Elsbridge Tramway Company: Elsbridge Town - NeilHB's layout

[Adrian Stevenson]

“Whiteoak Light Railway”.

[Adrian Stevenson]

“Henmore Dale Light Railway”

[Adrian Stevenson]

Sorry did not get the name of this small roundy roundy.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Another un-named layout would have like to get more pics of this one. 

[Adrian Stevenson]

Final pics of a rural themed line.

[Nearholmer]

Quality there from first to last.

 

I’m awed by the progress that seems to have taken place at Elsbridge n the past week or two.

[Annie]

33 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Quality there from first to last.

 

I’m awed by the progress that seems to have taken place at Elsbridge n the past week or two.

There must have been a raging blaze of midnight oil being burned at Neil's house to get all that done in time for the show.

[cornamuse]

4 hours ago, Adrian Stevenson said:

Lez and myself had an enjoyable couple of hours at the show this morning. The smell of the bacon cobs hit you as we walked up the drive. Mike was doing a roaring trade with these and had to go out for more supplies!

I took a few pictures of each layout on show. Like many layouts photographs often don’t do them justice once you get to see them in real life.

Here are a few snaps of Neil’s layout for starters.

such a lovely layout. I love that you can virtually stand on the platform under the canopy and wait for a train. The overgrown track rocks too

[NeilHB]

Thanks Ade for posting the photos, good to see you again yesterday and lovely to meet Lez too. 
 

The unnamed layouts were:

On3 Brymston Railroad (Paul Martin)

O-16.5 Trengarw Builders Yard (Alex Bingley)

O-16.5 Wheal Ponder (Andrew Young)

O-14 King Edward Street (Simon Jones).

 

There was a lot of midnight oil burnt in the last week, and I’m utterly knackered now, but it was so worth it! We had our best modelling day yet, with nearly 120 visitors through the door (three times the number of last years do). The 10kg of bacon that Mike had ordered ran out (despite ordering more than previous years), so a mad dash to Tesco’s was required to buy more (just like usual then!) and then we ran out of cake (clearly more needed for next year). We had a bloody good day though and ended it with a very tasty curry at the Sunar Gow in Hatton. 
 

I spent most of the day playing with the layout and talking to folks, so didn’t get much of a chance to have a wander round until well into the afternoon, so only managed to grab a few snaps of Elsbridge.
 

ETCo Nos.1 and 2 did most of the work yesterday, with a couple of visits from the WSR’s K class and Terrier locos. The Terrier is definitely on the big side for Elsbridge though, even though it isn’t exactly a large loco! ETCo No.3 decided to not play ball, so was banished to the stock box for the day  (it making all the right noises, but not actually moving so further inspection is needed), annoying though as I’d finished lining her out on Friday night at 10pm so she was ready for the show…

 

No.1 ‘Godred’ shunting the rear siding.

 

No.2 ‘Sigrid’ arrives with a mixed tram.

 

No.2 ‘Sigrid’ takes water whilst running round the last tram of the day.

An overall view of the layout. 

A lovely visitor to the layout in the last few minutes of the show was Wantage No.5 ‘Jane’, which had been built by Paul Holmes, and was temporarily fitted with DCC so she could come for a spin. 
 

I must give thanks to all the exhibitors yesterday and to my fellow Trent Valley group members, and particularly to Andrew’s wife Liz, my mum Leigh, Mike’s wife Mary and Mike himself for running the kitchen which kept us all well supplied with food and drink throughout the day. And to my husband Dan who came and manned the door for us during the morning rush.

 

I was quite restrained with my spending, and only acquired a couple of necessary items.

 

A further trio of Caledonian dumb buffered pig iron wagons from Phil at Port Wynnstay, which will get finished in Ulfstead Mining Company livery. One day I’ll get round to building a micro-layout based on the lead mines at Toryreck:

From Andrew at 422 Modelmaking a set of packing cases to dot around the layout, and two sets of carriage sides to make a model of the pair of dinky standard gauge coaches that the tramway company acquired third-hand in the late 1890s:

They were very small and rather cute! It’s known that they carried an all over blue livery, rather than the usual blue and white tramway colours, however history hasn’t recorded if the tramway fitted them with its usual 2’6” wheels, so further consultation of old photographs will be required. 

