Penhayle Bay

[john flann]

Rick, I haven't looked at Penhayle Bay in a while and what a treat it was to do so today.

 

I know I've said it before but I never cease to be amazed by the size ad scope of it and always impressed with your showmanship and energy.

 

Thank you for the treat.

 

(And I now see the loco shed appears to have become a diesel depot.)

 

Kindest regards,

 

On edit,

 

PS.i meant to add that in1944 at the height of the German V1 and V2 attacks on London my parents decided I would be safer elsewhere and I went to stay with friends in Bath. There I 'collected engine numbers' at the GWR station (nothing ever seemed to happen at the Joint LMS/SR station) and I saw regularly IKB in all its glory- it being splendidly turned out. Happy memories!

Edited February 1, 2014 by john flann

[SRman]

I'm not sure the shots of me are any improvement over the one of the back of my head in PCM's Llanbourne thread!!

 

That last photo of Rick's demonstrates the size differences between BR stock and Australian /Victorian stock - the Western is to 4mm scale while the N class is to 3.5mm scale!

 

It really was a great afternoon. I can recall only one item of stock misbehaving, with everything else working perfectly, in spite of the heat. We all have something that works perfectly at home but the moment someone arrives to watch, something will break, come off the track, stutter, derail, or do something wrong ... that's just the modeller's part of Murphy's Law kicking in. . I think Penhayle Bay managed to defy Murphy!

[P.C.M]

Hi Rick,

It was a good day though a tad on the warm side, it's always great to see Penhayle Bay. There is always something new to look at and its good to just watch the trains rolling by. 

 

Thanks for a great day, cheers Peter.

[7APT7]

Yes... we need more photos to if those liveries going on your layout, looks great.

 

Jamie

[Gwiwer]

Thank you one and all.

 

It was a great day and was made so by the good company of those sharing it.

 

[7APT7]

Hi Rick

 

look forward to seeing more updates and plenty of photos on here, great layout

 

Jamie

[Gwiwer]

A few more pics then hopefully the vids will have uploaded successfully though that often seems to be more hit and miss than I'd like.

Three different versions of diesel traction: the DMU is a diesel-mechanical, the green class 47 (which from the patch of red on the side is clearly a "namer" - in this case Thor) is a diesel-electric and waiting for it to get clear and follow along is a diesel-hydraulic class 42 "Warship". In keeping with the general theme of the day the passenger rake is in mixed liveries with the third coach being maroon as typically seen in the mid to late 1960s.



The travelling post office has already been repainted into blue/grey and hasn't been hand-washed recently by the looks of it. These vehicles usually warranted daily transit of the carriage washers as they were thought of as high profile and prestige workings. The recesses for doorways and the mail nets required hand-brush cleaning however.



A representative modern freight rake was assembled from Cargowaggons and china clay wagons of various kinds ranging from weathered "silver bullets" and "Polybulk" bogies to these NACCO type hoppers. 37521, named English China Clays, looks as though it's been run through the loader as well as the wagons immediately behind it!



Lastly the weathering work on show attracted considerable and favourable attention with the ballast and the roof of the TPO rake being among the most commented-on. Here's both looking down.

[Gwiwer]

It's taken a lot more time and effort than I expected to upload the video clips of Saturday's action.  The file sizes mean they take over an hour in total to upload.  They then sat in my Smugmug account saying "Processing" for several more hours before I decided they were stuck in the works.  I tried again.  They refused to upload at all.  After a third attempt and more time they did the same "Processing" thing which I then left overnight but to no avail.

 

I have now uploaded them to my old Photobucket account which accepted them happily though doesn't replay them at the same quality as Smugmug does - when it's working.  But for a feel of things moving click each still image to start the clip.

 

One of the moves which is always popular among visitors is the clay "hoods" snaking from loop to loop beneath the road bridge:

 

 

The down overnight train behind a class 42 "Warship"; some sleeping car blinds open allowing those on board to admire the views, others still closed as late risers sleep on.   Seated accommodation to the rear of the train.

