The Hintock Branch-1930's Dorset Joint GWR/SR Workings in OO

[john flann]

Yes Mikkel, that crane is that little 'something different'  and I look forward to seeing it when made up.

 

Glad you liked the legend-it's given me a great deal of quiet amusement in thinking it up and adding to it.

 

You mentioned some photographs of GWR gantry cranes, I have memories of seeing something similar but I know not where. Can you kindly point me there?

[rcmacchipilot]

John? out of curiosity do you have working lamps? or is it just a function of the camera flash?

 

Also as always great photos with great scenery that really captures the feel and general "thing that I can never put my finger on that makes a layout alive and breathing"ness

Also I would love to know a little more background to the operating rule set that comes with the deck of cards on the layout 

[john flann]

rcm....glad you like Hintock, I regard what's outside the railway fence as important as that within and no one feature should dominate; I see it as rather akin to a landscape portrait, after all railways are part of the landscape and though I'm biased you can't beat Dorset for that.

 

I'm always happy to answer questions, and as to your inquiries,

 

1. I'm not clever enough to illuminate the lamps, they are Springside and the brilliants have gained that from the lighting I use for my photography.

 

2. What had you particularly in mind regarding my card operating methods?

 

And one of mine, where are you in Oz?

[Mikkel]

You mentioned some photographs of GWR gantry cranes, I have memories of seeing something similar but I know not where. Can you kindly point me there?

 

Hi John, there are a couple in GWR Goods Services Vol 2A:

 

* Page 66 shows one at Hereford Barrs Court of similar size to yours (though construction is slightly different).

 

* Page 162 shows a medium sized one at South Lambeth (with an operator's cabin).

 

* There were also large ones of course, such as this one at Hockley, originally hydraulic but later converted to electric I understand: http://warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrhd692.htm

[rcmacchipilot]

Evening john

 

I wondered if it was worked as a shuffled shunting puzzle or if there were a greater amount of rules and procedures put in place. how did you incorporate the cards into operating with a fiddle yard?

 

currently I live in perth which is on the west coast of Australia, although I grew up In Adelaide.

 

Dorset is picturesque although I have only seen it through the lens of Ivo peters in his books. Im going down the sdjr route but I wont hold the gwr against you .

 

 

Owen

[Sidecar Racer]

There are also a few shots of gantry cranes in Russells ' Great Western Miscellany '.

 

Some are yard and a couple are in the works shots , includes one of a 42xx being

moved as a finished job .

[john flann]

Well it's good morning here to you Owen and Tuesday, my system is quite straightforward and reasonably represents what goes on with shunting, but I don't think 'puzzle' properly describes it. OK sometimes it is a bit of a puzzle to work out the necessary moves but I prefer to regard that as an intellectual challenge!

 

It will be understood that shunting is by no means random and its purpose is to pick up wagons for dispatch  and set out others for loading/unloading and in a systematic and time effective manner. And each of my wagons has a card and a home spot in the sidings at Hintock. When the wagon is at home the card for it remains at Hintock, when in the fiddle yard it is there.

 

I operate a sequence and on a goods train arrival at Hintock I draw cards pf the wagons present that will make up a new train of up to 8 wagons (my wagons are either singletons or in rakes of 2 or3) and then shunt the incoming wagons to the appropriate sidings whilst drawing out those destined for departure. The cards for the arriving wagons are moved to Hintock those for the departing to the fiddle yard.

 

And so matters proceed infinitely. With each drawing  producing a variety of goods train both in number and their make up.

 

The cards I use are playing cards, they are of a handy size, slick and shuffle well. The wagons are fitted with Kadees, minus their arm. I do not use magnets as they are never in the right place and for uncoupling employ a shunting pole. If you care to go back through my thread you will see in various images, the cards, their holders and shunting poles.

 

This is a brief summary, it's easy enough to set up and use. I've developed this method over the years (and written about them) and the shunting never fails to give me fun and enjoyment, It's not aimless but has purpose.

 

And if you have any more inquiries please ask.

 

I've always had a yen to visit Perth, its location fascinates me, but I'm unlikely now to ever make it. Once or twice in earlier days I did consider immigration to Oz.

 

Regards

[Sidecar Racer]

Oh poo I thought I had all of his books another dent in the wallet. 

81C

 

Ooopsss , just noticed that this is Volume Two , it does'nt say on the front cover though .

 

A quick search has found both volumes here , other options available I would think

with more research . It's well down the page in alphabetical order .

 

http://www.bufferbooks.com/page3.htm

[john flann]

 

 

Trailing empty milk tanks the daily mixed passenger/parcels/milk draws into Hintock. This train runs on alternate days with GWR/SR milk tanks between Hintock and Dorchester, the GWR tanks are dealt with at the Junction for forward delivery to Granby the SR taken on and dropped at Dorchester for Vauxhall.

