Tendring

[Izzy]

Tendring

 

This is a 2FS layout I built last year. It was the layout I originally intended to produce when I first returned to 2mm in 2010 but in a different format to how it has now been built. It’s been a rather long journey. I’ve posted odd bits about various aspects but thought perhaps a small thread about it might be worthwhile.

 

You see I had the desire to make a model of one of the small station buildings that are common on the branch lines around my area of North East Essex, the Tendring peninsular. They seem to have been a smaller alternative to the more well known Great Eastern1865 design and like those were based around a basic building with additions varying from station to station. They were to be found on various branches around the eastern area of the GE and in my particular slice of it featured on both the Clacton/Walton and Harwich branches. The Waveney Valley Line was another well known one that had them but they could be found at many smaller stations on quite a few branches.

 

Since they were only found at through stations I got the idea to have a circular layout, not having had one since playing with Tri-ang on the floor as a young child, and felt that 2mm was the only scale in which I could attempt to make one, there not being the space to erect or store one in a larger scale. I had the general aim to build something along the lines of the marvellous 3mm scale Ballyconnell but in a smaller space. A simpler design somewhere between it and a plain circle. I’d fancied a circular layout for many years and this seemed the time to finally build one. I had of course been spurred on by seeing the smashing 2FS Mini-MSW which was around the size I was aiming for.

 

Not wishing to model an actual station I also decided to base the layout on a branch in the Tendring area that was started but never completed, the money running out before completion, a line that was intended to run between Mistley on the Harwich branch and Thorpe-le-soken on the Clacton/Walton line. Since this was meant to go through the village from where the area gained it’s name it seemed appropriate to site the model here, and thus Tendring it was.

 

Here’s a map of the area with the line.

 

 

 

 

It was one of several proposed/backed by the Colne Valley & Halstead in the railway mania heydays of the early 1860’s as a means of them gaining access to the coast and ports via these proposed lines along with running rights over others. Their various schemes have encouraged the making of several ‘might have been’ layouts based around the Stour Valley down the years by modellers. The late Iain Rice designed quite a few in his layout books. All that remains of this particular undertaking is a road overbridge at Mistley over which traffic still goes, but which only ever saw contractors trains underneath, while a station building exists in a farm at Bradfield.

 

This is the station building that has been at the centre of my plans. It’s been fitted onto all the previous attempts and that it has survived all the goings on, the gluing down, the removing, is a bit of a miracle.

 

 

 

I made it of mostly brick-paper covered mountboard using the stations on the Clacton/Walton branches with which to generate the basic dimensions having finally got around to doing site visits and photographic surveys shortly before construction. Kirby Cross, Weeley, and Alresford were the ones chosen for ease of access, others being Hythe, Gt Bentley, and Thorpe-le-soken. Mistley on the Harwich line is another. Brick counting to get the sizes was the main method used along with copious amounts of modellers license.

 

Sadly because I’d left it far too long they were not in a great state, indeed my most local one of Kirby Cross, just a few miles away and on which I mostly based the model, has now been completely demolished. A bus type shelter is all that exists now, although the original GE shelter is still extant on the opposite platform. Here are a couple shots each of Kirby Cross, Alresford, and Weeley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of great assistance were the photos of all these stations in the Middleton Press photo album ‘Branch Lines to Clacton and Walton’ (inc Brightlingsea) ISBN9781908174048 showing them in rather better condition down the years.

 

While the general premise of a circular layout seemed achievable in practice this did not prove so. I had no less than five attempts at it spread over the years since I first started. All ended in frustration and being scrapped for one reason or another. Far too big and heavy for me to move around single-handed, no room to get around to operate them and so forth. Basically I discovered that you need more room than you would think in which to erect and use even a layout of say 4ft-5ft circumference if it’s to be useable, a couple of feet all round to be able to access all areas if used from the outside, so roughly a clear 8ft-9ft circle of floor space, and about the same if you sit in the middle since you need at least 3ft plus to be able to sit on a stool and turn around – to work either the front of the layout or the fiddle yard – quite besides getting under to get there in the first place. Once you reach your 70’s this all becomes less easy……

 

Not having the required clear floor space anywhere I tried reducing the size, making oval designs which folded over for storage, with minimal radius at the apex’s in order to both reduce size and lessen curvature elsewhere to help with minimum turnout radius etc. I took this premise from the late David Jenkinson’s Garsdale Road which used this to great effect. I remember standing in front of it at the MRC Central Hall show in 1970 for long periods watching it. My efforts were of course much smaller and with tighter radius but the basic principle was the same.

