Greenford in 00 Gauge: Circa 2010-2017 (FGW, Chiltern, LU, Virgin + Plenty of Freight)

[LNERGE]

On 02/11/2022 at 15:01, WCML100 said:

 

 

For those that are interested, here is a picture of the full size prototype for comparison 😃

 

The Large electrical box, cameras, safety rail, speed restriction sign, yellow incline sign (& all the rubbish) will be featured on the layout too!

 

 

All we did was behead the old semaphore and plonk a colourlight head on...

Edited November 13, 2022 by LNERGE

[WCML100]

55 minutes ago, LNERGE said:

All we did was behead the old semaphore and plonk a colourlight head on...

When visiting the prototype and comparing it to images of when it had the semaphore in place - we thought that may have been the case! Thanks for the confirmation though! 😃

 

[Pacific231G]

I've only just picked up on this topic, surprisingly as Greenford is very local to me so I can add a few personal observations for your period before the line to OOC was cut in 2018.

 

As well as the usual mix of bin liners, aggregates, and the regular Greenford-Paddington trains, I regularly saw HSTs on the branch either for turning or positioning (though for turning I think they generally used the eastern chord so maybe off your scene).

There were occasions when all Chiltern trains ran into Paddington via Greenford when the GC line into Marylebone was being worked on. 

Steam locos being turned generally seemed to be accompanied by their service coach 

I've also seen a London Underground class 20 with a train of ballast wagons on the branch, presumably en-route to Rusilip and on the Central Line, even during daytime when service trains were running, battery-electric locos at either end of a maintenance train, on positioning moves from Ruislip Depot. 

I did on occasions also see Wrexham & Shropshire trains using the branch as a diversionary route and, on more than one occasion , onoe of their class 67s with a single mk 3 coach and a driving trailer, presumably for route knowledge. One of their diversions involved comong down the WCML and from Willesden to Acton and Ealing  Broadway then onto the Greenford branch before reversing at S. Ruislip for Marylebone.   

Finally, self-propelled track equipment from the Plasser u Theurer depot at West Ealing used (and AFAIK still do use) the branch during positioning  moves. 

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by Pacific231G

[WCML100]

9 hours ago, Pacific231G said:

I've only just picked up on this topic, surprisingly as Greenford is very local to me so I can add a few personal observations for your period before the line to OOC was cut in 2018.

 

As well as the usual mix of bin liners, aggregates, and the regular Greenford-Paddington trains, I regularly saw HSTs on the branch either for turning or positioning (though for turning I think they generally used the eastern chord so maybe off your scene).

There were occasions when all Chiltern trains ran into Paddington via Greenford when the GC line into Marylebone was being worked on. 

Steam locos being turned generally seemed to be accompanied by their service coach 

I've also seen a London Underground class 20 with a train of ballast wagons on the branch, presumably en-route to Rusilip and on the Central Line, even during daytime when service trains were running, battery-electric locos at either end of a maintenance train, on positioning moves from Ruislip Depot. 

I did on occasions also see Wrexham & Shropshire trains using the branch as a diversionary route and, on more than one occasion , onoe of their class 67s with a single mk 3 coach and a driving trailer, presumably for route knowledge. One of their diversions involved comong down the WCML and from Willesden to Acton and Ealing  Broadway then onto the Greenford branch before reversing at S. Ruislip for Marylebone.   

Finally, self-propelled track equipment from the Plasser u Theurer depot at West Ealing used (and AFAIK still do use) the branch during positioning  moves. 

 

 

Thanks for the interest in the thread - local knowledge is always greatly appreciated 😃

 

Most of the workings you have noted we are aware of and either have stock to suit or will do at some point in the future! There are a couple that intrigue me further though that I wasn’t aware of! The 67’s with a single MK3 coach & DVT for route learning is interesting - something we will look to do.

 

We already have / plan to have a 10 car voyager also known as the ‘virgin blockbuster’ set, plenty of chiltern stock for diversions (165’s, 168’s etc) with these also able to run the usual once per day ghost service. In the future we will have a FGW HST set for diversions which would have reversed at Banbury as well.
 