 

 

 

 

Leaving the milk tanks on the running line the train proceeds into the platform road at Hintock, there empty milk churns will be unloaded and replaced by full in the capacious  ex Ocean Liner clerestory brake whilst parcels are loaded/unloaded in the SR GUV. Meantime the loco will uncouple, run around taking water and proceed to shunt the Dairy.

 

 

To be continued......

[john flann]

 

 

Continued.....on another occasion the Prairie off the train approaches Dairy siding, this is a private siding and entry  for locos is not allowed, there being an 'Engines Must Not Pass this Board' notice at the gate. The full tanks, as are here,  being brought to the gate for collection  by either cable and capstan or 'Ethel' the dairy horse.

 

 

 

 

Another shot and rather a good one but I was beginning to find the goods shed on the dock a nuisance for photography and the shortness of the loading dock unrealistic.

 

 

 

 

Here the shed has gone and much better for it. In this case the milk tanks on the Dairy siding have not been brought forward so the Prairie will couple to the empty tanks and use those to reach in for drawing out, park them on the running line and then put the empty tanks inside the siding.

 

The 'Engines..." notice is just to the left of the gate.

 

 

 

A closer look at the milk tanks. The green one lettered 'DDFA' the Dorset Dairy Farmers Association is free lance and a modified Bachmann tank on a Dapol chassis. The logo 'rail link' is, of course, from the cow to the city.

 

 

To complete the shunt the full tanks will be left on the running line and by this time work on the vehicles at the platform will be complete so the loco can propel them out to couple up, return to the platform, run around and the train is ready for departure. All in all a neat little exercise.

[john dew]

Excellent John

 

I am in danger of repeating myself.......but another example of your "less is more "  philosophy........there is minimal detailing on those buildings and cameos but just enough to convince one it is the real thing...............brilliant.

[john flann]

John. you are too kind.

[Mikkel]

Hi John,  it's beginning to feel as if Hintock was a real station down the line from here: A familiar station that you pass by regularly to see if anything interesting is going on - and there always is.

 

Try as I might, though, I can't seem to spot Ethel the dairy horse... 

[john flann]

Mikkel, that's just the object I seek to achieve and I appreciate the compliment. I've said it before too that Hintock and the Vale in which it sits is in my imagination a real place ion a beautiful summers day in the Dorset of the 1930's.

 

 

I did think carefully in all respects about what I sought to model in the first instance and this is the result. Mind you I've chucked some things out and altered others that haven't worked as I've gone along. I had no master plan and stuck to it. No computer generated plans just the back of an will envelope do for me.

 

 

But perhaps it has more to do with my early professional training and work as a land surveyor and the ability to grasp the scale and sweep of the landscape and all that is within it.

 

 

As to Ethel, she's tethered off stage in these pictures and enjoying a munch or two of fresh hay from her nose bag. No doubt she will appear in the future as I plan some more images of the rest of the Dairy.

 

 

Overnight I've thought too more about John's comment and again I don't take that approach deliberately except that my aim is only that of the overall effect, none of my stuff is exactly to scale and I'm don't worry much about detail What I consider more important is harmony, a reasonable representation,  things hanging together and looking 'right'.

 

 

I trust this does not come over as preachy and pretentious-we each do our own thing. And I'm all for that!

[DLT]

I trust this does not come over as preachy and pretentious-we each do our own thing. And I'm all for that!

Artistic and observational certainly, but preachy and pretentious?  Definitely not!

 

All the best, Dave.

[john flann]

In a careless moment whilst engaged in some photography I damaged one of my Prairies and it lost its funnel.

 

I emailed Bachmann service department and within an hour had a reply to the effect they didn't stock an item like that but they had found one. That they would send me for 3GBP.

 

That's what I call SERVICE! 

 

PS, and within a further two hours I had paid and it was shipped.

[john flann]

 

 

Not the best of lighting in this shot, but it shows a SR train from Yeovil leaving the approach curve and winding its way past Hintock Dairies. This reverse curve of which more is seen in the following images is, I think, an attractive feature. It also opened up space for the Dairy.

 

 

 

 

This demonstrates how removing the goods shed, that stood there like a lighthouse, has opened up the view and enhanced it for photography.

 

 

 

 

A late delivery for dispatch, as Albert said to Fred "Now we have to open up again the Leeds and put this lot in."

 

 

In the further distance a goods train waits in the loop for the Yeovil train to arrive. It can then depart. The returning Yeovil train will pass it en route as the goods shunts the yard at Little Hintock the next station up the branch..

 

 

(I have this up as my screen saver and enjoy it very much.)

 

 

 

 

And so it runs in.

[john flann]

Five of a kind, but worth a (second or more) look at what's been going on (as Mikkel has it) at Hintock in the past few days.