 

Making them as light as possible and easy to store was also a key basic need. They all reached the working stage and could be used, but only the first actually gained any basic scenery before the downsides became apparent with them and the decision to start over was taken. It was during one of these episodes that the decision to make Priory Road was made, as a stop-gap, until I got things right. It’s success brought it home to me that a circular type layout was probably beyond my scope given the space constraints. I did try it once more, each layout being an experiment with baseboard materials and construction along with track making so not entirely wasted, before deciding enough was enough and drawing a final line under the idea.

 

That then left me with a station building. Carefully packed away I kept looking at it from time-to-time and musing on what to do. A small diorama didn’t appeal, I don’t go for stock on display on shelves etc. it’s just not my thing. The only other viable option appeared to be an end-to-end, two fiddle yards with the station between. I must admit I didn’t really like the idea of having to keep moving between them to run trains, a lot of effort and why the circular idea appealed, just one fiddle yard, but with no real alternative I thought I’d give it a try. It would also keep me occupied as I just like making things.

 

The baseboards are of the latest construction I’ve tried, 5mm foamcore covered on both sides with mountboard. The edges are also coated with mountboard when exposed. This stops the sandwich construction from being compressed by pressure or damaged end-on and produces a lighter result than multiple layers of mountboard but is quite strong enough for most situations. Where it isn’t, say for structural strength where there are hinges or bolts, then multi-layer mountboard is still used. It’s surprising how light the result is but over time becomes strong as the paper dries out, it becomes quite hard, not surprisingly similar to how wood goes. Using layered mountboard halved the weight compared to using 6mm ply, while this latest iteration makes even that seem heavy by comparison.

 

With this layout I have not covered the top surface in cork. It’s the first time I’ve not done this, and I won’t make this mistake again. Cork is expensive these days I know but provides a surface that I find can be cut, sanded/adjusted, without causing any problems with the underlying baseboard. It’s also of course a damp absorbing/sealing layer when glued down with PVA and I also found it much, much harder to ballast by my normal method of using Woodland Scenics glue dripped/washed onto WS ballast using a pipette. It just wouldn’t flow/seal/colour in the same way causing much frustration.

 

For storage I did have this clever (!) idea to make the main board as a single unit with the fiddle boards both hinging and folding over to make an open box. To this end the main board is 48” long and each FB 24”. Again this is the compromises I have to make with erection and storage needs. This enables loco and three coach trains to be run, either steam or diesel. There is currently no plan to add OHLE but this might change. Sadly the folding over system didn’t work out as I couldn’t find a viable way of supporting the FB’s in the middle. I had hoped just them being bolted together would suffice but it didn’t and they sagged down. I tried additional supports but worried that both they and the details on the main board would eventually get damaged at some stage so this was then abandoned and the boards now just bolt onto the main board and are stored separately with a simple foamcore board cover instead as for PR. Had I taken this route in the first place I possibly could have made the station board bigger, 60” in length, but at this stage too much had been made to alter it. So the actual visible area is almost the same as Priory Road at 44”.

 

To try and offset this shortish length I have not used any bridges etc. to hide the exits at either end, just trees as view blockers. As with PR there is no backscene and for the same reasons, so I can view and operate it from either side since it’s another home layout that won’t be seen except by me and anyone visiting this RMweb thread so it’s built to suit me and my needs and preferences. Something small and light and easily moved around and stored.

 

 

 

Again as with PR the DCC system plugs in to power it via a 5-din socket, there’s a voltage regulator to power the hacked servos for turnouts, signal, and level crossing with these all controlled by a plug-in control panel which can be put anywhere. I’ve posted a video before of the latter items working on the last circular design. They have also survived the transplant to Tendring.

 

 

To give a bit of traffic flow a small floor maltings has been made. This was based around another photo survey I did of the maltings at Thorpe-le-soken, a listed building in terminal decay, with not much left of it now. In the third photo you can just about see the grain auger sticking out of the building. The method used to load the grain hoppers.

