Launceston Branch: Horrabridge

[The Stationmaster]

Now then young Nick, seems you have a slight linguistic problem which ill beholds someone in your profession.

 

The GWR did not have such things as 'lie-by sidings' - that is a form of terminology used by a Railway whose name should not be mentioned in polite society for fear of causing distress to those of a weak disposition (in fact it's on a par with using the terms 'Fast Line(s)' and 'Slow Line(s)' - sloppy terminology the followers of Paddington did away with a very long time ago)  However I was pleased to see that you had not descended to the even worse avian influenced term 'lay-by siding'.  

 

On the proper job Railway the only term which was used - and thus the only one which will do in ordinary conversation - is 'refuge siding'; a far more descriptive term in my (admittedly biased?) view.

 

I will of course excuse the inexactitude on this occasion as perhaps down to a lapse in your education or maybe a matter of being led astray by someone of a less discerning nature than those who follow the works of our great Mr Brunel and his successors.  I look forward to terminological exactitude in the future.

 

PS Very nice looking railway emerging from the ply mountain. 

[brianusa]

Glad to see Horrabridge progress, Nick and regarding Mike's notes on refuge sidings, I have sometimes wondered if that was the right description but being a GW follower, accept it as gospel. 

 

Brian.

[nest]

Great to see some progress with this, looking forward to more

 

Nestor

[Brinkly]

Don't spoiling the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar!

Fiddling about with the Lie-By I mean Refuge siding.

 

First of all thank you for all the comments, both funny and constructive! I will not refer to the 'dark side' again!

 

Anyway not a huge amount to report today, although a lot has been achieved (in theory!). One thing I did last year was to stick the cork down with very strong PVA glue and the result has meant that the track bed is solid, so rather than having a 'that will do' approach, I've removed the cork and will re-lay tomorrow using a less hard glue. The Templot plan was used a bit like a paper pattern to cut the cork to size.

 

Something that has also taken a lot of time to sort out today is the position of the pointwork on the second board, A2. It didn't seem to be flowing particularly well and had a very cramped look to it.

 

 

So with the above in mind I've opted to move the crossover from the mainline to the down refuge siding (I'm learning Mike!) closer to Tavistock, which will reduce the siding length, but improve the look of the trackwork, making it look more like the real thing - it will also mean that the catch can be fitted correctly too.

 

This is the current alignment; the newer version will see the point move under the last three vehicles in the train.

 

Now this does pose a limit to the length of anything using the siding, something which I think will be a bit of an issue, so once I've settled on the final position of the track I might well consider building a small baseboard to extend the siding length. But that is something to consider for the future and not this week!

 

Anyway enough for now. More tomorrow.

 

Kind regards,

 

Nick

[brianusa]

Your train looks about the right size, Nick. There is a photo of a goods train in the CRS with about a dozen vans so if you allow the refuge to accommodate a train of this size, it will not be too far wrong.

 

Brian.

[Brinkly]

Your train looks about the right size, Nick. There is a photo of a goods train in the CRS with about a dozen vans so if you allow the refuge to accommodate a train of this size, it will not be too far wrong.

 

Brian.

 

Hi Brian,

 

Thanks. In reality the siding should hold 45 wagons! This is one of the reasons why I like this branch, as it had all sorts of interesting aspects to it.

 

The fiddle yard for the exhibition version will be 5ft long, so really the maximum length of any freight train is 43xx + 14 wagons and a van or 45xx/57xx + 15 wagons and a van. So really the siding needs to be slightly longer than this to enable flexible operating at shows and hopefully result in more prototypical operating. (The yard on the home version will have 7ft fiddle yards, making nice 20+ wagon trains, which seemed to be the longest trains that I have photos of.)

 

I imagine the gradient and loops would have prevented anything much longer being routed through, although I might be wrong. Lydford, Tavistock, Yelverton and Bickleigh all had long passing loops, Horrabridge's 450ft was really quite small in comparison with some of the others. Odd really as it was the junction station for the Princetown branch for a number of years before the GWR could obtain planning permission to build Yelverton. Perhaps the reason for Yelverton's loops being as long as they were was a result of operating difficulties at Horrabridge? I have no hard evidence of this, but it is an interesting thought! 

 

Further updates later on.

 

Kind regards,

 

Nick.