 

 

 

 

The Wednesdays and Saturdays only through coaches from Birkenhead (Woodside.) via Chester, Granby and Wolverhampton in early evening  pull into Hintock. It's a slowish journey and guests at the GWR's Port Bredy Pennsylvania Castle Hotel will glad to be soon in the GWR motorbus en route to their comfortable rooms, a wash, a drink and dinner. Whilst tomorrow they will enjoy the delights of the Dorset coast.

 

 

 

 

Earlier in the day a SR train from Yeovil enters, a shiny M7 in charge.

 

 

 

 

And runs into the platform.

 

 

 

 

The M7 has taken water and run round and awaits the arrival of the GWR mid morning goods in the loop bringing wagons for Hintock station yard and Sheepcroft along with those destined for Port Bredy.

 

 

 

 

Jim Buttrey, the signalman left his box and collected the token from the 'Down' incoming goods, and when the goods is safely tucked in the loop pull off the Starter for the Yeovil train to leave and when it has the 'right away' will go to trackside and pass up the token to the driver of the 'Up' train.

 

 

(And its been over 100F here for several days so it's very pleasant offering this entertainment in the comfort of my air conditioned basement. Mornings and nights are cool and the heat is very dry,  Northern Utah summers compensate for the snow and cold of winter.)

[Andrew P]

Hi John, I have just had another look at the pics and could not resist a few LIKES, it has great atmosphere and as you say removing the shed has worked well.

 

All the best.

Andy

[john dew]

The Wednesdays and Saturdays only through coaches from Birkenhead (Woodside.) via Chester, Granby and Wolverhampton in early evening  pull into Hintock. It's a slowish journey and guests at the GWR's Port Bredy Pennsylvania Castle Hotel will glad to be soon in the GWR motorbus en route to their comfortable rooms, a wash, a drink and dinner. Whilst tomorrow they will enjoy the delights of the Dorset coast.

 

(And its been over 100F here for several days so it's very pleasant offering this entertainment in the comfort of my air conditioned basement. Mornings and nights are cool and the heat is very dry,  Northern Utah summers compensate for the snow and cold of winter.)

 

You have a splendid imagination John........heres yet another compelling "legend"  A GWR hotel to justify the through coaches from Liverpool...........brilliant. Can you remind me where the rest of the coaches go.........is it Weymouth!

 

100o  ........wow........we have been muttering at 85o on the coast although in fairness it is very humid as well

[john flann]

John, the through coaches I saw as getting to Wolverhampton by way perhaps of a Paddington bound train (there were as I recall Birkenhead/London trains) then attached to a Weymouth bound train. There were quite a few trains of that nature, I think from Wolverhampton. Weymouth being a popular holiday destination for folks from the Midlands.  That being so they would be detached/attached at Hintock Junction.

 

It also opens up a possibility of their leaving via the LMS from Liverpool Lime Steet, (to serve the folks on that side of the water) on the Plymouth trains and then via  Crewe to Granby and Wolverhampton for Weymouth. I did say it was a 'slowish' journey. But I'm sure it was delightful.

 

So as you are in charge of the Granby Operating District it's now for your imagination!

[john dew]

No problems John......I just wanted to check I had the correct destination!  I am afraid it will not get implemented at Granby until the fall. This will be my last post for a while....we are away sailing and then off to UK/France until late September.....au revoir!  

[john flann]

No problems John......I just wanted to check I had the correct destination!  I am afraid it will not get implemented at Granby until the fall. This will be my last post for a while....we are away sailing and then off to UK/France until late September.....au revoir!  

 

Have a safe trip John and, as you say, au revoir!

[john flann]

PS, John- as Jeanne and I sat and enjoyed our pre-dinner G&T's I remembered, to Doreen and yourself -HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.

[The Stationmaster]

John, the through coaches I saw as getting to Wolverhampton by way perhaps of a Paddington bound train (there were as I recall Birkenhead/London trains) then attached to a Weymouth bound train. There were quite a few trains of that nature, I think from Wolverhampton. Weymouth being a popular holiday destination for folks from the Midlands.  That being so they would be detached/attached at Hintock Junction.

 

It also opens up a possibility of their leaving via the LMS from Liverpool Lime Steet, (to serve the folks on that side of the water) on the Plymouth trains and then via  Crewe to Granby and Wolverhampton for Weymouth. I did say it was a 'slowish' journey. But I'm sure it was delightful.

 

So as you are in charge of the Granby Operating District it's now for your imagination!

The Wolverhampton - West of England through trains ran via Cheltenham so a Weymouth portion would normally come off at Bristol, equally it could go via Oxford and Swindon.  OneGW service from Liverpool to the south coast is shown in the public 1929 as starting from Liverpool Landing Stage (and joining the train at Birkenhead)!