Pensnett - P4 Mid 2000s

[Southwich]

Pensnett - P4 Mid 2000s:

Having had a change in circumstances over the past few months at the moment my Temple Mills planned layout is taking a backseat for a while as I’m not sure how much space I’m going to have going forward. 
 

So following the sale of Motts Lane last year I’ve been wanting to get another layout built that I can operate at home and will allow me to run my mid 2000s stock. To that end I’ve come up with the following objectives for the proposed layout:

 

- P4 with 5+ points to show I can reliably build points/stock that work,

- not over 10ft long as I want to complete the project relatively quickly,

- Allow me enough operational interest that I don’t get bored and it could be exhibited if the opportunity arises.

- Based on a real location 

- Allows me to model prototypical trains

 

The prototype:
Based on the above points my chosen prototype is Pensnett - as a “what if” it survived into the Mid 2000s under EWS Enterprise. I have included some fantastic photos linked through to Flickr below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The location is also neutral enough that I could easily run it in an 80s/90s era if appropriate stock from others is done.

 

The model - progress so far:

Based on Tim’s fantastic 5ft x 2ft boards the first step I’ve taken (which I usually fall foul of!) is to complete the boards first. The boards were assembled, levelled and then sealed first with primer and then satin black so then I could see exactly where the spots that weren’t covered were. 
 

The next stage which @Rammstein2609 and I have debated for a while was lighting. I wanted to get this in place before I start to ensure whilst I work on the layout it’s properly lit. 
 

My main objective was to avoid shadows unnecessarily and to ensure the layout was evenly lit. I’ve ended up going with Screwfix industrial lighting panels and I’m really impressed! Three photos of the installed panels below:

 

 

 

 

 

Track:

I have prebuilt 6 of the 9 scenic points and have another 3 to build. A big thanks to Martin @Rammstein2609 for his help etching the Templot into the ply track base - this has worked exceptionally well! 
 

A few photos of the track base below with 37422 for size:

 

 

 

 

And this is the latest update: 

 

 

 

 

3 points have been glued down to the base and the majority of the sleepers have now been laid. Over the weekend I’m hoping to make some headway into the rail laying on the plain sections/sidings.

 

Droppers will be soldered on using the excellent palatine models etched droppers as I go along and wired up using components from RK electronics (https://www.rkeducation.co.uk/electronics-for-model-railways-112-c.asp)

 

I’m still unsure on the name of the layout as to keep it as Pensnett or to change it to something else given it’s a “what if” layout. Any suggestions on this would be much appreciated.

 

Any overall suggestions/comments would be greatly appreciated - hopefully more progress to come shortly.

 

Kind regards,

 

Will

[CazRail]

This looks very interesting! Pretty much same era as mine, so following with anticipation!

[5BarVT]

5 hours ago, Southwich said:

I’m still unsure on the name of the layout as to keep it as Pensnett or to change it to something else given it’s a “what if” layout. Any suggestions on this would be much appreciated.

Choose something from the area - Kingswinsford, Brierley Hill, Dudley South or even Netherton.  Then it’s located geographically (ish) but doesn’t have to be identical in layout etc.

Paul.

(Heath Town = Wolverhampton LL)

[Southwich]

On 16/09/2022 at 16:39, CazRail said:

This looks very interesting! Pretty much same era as mine, so following with anticipation!

Thanks Caz! Hoping to have some trains running soon

 

On 16/09/2022 at 18:08, 5BarVT said:

Choose something from the area - Kingswinsford, Brierley Hill, Dudley South or even Netherton.  Then it’s located geographically (ish) but doesn’t have to be identical in layout etc.

Paul.

(Heath Town = Wolverhampton LL)

 

Thanks for your comment Paul - that’s what I was thinking! Glad to see I’m not going completely mad! Need to have a look at local place names/road names

 

Nearly there with sleeper laying now - time to get some rails glued down!

 

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Will

[sammyboy]

Sounds interesting, but just whereabouts in this country (UK) is 'Pensnett'?