One oddity which we look forward to representing on the layout will be the pretendolino set when it did one weekend of diversions with 57315 (ATW livery) and 57308 Tin Tin (Virgin livery) top n tailing the mk3 set (including the dvt). Plenty videos of these can be seen on youtube. We also plan to have a few steam charters to and from london main line stations as well as from the local West coast Railways outpost at Southall where like you say several unique journeys were made to and from there (turning using the triangle or stock moves etc…).

 

Regarding undergound stock, we will have an engineers ballast rake of LU turbot wagons  top n tailed with battery locos to run on the layout too. X2 Balfour Beatty liveried 20’s also ran through the location on a light movement in 2014 which we will look to recreate! 

 

I also didnt realise about the plant units making their way up the line from West Ealing - thats good to know too! 
 

All of this only scratches the surface of what rolling stock and moves we have planned! But any noteworthy moments are welcomed as well as any pictures too!  
 

thanks 😃

 

[WCML100]

Evening all, not much to report since the last update but a new loco has arrived to join the fleet - Hattons 66 66125 in EWS livery. 
 

I have been after one of these for a while, and found one at a decent price online. This happens to be a Greenford regular during our period with a few different photos online showing that it ventured up around the Greenford lines. This will be first of a few, with another EWS example, DB branded EWS and DBS red versions all required for variety on the layout. This is in addition to Freightliner 66502 already within the fleet, with other Freightliner, GBRF and Colas examples all on the hit list in the future between us. For now, enjoy some pics of the most recent addition 😃

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by WCML100

[5BarVT]

On 14/11/2022 at 10:15, WCML100 said:

10 car voyager also known as the ‘virgin blockbuster’ set,

I thought the blockbuster trains were 3 sets = 15 cars.  Too long for the platforms at Bhm International and limited to the sleeper platforms at Euston.  Difficult to model without a looong FY.

Paul.

[WCML100]

3 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

I thought the blockbuster trains were 3 sets = 15 cars.  Too long for the platforms at Bhm International and limited to the sleeper platforms at Euston.  Difficult to model without a looong FY.

Paul.

 

They were a mix of either 2 or 3 sets = either 10 or 15 cars, so naturally we have gone for the smaller of the two for ease 😃

[WCML100]

Not much to report on the layout currently as its starting to get quite cold out in the garage now! 
 

However I managed to get a few small jobs done today - sorted out some track ready for laying. This included cutting the track to the sizes needed, marking out the dropper wire points ready for drilling the holes, and double checking the bay platform stopping position for 2 & 3 car thames turbo units.

 

I have now also updated the buffer stop (temporarily using one of my broken ones) to show what / how the type of buffer would sit here on the bay in the future - and how this sits against the stopping point of the 165’s in the bay. Eventually there will also be a stop light half way between the train stopping point and the buffers. I have included a picture of the real location to show what we are trying to replicate! You can see a small box for the marking of where the red stop light will positioned too.
 

 

 

 

 

[WCML100]

On 23/10/2022 at 19:58, EWS60065 said:

Fancy building some of these? They'd be perfect 

 

(Jumping back slightly) - but I just wanted to thank you @EWS60065for the suggestion! I recently found the images below on Flickr (from 2015 - bang on our time period!) so hoping a Cavalex release a de-branded Fastline 56 for the job of hauling some of these - or even the original DC Rail dark grey or de-branded ex fertis light grey examples would sit well too. @RBE & @Grimleygrid will have to put up with us at Warley about these requests! 

 

@EWS60065 Do you know who made the kits for wagons you originally suggested? 😃

 

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2022 by WCML100

[Mike_Walker]

Regarding the WSMR operations, having been heavily involved with that sadly short-lived operation, I think you'll find that was a stock move.  All the route learning I was involved with used either a single 67 or Chiltern's dedicated bubble car 960014 (55022) which was in blue/grey and at one time sported Wrexham & Shropshire branding.  WSMR's drivers had a mind boggling array of route knowledge.  Not only did they have to know every possible permutation between Leamington Spa and Oxley but also a bewildering variety of routes around west London.  One day, Steve Roast (Chiltern's recently retired chief instructor) and I spent a happy day with 67002 exploring those ahead of diversions.  WSMR driver training was confined to route and traction learning as they were all fully qualified before joining the company and it was mostly carried out on the main route with a full train initially top and tailed until the DVTs arrived.

