JZ Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 As I embark on building my Gurney Slade layout, loosely based on Binegar, I was wondering about track. Now I am aware that some parts were relaid with FB rail, Midford, Templecombe from photo's. But were anything other than wooden sleepers used? I'm asking because I will be using Peco track in the country and I do like the look of Peco steel sleepered track. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bécasse Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 I would be extremely surprised if anywhere on the S&DJ had steel sleepers. The other option that is possible is the provision of concrete sleepers with bull-head rail. There were certainly fair stretches of this on non-electrified lines, including branches, on the Southern in the 1950s but I don't know whether this included the S&D. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JZ Posted September 30, 2014 Author Share Posted September 30, 2014 I would be extremely surprised if anywhere on the S&DJ had steel sleepers. The other option that is possible is the provision of concrete sleepers with bull-head rail. There were certainly fair stretches of this on non-electrified lines, including branches, on the Southern in the 1950s but I don't know whether this included the S&D. The line between Frome and Radstock had sections with steel sleepers, but of course is WR. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 There were some concrete sleepers around the Bailey Gate area but cannot remember precisely where. Never saw steel sleepers. Ballast was a mixture of Carboniferous Limestone (found a load of CL fossils in the ballast stones) and was coloured grey with a lesser mixture of basalt/andesite which was a brown colour. Both came from Mendip quarries. It surprised me, until reading the geology of the area, that there was basalt/andesite (a volcanic rock) in Mendip but the relevant quarry (Moon's Hill Quarry operated by John Wainwright & Co Ltd) currently supplies the brown hardstone road dressing you sometimes find on the approach to junctions and roundabouts. Hope this is of interest. Ballast colour is an important vernacular for me modelling the S&D but I do accept that maybe I need to get out a bit more. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Further to the above - the volcanic rock is Silurian in age and the Carb Limestone used for the ballast probably came from Emborough Quuarry, now disused but a SSSI for its important assemblage of fossils. I promise to get out tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDJR14 Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Concrete sleepers with bull-head rail were used for a significant stretch of line north of Spetisbury. The S & D Railway Trust recovered quite a few for use at Washford in the ealy 1980s. I half-recollect that steel sleepers were used in some of the sidings around Highbridge, so it might be worth checking pix there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium phil-b259 Posted September 30, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 30, 2014 Please be awere that Peco's steel sleeper end offering is meant to represent that installed over the past few years on NR. As such it's design may not be suitable to represent steel sleepered track in the 1950s & 60s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JZ Posted October 1, 2014 Author Share Posted October 1, 2014 Please be awere that Peco's steel sleeper end offering is meant to represent that installed over the past few years on NR. As such it's design may not be suitable to represent steel sleepered track in the 1950s & 60s. I shall get the bike out later and cycle to Kilmersdon where there is a section steel sleepered, though from memory this is bullhead rail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium tingleytim Posted October 1, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 1, 2014 There was flat bottomed track in many places and with concrete sleepers at Shepton Mallet, www.flickr.com/photos/tingleytim/7093545889, Shepton Montague 13581134344 and Shillingstone 12052665736. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JZ Posted October 1, 2014 Author Share Posted October 1, 2014 There was flat bottomed track in many places and with concrete sleepers at Shepton Mallet, www.flickr.com/photos/tingleytim/7093545889, Shepton Montague 13581134344 and Shillingstone 12052665736. FB with wooden and concrete in that shot. Love the stance of the woman in the pale coat, you don't see that many female railway photographers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 I wonder if the lady in question was Ivo's PA who used to take some photos when he was filiming? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted October 4, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 4, 2014 I wonder if the lady in question was Ivo's PA who used to take some photos when he was filiming? Angela O'Shea? (who was Ivo's housekeeper). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 That's the lady. Some of Ivo's films show here taking photos and a few of his photos show her as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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