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

[mullie]

"Staging yard?" That's not very Dorset!

[BR(W)]

Ha, ha. "...two countries separated by a common language", as George Bernard Shaw allegedly opined.

 

But in anyone's language, the model is a most redolent evocation of a long-lost part of Dorset. And of Britain (wipes tear from eye).

 

Cheers,

 

BR(W).

[Andrew P]

Hi John, just had time to catch up on the Videos, really good and brings Hintock to life, I will check out the Web site now.

 

Cheers.

[mullie]

I regularly drive through the area where this layout is set and you really can imagine Hintock being there, a great layout.

[john flann]

Kind and generous words from you all. Thank you.

 

Mullie, I have been for you wracking my brain, for a response in your particular case by play of words on 'fiddle' but with no success. So I'll have to leave it like this, I agree Staging Yard is an Americanism but here it fits the bill nicely, I think. There is in fact little fiddling with my trains. They run more or less in fixed formations-except for the goods trains-to and from the Staging Yard and there 'stage' until their next turn.

 

Any 'fiddling' takes place on the layout itself with vans being added/detached, milk tanks exchanged and as are the locos. It' all part of my scheme of operations. Why do all the interesting stuff behind the scenes?

 

A bit pedantic I know and BR(W) yes are divided by a common language. We've lived here in the USA for 25 years and more and I speak it idiomatically as it gets me understood more readily. (But I retain my distinctive accent.) A lot of it too is amusing.And often very apt.

 

Perhaps the evocation of Dorset I have created and that gets recognition is partly because I am an ex-pat, getting on in years and it's a harking back to the days of when I was a boy. Plus, of course, my Dorset ancestry. Whatever, its fun.

 

And I hope too you enjoy this....

 

 

[mullie]

I'm intrigued to know what your American friends make of the layout?

 

I like watching videos on You Tube of American Model Railroads and the modelling culture seems quite different, more emphasis on working layouts as a group. The scale of the layouts also seems quite different, I watched a video yesterday where it took over 20 minutes for a train to traverse the layout. The layout was massive and spread over three levels.

 

However, I also corresponded with Carl Arendt of the famous micro layouts web site so am aware of both ends of the spectrum in the states.

[john flann]

Mullie: a polite interest but understandably a certain lack of comprehension.

 

Not surprisingly few have seen it. In Utah altogether out of the 3 million or so population spread over 85,000 square miles I am only aware of two others who model UK railways (GWR by the way) -both hundreds of miles away. The nearest modeller I am in contact with is John Dew and he's around 1,200 miles distant in Vancouver, on the Pacific Coast in Canada.

 

More locally in Cache Valley (1,200 sq miles, pop 113,000) there are a few who model American but they do their own thing and I do mine. I'm not in to collaborative activities and giant layouts. It all seems like a lot of hard work to me.

 

As to Karl Arendt, all clever stuff but I do wonder if and when those contrived layouts are actually built and operated how much pleasure they give.

[Gwiwer]

Another excellent video John thank you.  As you say it illustrates the joint nature of the line and captures well the somewhat blurred boundary which existed - and which shifted to and fro with the years - between "Wstern" and "Southern" territory in that area.

 

I fully appreciate how few people might have seen the layout.  Despite living on the fringes of a major city the total population is barely 4 million so it is by no means huge.  Of those perhaps four hundred or so might be active modellers and a mere 40 have probably been able to see my own efforts first-hand.  Plus very few more from interstate and a couple of overseas visitors.  I don't think 50 modellers have yet seen Penhayle Bay in the flesh though that number would certainly be topped if I were to include friends and young children.

[chesterfield]

John, may I take you back to the photos of little Hintock?

First I cannot locate my copy of RM about it, so was the track layout a loop with one siding- assume that it was fully signalled?

[john flann]

Chesterfield, that takes me back a bit,nearly 45 years now. Little Hintock never got into RM so your search will have been in vain I'm afraid.

 

It was first featured in MR of 7/72 and I'm flattered it is still remembered. But it was a jolly good small layout.

 

I do have a track plan and here it is. This is of the original Mk1 version. Some photos of Mk 2 are further back in this thread. The biggest change was to remove the engine shed and use the siding for coal and I added a further siding and dock at the RH end off the loop.

 

These much improved the potential for operation.

 

You did ask about signally. It was very basic as I recall with a small signal box and a starting signal at the platform end.

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

If you are seeking a small and interesting layout then you have it in Little Hintock. As I have already remarked it is from that my present Hintock has slowly been developed.

 

And might I inquire what are your intentions?

[chesterfield]

thank you John for your reply. I agree with you that this is an interesting layout.

I assure you that my intentions are entirely honourable.

Jokes aside I'm always interested in small layout design and part of the fun I get out of Railway modelling is trying to establish what a particular layout consists of and how one would operated it. I am interested  that Little Hintock was amended to eliminate the engine shed and that you put some additional sidings in.

I'm a member of LDSIG and also OPSIGand my main interest is design and operation.I shall now spend an enjoyable hour or two

 pondering on the changes you made to mark one.

Whilst we're on the subject of operations, the idea of groups of wagons on cards appeals to me and I'm going to play around with that particular idea for myself also.

Cheers

[john flann]

 

Above Chesterfield, is Hintock Mk 2, small though the changes were they did enhance the layout as a whole very much indeed. They added a great deal to the operation and subsequent enjoyment.

 

With your interest in layout design I would say of Hintock, it was at the very least;

 

1. Space effective.

2. Functional.

3. Prototypical.

4. Very Operable and

5. As finished looked very attractive with its own particular charms to attract and beguile.

 

It too was readily transportable breaking down into two 4ax1 scenic boards and a 2x1 staging yard. These plus lighting and stock easily fitted into the car boot when exhibiting.