 

 

The green class 22s creep through Penhayle Bay on the freight

 

 

A maroon "Western" leads the parcels train across Darras Viaduct; plenty of variety in the rolling stock here.

 

 

Beattie well-tank 30587 was in charge of a "Wenford Goods" rake typical of those they worked day in day out for so many years in Cornwall.  This ran several full circuits of the layout quite happily.  Here the driver had stopped to surrender the token from the St. Agnes branch before joining the main line through Treheligan station.  

 

 

30587 seen at the up end of Treheligan and now crossing the full track layout to reach the Ponsangwyn branch.  At this point it's worth remembering this is a tiny loco on a DC layout and the double-slip is fitted with insulated joiners.  The loco is being driven from two controllers which accounts for a step-change in speed as it comes forwards.  I continue to be impressed by the slow speed control on these little locos however and it never falters on the insulfrog points.

 

 

Finally a blue class 22 draws a rake of tarpaulined clay wagons past Carreglyp Dries and out onto the main line.

 

 

These clips show some of the variety presented as well as running over track away from the two main lines for a change.

 

 

 

[7APT7]

Hi mate

 

great weathered wagons on the EWS Class 37 including the class 37 to.... great picture with it being on the viaduct

 

Jamie

[Gwiwer]

I am pleased to report that Penhayle Bay has not suffered from any of the flooding or storm damage ventured upon the rest of the Cornish rail routes.  There must be some Pisky magic at work

 

The layout has recently been featured by Hattons Model Railways on their Facebook page; they have recently started to post submitted pictures of layouts which have benefitted from their business.  This had the effect of immediately and substantially increasing the number of followers on Penhayle Bay's own Facebook page.  Time will tell how many stay on board and how many simply take a quick look and "unfollow" or "unlike" in the days to come.  Either way it's a handy bit of free self-promotion!

 

To be fair the layout has also been featured for most of its life on the shop website of the other major retailer supplying the goods namely Kernow MRC.  They have what I suspect is a little-visited "Customer layouts" page upon which my photos are now very dated and show the layout in the earlier stages of construction.

 

A class 57 leading the down "Night Riviera" train coasts through the woods and passes a class 66 working much harder uphill from Ponsangwyn with a china clay train.

 

 

Moments later 37521 in a very work-stained EWS livery bursts out of the tunnel leading some very un-silver bullets.

 

[SRman]

So you haven't decided to add more resin water to platform level, then? Perhaps with a submarine conning tower travelling through the station for atmosphere!

 

  ;)

[Gwiwer]

I've been asked already if I could "model that" with reference to the Dawlish breach.  My answer is "Yes I can".  Whether I will or not remains to be seen.  It would make a fascinating diorama but its newsworthiness will fade with time.

[Gwiwer]

Not for the first time I have been approached and asked if I intend to set up a YouTube channel to show the layout in action.  It's something I have in the back of my mind but don't feel I have the capacity of capture high quality video clips at present.  If I open the channel to general viewing I would want it to be of a near-professional standard.

 

On the other hand it gave me the excuse to go and grab a couple of new clips as the weather was kind.  Despite a lengthy train being assembled from three different manufacturer's products with the associated slight differences in couplers and running characteristics the train also performed faultlessly making numerous circuits of the layout at different speeds without any mishap or hesitation.

 

Click the still image to start the action.

 

Here's the train running slowly past Wheal Garden mine.

 

 

And here with a fair lick of speed coming down the bank through Penhayle Bay.

 

[john flann]

Rick, what will you come up with next?

 

Interested in your comment about 'couplings' for I have often wondered how you managed with your diverse and large amount of stock .There is no excuse for such different standards but that subject is both contentious and a bit OT. So I'll leave it.

 

As always I enjoy the show!

[Gwiwer]

Thank you John

 

The coupler issue sometimes rears its ugly head in terms of vehicles which simply won't stay coupled or where one drags another off.  For the most part everything works as it should however.  I run a mix of Bachmann, Heljan, Dapol, Hornby, Vi Trains and sill a few Lima items all with slightly different couplers and some with the large loops which date back over half a century in design now.