 

 

 

 

With limited space it’s a simple pastiche, as is most of my modelling really, but does enable the use of grain hopper wagons. A trip working from Mistley where they join other wagons from the extensive maltings there or the docks for onward journeys.

 

 

In the goods yard there is a small wooden goods shed along with a newer and larger cast concrete provender store now both owned by Eastern Counties Farmers and visited on a regular basis by XP rated vans carrying various bagged goods, seed, fertiliser etc. A new lorry has just been allocated to the site.

 

 

In the period modelled, 1960-1970’s, I’ve assumed that coal traffic is now centralised at a concentration depot and that the other siding is now used for sand traffic. There has always been considerable sand extraction all around the area, both along the Colne and Stour estuaries but inland as well. Most goes on hidden behind screens of trees. I’ve decided that Tendring is now used as a loading point for a fair bit of this which goes for motorway construction and the like, as with that from Marks Tey. Since this is early days for this new traffic flow just a small tractor type shovel loader is used, the wagons being standard BR 16T minerals of which I have a number.

 

 

 

Removable loads are used to distinguish between full and empty wagons. In the past with larger scale layouts I’ve had working hoppers to load the wagons, iron ore or sand, but I decided this was perhaps not really feasible in 2mm. Or not controllable enough to avoid fine loose sand getting in everywhere and perhaps gumming up the point/signal/level crossing mechs and operation.

 

So that’s Tendring. A simple layout but enjoyable to make and use as an alternative to Priory Road when the fancy takes and using otherwise redundant wagons of which I have quite a few, those not being needed or used on PR.

 

Bob

 

 

 

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by Izzy

[John57sharp]

On 07/01/2023 at 11:42, Izzy said:

It’s the first time I’ve not done this, and I won’t make this mistake again

Wish I’d read this yesterday ….😮

[DavidLong]

Another classic, Bob. Quite delightful.

 

David

[wasabi]

Years ago I was brought up on layouts built from 2 x 1 timber and Sundeala tops but have now come round to foamboard (which I assumw is pretty much what you are using) reinforced with thinner wood.  I also use trestles for support rather than being reliant on my abillity (or lack thereof) to cut legs of the same length.  I've decided that the current layout will be my last but aim to built diorame type displays which I can have in the house rather than the shed and I think a lightweight foamboard structure would be ideal for this, so it's interesting to see what you are doing  I am coming to prefer 'Railways in the Landscape' to seeing how much track will fit in a given space, so again can go with lighter structures.

 

Where I worked in the 80s we had shares in various Statutory Water Companies including the Tendring Hundred concern.  You could perhaps add an intteresting cameo with one of their vans parked up whilst the crew investigate a leak, which would give more local context.

[DavidLong]

Bob,

 

I'm puzzled about how you work the maltings siding. I can see how the sand and general goods sidings could be worked but the maltings has got me stumped. Reminds me of the mill siding at Ashburton . . .

 

David

[Izzy]

2 hours ago, DavidLong said:

Bob,

 

I'm puzzled about how you work the maltings siding. I can see how the sand and general goods sidings could be worked but the maltings has got me stumped. Reminds me of the mill siding at Ashburton . . .

 

David

 

Yes... it's a kick back off the siding that runs behind the platform. I'll try and find a shot or two to illustrate, I think I've got some.

 

Bob

[Izzy]

The bare boards with track laid and working. Shows the simple track layout.

 

 

And with perhaps a bit more stock than might be normal! The Class 15 working the maltings, grain being loaded into the wagons via the auger. So moving the wagons a bit at a time to enable this. A Class 24 passing through with a stopping passenger train, a Clacton to Ipswich service perhaps which had the line been built would have been possible. (The impact the line may have had on Stour valley traffic might have been substantial). While a Class 31 is on the afternoon sand train.

 

 

Having to access the 'back' siding meaning the gates must be closed to road traffic is awkward but probably did exist in places in real life.

 

Bob

[DavidLong]

Thanks, Bob. When I asked about operating the maltings siding it was based on what happened to the brake van. Your photograph provides the simple answer; leave it on the approach line while you shunt the siding. Obvious when you see it!

