever was. As far as I know this must be one of the last LNWR tanks on existence but I cannot find anything out about it, as it is some way from the station it seems to have been missed by photographers in the past and not mentioned in any books I have which cover the station and engine shed.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/XfszMgDgoDX3Ghhk8

Interesting. The 1924 25 inch map has it marked on it and concur on the LNWR Characteristics.  The loco shed at Holyhead was where the transport for Wales now is, opposite the roundabout on the expressway. There was a coal hole at that location. 

[The Stationmaster]

On 04/08/2023 at 11:10, Hibelroad said:

I've recently come across this water tower at Holyhead which clearly shows the LNWR tank design. The whole structure looks like it should be a coal hole but there is no indication or brickwork to show that it ever was. As far as I know this must be one of the last LNWR tanks on existence but I cannot find anything out about it, as it is some way from the station it seems to have been missed by photographers in the past and not mentioned in any books I have which cover the station and engine shed.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/XfszMgDgoDX3Ghhk8

IT is also shown on the 1914 25" OS map - with no other railway buildings anywhere near it.  In view of its size and position further up the hill I wonder if it was there to ensure a good head of water at the station (and hotel?) for hydrauiic machinery (and possibly for loco facilities as well)?

[Hibelroad]

8 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

IT is also shown on the 1914 25" OS map - with no other railway buildings anywhere near it.  In view of its size and position further up the hill I wonder if it was there to ensure a good head of water at the station (and hotel?) for hydrauiic machinery (and possibly for loco facilities as well)?

Yes I did wonder about that myself, hydraulic was an important way to transmit power in the days before electricity was readily available. There is a hydraulic accumulator at Heaton Norris which was primarily a source of power for the goods warehouse but was also piped to Stockport Edgeley station, a distance of around a mile across the viaduct so long pipe runs are not uncommon.

Edited August 7, 2023 by Hibelroad
spelling error!

[Middlepeak]

Fascinated by Hibel Road's comment about the hydraulic accumulator at Heaton Norris. I'm currently researching for a talk on the viaduct and spotted the water pipe in a cross-section of the post-1888 widened viaduct, located between the up fast and down fast. 

 

How was this used in the station - as a power source for what?

 

Thanks,

 

Geraint

[Hibelroad]

2 hours ago, Middlepeak said:

Fascinated by Hibel Road's comment about the hydraulic accumulator at Heaton Norris. I'm currently researching for a talk on the viaduct and spotted the water pipe in a cross-section of the post-1888 widened viaduct, located between the up fast and down fast. 

 

How was this used in the station - as a power source for what?

 

Thanks,

 

Geraint

I read somewhere that there were hydraulic lifts at Stockport Edgeley, presumably in the early days when there was a footbridge and no underpass. I cannot find the reference now so cannot give any more details but I believe there is still a spiral staircase within the main building which would have given access to the footbridge, so a lift might be needed for heavy luggage or other goods.  

[Jol Wilkinson]

After a few days away in Kent, I have managed to finish the additional track in the engine shed area to accommodate the MMR laser kit for the  LNWR Coal Hole. The track to the coaling stage rises at 1 in 30 and has brick walls to retain the earth. The level section at the rear is from the kit and is removeable for painting. I can't finish the two  loco shed lines until I have got the parts/kit for the shed.

 

Next job will be to finish the wiring on this board. I can then start on removing the other boards at the north end and the storage sidings to fit the point servos and wiring.

 

 

[Jol Wilkinson]

Despite other activities such as building a couple of baseboards for a group project, wiring on the remaining London Road baseboards is underway. There are ten in total, the most complex being the one next to the bridge (see photo), the engine shed and the two storage sidings. The others are mostly just two tracks. This is the board next to the original two from the original layout. It links to the engine shed and the boards around to the storage sidings The PCB unit in the middle is a MERG Servo4 to operate the three doll LNWR LQ bracket signal when it gets built (any volunteers?).