 

With the layout having very little straight track and also very little which is level - just like the real Cornish lines - there is some bunching as trains run downhill - inevitably also taking a bend - and occasionally couplers will over-ride each other briefly.  Sometimes they ease out and the train continues on its way.  Sometimes this results in a parting of the couplers and a "slip-coach" effect.  Sometimes it will result in a derailment.  Suspect vehicles have their couplers replaced which often cures the problem.  The difference in standards occasionally causes more significant problems such as trying to "un-droop" the Heljan ones which are suspended on long arms.  Their class 35 locos are the worst in my collection for this; the cargowaggons as seen in the recent videos have gained a reputation here for being "can't-go wagons" as they too dislike staying coupled and on the rails which made it a pleasant surprise that they did so while filming those clips.

 

I find that sometimes reversing a vehicle in the formation will cure a problem and sometimes placing it elsewhere in the formation has the desired effect.  Perhaps I have by chance found the combination of Cargowaggons which just works.  

 

In the longer term I could always convert to plug-in kadees though the cost would be significant even if it were a phased conversion.  With the lack of a single standard coupler height and arm length from the manufacturers I would also need to invest in different versions there as well.  I have already replaced those of the large loop style which are plug-ins with smaller loops. Some items have the loop moulded to the bogie or wagon frame which would require a little more ingenuity and time to convert so while they don't look that good I can usually disguise the couplers in a photo.

 

As an aside to this I was running a rake of Bachmann BR Mk1 stock recently with a coach which persistently detached itself from the one in front no matter what I did.  Upon inspection it has a different style of coupler to any other on their passenger stock.  The shaft is straight rather than cranked down causing the loop to be higher than all the others and also causing the shaft to rub against the carriage end frame.  It's now on the bench awaiting replacement couplers while I ponder which part of the Bachmann quality control process that slipped through.  Once the correct couplers are fitted I expect it to behave perfectly!

[Gwiwer]

A couple of views which have appeared elsewhere but I don't seem to have added them to this topic before.

 

First a slight electronic adjustment to the image gives an aged look to the scene at Carrgelyb Dries

 

 

While in much more recent times twin 37s lead a rake of Polybulks through Treheligan at night

 

[Gwiwer]

Summer Saturdays in the west of England have a deserved reputation for attracting the interest of the railway fraternity.  From the heavy loads being coaxed over long steep gradients to the influx of "foreign" motive power and coaching stock there always seemed to be something of interest.  Indeed there still is even in these days of "standardised" HST and multiple unit trains with hired-in rakes from operators not normally seen in the south-west and with some loco-haulage as well when that has otherwise all but died out.

I do have a timetable for the layout though it is seldom used as not having regular or "club" sessions nor other operators I tend to run what I please.

But I can and do replicate some of the fun moves the railway used to be able to offer and which in many cases are a thing of the past.  Such as the attaching and detaching or branch line portions to offer through carriages to holiday destinations on "change-over days". Every move in this sequence was made on a DC layout without any need to intervene other than to manually uncouple vehicles.  Friends are on record as saying I don't need DCC and this sequence illustrates the fact.

Locomotive haulage of passenger trains on the St. Agnes branch is normally restricted to a single portion off a Paddington - Penzance train.  Here the up (London-bound) portion, which includes a 4-wheel SR design van, waits at the signal for the late-running Penzance - Brighton train to come through behind a pair of SR class 33 locos.  Double-heading was commonplace on summer Saturdays because the longer trains used required more power.



With the Brighton train cleared through the St . Agnes portion eases off the branch into the station



Waiting in the down platforms we glimpse a maroon "Warship" and a rake of china clay wagons.  



The station stop is observed



Before the train draws forward into the sidings - choice track bashing for those who go in for that sort of thing!



The main portion arrives from Penzance behind a work-stained "Western"



This loco is uncoupled and then draws forward over the crossover to the down track



While the Western waits the Warship shunts the St. Agnes portion onto the front of the waiting train



And with everything coupled, brakes tested and the guard having given the "right-away" the entire train heads off up-country.  Passengers on the Penzance portion are about to overtake the locomotive which has brought them thus far.



