Clerkenwell Coal Drops

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Right, time to do some actual modelling with the holiday season upon us.

 

Thought a little project to fill a corner will be productive. However, as I'm such a lazy ... I thought it'd spur me on to complete something by writing about it each day.

 

The idea was inspired by Walworth Road Coal drops, south of the river but owned by the MR and later LMS.

 

My space was limited, as this forms one end of a layout covering the fiddle yard (photo #1).

 

A key element at Walworth Road was a wagon turntable, so the position was marked (photo #2).

 

Using the largest drill bit I had, I drilled inside the circumference of the hole (photo #3).

 

A heavy-duty knife was used to remove most of the excess wood (photo #4).

 

Our cat, Tammy, seemed quite interested in the proceedings (photo #5).

 

A marmalade lid will form the basis of the wagon turntable and was offered-up to the hole (photo #6).

 

A half-round file was used to slightly ellarge the opening and smooth the edges (photo #7).

 

The lid is quite a snug fit. The central section rotates within the fixed outer edge (photo #8).

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Day 2 and I made the central section of the wagon turntable.

 

Started by cutting out a circle of card (photo #1). A centre line for each of the tracks was marked on, at right angles. Then the edges were marked where the rails would be placed (photo #2).

 

The rails were cut out and roughly positioned on the base of the turntable. First the outer rails (photo # 3) and then the shorter inner ones (photo # 4). Note that the outer rails are of slightly differing lengths, so that they snugly fit in the middle. On the slightly longer ones a notch was filed (photo # 5), so that the other rail could abut it. Then the other rail was mated up to it (photo # 7).

 

I used super glue to fix the rails to the card. As this turntable is only a scenic feature, I didn't worry about insulating any of the rails. So here's the completed top section (photo # 8).

[Kenton]

I did a similar turntable in my Sychpwll OO9 layout - it was out of sight on the FY but had constant alignment and shorting issues (leading to abandonment in favour of a traverser (yet to be built) Preventing the turntable rails from shorting on the metal lid and preventing a distinct wobble about the pivot which was a jack plug (to provide electrical direction control over the rails) proved far too troublesome.

 

 

But I guess that is all unnecessary for you if a loco is not going to go over it?

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Day 3; not a lot done. Was hoping to complete the trackwork but only got some done.

 

First the wagon turntable was glued into the hole using epoxy resin. Left it a while to cure for the morning (photo #1 ). I used old Peco code 100 track recovered from a previous layout; some wood sleepers, others concrete. However the area between and alongside the rails will be sleepered-over, so they won't be seen.

 

First added a short section (photo #2), then the remaining tracks leading to the wagon table. All these were fixed directly to the ply baseboard with epoxy (photos #3 - 5).

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Day 4 and enthusiasm is beginning to flag.

 

Started filling in the rail sections to create that boarded look.

 

I much prefer to use card for modelling, so fitst glued (using impact adhesive) some card to the sleepers (photo #1). Then stripes of card, cut to about sleeper size, were glued on top with PVA. Care was taken to ensure the gap was sufficent to accept the flanges on wagon wheels that'd use the sidings. The edges were done first (photo #2). Then the middle section was filled in to create the boarded look (photos #3 and 4).

 

I've always like boarded-over sidings. Think it goes back to my childhood. On a Saturday we'd go into town on the trolleybus, usually sitting on the top deck. "Town" being Derby and on the way down London Road, just before the C&W Works on the opposite side of the road was Deadmans Lane. On the corner was a large shed and sidings with sleeper blocks between the rails. This was the former MR Way & Works Department. Can still see the wagons standing in there - never saw anything moving.

 

The site was later cleared to become part of the Railway Technical Centre site.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Day 5.

 

Completed the trackwork. The sidings are at right angles to the arrival/depatrure loop. I decided not to cut through the baseboard as the coal drops themselves will be inside a shed.

 

First the position of the tracks was marked out, only had a green felt pen so I used that. Strips of card were positioned where the rails will go, with a sleeper fixed at one end (photo #1). A closer view is in photo #2. The rails were then glued down onto the strips (photo #3). Photo #4 give an idea what the area now looks like.