 

A couple of photos from late on Friday afternoon of the progress made:

The house and shop are now complete, and just need the roof and interiors painting before they get fixed down. The Farmers Cooperative Society needs a fence along the rear of the loading dock, and then some clutter adding and grass for the track.

 

The water tower and yard office are both finished and fixed down, I just need to encourage the tree to grow some leaves now. The cattle dock has been painted too, and just needs some suitable occupants.

 

The goods shed and coal merchants office have both been finished bar some signs etc. and I just need some goods to go in the goods shed now. The stables just needs the roof painting and then it can be glued down. The parcels lock up just needs the red paint touching up in a couple of places and the public facing side painting, and the train shed needs its roof sorting. I still need to finish adding greenery to the back siding too.

 

I also need to sort out some new mounting points for the lights. 

 

Mostly little jobs now, which hopefully won’t take too long to do. I do need to sort out some figures and a couple of horse drawn vehicles too that are suitable for the late Victorian/early Edwardian period which is the main time period that I’m modelling. The omnibus, lorry and tractor will all be suitable for the later 1920s period. 
 

I got captured by the husband whilst playing trains just before opening time. Not quite visible is WSR No.1 ‘Thorkell’ shunting the WSR milk van. 

[NeilHB]

No.3 ‘Gerda’ is up and running again, for some reason the motor had stuck just enough to prevent it from turning. A quick adjustment with digital power (ie a finger) and it was soon sorted. 
 

What you can’t see is that I only did the lining on the ends and one side on Friday, so I’ve still got the other side to line out in due course. 
 

Hmm, there’s an obstruction in the way! The body of one of the new 3-compartment All-Thirds got assembled at lunchtime today. It’s only slightly about 10mm shorter than the tramcars, so fits in nicely with the other stock in terms of size. Still trying to determine if they were fitted with 2’6” or 3’1” wheels, so I think some further deliberation is required. 
 

Four skirted maids of work are we…

[Annie]

1 hour ago, NeilHB said:

Still trying to determine if they were fitted with 2’6” or 3’1” wheels, so I think some further deliberation is required. 

On the GER's light railways coaches were often fitted with smaller wheels to make them more accessible to passengers from low platforms.

[NeilHB]

9 hours ago, Annie said:

On the GER's light railways coaches were often fitted with smaller wheels to make them more accessible to passengers from low platforms.

Thanks Annie, I think that’s settled it then.
 

There is a reference in the companies minutes to the “Acquisition of a pair of three compartment All-Thirds, modifications required to enable them to be suitable for tramway requirements” - I’d merely assumed the addition of a second set of lower footboards and longer grab-rails. 

[Metropolitan H]

4 hours ago, NeilHB said:

Thanks Annie, I think that’s settled it then.
 

There is a reference in the companies minutes to the “Acquisition of a pair of three compartment All-Thirds, modifications required to enable them to be suitable for tramway requirements” - I’d merely assumed the addition of a second set of lower footboards and longer grab-rails. 

Do you have access to the Model Railway Constructor Annual for 1982? - Page 69 shows a fine drawing of "GER 3rd Class Tramcar 1905 for Kelvedon & Tollesbury Branch Scale 4mm : 1 ft". The drawing shows a what was a 27 ft 0 3/4 in over body 5 compartment coach, with the doors sealed on the middle three (3) compartments and double step boards and long handrails for climbing up to the outer end doors. 

 

The wheel tread diameter is 11mm, which equates to 2ft 9in diameter - the same as shown on the adjacent drawing on page 68 "GER 28ft Bogie Tramcar, built 1895. Scale 4mm : 1 ft".

 

The 4 wheel coach also has tramway style end doors and step boards over the couplings, with side rails at just above waist height. The buffers are of the raised body type to transfer the buffing forces from the normal 3ft 6in buffer height to the lowered underframed headstocks.

 

As an aside, the 7mm scale D&S models kit for the W&U tramcars (one bogie and one 4 wheel) recommends the use of Slaters wheels - Part No. 7130 "2'8 1/2" Disc Wheel Lowmak" .

 

The Model Railway Constructor Annual for 1982, has lots of interesting East Anglian vehicle bits - including:

- GER 0-4-0 TramLoco Class G15 drawing - 4mm scale

- M&GNR 3 plank drop side open wagon drawing - 7mm scale. (A GNR design for an 8 ton wagon)

- "M&GNR Loco No 9A - A 7mm fine scale model" by Deryck Featherstone (including 4mm scale drawing). This is the beautiful Hudswell Clarke built 4-4-0T type that the M&GNR had.

