MattWallace Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Hi all, I'm planning my new layout (see the thread in my sig for all the decisions I've made and then reverted so far!) and I'm starting to think about traction/rolling stock The layout is based in a fictional location around the Reading/Didcot area (imaginatively!) named "Redcot Junction". With this in mind, I'm trying to work out which of the TOCs would be a "good fit" for my layout. A brief read around the internet suggests that as far as Didcot is concerned it's really FGW for passenger stock with the occasional XC passing through on the "ring road" to head up to Oxford. Reading seems to be much more involved with FGW, SWT and XC services although I'm sure that NSE/Southern used to run trains from Reading to Gatwick airport when I was living in Crawley as a kid (some years ago now!) Freight-wise, I'm assuming that it's EWS (Didcot power station etc) and Freightliner although I'm happy to be corrected here! Can anyone shed any light on anything I've missed from the list above? At the moment, I think I'm looking at the following locos/units: 150/1 FGW DMU XC Voyagers FGW 47's EWS/GBRf/FL 66's FL 70's Thanks in advance, MAtt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 8, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 8, 2013 You will also see EWS / DBS class 60's on tanks coimng round from Theale. There was DBS lliveried one on the West Curve (avoiding Reading) last Monday hauling a rake of tanks. Als 59's in various colour schemes pass through Reading. Dont forget FGW HST's and 165 / 6's on your list. The XC Voyagers run half hourly each way between Reading and Oxford to places beyond these days. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Where do your lines run to/from is probably the key to answering what you'll see. For example you'll see lots of stuff at Didcot that you will never ever see at Reading, and you'll see lots of stuff in Reading that you'll never ever see at Didcot... "When?" is a good question also - it's been many years since First Great Western operated class 47s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted May 8, 2013 Author Share Posted May 8, 2013 Thanks Ian. When I said FGW 47, I meant FGW 43 - are these the HSTs you mentioned? I'd forgotten about the 165's, wonder if they've been made available in OO - I note the 166's have, are they the same? I like the idea of a couple of 60's to go with my current GBRf 66, now I just need to find an excuse to buy GBRf 20901 when it comes out and link it to my existing 20128 - RHTT maybe? Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted May 8, 2013 Author Share Posted May 8, 2013 Hi Martyn, The layout will be a mainline station (probably, maybe... ) and so its probably going to end up as a hybrid of both reading and didcot. It's a modern image layout and I'd like it to be as "modern" as possible (i.e last 5 years to "now" really) See above about my 47 vs 43 issue... Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 8, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 8, 2013 Thanks Ian. When I said FGW 47, I meant FGW 43 - are these the HSTs you mentioned? I'd forgotten about the 165's, wonder if they've been made available in OO - I note the 166's have, are they the same? I like the idea of a couple of 60's to go with my current GBRf 66, now I just need to find an excuse to buy GBRf 20901 when it comes out and link it to my existing 20128 - RHTT maybe? Matt Matt Thought it was odd that you missed the HST's (class 43). 165's and 166's are similar. Also you have the FGW sleeper to / from Penzance hauled by class 57's in FGW coloura these days. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Ah yep then - class 43 is the HST power cars. 165s and 166s are similar but not identical, they are inter-mixed on FGW local services so that would work as a unit for a stopping train. Bachmann has done the 166 in the current blue livery. Looking at the plans you're coming up with, why not set your layout North of Didcot, between Didcot and Oxford - Didcot to Reading is all 4 track, operationally a bit boring, and has less traction variety... Setting it between Didcot and Oxford versus between Reading and Didcot then it's more believable it being a 2 track railway as per your current thinking - and you add Mendip Rail class 59s on stone traffic, plus GBRf coal/biomass trains - you don't lose any passenger variety except the overnight sleeper as HSTs also serve Oxford... Between Reading and Didcot you would see: FGW class 165/166 FGW class 180 FGW class 43/HST AXC class 220/221 EWS/DB Schenker class 66/67/60 Freightliner class 66/70 Between Didcot and Oxford you still see all of the above, plus Mendip Rail and EWS/DB class 59s GBRf class 66 DCR class 56 at the moment! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted May 8, 2013 Author Share Posted May 8, 2013 Matt Thought it was odd that you missed the HST's (class 43). 165's and 166's are similar. Also you have the FGW sleeper to / from Penzance hauled by class 57's in FGW coloura these days. Cool, glad it was just me being sausage fingered... I still have a power+dummy 43 set in Intercity Blue/Yellow from when Hornby released it years ago. It needs a lot of TLC so I thought I'd look at having it as my first "respray" job Ah yep then - class 43 is the HST power cars. 165s and 166s are similar but not identical, they are inter-mixed on FGW local services so that would work as a unit for a stopping train. Bachmann has done the 166 in the current blue livery. Looking at the plans you're coming up with, why not set your layout North of Didcot, between Didcot and Oxford - Didcot to Reading is all 4 track, operationally a bit boring, and has less traction variety... Setting it between Didcot and Oxford versus between Reading and Didcot then it's more believable it being a 2 track railway as per your current thinking - and you add Mendip Rail class 59s on stone traffic, plus GBRf coal/biomass trains - you don't lose any passenger variety except the overnight sleeper as HSTs also serve Oxford... Between Reading and Didcot you would see: FGW class 165/166 FGW class 180 FGW class 43/HST AXC class 220/221 EWS/DB Schenker class 66/67/60 Freightliner class 66/70 Between Didcot and Oxford you still see all of the above, plus Mendip Rail and EWS/DB class 59s GBRf class 66 DCR class 56 at the moment! hmmm, I'm starting to think a name change is in order... How does "Didford Junction" sound? I kind of like it... Thanks both, Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 8, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 8, 2013 Cool, glad it was just me being sausage fingered... I still have a power+dummy 43 set in Intercity Blue/Yellow from when Hornby released it years ago. It needs a lot of TLC so I thought I'd look at having it as my first "respray" job hmmm, I'm starting to think a name change is in order... How does "Didford Junction" sound? I kind of like it... Thanks both, Matt Appleford Junction? