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Forest of Dean Bitumen Plant.


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I am toying with the idea of "converting" my wee SR terminus into a representation of the bitumen depot at the (truncated) end of the Whimsey branch in the Forest of Dean.I have been fortunate in obtaining a number of Berry Wiggins tank wagons and with the aid of Modelmaster transfers,am looking forward to converting others.The immediate problem is details of the depot facilities themselves and pictures of how the unloading took place.Good photos can be found in "BR Steam in Dean"edited by Ian Pope and Cheonas "British Railway Wagons Rail Tanks" (both highly recommended) but some closer-up-detail would be excellent.Googling produced a useful article by "glostransporthistory" and some info was found in the incredibly useful and detailed "Beginners guide to Model Railway Goods Services".

I appreciate this is a long shot, particularly as the location itself was perhaps one of the lesser known twigs of the system but needless to say, I would be very grateful if any further guidance was possible.Many thanks.

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Wow! From a SR terminus to a small outpost of the Forest of Dean system! That's the kind of transformation I heartily approve of!

 

Have you seen the Wild Swan Forest of Dean books, (2 volumes), also the Severn & Wye series may have something - all very detailed books with some good photos.

 

Motive power was generally a 57XX/8750 or 16XX pannier.

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Wow! From a SR terminus to a small outpost of the Forest of Dean system! That's the kind of transformation I heartily approve of!

 

Have you seen the Wild Swan Forest of Dean books, (2 volumes), also the Severn & Wye series may have something - all very detailed books with some good photos.

 

Motive power was generally a 57XX/8750 or 16XX pannier.

Bless you Tim, I said I was only "toying"!!!! Yes ta, I have the WS books and a mighty good read they are.

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Evening Tim,

 

A man after my own heart. I toyed with this idea about 10 years ago and accumulated a load of Berry Wiggins tank wagons too.

 

I actually went on a field trip to find the site but sadly, it's all under an industrial estate.

 

The photos in BR Steam in Dean by Ben Ashworth are probably the best ones I've seen for detail of the wagons but as you say, detail of the depot is not easy to find. One other really good source is The Forest of Dean Branch Volume 2 by Pope and Karau published by Wildswan (1997). Here's a link below with a nice photo on the front cover of a Pannier at Whimsey. Scroll down and you'll find it on the list.

 

http://titfield.co.uk/WSP_BRLN.htm

 

Also the Last Days of Steam in Gloucesteshire (Vol: 1 and 2) by Ashworth has some more photos of the Panniers working up from Bullo Pill. There's also some photos in Forest of Dean Track Plans published by OPC.

 

Think this could be a really nice layout for a former GWR branchline. A couple of Panniers (3737/8745) and the odd 55xx Prarie and you're well away.

 

Talking of Berry Wiggins tank wagons the Bachmann model represents a petrol tank wagon as you're aware no doubt The Berry Wiggins tanks were steam heated to assist with unloading. The other thin to watch is the addresses for Berry Wiggins on the sides. The Model Master decal sheet gives the ?Kingsnorth address when it should be the Fieldhouse, Fetter Lane London address.

 

The Model Master sheet is really good to use and with the aid of setting solutions beds down on to the wagon surface nicely. If you're feeling masokistic POW sides actually do the correct livery for these bitumen wagons with the distinctive 'Liquaphalt' white and red shield that addorned the side of these tanks. However, POW sides transfers are rubdown and not the easiest to use. I did get some good results mind.

 

The other thing you could do is use modellers license and run Class 14's and 25's on trains for a mid-late 60's feel if the line hadn't of closed.

 

Hope that helps?

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

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I'd forgotten these.

 

The picture looks good, and comes with the 'Liquaphalt' shield as well.

 

I understand these transfers come as one piece with the black background as well. Should be easy to match with the rest of the tank though.

 

Mark

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