 

Hope that helps. If you want please send me a private message.

 

Regards

Chris H (aka - Metropolitan H)

[Nearholmer]

A “tramway-fied” 6W brake third:

 

 

[Annie]

17 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

A “tramway-fied” 6W brake third:

 

 

Nice.  Thanks Kevin, - I haven't got that particular photo in my GER archives

[Nearholmer]

I was wondering what it started out as, because it has the look of a saloon about it, rather than a converted compartment coach, but who knows.

[Annie]

24 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

I was wondering what it started out as, because it has the look of a saloon about it, rather than a converted compartment coach, but who knows.

The only drawing I have is for a converted 3rd class compartment coach built in 1905 which shows all the same basic details with smaller wheels, the guard's access door in the end and the raised buffers.  However that particular brake 3rd came to the Kelvedon and Tollesbury Light Railway from the Stokes Ferry Branch and was GER No.11.  There was another Brake 3rd that was similar, but not identical that came from Stokes Ferry as well and was GER No.10.  Other than that though I don't know what they were originally converted from.

Edited January 31, 2023 by Annie
Um.........

[NeilHB]

Still here and still plodding on, lots of little jobs being ticked off on Elsbridge over the last month or so, so here’s a couple of photos to show you all:

 

Looks like spring has sprung as the flowers are out.

 

A dose of weed killer is clearly needed in the platform road. 
 

“Oh darn it, I’ve missed the last down tram of the day!”

 

[NeilHB]

A good day today getting a lots of part-finished jobs completed, and a few more details added to the layout.

 

I picked up a set of enamel signs at Kettering last weekend so I’ve been adding some of the more suitable ones to the layout. I rather like this view down the back siding towards the buffers and the stable block in the distance. 
 

A couple more signs added to this end of the layout too. 
 

The tram locos have now been adjourned with suitable crew. 
 

All interchange thanks to brass wire in their feet and holes drilled in the footplates in various locations.

 

I do love this view looking down the layout.

 

 

[Nearholmer]

It’s the weed-growth that does it - brilliant. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it done so well.

 

I’m a bit unsure how a tramway that allows its yard to become such a weed-fest manages to keep everything else in good order though. Maybe they have a blind spot about weeds.

[NeilHB]

Thanks Nearholmer, that was one of the most satisfying bits of the layout to do. 
 

The buildings will get weathered eventually, however the directive from tramway management was to ensure that all tramway owned buildings were in a presentable for today to enable a visit by a Mr A York of BRM to take place…

 

Not one of Andy’s superb photos, but one of mine from earlier today of ‘Godred’ in the platform road whilst running round. 
 

 

I’ll keep you all posted as to which issue of BRM Elsbridge will be appearing in.

[AY Mod]

6 minutes ago, NeilHB said:

keep you all posted as to which issue of BRM Elsbridge will be appearing in.

 

It should be the June issue to tie in with your June outing at the 7mm NGA bash.

 

Lovely to spend the morning with you and the modelling is superb;'very impressed!

[Mike Bellamy]

12 hours ago, AY Mod said:

. . . . Lovely to spend the morning with you . . . . 

 

. . . . . . . and Oscar and Rupert - I know how much they enjoy meeting visitors 🤣

.

[NeilHB]

On 13/03/2023 at 20:02, AY Mod said:

 

It should be the June issue to tie in with your June outing at the 7mm NGA bash.

 

Lovely to spend the morning with you and the modelling is superb;'very impressed!

Thanks Andy. It was a most enjoyable morning. 
 

14 hours ago, Mike Bellamy said:

 

. . . . . . . and Oscar and Rupert - I know how much they enjoy meeting visitors 🤣

.

Haha Andy escaped meeting the hounds as they were banished downstairs! Rupert made his feelings known though loud and clear 🤣

 

All quiet in the yard tonight, the last down tram of the day has departed and the gate has been closed:

 

 

[NeilHB]

WSR No.1 ‘Thorkell’ has been borrowed by the tramway company to cover for a loco failure:

 

Seen here arriving with one of the latest acquisitions, a rather nice pre-built cattle van that I picked up at Kettering for a very good price.