 

Sam

[Southwich]

57 minutes ago, sammyboy said:

Sounds interesting, but just whereabouts in this country (UK) is 'Pensnett'?

 

Sam

Hi Sam,

 

It’s a small town in the Midlands - see link to Google maps below:

 

Pensnett Trading Estate
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Q5qNej7XyxWMNkqF8?g_st=ic

 

Kind regards,

 

Will

[Ramblin Rich]

Pensnett had a lot of variety of traffic over the years and I've always thought it had a lot of inspiration for a model.

There's been various articles in Traction magazine covering Black Country freight including Pensnett. Having access to the archive via RWmeb Gold has opened up a whole rabbit hole for me....

[Southwich]

On 17/09/2022 at 20:25, Ramblin Rich said:

Pensnett had a lot of variety of traffic over the years and I've always thought it had a lot of inspiration for a model.

There's been various articles in Traction magazine covering Black Country freight including Pensnett. Having access to the archive via RWmeb Gold has opened up a whole rabbit hole for me....

That’s exactly my thinking! Although the mid 2000s is my era so I can easily justify the Enterprise services.

 

@Nick-L very kindly scanned the articles for me - some great photos of Pensnett! 

 

Kind regards,

 

Will

[rob D2]

I’ve long thought it was an interesting spot.

Most likely transrail would have got involved and then it passed to EWS, although after the coup at EWS , there were a lot less interesting small freight flows 

[bazjones1711]

Link to photo of Pensnett in 1994 , when fireclay was being brought down from Butterwell in HEA , iirc they also may have used TRL POA wagons aswell.

http://bescotplus.co.uk/fullsize/37415_Pensnett.jpg

[Southwich]

2 hours ago, rob D2 said:

I’ve long thought it was an interesting spot.

Most likely transrail would have got involved and then it passed to EWS, although after the coup at EWS , there were a lot less interesting small freight flows 

My plan is to have a few TransRail locos Rob - a tractor and a grid me thinks! Mainly will be EWS though given the phasing out of locos 2003/4 ish.

 

Kind regards,

 

Will

[Southwich]

2 hours ago, bazjones1711 said:

Link to photo of Pensnett in 1994 , when fireclay was being brought down from Butterwell in HEA , iirc they also may have used TRL POA wagons aswell.

http://bescotplus.co.uk/fullsize/37415_Pensnett.jpg

That is absolutely excellent! Haven’t come across that site before - thanks for sharing :)

 

Kind regards,

 

Will

[Southwich]

A bit more trackwork this evening:

 

 

Not far off completing the crossover on the back run around sidings. The back most point just needs the switch blades and the other outside rail gluing down tomorrow. Then just cosmetic chairs, check rails and droppers to add before it’s ready to be installed on the layout. 

 

Kind regards,

 

Will

[Southwich]

A bit more progress on the crossover this weekend - now completed, droppers wired in and the points glued down to the track base. A few photos of this weekend’s progress:

 

 

 

 

 

 

My plan is to get the back sidings completed this week then I can move onto the front sidings.
 

Kind regards,

 

Will

[rob D2]

On 19/09/2022 at 00:24, Southwich said:

My plan is to have a few TransRail locos Rob - a tractor and a grid me thinks! Mainly will be EWS though given the phasing out of locos 2003/4 ish.

 

Kind regards,

 

Will

You know it makes sense !

 

[billywhizz]

Looking great Will! Have hit the “Follow” button and looking forward to further updates. Interesting to see how you have gone about the lighting. I may have to look into this for my future project. 
Cheers. 
Bill. 

[Southwich]

On 20/09/2022 at 15:06, rob D2 said:

You know it makes sense !

 

 

You know it! Given there weren’t many holding on in 2003/4 it’s looking like one of 410, 675 or 896. Some inspiration:

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Will

[Southwich]

On 20/09/2022 at 21:24, billywhizz said:

Looking great Will! Have hit the “Follow” button and looking forward to further updates. Interesting to see how you have gone about the lighting. I may have to look into this for my future project. 
Cheers. 
Bill. 

