Engine Wood

[Captain Kernow]

I put Engine Wood up for testing today, and Re6/6 was kind enough to come over and assist and also to re-sit his Operational Competency Certificate, prior to the Three Spires show in Truro in two weeks time. He also brought some toys for us to play with, although we agreed he would post those photos himself.

 

Here is an a-typical selection of motive power used for testing the layout. From the look of these, you'd have thought I'd been taking liberties with S&D motive power....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll leave it to John to provide proof that 'Westerns' were regularly used on this part of the S&D!...

[coachmann]

I do like the look of that Austerity and it's weathering. Your layout also has a way of making diesels look interesting......

 

(I'll duck before the slings & arrows are slung).

[Captain Kernow]

Here are some more photos of the 'Western'-hauled excursion that ran from Bristol TM to Bournemouth via Camerton, Engine Wood and Midford South Jct last Saturday:.....

 

 

 

 

The same train returned via the same route, later in the day:

 

 

Bath Road provided a D63XX as a standby loco, which shadowed the excursion as far as Templecombe:

[Baby Deltic]

Looking good, CK. Super layout, and that class 22 is very tasty.

[Captain Kernow]

Looking good, CK. Super layout, and that class 22 is very tasty.

Cheers, BD - more hydraulics in the pipeline for Engine Wood, as it happens....

 

Meanwhile, in earlier times, 44422 hauls the Templecombe to Pylle Hill goods through the Cam Valley, approaching Engine Wood, on a rather sunnier day:

 

[Captain Kernow]

Some more views, one of the earlier 7Fs - 53804, resting in the goods yard, prior to working a loaded coal train from Camerton Colliery:

 

The above photo by Chris Nevard, courtesy of Hornby Magazine

 

A few years later, and the Stanier 8Fs have all but usurped the Fowler 7Fs, here we see 48706 on a goods working:

The above photo by Chris Nevard, courtesy of Hornby Magazine

 

 

 

The main station building at Engine Wood:

 

The Up platform waiting shelter:

 

Aerial view towards the station from the Midford South Jct eng:

 

Engine Wood Tunnel:

 

Pannier hauling a van train:

 

 

Brake van stabled in the yard:

 

A very clean 82041 approaching from the east:

 

The NCB loco from Camerton Colliery was always permitted to work over BR metals as far as Engine Wood:

The above photo by Chris Nevard, courtesy of Hornby Magazine

 

The Somerset and Dorset lingered long enough to see goods workings in the hands of Bath Road Class 14 diesel-hydraulics:....

The above photo by Chris Nevard, courtesy of Hornby Magazine

 

Incredibly, a distant cousin of Ivo Peters was able to take this photo only a couple of years ago....

[BlackRat]

Still up there with the best of them!

[ColinW]

Just found this, like the grimey locos.

 

Colin

[47401]

Do like all the photos; it does look like an impressive set up!

 

Richard

[Captain Kernow]

Well, we had a very enjoyable time down at the Three Spires show last weekend, and many thanks again to Nigel (D820) and his team for looking after us.

 

I've decided to make some changes to 'Engine Wood', following our operating sessions at the show and discussions with my fellow operators. Some of these changes will take a little time, some are quick fixes.

 

Board alignment is not easy on EW, it was built before I got into proper alignment dowels, and so needs adjustment by eye, and then tightning of bolts etc. that hold the board together. In the short term, I'm going to change the method of joining the main and middle boards, so as to make this manual adjustment easier.

 

I've also realised that where the curve comes out of the tunnel and into the fiddle yard, for a short length, it is somewhat sharper than I thought, so I am going to look to ease that out a bit as well.

 

Longer term, I've decided to completely replace the middle board, which is 4' in length, with a new board of 6' length. This will allow me to lay in new pointwork at that end of the station loop, of greater radius, re-align and lengthen the goods yard sidings, and possibly provide a short headshunt on the opposite side of the line from the goods yard.

 

Until the new board is ready, the existing board will be kept, so that the layout remains operational.

[ColinW]

I hope that we will be able to view pics of the work being carried out on the layout.

 

Colin

[2ManySpams]

CK, Glad to hear you're extending the loop to take merchant navies. Smashing.

