Trent Lane Fuelling Point 1966

[Blobrick]

 

I have a small collection of 0 gauge Heljan Green Diesels based on types found working around the Toton area on the former Midland Main Line during 1966. I ve been thinking about the best way to display them in a Shed/TMD type location. As you can imagine, a 7mm scale model of Toton is a little impractical, especially as l only have around 16ft length available to use, so l ve come up with what l hope is a suitable alternative.

 

I have envisaged that around the time that Toton TMD was built, a need was seen for a small fuelling point on the west side Nottingham station, to accommodate the needs of workings terminating around that location.  Having pondered over the O/S maps l came up with a location based just to the west side of what was then known as "Trent Lane", which l believe is now called "Lenton Lane"?

 

This location lies on the north side of the TSN1 (Trent South to Mansfield Junction) section of line to Nottingham, where there is a triangle formed by Lenton South Jct to the west and Mansfield Jct to the east, with both forming the top of the triangle at northern end at Lenton North Jct.  I have made an attempt to design a simple fuelling point that could have possibly been built within the triangle, to serve as a "stage" for the models.

 

I wanted to keep the model as compact as possible, to enable it to be moved if required. So l settled on two 72x18 inch boards for the Fuelling point and one 36x18 inch traverser. Working to this size, l have produced 4 versions of the same plan to see which, if any gave the right feel.

I have attached my favourite versions below, and would welcome any comments, members may have, good or bad. 

 

 

As you can see, l have included inspection pits on both fuel lines, l m not sure that would be correct, would it not be better to have one longer pit on just one road?  In addition would the pit be made of brick or by now had concrete been adopted as the preferred material? 

As for the fuel roads themselves, currently l intend to use 2 x Skytrex fuelling points joined together similar to photos of the one at Toton. I also intend to use at least two of Skytrex fuel tank assemblies as well. As for staff accommodation on site, there is a 7mm scale kit currently available of the fuelling point cabin at Toton which should sit nicely somewhere!

Edited June 9, 2021 by Blobrick
updated

[jonny777]

I can't help you with the layout of inspection pits at stabling/re-fuelling points; but I like the idea behind this model. The triangle of lines with their connections to Toton, Derby, Burton, Nottingham and beyond, in all four directions means that with a bit of modellers' license the potential for freight locos coming and going is vast. If you add some of the locos from St Pancras passenger services, it could end up very busy. 

 

The lines to Clifton Colliery and Wilford Power Station just add to the interest.

 

I remember passing the junctions on my trips to Derby and Crewe in the 1960s, although local services were in the hands of DMUs by then. 

[Blobrick]

13 minutes ago, jonny777 said:

I can't help you with the layout of inspection pits at stabling/re-fuelling points; but I like the idea behind this model. The triangle of lines with their connections to Toton, Derby, Burton, Nottingham and beyond, in all four directions means that with a bit of modellers' license the potential for freight locos coming and going is vast. If you add some of the locos from St Pancras passenger services, it could end up very busy. 

 

The lines to Clifton Colliery and Wilford Power Station just add to the interest.

 

I remember passing the junctions on my trips to Derby and Crewe in the 1960s, although local services were in the hands of DMUs by then. 

Hi Jonny, yes l think the location has a lot of potential, I ve got my eye on a very dirty Heljan BRCW Type 2, when they appear, but for me, at the moment at least, is finding an EE type 4 in the area, possibley working in from the Eastern Region on a special working?

Currently my traverser will have four roads, l think l might have to split them electrically (sorry folks l am old fashioned DC only) as l think l am going to run out of storage space.

Currently, l have 25/1, 25/3, 2x20, 45 and 08 to represent  the local indigenous classes, with a 37 & 31 as foreign visitors from the east .

 

Edited June 9, 2021 by Blobrick

[Clive Mortimore]

Hi Blobrick

 

I look forward to seeing your progress. A depot with a flow pattern, not often modelled.

 

As for the EE Type 4, could be one from the LNW lines? The BRCW Bo-Bo will complete the scene. No freight only Brush type 4 1/2?

A few photos of my old 00 layout Pig Lane after a boundary change and coming under LMR control.

 

[Blobrick]

Hi Clive, thanks for your comments.  I confess l am keenly awaiting the revamped Brush type 4 from Heljan, but its still a long way off so l m trying not to get too excited!

 

Thanks for including photos of your old layout, I note that you have two separate fuel points on your fuelling roads, since my space is very limited, especially for 7mm, l am going to try and build two units side by side similar to the set up at Toton itself.

 

Hopefully l will be able to make a start on assembling the new baseboards tomorrow and hopefully get a chance to lay everything out for the first time. Currently my favourite iteration of my plan is the first one in the group, however l m still not sure if l should have an inspection pit on just one road or both, so a bit of head scratching going on just now.

 

Cheers

 

Bob C

 

[Blobrick]

At long last the base boards l ordered have arrived.  Its the first time l ve tried ready cut based boards, they remind me of the old Tri-ang CKD models from the 60s. In this case they came complete with PVA glue and compared to conventional home made boards , were put together in about an hour for each one. Requiring the minimum of effort All l needed was a 90 degree set square and all went fine. I am the first to admit they are not cheap but for convenience and accuracy they are spot on

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 19, 2021 by Blobrick

[Blobrick]

With the base boards complete, l was able to try laying out the scenic section of the proposed depot plan.

On paper everything looked fine, however upon laying everything out l found that it was a very tight squeeze for locos coming off the depot via the exit road if there was a loco standing on the adjacent fuelling road.

A little head scratching allowed me to tweak the fuel storage road and extend the exit road a little further past  the fuelling point.

So far so good, however my golden rule of 25 inch head shunt looks like  its going to bite the dust as by the time l ve fitted the fuelling loop in with enough length to clear the fuel point, l only have 23 inches left over. Even with a  scenic 12 foot length things are a bit tight, but it does show its always worth trying mock ups before committing to a particular design.

At the moment l m making slight adjustments here and there to improve the look of the track work, having said that l am fairly happy with the result so far, I happily welcome any comments or thoughts folks may have?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cc

Edited June 19, 2021 by Blobrick
Additional information

[Blobrick]

As usual when trying out designs, you often find it raises more questions than it answers. I ve attached a photo of the fuelling point, and as can be seen, even with the Fuelling points base at its original full width, the roof does appear to be very close to the roof of the class 25. Are they that close in real life?

I m also still thinking about installing inspection pits at the Fuelling roads, but would it be more typical to have just one road so fitted or both?

 

I ve also attached an up dated plan, to hopefully made my ramblings a little clearer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 19, 2021 by Blobrick