[EWS60065]

1 hour ago, WCML100 said:

Do you know who made the kits for wagons you originally suggested? 😃

Hi, the JRA is scratchbuilt on Cambrian bogies but I think S kits do one too. If you look on the Touax website there should be some drawings for them too. Hope this helps. 

[WCML100]

44 minutes ago, Mike_Walker said:

Regarding the WSMR operations, having been heavily involved with that sadly short-lived operation, I think you'll find that was a stock move.  All the route learning I was involved with used either a single 67 or Chiltern's dedicated bubble car 960014 (55022) which was in blue/grey and at one time sported Wrexham & Shropshire branding.  WSMR's drivers had a mind boggling array of route knowledge.  Not only did they have to know every possible permutation between Leamington Spa and Oxley but also a bewildering variety of routes around west London.  One day, Steve Roast (Chiltern's recently retired chief instructor) and I spent a happy day with 67002 exploring those ahead of diversions.  WSMR driver training was confined to route and traction learning as they were all fully qualified before joining the company and it was mostly carried out on the main route with a full train initially top and tailed until the DVTs arrived.

 

This is very interesting to know so thanks for sharing the info. A quick Flickr search appears to back up this with 960014 making an appearance at Acton on route learning duties (assuming this has come down from the chilterns via the Greenford Branch) - well that's another bubble car added to the fleet list then 😆

 

 

Thanks

[ba14eagle]

Maybe an urban legend, but Greenford East signalbox is rumoured to have a Signaller who likes to work in his birthday suit 😆 

[WCML100]

27 minutes ago, ba14eagle said:

Maybe an urban legend, but Greenford East signalbox is rumoured to have a Signaller who likes to work in his birthday suit 😆 

 

We may have to find one of them German manufactured nude figures to fit in the signal box once we fit one to the layout haha! 😆

 

[Mike_Walker]

31 minutes ago, ba14eagle said:

Maybe an urban legend, but Greenford East signalbox is rumoured to have a Signaller who likes to work in his birthday suit 😆 

Could that be a distraction that caused a Chiltern driver to pass two signals at danger? 🤣

[Pacific231G]

On 20/11/2022 at 18:07, WCML100 said:

Not much to report on the layout currently as its starting to get quite cold out in the garage now! 
 

However I managed to get a few small jobs done today - sorted out some track ready for laying. This included cutting the track to the sizes needed, marking out the dropper wire points ready for drilling the holes, and double checking the bay platform stopping position for 2 & 3 car thames turbo units.

 

I have now also updated the buffer stop (temporarily using one of my broken ones) to show what / how the type of buffer would sit here on the bay in the future - and how this sits against the stopping point of the 165’s in the bay. Eventually there will also be a stop light half way between the train stopping point and the buffers. I have included a picture of the real location to show what we are trying to replicate! You can see a small box for the marking of where the red stop light will positioned too.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note the bullhead rail at the end of the bay. Last time I looked it was just a single panel and probably retained to avoid having to do any work on the buffer stop. The rest of the Greenford bay track is FB joined to the BH with a couple of special fishplates. I don't know when the rest of the Greenford Branch was converted from BH but there's still some bullhead (or was a month ago) at the junction pointwork and the western curve at the south end of the branch. The eastern curve at that end is now FB but ISTR that appearing when the West Ealing station bay trackage was installed.   

[Pacific231G]

2 hours ago, Mike_Walker said:

Regarding the WSMR operations, having been heavily involved with that sadly short-lived operation, I think you'll find that was a stock move.  All the route learning I was involved with used either a single 67 or Chiltern's dedicated bubble car 960014 (55022) which was in blue/grey and at one time sported Wrexham & Shropshire branding.  WSMR's drivers had a mind boggling array of route knowledge.  Not only did they have to know every possible permutation between Leamington Spa and Oxley but also a bewildering variety of routes around west London.  One day, Steve Roast (Chiltern's recently retired chief instructor) and I spent a happy day with 67002 exploring those ahead of diversions.  WSMR driver training was confined to route and traction learning as they were all fully qualified before joining the company and it was mostly carried out on the main route with a full train initially top and tailed until the DVTs arrived.

That's interesting Mike.  I can see why you might need to move both the loco and the DVT together if those were the gubbins going to be worked on (The train was heading for the West Ealing end  of the branch so possibly going to OOC?) but any idea why it would include a single coach?