Thanks Bill! It’s something I’ve never nailed before on a layout but I think this is as good as I’m going to get it. The light is so even it’s ridiculous! 
 

Certainly not a cheap option to do it in but I think the cost is justified by the result.
 

Kind regards,

 

Will

[Southwich]

The last few days I’ve been focusing on the back sidings and getting these laid first. One of the main advantages of having the Templot engraved into the ply sheets is that I can work on the track off scene rather than being hunched over the layout (thanks again to Martin - @Rammstein2609 for his help with this!). 
 

A few photos of the completed back sidings:

 

 

 

And then tested out with rolling some stock over it:

 

 

37422 needs a lot more work doing to it but it was the only loco I had outside in the cabin!

 

I’ve also been looking at converting some stock - the first being 6/12 of the Accurascale PCAs which are very nice wagons:

 

 

As well as finishing the four Polybulks, 2 BDAs and a BBA:

 

 

 

Next will be focussing on the four front sidings in between the Polybulks and then looking at the pointwork on the right hand end of the layout.

 

Not expecting much more progress this week as I’ll be at Scaleforum this weekend with Cavalex so if anyone is attending please come and say hello! 

 

Kind regards,

 

Will

 

[rob D2]

looks good ! 

There was a bescot , brierley hill , worcester and return trip about that time frame so that would have probably been the one to go up to your location 

[johndon]

20 hours ago, Southwich said:

One of the main advantages of having the Templot engraved into the ply sheets is that I can work on the track off scene rather than being hunched over the layout (thanks again to Martin - @Rammstein2609 for his help with this!). 

 

Looking good so far, I got the same done a couple of years ago (albeit by Tim Horn) for my own P4 layout and it was the best decision I made with regards to track laying...

 

 

[Southwich]

8 hours ago, rob D2 said:

looks good ! 

There was a bescot , brierley hill , worcester and return trip about that time frame so that would have probably been the one to go up to your location 

All of the trip workings that I’ve been taking notes on! 
 

1 hour ago, johndon said:

 

Looking good so far, I got the same done a couple of years ago (albeit by Tim Horn) for my own P4 layout and it was the best decision I made with regards to track laying...

 

 

Thanks John! They look excellent and have been following your thread with interest since you started. Only reason I didn’t get Tim to do it was I didn’t have the track plan finalised when he did me the boards!

 

Will

[johndon]

58 minutes ago, Southwich said:

Thanks John! They look excellent and have been following your thread with interest since you started. Only reason I didn’t get Tim to do it was I didn’t have the track plan finalised when he did me the boards!

 

Will

 

Thanks Will, a major loss of mojo has seen very little progress for about 3 months but I will get back to it...

Edited September 22, 2022 by johndon

[Southwich]

A great weekend was spent at Scaleforum this weekend - Boston Frodsham and Ravenscroft Sidings being particular highlights as well as David Furmage and Robert Austin’s demos.

 

A few shots of the layouts:

 

 

 

 

Sunday afternoon I had a chance to test some of my converted stock on Tim’s layout:

 

 

Unfortunately the sprung IZAs didn’t work very well and constant fell off, which seems to be down to the Gibson wheels spinning on the axle and coming out of gauge as can be seen below:
 

These have now been remedied with a rather expensive trip to Branchlines:

 

 

 

Much better now! Hoping to make some more progress on the track this week.
 

Kind regards,

 

Will

[Southwich]

A bit more trackwork today - I’ve built the final point for the layout and started to get the “throat” of the layout glued to the track base. A few photos of the state of play this evening:

 

 

 

Following these photos I’ve spent the evening connecting the points together with the straight sections so I can begin testing the track work. Tomorrow I’ll hopefully glue down the final point at the back of the layout and start laying the four main sidings at the front of the layout.
 

Finally one of the IZAs under the light of the layout - having fettled them slightly more I’m really happy with how these are now running!

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Will