Westerham, + Weald. Tarmac surface for the platform

[ronstrutt]

I'm sad that you plan to finish at Waterloo East. I had hoped that you might reopen the link from there to Waterloo:

 

Once across Waterloo concourse, the world's your oyster. of course. Otherwise, you'll only have the Thames to cross and Charing Cross as an option.

[westerhamstation]

Hi Ron, what a great picture, that is exactly the type of scene that I want to model but with the track in place. Sorry about not being able to make it as far as Charing Cross,

but Mrs W Station objected to opening the front door and having to swim,every time she wanted to go to the freezer. All the best Adrian.

[David Todd]

How about a local resident  opening the line, ie. Nigel Farage.

[Oldddudders]

Hi Ian, top marks for that. This is the extract from More Odd Corners of the Southern by Alan Postlewaite, An urban panorama looking east from Shepherd's Lane signal box. The LCDR main line is on the left while the LBSCR's South London Line rises on a reverse curve to the right.

If prizes were on offer, you would have one. All the best Adrian.

You are much too generous, Adrian. In fact I signed the book at Shepherd’s Lane box on occasions in 1978, while covering the post of SM Herne Hill, and again in 1981, as Divisional Operating Assistant. Indeed, I visited the box the day it was abolished. A long time ago now!

[David Todd]

Seen this, thought of your layout.

 

 

[westerhamstation]

Seen this, thought of your layout.

 

 

Hi David, thanks for the image, I think all the sales of platform tickets went into Ernest Marples pension pot. All the best Adrian.

[Alister_G]

Wow Adrian!

 

Just catching up, and find you've done similar to what I was thinking - a new bit of layout to get your teeth into.

 

And what a great subject it will be, love it!

 

Al.

[westerhamstation]

At last a start has been made on the baseboard for the new project. A few pictures of progress so far, the baseboard is 6mm MDF braced with 2"x1" screwed and glued. I am hoping that once the baseboard is completed a much clearer idea of what I am trying to model will be apparent, we can only hope! All the best Adrian.

[HillsideDepot]

I love the contrast between the stark, bare, boards in the foreground and a piece of glorious English countryside beyond in this photo:

 

 

Opposite ends of the creative process, captured on one view - wonderful.

[Andrew P]

Looking forward to seeing this develop Adrian, but I'm confused as to how it all joins together for a complete run, but I'm sure you know what your doing, (well I hope so anyway).

 

All the best.

[westerhamstation]

Hi, confused of Swadlincote.

  I have changed my mind about trying to join the two layouts together, after being listening to some advice given to me by John Flann which was don't do it.

Instead I will operate the top board as a seperate layout, with the Westerham line running through it on the lower level. What was going to be the zig zag connection to the lower board will now become a two track hidden fiddle yard. From this I can run an out and back 2-car electric set, a separate steam operated line to the factory/parcels depot and some other sidings should give me plenty of modelling opportunities, and operating interest. All the best Adrian.

Edited June 13, 2016 by westerhamstation

[Andrew P]

Thanks Adrian, that explains it now, should be good, I kept Porth Merryn separate from Pencarne for similar reasons, it would have only complicated things. 

[westerhamstation]

 Just to get a feel of what I am thinking of, a few boxes, some track, a printout of a low relief warehouse and the proposed track plan. The track into the station will be 3rd rail. It's all very flexible at the moment, but i'm thinking that the large warehouse might be something like the old Metal Box factory, or the Hartleys Jam building with a chimney, and plenty of fruit wagons in, and jam out.

[JCL]

This looks great Adrian. Certainly a huge change from a rural layout. With you and Al going at it hammer and tongs I can see updates flying in.

[Andrew P]

Looking very good Adrian and certainly very different to Westerham, Why not have its own thread?

[westerhamstation]

Looking very good Adrian and certainly very different to Westerham, Why not have its own thread?

Hi Andy, thank's for the suggestion, it's not something that I had given any thought to at this stage. I am not modelling any specific area of south london, but going for a rather generic feel of places that I used to see from the train when I lived and worked there. At the moment I seem to be spending to much time on the internet looking for pictures of buildings of the right type and period to model, most of the photos of ones that I like have been brought by developers and have been changed out of all recognition, or flattened. I will give some thought to your idea and see what I can come up with (do I need to get special dispensation from Mr York to add another thread, or is that just for more than 15 threads ). All the best Adrian.

[Alister_G]

do I need to get special dispensation from Mr York to add another thread,

 

If that was the case, Andy would have to have been knighted by now

 

Now there's an idea, Sir Bodgit

 

Al.

[Oldddudders]

'This area not planned yet' shouts Ewer Street to me. Rather hidden from view by the incline from Met Junction to Blackfriars Junction, it became Southwark Depot, a rather obscure EMU berthing point, but in steam days was a sort of Continental Depot, so perhaps the delivery point for some exotic fruits for Messrs Hartley?

[westerhamstation]

'This area not planned yet' shouts Ewer Street to me. Rather hidden from view by the incline from Met Junction to Blackfriars Junction, it became Southwark Depot, a rather obscure EMU berthing point, but in steam days was a sort of Continental Depot, so perhaps the delivery point for some exotic fruits for Messrs Hartley?

Hi Ian, thanks for that idea, it seems quite a promising solution, a quick google produced this link http://kentrail.org.uk/ewer_street_southwark_depot.htm

and it looks like there are a lot more sites to look at. All the best Adrian.

[westerhamstation]

Courtesy of National Library of Scotland Ordance survey maps.

[Fat Controller]

I've mentioned this before, but 'Model Railways' did a 'Bazzin' About' feature on Ewer Street back in the 1970s. For those unfamiliar with the format, these articles usually had one large photo, with smaller photos, and sketches, picking out interesting features.

[wainwright1]

Hi All.

I believe that Ewer Street's official title was the 'Grand Vitesse Depot' where fruit, veg and flowers were delivered for the Borough Market in particular and the S.E. & C.R. and its constituents had special express rated Grand Vitesse vans for delivering these types of perishable commodities

RB

[westerhamstation]

These are the links to the maps, it is a very good resource for anyone modelling prototype locations as some of the maps are quite old.

Also Britain from Above is a useful aid, this is where this picture is from, with permission.

http://maps.nls.uk/view/102904573

http://maps.nls.uk/view/102905266

[tender]

Hi Adrian,

I did have a look at modelling Ewer Street a few months ago. Most of what I found with contributions from RMwebbers is here:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/107286-ewer-street-depot-pictures-and-information-sought/

 

There seems to be a scarcity of information so I haven't pursued it any further as yet.

 

Ray.

[Nearholmer]

Can I make a plea on behalf of 'Thorburn & Baines Broadwell Envelope Factory''?

 

It was on the opposite side of the Charing cross railway from ewer street depot, with its name emblazoned down the side, and when I was a small boy it was my "we've nearly got to the really exciting bit (Waterloo SW)" signal on any journey to visit my grandparents.

 

I'm not sure whether it is still there.

 

K