WestyIII Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 Hi all I am planning my first layout - last one was my Dads some 18 years ago. - All help welcome - I am very new at this. Here is where I am at so far: Scale - OO Size - 1200x600mm single Board DCC - Yes Era - Mid 40s- Early 60s ish Type - End to End Shunting Puzzle Inspiration - UK Munitions Factory Goal An achievable working layout, with a bit of local history, with an integrated shunting puzzle. I am looking at basing this around the Royal Ordnance Factory Thorp Arch, specifically block 9, Magazines. I would love to get as prototypical as possible, but I am not striving for perfection, more inspired by the location. (Second post will have reference photos) Layout Full layout of ROF Thorp Arch, with the area in Red I'm interested in Zoomed in Layout plan 1 using Hornby track. Plan is to have 2 partial magazines, maybe a building or 2, a small siding and a head shunt. Road is in brown. Locos Ruston 48ds Hunslet 16" 060ST These are what I have (and am happy to run). Any more accurate information is welcome, I know there was an Andrew Barclay Works on site, but I know no more! Rolling Stock Gunpowder Vans Plank Wagons What else? I have no idea what would have been used in ROFs. So questions I have: Is this layout plan/idea any good? What small points would be most reliable Peco vs Hornby? Does anyone have any ideas of rolling stock or locos used? I cannot find a reference photo of the track away from the concreted in hard standing? I presume its just ballasted. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestyIII Posted March 3, 2023 Author Share Posted March 3, 2023 Inspiration Looking down the area of the layout: Anyone ID the rolling stock? Some rolling stock? How it looks now: 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestyIII Posted March 3, 2023 Author Share Posted March 3, 2023 One loco photo, can anyone ID? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheatley Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 (edited) I can't ID the wagons in your first pic or the loco, but the wagon in your second pic is a High goods (5 plank open) with a Type A container in it. I've seen military traffic in the longer Type B containers conveyed in 5 plank opens before for security reasons - you can't open the doors without taking it out of the wagon ! Doing that in a Type A seems odd though as there should be more than enough room to open the end doors, but maybe someone missed the point. I thought GPVs were mainly used for commercial traffic (quarries etc) rather than military, but it was all in Vanwides or ISO containers by the time I started taking much notice of it, so a bit late for your period. Edited March 3, 2023 by Wheatley 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestyIII Posted March 3, 2023 Author Share Posted March 3, 2023 25 minutes ago, Wheatley said: I can't ID the wagons in your first pic or the loco, but the wagon in your second pic is a High goods (5 plank open) with a Type A container in it. I've seen military traffic in the longer Type B containers conveyed in 5 plank opens before for security reasons - you can't open the doors without taking it out of the wagon ! Doing that in a Type A seems odd though as there should be more than enough room to open the end doors, but maybe someone missed the point. I thought GPVs were mainly used for commercial traffic (quarries etc) rather than military, but it was all in Vanwides or ISO containers by the time I started taking much notice of it, so a bit late for your period. Yeah good spot, the photo is probably post war when the site was closing down, so could just be a tool wagon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozzer models Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 when i worked for Standard Fireworks we used some of the mag there 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestyIII Posted March 3, 2023 Author Share Posted March 3, 2023 40 minutes ago, mozzer models said: when i worked for Standard Fireworks we used some of the mag there Thats cool, do you remember the Achilles Tank that was there? I have a question you may be able to answer, do the Magazines have doors where the rails go, or is it open, with the individual doors on the magazines off the loading platforms? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozzer models Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 4 hours ago, WestyIII said: Thats cool, do you remember the Achilles Tank that was there? I have a question you may be able to answer, do the Magazines have doors where the rails go, or is it open, with the individual doors on the magazines off the loading platforms? i was there in the 90's the ones we used were on the outer edge the part that would have been track had roller shutter doors to enclose the loading dock & doors in to the mag from the loading dock(big steal doors) but the site was open to the public in the 90's back in the day it would have been a MOD site so would not need the doors to enclose the loading dock 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Flying Pig Posted March 3, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 3, 2023 7 hours ago, WestyIII said: One loco photo, can anyone ID? One of these? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 5 minutes ago, Flying Pig said: One of these? Available as a kit from Judith Edge kits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Rich_F Posted March 3, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 3, 2023 Stock would've also included box vans & flat wagons. You could add some military artistic licence & add a couple of warwells (with a tank) onboard. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestyIII Posted March 6, 2023 Author Share Posted March 6, 2023 On 03/03/2023 at 21:24, mozzer models said: i was there in the 90's the ones we used were on the outer edge the part that would have been track had roller shutter doors to enclose the loading dock & doors in to the mag from the loading dock(big steal doors) but the site was open to the public in the 90's back in the day it would have been a MOD site so would not need the doors to enclose the loading dock Great thank you, thats really helpful. Looks like they have closed down the retail section, I wonder how long it will have left! On 03/03/2023 at 22:36, Flying Pig said: One of these? Looks bang on, will check out the kits, and rolling stock! Has anyone done a ROF layout before, need some more inspiration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmrspaul Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 Do you know what they manufactured there? The RoF at Bishopton had numerous acid tank wagons, but they were manufacturing a lot of the various acids required and sending them to other