Prototype location ideas using 4 CEP...(now Paddock Wood)

[bcnPete]

There were also a couple of sidings on the up side, which I believe were on the route of the Hawkhurst branch, these were used by two other fruit importers Mack and Edwards and Broome and Green. These companies had a small flow of vans normally but not exclusively Interfrigos.

Additionally there was a siding on the down side, London side of the overbridge, adjacent to the car auction site. This tended to be used for empty ferries, particularly for the night return service to Dover.

I started in TOPS at Dover in 1981, when there were two services per day to Paddock Wood. With a third in the peak season in the run up to Christmas. On occasion the Rowntrees traffic, was over carried to Dover, which because of the sensitivity of the traffic, usually signalled a special to PW once the overcarried wagons arrived. The empty Rowntrees wagons were bought down to Dover on the return morning service and forwarded on our 6E53 Dover - Tyne Speedlink which called at Dringhouses.

One other traffic I remember was fertiliser from Ince and Elton in the Shellstar bogie vans, without delving onto the loft, I think it was once or twice a week, Again the empties passed via Dover onto 6M94 Dover - Bescot/Warrington.

Hope this is of interest.

 

Simon - Many thanks indeed - That is indeed, helpful and very interesting. Am trying to build up a picture of the rolling stock movements so this all adds to the picture - Thank you.

[Fat Controller]

The siding on the Down side to which Simon refers was originally used to serve the Ministry of Supply buffer store; this was the large brick building which now houses the car auction. The main-line connection remained until quite recently- the last time I saw it used would have been in the mid-1990s, when I saw a hooded flat stabled there.

Didn't one of the Up sidings serve a timber merchants or similar?

[bcnPete]

The siding on the Down side to which Simon refers was originally used to serve the Ministry of Supply buffer store; this was the large brick building which now houses the car auction. The main-line connection remained until quite recently- the last time I saw it used would have been in the mid-1990s, when I saw a hooded flat stabled there.

Didn't one of the Up sidings serve a timber merchants or similar?

 

Thanks Brian - I can't answer that I am afraid but perhaps someone else can.

 

I have just received three books today featuring slam doors and southern electrics. A couple of photos of Paddock Wood, one of them showing a 73 hauling the VSOE Pullmans through in 1983....hmmm, that's given me an idea for another train to model...

[bcnPete]

Good afternoon all,

 

Just digging up this thread again as I was wondering whether anyone knew whether the bay platform was used for anything else at Paddock Wood?

 

At present my 4 CEP will trundle back and forth from the fiddleyard but I wondered whether any parcels vans would have been arranged there (Chris's picture at the start shows a brute trolley there) or loco hauled trains?

 

Any help on this would be much appreciated (says he trying to increase operational interest possibilities on the layout )

 

Thanks in advance

 

Pete

[eastwestdivide]

There would be a Strood train in the bay for maybe 10-15 mins most hours, limiting its usefulness, and I don't ever remember going through there and seeing anything else in the bay, so I can only think of semi-valid excuses, e.g.

a) Parcels train from Tonbridge direction to Maidstone direction comes through and backs in for loading/unloading, because an Ashford train needs to use the down through platform. There was parcels traffic to sidings at Maidstone at that period. And parcels trains were renowned for using odd sidings/loops, e.g. round the back of Chatham, or the up loop at Rochester while shunting the odd van, so it's not so far removed from reality.

b) Bit of a mix-up shunting the sidings, needing the platform as a spare siding while rearranging stuff in the other sidings.

c) Maybe a single Grampus wagon at the stops, for collecting rubbish during a building job on the station. You often used to get single wagons in bay platforms.

 

Otherwise, rule 1 applies I suppose.

 

 

Edited to remove unwanted smiley face for point b)

[bcnPete]

Thanks Chris

 

It's a shame as the 33 on vans looks sort of at home sitting in the bay platform....Rule No. 1 maybe it is then...

[The Lurker]

As far as I can recall from years standing on the up platform waiting for the train to school (78 - 85), the Maidstone West platform was not used for anything other than the train to Maidstone West/Strood. The 08 at Paddock Wood often used the former bay platform line on the other side of the station (it had served the Hawkhurst branch) but this outside your remit, and I seem to recall that the down siding on the london side of the road overbridge was still in very occasional use. All this said, I was of course travelling in the morning rushhour so the pattern was fairly fixed.

[bcnPete]

As far as I can recall from years standing on the up platform waiting for the train to school (78 - 85), the Maidstone West platform was not used for anything other than the train to Maidstone West/Strood. The 08 at Paddock Wood often used the former bay platform line on the other side of the station (it had served the Hawkhurst branch) but this outside your remit, and I seem to recall that the down siding on the london side of the road overbridge was still in very occasional use. All this said, I was of course travelling in the morning rushhour so the pattern was fairly fixed.

 

Many thanks for that - as suspected and reinforced by both comments from Chris and yourself...still Rule No. 1 then!