Whinburgh and Slitrigg - Main line across the border

[coronach]

On 04/08/2023 at 17:10, 61656 said:

I always assumed that all split boxes had doors, I was quite surprised to find most of them didn’t. Of course they were all sealed beam by my period. 

Were there more than four with split boxes? I know that lots of 45s had pairs of flush headcodes and that the 46s had the full 4-character headcodes. Eventually they were replaced by marker lights

Edited August 11, 2023 by coronach
Typo

[61656]

3 hours ago, coronach said:

Were there more than four with split boxes? I know that lots of 45s had pairs of flush headcodes and that the 46s had the full 4-character headcodes. Eventually they were replaced by weaker lights

D11-15 had doors, D16-30 had split boxes without doors. You can still tell on the split beams as their lights are closer together. 

[coronach]

Been in hospital again with double pneumonia recently but home again now with loads of meds. Not able to get up to the railway for now but that doesn’t stop me planning what’s next. First, the layout needs a thorough deep clean, starting with rail cleaning and a thorough vacuum to remove 12 months of accumulated debris and cobwebs. The mechanical signals and points need attention and lubrication to improve reliability. I am going to modify the connections between the lever frames and signals to include springs that accommodate expansion and contraction due to heat. In particular the semaphore signals at Whitrope Siding need properly setting up and commissioning. 

[coronach]

[coronach]

Just now, coronach said:

Several locomotives are joining the fleet - firstly this lovely G5 from TMC. It hasn’t been run yet but it looks great. These locomotives worked on the border country branch lines, including the Rothbury branch, and they could easily have reached Riccarton Junction via Reedsmouth before the NER branch closed in 1956. I look forward to running this with the Hornby LNER non-corridor stock. 

[coronach]

Also on the cards is 78047, a Hawick loco, which is probably in a shipping container somewhere on the high seas

[coronach]

what a lovely model this is - Sulzer Type 4 D12. This loco will have no problem hauling the up and down Waverley sets over Whitrope unassisted. Straight out of the box and needing some further detailing - a limited edition TMC Heljan model to compare with my existing Bachmann Class 45, which is also a good runner. 

Edited August 23, 2023 by coronach

[coronach]

This limited edition model incorporates front end nose doors as per the Class 44s but which were fitted to only the first four class 45s with the addition of split box four character headcodes. The next batch of Class 45s had split headcodes but omitted the nose end doors. 

 

 

Edited August 23, 2023 by coronach

[coronach]

The loco needs 1S64 on one end and 1M91 on the other. Are Heljan models easy to manipulate to change headcodes?

[coronach]

I’ve been trawling through the archives and picked out some photos of the level crossing and yard at Slitrigg. 

J36 65345 is reversing a pair of cattle wagons across the road into the sidings. The level crossing has six gates- a set of four worked by the signalman from the ‘box’ and a separate pair of handworked gated used by a shunter or engine crew under the direction of the signalman when access to the yard is necessary.

Safely inside, the yard gates are opened to the road, however the main gates remain closed. 

Peppercorn A1 pacific rushes downhill on a Carlisle to Edinburgh semi-fast. These do not stop at Slitrigg. 
 

 

Meanwhile, in the yard, unloading takes place. 

[coronach]

Another selection of pictures from Slitrigg. 

 

Looking north towards the Edinburgh direction (fiddle yard entrance)

 

The rural bus service crosses behind the northbound stopping after picking up any passengers. 
 

A northbound stopping train arrives. 

 

A southbound stopping train climbs away from Slitrigg on the 1:75 towards the viaduct and Whitrope summit. The two coach train comprises a LMS Period 2 Corridor brake third (Comet kit) and a Stanier Period 3 coach of similar configuration (Airfix GMR with replacement Comet sides). I think the loco is a Hornby B1 (weathered). 

Edited August 24, 2023 by coronach

[St Enodoc]

Lovely stuff, thank you.

[coronach]

Some pictures of a lockdown project to upgrade a Trang Hornby Mk1 BSK with replacement Comet sides. 

I think the original coach cost a fiver second hand. The sides are about £9 a pair. Previous conversions as part of the same coach set were used as a motivation to get the job done. 

 

There are lots of handles, door stop and hinges on a BSK. I use brass lacing pins and wire suitably soldered and filed to shape. Fairly crude but visually effective. 
 

 

Looking good - well good enough for me anyway. 
 

 

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by coronach

[coronach]

A similar lockdown project involved conversion of the Hornby 12 wheel LMS period 2 composite restaurant car to a restaurant first. This vehicle formed part of a Waverley set in the final year before replacement with a Mk1 catering vehicle (1961?). 