[brianusa]

I have no reference on the size of refuge sidings apart from their comparison with maps and memory. It is interesting to figure out after all these years the operating procedures as once there must have been a substantial business when the quarries were active below Princetown, along with cattle movements and other general merchandise before the advent of motor transport. The refuge siding at Yelverton wasn't all that long; probably enough to hold extra carriages or vans for the Princetown branch. So Horrabridge must have played an important part in the great scheme of things. I can see now why you picked it for your model.

 

Brian.

[Brinkly]

Templot, lining paper and sanders!

(With slight delays due to the pub!)

 

Greetings,

 

Quick update to show the state of play currently with the layout. Yesterday was a glorious day and I took the opportunity to put 13ft of Horrabridge up in the garden to undertake the modifications to the track bed.

 

As I said before the alignment from Iain's original plan isn't suitable on the new exhibition boards. I really didn't fancy re-drawing the plan and fiddling arround on Templot, so opted for the traditional method of a long bendy stick and lining paper to draw the new track work.

 

The layout was 'dressed' for the occasion with some heavy duty lining paper and then secured with blue masking tape. The original track plan is fine for the two middle boards A1 & A2, so this was a huge help! One thing that will change is the position of the goods shed siding, as this just felt too close to the up platform.

 

The main line was drawn in first on the lining paper, the dark felt tip line can be seen from the end of the 'down' platform, although this was then changed later, as the curve was too gentle! (The faint pencil line shows the up refuge siding (left hand side) and the running line falling away towards Tavistock.

 

I really like this view - looking towards Plymouth. I can imagine a 3629 shunting away in the yard, pausing whilst 1408 arrives with a single auto coach, No 51 in faded crimson, then once 1408 departs the shunting commences again. Bliss!

 

Looking the other way now towards Tavistock - Branston baked beans used as weights, other brands are available!

 

End of a good days work, most of the cork down, secured with Fedbond PVA, not strong woodglue this time! Just the sidings to do when the weather is nice again. The cork will need sanding and cutting at a slight angle to represent the edge of the ballast.

 

Hopefully you can see the gentle curves, which I hope will capture the look of the real station.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Kind regards,

 

Nick.

[Tim V]

Sure you've got enough beans?

[Brinkly]

Sure you've got enough beans?

 

   

 

12 tins were in use at one point!

[Tim V]

You sure this layout isn't just "hot air"?

[Brinkly]

You sure this layout isn't just "hot air"?

 

Just all cooked up! B)

[The Stationmaster]

 

 

12 tins were in use at one point!

I'm glad to se that you go for the better brand of beans.  In the view of our household the Branston ones are superior to those from the 57 varieties lot.

[Brinkly]

Loop Track Work

 

Greetings,

 

Over the past couple of days I've been working on the track work for Horrabridge. It is a slow process, the chairs need to be slid onto the rail, then attached to the sleepers. I find that after threading a couple of meters of rail (100 or so chairs per meter) that my fingers can't take any more! 

 

Anyway progress has been a bit slow as I had a couple of guests staying, resulting in a few unexpected late nights due to trips to our local.

 

I experimented earlier in the week with ply sleepers and Exactocale 2-bolt chairs and although it looks nice, it is far too time consuming. I also struggled to get the colour right, evening following plenty of experimenting and reading of various books, threads and blogs. Perhaps I'll try again on the next layout! 

 

So I've gone back to my original plan of using Exactoscale bases, still using the 2-bolt chairs and hi-nickel silver rail.

 

Track bases - 45ft panel.

 

Chairs!

 

The track through the station is on quite a curve, which hopefully I've captured.

 

High view looking towards Tavistock.

 

View from the end of the platforms.

 

Slightly different angle - trying to capture the look of the colour photo!

 

Next week hopefully the pointwork on the next board will be nearing completion, in theory! Anyway advice and tips will be warmly received.

 

Kind regards,

 

Nick.

 

[brianusa]

I admire your patience, Nick.  It would never do for me, I have none when it comes to repetitive work but it does look good.  I can see a 45xx and a B set already!

 

Brian.

[Brinkly]

Nick,

That's looking good.

File a slight bevel on the base of the rail, so that chairs slide easily onto it (you probably do this already). Place chairs loosely onto the rail end using fingers or tweezers, then push the rail against a piece of wood, rather than your fingers.

This should save your fingers, leaving you to cope with the boredom of doing more than a hundred or so at a time.

  

 

Hi Simon,

 

Thanks for the tip re the tweasers and the wooden block, didn't think of that. I did put quite quite a smooth edge on the rail, working on the basis of cutting a couple of cm of the end.