[45156]

Lovely layout there, Cap'n - Ivo Peters eat your heart out! TBH, I was never into the S&D in any big way (Scotland is a long way from Evercreech Junction when you're in your teens and strapped for cash) until I acquired some books about it in a job lot, and after reading and seeing the excellent photos, I finally realised that this must have been a h&ll of a railway, and you have captured its spirit there in a big way.

 

Some of the photos seem familiar, has the layout been featured in the glossies in the last few years? I'd go a-rooting, but I'm currently a bit immobile due to an accident, and my back numbers are in the back of a cupboard.

 

I'll look forward to seeing the updates on the progress.

 

Regards

Stewart

['CHARD]

CK, Glad to hear you're extending the loop to take the BP. Smashing.

[45156]

CK, Glad to hear you're extending the loop to take the BP. Smashing.

'Chard - it looks as if the BP must have got just about everywhere in the UK - I'm sure Cap'n could work out some story to justify its appearance on Engine Wood - after all, it seems to have hosted some unusual motive power so far - but probably only in private!

[tommy mac]

Hi lovely looking layout there, i really like the class 22. Can i ask you is your western a heljin model, if so have you found problems with fitting the details to the front buffer beam beacuse i have!

 

Thank Tommy

[Diesel Dayz]

Super layout. The 66 doesn't look at all out of place.

[lakeview770]

All I can say is very nice indeed

[Captain Kernow]

CK, Glad to hear you're extending the loop to take the BP. Smashing.

You are closer to the truth of a S&D fantasy than you realise, Mr Chard!!

[Captain Kernow]

Hi lovely looking layout there, i really like the class 22. Can i ask you is your western a heljin model, if so have you found problems with fitting the details to the front buffer beam beacuse i have!

 

Thank Tommy

To be honest, Tommy, the Western belongs to Re6/6 and was 'just visiting'. He bought the loco second hand a few weeks ago and this was the first time it had run anywhere in his ownership. The buffer beam details seem to have been fitted but broken off, so I'm not sure about how easy it is to fit them, or not, at the moment... I'll have to let you know when I sort out my Maroon one...

[Captain Kernow]

Some of the photos seem familiar, has the layout been featured in the glossies in the last few years?

Hi Stewart, the layout did feature in Railway Modeller in November and December 1996, and then later in the very first edition of Hornby Magazine, back in 2008, I think it was, (Chris Nevard took the photos for that, and perhaps those are the ones you remember?).

[45156]

Hi Stewart, the layout did feature in Railway Modeller in November and December 1996, and then later in the very first edition of Hornby Magazine, back in 2008, I think it was, (Chris Nevard took the photos for that, and perhaps those are the ones you remember?).

Thanks - I think that it would be Hornby Mag as I thumbed through it in Smiffs even though I didn't buy it - I've also got some old RMs and I might just have the issue concerned, but my back numbers are tucked away, and while I've got a gammy leg, I can't get to them!

[Captain Kernow]

Here are some photos taken at the Three Spires show in Truro last weekend, in particular on the occasion that the BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 rostered by Bournemouth shed failed and a T9 had to be substituted on the 1545 Bournemouth to Bristol.

 

The T9 actually belongs to 2ManySpams and was visiting EW on a 'photographic charter'... I understand that this lovely loco is built from a Finney kit...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Ivan Petersfield and Norman Locksmith had finally finished taking their photos, the train was allowed into the station, where it crossed with the Captain's Spamcan on a down working... Not a Midland or GW loco in sight!!

 

 

[gwrrob]

Here are some photos taken at the Three Spires show in Truro last weekend, in particular on the occasion that the BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 rostered by Bournemouth shed failed and a T9 had to be substituted on the 1545 Bournemouth to Bristol.

 

The T9 actually belongs to 2ManySpams and was visiting EW on a 'photographic charter'... I understand that this lovely loco is built from a Finney kit...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Ivan Petersfield and Norman Locksmith had finally finished taking their photos, the train was allowed into the station, where it crossed with the Captain's Spamcan on a down working... Not a Midland or GW loco in sight!!

 

 

 

 

Tim/Chris.Fabulous modelling all round.

[2ManySpams]

Tim/Chris.Fabulous modelling all round.

 

hi rob, can't claim any credit for the T9 - it was built for me by Stafford club member Geoff Cook. I took one look at the dozens of etched parts just for the bogie springs and decided the kit demanded building by someone more capable with a soldering iron than me. He did a fantastic job and it runs beautifully.