The photograph really is East Anglian diesel heaven - Class 15, Class 24 and Class 31.

 

David

[Izzy]

1 hour ago, DavidLong said:

Thanks, Bob. When I asked about operating the maltings siding it was based on what happened to the brake van. Your photograph provides the simple answer; leave it on the approach line while you shunt the siding. Obvious when you see it!

The photograph really is East Anglian diesel heaven - Class 15, Class 24 and Class 31.

 

David

 

Thanks David, pleased you like it. It was this kind of scene I wanted to replicate with my 2FS layouts.

 

At first with the maltings working I tried running into the station, from Mistley so through the crossing, drop the BV, reverse back again through the crossing and then enter the back road. Then do this in reverse. This meant the crossing either had to be open/closed twice for each move or left closed (to road traffic) for long periods, which I thought wouldn't happen in real life. So then I got the idea the train would stop as it reached the box, get the road and go straight in. Once done of course it still has to reverse out and enter the loop to run round and put the BV on the rear. But doing it this way also meant the trap had to be added into the line. I had read somewhere that any siding like this with a turnout that can act as the trap needs a 'proper' trap if it is possible to leave a piece of rolling stock at any time between the turnout and the mainline, as happens with the BV.

 

Bob

 

 

 

 

[Yorkshire Square]

Very nice Bob.

 

As chance would have it I was down that way only last week working at one of the maltings. A bit bigger than the one on your layout! 😀

 

https://www.facebook.com/100000126772475/videos/pcb.6447489301931898/1032682304354131

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Izzy]

Thanks Tony. Do I take it this was EDME? Seems most of the orignal maltings have now been turned into flats or knocked down and replaced by more modern buildings and processes as per your post.

My excuse for the small one on Tendring is that Robert Free, who was a pioneer maltster and built all those at Mistley and also at Thorpe, started another set at Tendring with the intention another would join it behind the back road....but never did. I'm full of excuses....!

 

Bob

[Yorkshire Square]

1 hour ago, Izzy said:

Thanks Tony. Do I take it this was EDME? Seems most of the orignal maltings have now been turned into flats or knocked down and replaced by more modern buildings and processes as per your post.

My excuse for the small one on Tendring is that Robert Free, who was a pioneer maltster and built all those at Mistley and also at Thorpe, started another set at Tendring with the intention another would join it behind the back road....but never did. I'm full of excuses....!

 

Bob

 

Hi Bob

 

This is Bairds at Witham. It's right next to the railway (the sat-nav actually took me to the wrong side of the station!) but I think the size and nature of the some of these new plants defies any reasonable chance of modelling them. The passenger station at Witham looked very attractive from a modelling perspective. EDME have/had a very nice building, but it's a to work in. Is Crisp Maltings in Mistley still on the go?

 

I think your representation of a smaller older plant is rather appropriate for a layout and very attractive. Well done!

[Izzy]

1 hour ago, Yorkshire Square said:

 

Hi Bob

 

This is Bairds at Witham. It's right next to the railway (the sat-nav actually took me to the wrong side of the station!) but I think the size and nature of the some of these new plants defies any reasonable chance of modelling them. The passenger station at Witham looked very attractive from a modelling perspective. EDME have/had a very nice building, but it's a to work in. Is Crisp Maltings in Mistley still on the go?

 

I think your representation of a smaller older plant is rather appropriate for a layout and very attractive. Well done!

 

Hi Tony,

 

Yes Witham would be a good basis for a model of the GE mainline if you have the space what with the branches going off to both Braintree and Maldon and the overtrack station buildings. IIRC the latter used to curve around or in front of the Bairds site on it's way south and past the goods yard.

 

As my in-laws lived in Mistley for around 30 years I used to be quite familiar with EMDE but haven't now been over there for a couple of years. They do seem to have works on both sides of the line similar to Bairds now and the old malting building by the quay at Swan basin, the last one not converted to flats, has been demolished to be replaced by new flats, although the landmark chimmney remains as does the malting smell which I quite like but I know many don't.