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted May 8, 2013 Author Share Posted May 8, 2013 Appleford Junction? That's dangerously close to useable... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1059 Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Appleford Junction? As an ex Applefordonian that gets my vote Still, its not the same as it was in the 80s - dashing to the station from the pub via Bretts burger place and catching the last stopper back from Oxford on a Friday night - which was usually a Class 50 and Mk 1s (and sometimes 2 Class 50s) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 10, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 10, 2013 As an ex Applefordonian that gets my vote Still, its not the same as it was in the 80s - dashing to the station from the pub via Bretts burger place and catching the last stopper back from Oxford on a Friday night - which was usually a Class 50 and Mk 1s (and sometimes 2 Class 50s) Looks like the Carpenters Arms in Appleford has closed looking on Google maps and Pubs Galore Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy1963 Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Depends on the era. If you are modelling it as of today, you can forget about coal trains as Didcot A (the coal fired station) closed at the end of March this year. The gas fired "B" is still operational. There are a lot of freight liner trains through Dicot and occasionaly oil tankers too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZiderHead Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 recently between Didcot and Oxford Ive seen plenty of CL66s on ballast/engineering trains, Minis from Cowley, Land Rovers and Range Rovers from Solihull as well as intermodals and the occasional MOD wagon/container train. Also some CL70s with bulk hoppers of some kind, not sure what. And very occasionally short NR yellow test/measurement trains. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Crushingly full compared with 15 years back or even longer ! " dull" stupid phone Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Depends on the era. If you are modelling it as of today, you can forget about coal trains as Didcot A (the coal fired station) closed at the end of March this year. The gas fired "B" is still operational. There are a lot of freight liner trains through Dicot and occasionaly oil tankers too. There are still coal/biomass trains through the area, they just don't serve Didcot.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Reading seems to be much more involved with FGW, SWT and XC services although I'm sure that NSE/Southern used to run trains from Reading to Gatwick airport when I was living in Crawley as a kid (some years ago now!) Reading to Gatwick via Guildford and Redhill is still a regular hourly service, nice to still catch a close approximation of "thrash" on departure and an occasional whiff of diesel amongst all the electric units whilst waiting at Redhill. I think FGW 166's handle this route. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 11, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 11, 2013 The 166,s generally work the semi fast Gatwick to Reading services although we did have a three car 165 last Monday. Two car 165's normally operate the all station stopper services. An Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 We had a DRS 66 through Cholsey on the Relief lines on Saturday and a BR green 31 on Monday.... Apart from the trains already mentioned, there's also the Dagenham-Didcot car train (Fords) which combines at Didcot with another car train from Southampton (Renault?) and the two travel together to Mossend (EWS 66). Of course there are also the various steam and excursion trains (even the Northern Belle on occasion, as well as the more regular VSOE!). Not to mention the GWS and CWR stock (CWR stock doesn't go on the mainline, but I'm sure a bit of licence could be used!) GWS stock of course has to be shunted across the mainline in order to enter/leave the museum. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1059 Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 Looks like the Carpenters Arms in Appleford has closed looking on Google maps and Pubs Galore It hasn't been the Carpenters Arms for years - it was renamed the Appleford or something else silly. Yes, I'd heard it had closed too The landlord of the Carpenters used to own the shared house I lived in just round the corner in Chambrai Close. My room used to overlook the railway - used to get so much variety through there Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 14, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 14, 2013 It hasn't been the Carpenters Arms for years - it was renamed the Appleford or something else silly. Yes, I'd heard it had closed too The landlord of the Carpenters used to own the shared house I lived in just round the corner in Chambrai Close. My room used to overlook the railway - used to get so much variety through there I thought it might have been renamed as could find the website for The Appleford (which states it has closed), but nothing else on pubs in Appleford. Thanks Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted May 14, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 14, 2013 The fruits of 40 lineside minutes between Reading and Didcot one afternoon last week - and no this wasn't every train that passed of course but there's a pic of every type of traction I saw in that time (no Freightliner for once)- Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted May 14, 2013 Author Share Posted May 14, 2013 Thanks Mike, that's awesome - "We're going to need a bigger bank account...." looks like I'm going to have room to run some of those longer services as well - I've put up the latest layout plan on my thread (link in my signature) so any comments on that are welcome Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 Thanks for posting those photos, Mike. I hadn't heard Renault were using rail again; I just wish some of this car traffic would come via the Tunnel. The wagons nearest the camera in the 'going-away' shot are rebuilds using the chassis of former SNCF ferry-vans; they're a semi-permanent 4-wagon formation, which have had the brake levers on individual wagons replaced by one brake wheel per set. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 What are all those black triangle signs next to the car train ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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