 

 

Connections between the board is through D-sub connectors. Although the layout is permanently located, boards can be removed for wiring, working on the track or doing the scenic stuff. The wiring and connections are all recorded on an Excel spreadsheet as my memory isn't up to the job! I also have to build several more MERG servo controllers for the two storage siding and one adjacent board.

 

 

Edited September 3, 2023 by Jol Wilkinson
Additional text

[Jol Wilkinson]

I haven't posted anything here for a while as, although I have been working on the layout wiring, it is almost as boring to read about as to do. However, another milestone has been reached as all the baseboards are now wired. 

 

The most complicated is the "north" storage sidings board. This has three crossovers between the four of the five siding lines and is also the connection point for the storage sidings control panel. The control panel will connect by the 37way d-sub socket at the top right. The six point servos are driven by two MERG Servo4 controllers while the vee switching is by the 4-relay units.

 

 

The plan was to control the Servo4s and relay units jointly by single pole on/off switches. However a bench test showed that, for some inexplicable reason this didn't work. I could have used two pole switches but as I had spare relay units I have wired these to switch both the vee polarity and the Servo4s.

 

The points on adjoining boards that also feed into the storage sidings are controlled by MERG Servo1R units that have integrated relays. With the benefit of hindsight it would probably been easier to use six of those on this baseboard.

 

Next job is to reinstall these baseboards - the baseboard above is the "foundation" baseboard  that the others on this side link onto. Then I can start on the storage sidings control panel and modify the original baseboard for the "scenic" section.

[Coal Tank]

Always interesting Jol 

[Jol Wilkinson]

Move along, nothing to see. 

 

Well, that's how it feels, having spent some time wiring the baseboards and then started to adapt the control panel to fit in the new circuitry. The redundant switches and indicator LEDs have been removed and their replacements fitted. I plated over the panel with 1.0mm black plasticard to cover the redundant holes before drilling for new. Next will be to fit the connector sockets and then wiring can commence.

 

A bit of time was lost when I decided to test the plain track sections to ensure the connections between the baseboards were good. I found that both Up and Down lines were linked at the northern end of the layout. Isolating the baseboards showed where the problem lay and proved the advantage of making the baseboards removeable as I was able to remove the one where the problem lay to work on the wiring with ease.

[Jol Wilkinson]

I am most likely to miss my target of having the wiring completed by the year end but the alterations to the main control board are fairly well underway.

 

In the meanwhile I would like to wish those brave few who have followed this and my Loco and rolling stock thread a  very Happy Christmas and a healthy, wealthy and productive New Year.

[Chas Levin]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too, Jol 👋🏻

[Coal Tank]

Merry Christmas Jol ,have a good one 

[Coal Tank]

Here are a couple of photos that I took of London Road in 2019 at a small S4 meeting

[Brassey]

8 hours ago, Coal Tank said:

Here are a couple of photos that I took of London Road in 2019 at a small S4 meeting

 

That looks like John's terminus version...

[Coal Tank]

50 minutes ago, Brassey said:

That looks like John's terminus version...

Hi Peter,yes it is there was a small S4 meeting in 2019 and I took a few photos of it.

[Jol Wilkinson]

2 hours ago, Brassey said:

That looks like John's terminus version...

 

Hi Peter,

 

yes that was the end baseboard of the original terminus version of London Road, which was "redundant" when I extended the layout into a through station. That used two of the original boards plus two new boards with a total "scenic" length of 22 feet.

 

This board has now been reunited with the other tow original boards and fiddle yard and is now back in the hands of John Redrup.

 

Jol

[Keith Turbutt]

3 hours ago, Coal Tank said:

Hi Peter,yes it is there was a small S4 meeting in 2019 and I took a few photos of it.

The 'small'  S4 meeting was the AGM for 2019, hosted by NEEAG at Woodbridge.

[Coal Tank]

I do like to get amongst the train's when taking photos.