 

And if any one is looking for a small layout to build, exhibit and enjoy I do commend this plan for consideration.

 

If you, or other members have questions  please do ask.

 

        

[David C]

Any possibility of scanning the article for RMWeb? Presumably the copyright is your's - and even if it wasn't, the magazine is long gone ....

 

Its a bit cheeky asking you, but I'm sure I'm not alone in finding your thread fascinating, not only for the continuing development of the current incarnation of Hintock, but for its previous ones, too.

 

David C

[john flann]

Not cheeky at all David C and I appreciate the interest not only of yourself but all others,  and if you don't ask you'll never get.

 

And I'm sorry that is what you are going to get this time. I don't think the 'management' would approve.

 

Hintock, in its various previous forms has regularly been in the model press and featured in a 1970's coffee table publication. The first article was in MR 7/72, the last, in its Melbury form over three issues of SMT of 10 & 11/88 and 1/89.

 

But a fair summary of Hintock Mk1 and Mk2 is in SMT 12/85. Those of you who have back issues can look it out. Those who don't and would like a scanned copy and PM me with their email address I'd be happy to oblige. No guarantees as to how well it will scan.

[chesterfield]

Hello John,

re Hintock mk2- I assume that the track arrangement at the right hand end was a series of points and no complicated double or single slips?

Being a colonial, most of the track formation here consisted of loops , albeit particularly in Victoria some double and single slips were / are included.

I don't understand trackwork being designed with switchbacks except where it was absolutely necessary.

[john flann]

Hello Chesterfield,

 

Quite correct; simplicity itself with standard LH and RH points.

 

Slips and double slips have no place in a country branch line station as Little Hintock was and my present Hintock still is. 

 

And in the real world I agree they are not used unless there is no alternative not least because of cost and maintenance required.

 

The actual points were large radius Marcway worked by push/pull rods (bicycle spokes) and the track was GEM.

[chesterfield]

Thanks John

[john flann]

 

Post #515 recorded the arrival of the through coach from Birkenhead (Woodside) in the late afternoon, here the following morning is the return working, the 8.53 am from Hintock.

 

 

...as it runs out passing Sheepcroft Yard.

 

 

...and...

 

 

...Pearsons (the printers and publishers of the Hintock Clarion) on its way to Hintock Junction.

[john flann]

 

It's clear to me that monochrome does not suit Hintock at all-so this is an example of what suits it best- a 14XX in  colour.

[Donw]

Although some like the monocrome as it remins them of the old photos I remember more the sunny days watching trains and photos like the last one feel right although I did actually miss the ol companies so they were mostly in BR green with a blood and custard coach.

Don

[john flann]

Gentlemen I concur; I like the 'likes' and agree with the 'agrees'. Rest assure all further images will be posted in colour.  Hintock is best seen in that form-it is, of course, a beautiful summers day there on each and every ocassion of a photograph.

 

Donw, monochrome is nostalgic, my father a railwayman (with the SR) took the Railway Magazine and as a boy in the 30/40's I eagerly looked through each issue. As I grew older I then took 'Trains Illustrated' an excellent publication. In both there were only monochrome and I still occasionally look back through old issues with much enjoyment. And as you rightly say we could still see then the real thing in colour and living and breathing steam,plus the smell of hot oil and burning coal.

 

But today is today and yesterday then and as we have ready access to colour, the answer is, of course, to take full advantage of it.

[chesterfield]

John , another question for you.

How do you operate the points and signals?

[john flann]

 

Alan, I shall reply elsewhere to your other comments but the fiddle yard on Little Hintock was adequate enough at 24" because the trains I ran were short. The goods were 4/5 plus brake and loco as I recall and the passenger 3 Ratio four wheelers or these two short Triang clerestory bogie coaches. These I had converted to corridor coaches and in that form looked well and a little different.

 

I did try running full scale length coaches but they just looked ridiculous, being far too long. Above you can see the Triang's pulling into Little Hintock corridor side showing and below the other side in their current guise at Hintock as employed on the workmen's train and for the school children.

 

And a by-the-way the station building you can see was based on that at Wrington Vale. It was a delightful little thing quite in keeping with Litle Hintock's scenario.

 

I know this image has been seen before but it's buried some pages back. There are other images too of the coaches and they too are buried somewhere similarly.

 

 

On the subject of changing the points and signals on Hintock this is by hand. I avoid complications and always opt for the simple solution. There is in my case no need for all are close at hand, I operate standing and with a hand held Gaugemaster controller. I also need to get at the Kadee couplings with my shunting pole.

 

This you can see below on the convenient shelf and to the left below the goods shed the black patch on the layout front is a piece of Velcro on which I can park the controller and then use both hands, if need be, to use the pole, or one hand to change points and signals. Everything is designed to work for my convenience-and pleasure. 

 

[Andrew P]

Hi John, thanks for all that info, I just love that last shot, there's nothing special about it but I keep looking at it and seeing different detail and that's what makes Hintock so special in my opinion.

 

Simplicity is the other key to its longevity, nothing can fail such as point motors or the such like. It must be a real pleasure to know that you can walk in to the room, switch on and have a play without having to do a big maintenance job first.

 

Love it, more pics are always a pleasure.

Bodge.

[chesterfield]

Thank you John, you have answered all of my questions.

As to point "motors", i wonder how many people are aware of Joe Fugate's fishing line activated piano wire "point motors "  still changing a Peco point by hand is simplicity itself

Cheers