Bells ring and levers clang in the signal box heralding another movement.  At the east end of the yard a down train is taking the crossover from down to up main lines behind a class 46 "Peak".  



It could also use the crossover nearer the station which the Western shunted out over but this train is too long for that move.  Either option is fully signalled and powered on the layout which was designed with this movement in mind.



The leading vehicle is another SR van but this time a bogie version; the first two passenger coaches illustrate another aspect of summer Saturday working - old maroon vehicles which were laid aside and not repainted in the newer colours were dragged out to provide additional seating on the busiest weekends.



The train stops in the up platform.  The Western which had come in from Penzance has replaced the china clay train at the down platform loop while the regular branch line DMU is drawing in having come up on the next St. Agnes working.  Three types of traction are thus represented with a diesel-mechanical DMU, a diesel-electric "Peak" and a diesel-hydraulic "Western".



The reason for this train crossing to the up platform becomes apparent; it is the reverse of the previous working and the St. Agnes portion is being detached at the rear.  



With the split completed the "Peak" heads back over to the down line with the Penzance portion of the train



The waiting "Western" draws forward as soon as it's clear to do so then shunts back to the up platform



Where it is attached to the through coaches bound for St. Agnes.  The branch DMU is safely locked "inside" in the bay platform and has surrendered the branch line token to the signalman.



The through portion from Paddington squeals at walking pace onto the branch where the driver pauses to collect the authority and view the token from the signalman.

On single lines when one train was to follow another it was not possible for both drivers to carry the token to travel on the single line.  Normal practice was that the driver of the first train would be shown the token by the signalman and given a written authority to enter the single line.  This working method allowed more than one train to be on the branch at the same time but not in the same section.   Termini sometimes had multiple platforms as at Newquay meaning three or more trains might head down the branch in the same direction before any came back.



Finally as the Western disappears into the branch tunnel the signals can be cleared for the next up train which has been held awaiting the platform.  This now eases forward behind a WR-based class 47.  There's no rest for the signalman and not a lot for the station staff either!










 

[Fairburn]

Great sequence of photos, Rick.

 

 

Ian

[ian b]

Beautifully told story! Loco hauled daytime services are to return again this summer with a 57 hauled Par to Exeter and return service...

[Gwiwer]

Beautifully told story! Loco hauled daytime services are to return again this summer with a 57 hauled Par to Exeter and return service...

 

Cheers.  And despite being 12000 miles away I already have a trip on the Exeter - Penzance working in my diary  Hope to manage the Par - Exeter as well.

[Ralph]

love your 'how it operates' stories, the night sleeper is expected to start running again soon as the dawlish repairs are complete & signed off.

[bobster]

Very nice layout, and great photo's.

[Gwiwer]

Enemy in the camp!

 

A shiny new object has arrived on shed with a view to replacing the worn out, tired but much loved motive power.

 

 

A sneak peek taken at the new thing by a member of shed staff who doesn't want to be seen taking an interest!  The days of raking grates, climbing into the motion with the oil can and shovelling out the ash pit are clearly numbered at last.

 

 

There's work yet for at least the top link steam crews as the West Country eases off shed - even if it is a little careworn

 

 

A little grimy but still loved - though with evidence of rust here and there

 

[john flann]

Rick, I have wondered for a while when this day would come.

 

I like too the subtle weathering of the WC. Too often too much. That seems about right.

[Gwiwer]

Thank you John.

 

That shed does double up on occasions as an SR outpost though the steam (and the new oily thing) are ultimately intended for the in-build project which I must get on with!  It continues to take a back seat thanks to the ongoing popularity of Penhayle Bay.  I guess that's not a bad thing really.

 

The 33 will also be presented in "used" condition in due course though not perhaps as heavily weathered as some of my locos.  I managed to get inside tonight and have changed the supplied headcodes to some more suited to my needs and without the white borders around the numerals (just visible in the first image) which are quite wrong.