Valletort Road Goods

[Rumpole]

After quite some time in the modelling wilderness over University years etc, I figured it was time to make a start on my first new layout for a good few years. Sometimes you just need a little inspiration, and mine came in the form of an impulse purchase of a Graham Farish BR green Class 14 from a certain well known internet auction site...so here goes!

 

The model will be set in the mid 1960's and based on an urban goods yard in the Plymouth area, motive power being planned to be the aforementioned Class 14 and a GWR pannier tank. I have no idea whether the 14 is actually prototypical for the area, indeed I suspect it actually isn't, but those who know me will know of my weakness for diesel hydraulics! Those familiar with the Plymouth area will know of the GWR goods yard next to Valletort Road in Devonport, hence the less than imaginative name! While it has a prototype-related name, the actual design of the layout will only be 'inspired' by the location, rather than a slavish recreation of the prototype.

 

The basics of the layout are:-

 

6' x 2', including kick-back sector plate leading to fiddle yard under a raised street scene at the back of the layout

Layout to be 2 3' x 2' boards, to be made into a box for transport using the backscene and end-boards for security

Circa 5 reasonable length sidings, with the usual goods yard features (goods shed, coal merchants etc)

Code 55 track, with analogue control

 

The main thing that I want though is a feeling of space on the railway side of the fence. I appreciate the harsh reality of space, but to me too many layours are impaired by the impression that the mission is to cram as much track onto the baseboard as possible. N gauge presents significant advantages in avoiding this, although now I've said this watch me completely spoil it!

 

A start has been made on the baseboards, but I don't propose to bore you with the details or put any photos on here; there is absolutely nothing revolutionary about their construction; 10mm ply with a framework underneath so I'm sure we can all imagine what that looks like! Tracklaying will hopefully commence reasonably shortly, and the next post will hopefully have the finalised track plan; I want to size it out on the baseboards before actually deciding on it, just to make sure it 'looks' right. I am fortunate in my job (working full time on a heritage railway) in having a wealth of experienced railwaymen to ask questions of and sound out ideas on, so I have already been taking advantage of that! More to follow, but in the meantime if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

 

All the best

 

Nick

[Karhedron]

I don't think the 14s ventured that far west but nothing wrong with a little creative licence. Of course the class 22s were widely used in the area....

 

I remember seeing a photo of Valletort Road a few years back and thinking it had potential but I had difficulty in fiding further pictures or information. I will be interested to see how this develops.

[hoover50008]

Rumpole

 

You are correct the 14's never worked in this area. You would get away with an 03 maybe as Laira had some of these.

 

Valletort Road was actually a goods depot and milk siding until 1957 and was then used as workshops and sidings for the Civil Engineering Department, indeed it was used as such until the late 1980's when I worked there.  I don't know when the rail connection was removed which was just East of Devonport Station on the GW main line.

 

The yard as typical with a lot of places these days now has flats built on it.

 

It would be worth a PM to RA Watson of this parish who is the authority on most things Plymouth related.

 

E