 

Agree the new silos etc. aren't as easy to reproduce in a small size really. That's often the problem with small layouts like this I find, trying to get the balance between a useable size that doesn't look silly. I'm really grateful you think I've managed that as other peoples views and perspective is highly valuable when you're a lone modeller so thanks.

 

Bob

 

 

 

 

 

 

[2mmMark]

On 10/01/2023 at 17:39, DavidLong said:

Thanks, Bob. When I asked about operating the maltings siding it was based on what happened to the brake van. Your photograph provides the simple answer; leave it on the approach line while you shunt the siding. Obvious when you see it!

The photograph really is East Anglian diesel heaven - Class 15, Class 24 and Class 31.

 

David

I would very highly recommend the Transport Video Publishing (TVP) DVD "Pick Up Freight".  It's a fascinating glimpse into traditional era branch line freight operations.
https://railwayrecollections.com/shop/price-range/15-00-19-99/pick-up-freight-dvd/

The nice thing about East Anglia is that is was quite extensively dieselised before the Beeching cuts so became a steam era railway operated by some of more interesting early diesel classes. Fortunately extensively covered by Dr. Ian Allen's photos, as in this book
https://www.booklaw.co.uk/transport-treasury/first-generation-diesels-in-east-anglia.html

"Diesels In East Anglia" is also very worthwhile and not that expensive as a used book
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Diesels-East-Anglia-Ian-Allen/dp/0860931056

 

 

Mark

[Izzy]

Another couple of books I've found very useful are these:

 

 

Ian Allan ISBN 978-0-7110-3264-4

 

 

A wide selection in green & blue from Kings Cross up to Lincolnshire and covering such as this, a 31 at Hadleigh, a 21 at Eye with wooden bodied wagons, and a 24 at Framlingham along with plenty of mainline and DMU. Being full colour thoughout is very helpful.

 

This is just B&W but covers both steam and diesel and depicts what Mark refers to in respect of nothing changing except diesel replacing steam.

 

 

Amberley Pub. ISBN 978-1-4456-4827-9

 

Bob

 

[Izzy]

 

Tendering has now appeared in MRJ 298 thanks to Jerry (Queensquare) along with a separate article on some of the diesel era rolling stock that is used on it for anyone interested. Some different shots to those here I think.

 

Bob

Edited September 8, 2023 by Izzy

[Jim T]

Hi Bob

just wanted to say how interesting and informative I found both your MRJ articles. It was nice to see  the evolution through the roundy-roundy and Priory Rd to Tendring and also to follow the development of your diesel modelling from rewheeling through to scratchbuilds. I for one really appreciate you taking the tine to produce and share the articles. You didn’t cover the 309 but it’s a thing of beauty!

 

 

[Izzy]

Thanks

45 minutes ago, Jim T said:

Hi Bob

just wanted to say how interesting and informative I found both your MRJ articles. It was nice to see  the evolution through the roundy-roundy and Priory Rd to Tendring and also to follow the development of your diesel modelling from rewheeling through to scratchbuilds. I for one really appreciate you taking the tine to produce and share the articles. You didn’t cover the 309 but it’s a thing of beauty!

 

 

 

Thanks Jim I’m glad you liked them. My hope is that they might help encourage more modellers to dip their toes into the 2mm/2FS world. As for the 309’s, well I agree and although I’ve done a bit about them on my Priory Road thread perhaps it’s a case of watch this space ….

 

Bob

Edited September 13, 2023 by Izzy

[queensquare]

1 hour ago, Jim T said:

Hi Bob

just wanted to say how interesting and informative I found both your MRJ articles. It was nice to see  the evolution through the roundy-roundy and Priory Rd to Tendring and also to follow the development of your diesel modelling from rewheeling through to scratchbuilds. I for one really appreciate you taking the tine to produce and share the articles. You didn’t cover the 309 but it’s a thing of beauty!

 

 

 

44 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Thanks

 

Thanks Jim I’m glad you liked them. My hope is that they might help encourage more modellers to dip their toes into the 2mm/2FS world. As for the 309’s, well I agree and although I’ve done a bit about them on my Priory Road thread perhaps it’s a case of watch this space ….

 

Bob

I’ve received lots of positive feedback about Bob’s articles in MRJ and I’ve asked if he would do a follow up to the diesels article on the 309 emu

 

Jerry