sites. https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/rofbishopton At Glascoed when we went it was down to the rump of vans they had but still some were very elderly (Greg Martin had stimulated us to go as he had found a lot more at a South Wales scrap yard) https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/rofglascoed Puriton had closed by the time we got there. (and I didn't understand the new software of the old scanner when I did these. https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/rofglascoed Paul 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted March 6, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 6, 2023 3 minutes ago, hmrspaul said: Do you know what they manufactured there? The RoF at Bishopton had numerous acid tank wagons, but they were manufacturing a lot of the various acids required and sending them to other sites. https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/rofbishopton At Glascoed when we went it was down to the rump of vans they had but still some were very elderly (Greg Martin had stimulated us to go as he had found a lot more at a South Wales scrap yard) https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/rofglascoed Puriton had closed by the time we got there. (and I didn't understand the new software of the old scanner when I did these. https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/rofglascoed Paul From reading various items online it appears that the manufactured some explosives and filled shells. they also did some work on detonators but it wasn't clear exactly what that was. Something I read suggested that they might also have filled small arms ammunition but it wasn't too clear on that point and I would think that a bit unusual alongside their other work but maybe it was done in order to boost overall small arms ammunition capacity? Puriton manufactured explosives which were forwarded from there by rail to the filling factories - I believe it regularly supplied Glascoed in its later years. It also received acid in tank cars for use in the manufacturing process. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 1 hour ago, WestyIII said: Great thank you, thats really helpful. Looks like they have closed down the retail section, I wonder how long it will have left! Looks bang on, will check out the kits, and rolling stock! Has anyone done a ROF layout before, need some more inspiration! Not ROF, but MoD/ RN; have you looked at Ernesettle, near Plymouth? It has a jetty in the Tamar estuary, formerly served by a narrow gauge line, which passed under the former L&SWR main line from Plymouth to Exeter. On the landward side, the narrow- gauge line ran into numerous underground bunkers, as well as an exchange shed, which served the standard gauge connection to the main-line. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestyIII Posted March 6, 2023 Author Share Posted March 6, 2023 4 hours ago, Fat Controller said: Not ROF, but MoD/ RN; have you looked at Ernesettle, near Plymouth? It has a jetty in the Tamar estuary, formerly served by a narrow gauge line, which passed under the former L&SWR main line from Plymouth to Exeter. On the landward side, the narrow- gauge line ran into numerous underground bunkers, as well as an exchange shed, which served the standard gauge connection to the main-line. I hadnt thats very helpful, thanks. On another note, what points are best? I was originally just going to use the standard Hornby ones, should I look at Peco Mediums? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted March 22, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 22, 2023 On 06/03/2023 at 22:45, hmrspaul said: Do you know what they manufactured there? The RoF at Bishopton had numerous acid tank wagons, but they were manufacturing a lot of the various acids required and sending them to other sites. https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/rofbishopton At Glascoed when we went it was down to the rump of vans they had but still some were very elderly (Greg Martin had stimulated us to go as he had found a lot more at a South Wales scrap yard) https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/rofglascoed Puriton had closed by the time we got there. (and I didn't understand the new software of the old scanner when I did these. https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/rofglascoed Paul How many wished that the loaded Izal Palvans had caught fire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 (edited) Some good photos of RNAD Dean Hill. Admittedly narrow gauge, but good for inspiration. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=dean+hill+railway&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj4_rPp5O_9AhVAS0EAHa8PBX8Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1328&bih=984&dpr=1.25#imgrc=IfV43RzkiWPNrM 28 Days Later report. https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/rnad-dean-hill-wiltshire-25-03-07.11259/ Edited March 22, 2023 by Night Train 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted March 22, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 22, 2023 This looks good.. keep up the progress reports please. Thorpe Arch was a filling site for shells and bombs so lots of vans, covered wagons etc from all 4 of the Big 4. Best regards Baz 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestyIII Posted April 18, 2023 Author Share Posted April 18, 2023 On 22/03/2023 at 23:54, Barry O said: This looks good.. keep up the progress reports please. Thorpe Arch was a filling site for shells and bombs so lots of vans, covered wagons etc from all 4 of the Big 4. Best regards Baz Thank you, yeah that's excellent, always good to have an excuse for variety! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestyIII Posted April 18, 2023 Author Share Posted April 18, 2023 On 22/03/2023 at 14:53, Night Train said: Some good photos of RNAD Dean Hill. Admittedly narrow gauge, but good for inspiration. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=dean+hill+railway&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj4_rPp5O_9AhVAS0EAHa8PBX8Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1328&bih=984&dpr=1.25#imgrc=IfV43RzkiWPNrM 28 Days Later report. https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/rnad-dean-hill-wiltshire-25-03-07.11259/ These photos are exactly what I am after, thank you for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestyIII Posted April 18, 2023 Author Share Posted April 18, 2023 Progress, slow and steady, but nothing too exciting. Managed to build the baseboard, select the track, started the wiring for the points, and built a test magazine, to work on my concrete and static grass 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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