 

 

I admire your patience, Nick.  It would never do for me, I have none when it comes to repetitive work but it does look good.  I can see a 45xx and a B set already!

 

Brian.

Thanks Brian,

 

It wasn't too bad, I like to listen to audio books, so have slowly worked through Flemming's Dr No!

 

Kind regards,

 

Nick.

[Donw]

I use C+L chairs in 0 and 2mmSA chairs for 2mm in both cases I use a file to round of the corners around the bottom half of the rail including the edges of the web to assist the chairs sliding on without damaging the chairs. I charge a length of rail with all the chairs required allowing for slide chairs and checkrail chairs. I find a cocktail stick useful for adjusting the position of chairs once you start fixing down.

Don

[Portchullin Tatty]

Agreed with the others regarding the rounding of the ends of the rail.

 

I also now mount the chairs on the rail whilst they are still on the sprue; cutting them immediately each is on the rail.

[Brinkly]

Agreed with the others regarding the rounding of the ends of the rail.

 

I also now mount the chairs on the rail whilst they are still on the sprue; cutting them immediately each is on the rail.

That is the way I currently do it, less chance of them breaking.

[Brinkly]

Greetings chaps,

 

Well I'd hoped to have got a bit further than this with the layout before going to Scaleforum, but starting a new job two weeks ago and a whack of re-decorating that I did over the summer, time has slipped away very quickly! Anyway enough moaning.

 

This weekend I put the two middle boards up in the front room and continued where I left off with some track laying, lots of fiddling and cursing, but I managed to get quite a lot of the track work for the loop completed and some of the pointwork installed. The baseboard joints were also fitted.

 

I wasted a lot of time looking for some Exactoscale point bases that I purchased about 5 years ago(!), they turn up this afternoon after looking for hours yesterday. Unfortunately due to the time loss, not all the pointwork has been finished, but never mind. I'm not rushing this!

 

I managed to fit copper clad sleepers, with brass chairs over the joins. Here is a very crude close up - the liquid is water - used to clean the flux away.

 

(Looking towards Plymouth)

This was the mess earlier on today! I wired up the down line for playing testing purposes and felt like I had really got somewhere.

 

Not even a Western Region diesel! A Class 33, with a SR brake van in tow, waits the signal to continue its journey to Plymouth. Must have crossed over to Western Region metals at either Launceston or Lydford!

 

After a bit of tidying up this was the view towards Tavistock.

 

View looking towards Plymouth. A selection of full brakes sit at the platform, perhaps the 45xx is shunting somewhere?

 

More SR stuff! A Bachmann van under conversion sits in the goods siding. The ruler marks the size of the loading bank - the shed being to the right of the shot.

 

I'm planning to make a couple of temporary card buildings up before going to Scaleforum, to make it look more like a layout and less like a lump of wood!

 

Anyway if you are going to Scaleforum next weekend, do pop in to the DRAG tent and say hello! We don't bite.

 

Kind regards,

 

Nick

 

 

[brianusa]

Good to see happenings at Horrabridge, Nick.  Keep It coming!   I've forgotten what period are you modelling.

 

Brian

[Brinkly]

Good to see happenings at Horrabridge, Nick.  Keep It coming!   I've forgotten what period are you modelling.

 

Brian

 

Thanks Brian. As Simon says...

 

It's in the very first post, Brian: 55-56.

 

Long term the Bodmin locos will also run on here, although those locos will be based around the later 1960s period, so BR lined green with the later crest.

 

The Class 33 has no place at all in any of my current modelling projects, but it is nice! I really like the shape of it and it runs like a dream, very smooth and powerful - it can quite easily haul 30 plus wagons.

 

Kind regards,

 

Nick.

[westerner]

Still enjoying this layouts progress. Nick I'm pleased to see that you have been able to use your down time from the job (your summer holidays) in progressing the layout.

[brianusa]

As a matter of interest did tender engines ever reach Horrabridge post war?  I remember them going up from Shaugh on long passenger trains but never knew how far down they went.  Yelverton?  Tavistock even?

 

Brian.

[Siberian Snooper]

As a matter of interest did tender engines ever reach Horrabridge post war?  I remember them going up from Shaugh on long passenger trains but never knew how far down they went.  Yelverton?  Tavistock even?

 

Brian.

Castles were allowed to work as far as Yelverton, the tunnel there precluded any further progress towards Tavistock. I believe Bulldogs made occasional trips to Launceston.