 

The first photograph shows a replacement side, fully detailed and painted before attachment to the vehicle. The original vehicle had been repainted from blood and custard livery to maroon. The conversion was made more complicated by the fact that the kitchen was at the opposite end of the coach. 

 

 

these two photos show the completed vehicle inserted into the Leeds - Edinburgh relief train. It has since been added to the main train. 

Edited August 24, 2023 by coronach

[coronach]

Photos taken during the conversion - not in any particular order. It’s always a bit nerve wracking to apply a craft knife to what is otherwise a serviceable vehicle, but I think that is a difference between simply having a model railway and being a railway modeller. 

 

 

 

 

The result is another interesting vehicle that I am pleased to own, created at the fraction of the cost of a complete kit and which runs smoothly on Hornby bogies. These are all ‘layout coaches’ and wouldn’t stand too much close scrutiny but look great as part of a train. 

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by coronach

[coronach]

I also enjoy weathering vehicles to remove any semblance of their original kit built state. I generally prefer acrylic paint and weathering powders.  I’ve not got the stamina, steady hand or energy to do any of this at the moment but I hope to be able to again soon. It is a very satisfying hobby. 

Parkside CCT, which also includes a compensated chassis. 
 

 

A Chivers Finelines pigeon van. 
 

Various Parkside and Cambrian wagon kits. 
 

 

And a couple of ancient Parkside kits. The Toad must be nearly 30 years old and have been repainted at least three times. 

[coronach]

It’s intriguing to be posting stuff and receiving likes from fellow modellers across the world,  in the early hours, in the UK - can’t sleep and next meds due in a little over 2 hours. Eyes are tired though so I will sign out and put on the BBC world service. I wonder what Donald Trump is up to?

[coronach]

Found some really early pictures just now of the beginnings of Slitrigg in 2006. The board was set up in the conservatory which gave me space to lay the track and level crossing. It looks so neat and tidy !  It encourages me to refettle the gates.  It more tricky to access now it is installed in the loft and covered in scenery. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by coronach

[coronach]

More early photos of Slitrigg, the lever frame and the viaduct. I remember how satisfying it was to start to realise the beginning of the railway. What a long way things have come in 18 years. 

 

 

[coronach]

 

 

 

[coronach]

A more recent shot of a black 5 climbing towards Whitrope Summit hauling a southbound unfitted goods train, maybe originating from the Dundee area and heading for Carlisle. Much of the freight traffic operating between Edinburgh Millerhill and Carlisle Kingmoor yards was fully or partially fitted and hauled by LNER pacific or V2 locomotives. Any residual traffic would be marshalled as an unfitted train as seen here. Ex LMS locomotives became more frequent on the Waverley Route in the 1960s after Carlisle Canal shed closed and operations moved to Kingmoor.
 

 

 

Edited August 25, 2023 by coronach

[coronach]

These photos are uploaded as a comparison with the earlier post showing the beginnings of Slitrigg in 2006. Scenery has transformed the board and merged it with the structure of the loft and other boards but underneath the original board is unchanged. 

 

 

 

The points and semaphore signals are mechanically worked from a lever frame and have worked reliably now for around 17 years. The wire connections are visible in the second photograph to the left of the track. 

Edited August 25, 2023 by coronach

[coronach]

A photo of Whitrope Siding signal box from about 2020. The wagon in the siding suggest that the permanent way engineer will be changing some rails at the weekend.

 

Attaching the camera to a ‘drone’ enables a wider view of the landscape and the road where it crosses the railway at Whitrope. Sheep are a major feature and spread themselves across the moorland oblivious of human boundaries. A southbound mixed goods trundles towards Whitrope tunnel. 

 

[coronach]

During the COVID lockdown, I really went to town on refettling and overhauling the wagon fleet. Here are some pictures from that time when I distressed several unfitted wagons - a selection of Parkside and Cambrian kits. 
 

 

 

 

 

And a steel open fitted wagon with load. 
 

All of these wagons are used with the pick up goods trains. 
 

[coronach]

A selection of goods facilities. Firstly, the busy yard at Slitrigg, which includes a sizeable goods shed, loading dock and coal cells. 
 

 

Next we have the small yard at Whinburgh, not much bigger than the facility at Dent on the Settle to Carlisle line, with a small crane and loading dock. No goods shed here but plenty of sheds and bothys 
 

 

At Whinburgh, the yard merges with the station platform. 
 

Edited August 27, 2023 by coronach