 

Those non franchise operations were always interesting and I remember travelling from KC to Sunderland with Great Central a few years ago in a refurbished short HST set . I don't know what the rest of the train was like but it was for a meeting so we got to travel in 1st and it was lovely (except for a pathing delay at York and that Great Central hadn't bought into the 1st class lounge at KC) I wonder if those HSTs were ever seen at Greenford. 

[Mike_Walker]

It might have been, for example, to test the DVT was "talking" to the loco correctly with the coach included as part of that test.  The Chiltern/WSMR DVTs were fitted to work with the AAR mu equipment fitted on the 67s having previously used the TDM system when working with the electric locos on the WCML.

 

Another reason might have been a simple stock move.  Chiltern/WSMR stock often went to Doncaster for attention and getting them between Wembley LMD and the ECML might include a reversal or two so using a DVT would remove the need to run round.  The balancing move might have a coach or simply be the loco and DVT.  Such moves did happen.  More recently Chiltern Mk3s have gone to Arriva Traincare at Bristol and are dragged by one of the spot hire contractors.

 

The route into OOC was in the Chiltern route diagram package to access the wheel lathe there but I'm not sure it was ever used or if any Chiltern drivers signed it - although I can think of a likely suspect.

[Chris37044]

Hi Guys! I am the co-owner of the layout along with my brother WCML100 so wanted to introduce myself on to the thread and wider forum.

 

This weekend we visited Warley and had a great time catching up with people and speaking to manufacturers as well of course making some purchases! 
 

One of the purchases for myself was a pair of Cavalex PGA’s. After doing some research I came across Cavalex’s very helpful page of PGA formations and found an interesting short mixed rake. This included (in order): 1x PGA, 2x RMC JGA’s, 1x PGA, 1x RMC JGA, 2x PGA’s. So I managed to get a rake of RMC liveried JGA’s recently and so was on the look out for some PGA’s to match at Warley. I managed to pick up 2 from the Trains 4U stand (one pristine, one weathered) and I have to say the detail is outstanding on these! Very impressed to say the least with these lovely little wagons! Can’t wait to finish off the rake with only a further 2 PGA’s needed for this nice short little rake! 

 

I will be posting more of our layout rolling stock and progress going forward, but for now enjoy some pics of this Mountsorrel Mixed Rake!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 27, 2022 by Chris37044

[Melangoose]

So nice to meet you both on Saturday at the NEC.  Like your new purchases

[WCML100]

On 27/11/2022 at 21:30, Melangoose said:

So nice to meet you both on Saturday at the NEC.  Like your new purchases

Likewise! Lovely to see Melangoose in the flesh and to catch up in person 😃

 

Edited January 4, 2023 by WCML100

[Chris116]

I have just found this topic and very impressed with what you have done and with your future plans. By chance I travelled on the Chiltern ghost train last Wednesday from West Ealing to West Ruislip. It only has two more Wednesdays of operation before becoming a rail replacement bus. I didn't take any photos at Greenford but did take one before we started at West Ealing.

 

 

I look forward to more about the progress you make on this very interesting project.

[WCML100]

1 hour ago, Chris116 said:

I have just found this topic and very impressed with what you have done and with your future plans. By chance I travelled on the Chiltern ghost train last Wednesday from West Ealing to West Ruislip. It only has two more Wednesdays of operation before becoming a rail replacement bus. I didn't take any photos at Greenford but did take one before we started at West Ealing.

 

 

I look forward to more about the progress you make on this very interesting project.

Thanks for the interest in the layout. Its a quirky little route to have a ride on! We discussed riding the service before the cut to a replacement bus, but hard to get time with work during the week! 
 

[5BarVT]

8 hours ago, WCML100 said:

Thanks for the interest in the layout. Its a quirky little route to have a ride on! We discussed riding the service before the cut to a replacement bus, but hard to get time with work during the week! 

Agreed.  Had to work hard to fit it in with work visits to London many years ago!

Paul.

[Chris116]

11 hours ago, WCML100 said:

Thanks for the interest in the layout. Its a quirky little route to have a ride on! We discussed riding the service before the cut to a replacement bus, but hard to get time with work during the week! 
 

I am retired which makes doing such trips a lot easier. I had a ride a couple of weeks before they stopped running from Paddington and as you say it is a quirky route which I find very enjoyable to ride on.