Minehead- Sun, Sea and a Station!

[Modelling Martin]

Latest Layout starts from page 5.

 

Hello all,

 

Last year I went for a family Holiday to Watchet, Somerset. As you may imagine many days were spent travelling the West Somerset Railway where Minehead caught my eye. After having my room layout changed it meant my old layout had to go and was reluctantly sold to make way for a new layout which Minehead seemed to fit pretty well. 

 

So then back to the layout. The scenic section will be 8ft x 2ft which meant compacting Minehead a fair bit. Consequently it means the maximum train length will be 4 carriages as opposed to eight which I can live with as i don't fancy a 9ft fiddle yard either and I think, if done properly, the shape of the platform should give a nice sense of perspective to the layout. As a consequence to this 'compacting' it means the turntable will have to be omitted and the train will literally leave the station and go straight into the fiddleyard without much of a run but i think it is reasonable that a scenic extention can be added at a later date as the boards will be modular; the idea of modelling a beach seems quite exciting. 

 

Due to the stock I will be running it will be set in the preservation period (*ducks for cover*) but I don't see this as a reason to sacrifice authenticity or detail on the layout as I want it to be true as to Minehead is today as possible. It will all be OO gauge DCC controlled with SMP trackwork (when i get round to making 12 points during GCSE exam season!). 

 

I wanted to document my layout in a topic like this for a few reasons. Firstly I have learnt so much over the past few years from RMweb which has saved me considerable time avoiding mistakes and learning new techniques which I have really enjoyed and hope to implement into this layout. Furthermore if one person reads this and is inspired / learns something new (although I doubt it may be a while before that happens!) then it will all be worth it. Finally as part of Duke of Edinburgh Award i have to record myself doing a 'skill' activity each week which may as well be this as i really enjoy the hobby.

 

Anyway apologies for the wall of text and so i will leave you with a trackplan and photograph to show what i am aiming for:

 

 

 

Thank you for looking,

 

Regards,

 

Gary

Edited April 20, 2018 by Modelling Martin

[BG John]

Minehead was much smaller originally, so maybe base the model on that, and assume it never grew to take long trains, but add in the features of the current station on a smaller scale.

http://www.broadgauge.co.uk/library/images/locations/minehead_station/minehead_station_01_large.jpg

 

The station building was much shorter too, so you could use the former Hornby Dunster Station kit, now sold by Gaugemaster as Fordhampton Station
http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=GM401&style=&strType=&Mcode=Gaugemaster+Structures+GM401

[HillsideDepot]

This looks like an interesting project, and even more interesting that you are using it as part of your DofE Award. As a DofE assessor myself, it'd be great if one of my Explorer Scouts decided to do railway modelling as their skill - I can but hope.

 

I'll certainly be following your progress.

[emt_911]

This really looks like an interesting project. I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops

[Blackbuck]

I'll certainly be following this, as the amount of times I've stayed opposite the station in the old railway cottages is starting to become innumerable...

[Rivercider]

The turntable is a relatively recent installation, 2008 I think, for much of the preservation era there was no turntable at Minehead,

So your model can represent Minehead prior to 2008! 

 

cheers

[Modelling Martin]

Minehead was much smaller originally, so maybe base the model on that, and assume it never grew to take long trains, but add in the features of the current station on a smaller scale.

http://www.broadgauge.co.uk/library/images/locations/minehead_station/minehead_station_01_large.jpg

 

The station building was much shorter too, so you could use the former Hornby Dunster Station kit, now sold by Gaugemaster as Fordhampton Station

http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=GM401&style=&strType=&Mcode=Gaugemaster+Structures+GM401

 

That picture really is fascinating as I've never really seen any pictures of Minehead pre-preservation. Unfortunately my stock is from lots of different eras so I feel modelling it in its present form is the only way. That station building would fit my plans very well, I had ideas for all the other buildings but this one is ideal as I don't really want the building / canopy taking up too much space on the platform but would like it to be noticeably similar,

 

Gary

[Modelling Martin]

This looks like an interesting project, and even more interesting that you are using it as part of your DofE Award. As a DofE assessor myself, it'd be great if one of my Explorer Scouts decided to do railway modelling as their skill - I can but hope.

 

I'll certainly be following your progress.

 

 

This really looks like an interesting project. I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops

 

 

I'll certainly be following this, as the amount of times I've stayed opposite the station in the old railway cottages is starting to become innumerable...

 

Thank you to everyone whose shown an interest it means i'll have to get it finished sooner now and do it justice at the same time!

 

Regards,

 

Gary

[Modelling Martin]

The turntable is a relatively recent installation, 2008 I think, for much of the preservation era there was no turntable at Minehead,

So your model can represent Minehead prior to 2008! 

 

cheers

 

Yes thats a very good point. Modelling pre-2008 means i don't have the two 'Y' points off the upper run-around loop either which means thats 2 less points to make! Operationally though it would be nice perhaps in the future to have a turntable to stop the spotters complaining that the engine is 'tender first' on the gala days,

 

Gary

[ParkeNd]

I realise you are limiting yourself by utilising existing OO stock, but this is exposing the severe limitations of the wrong gauge in a domestic environment. Minehead station really needs around 15 feet minimum in OO gauge. A switch to N gauge (you really don't need a microscope to see it) would enable you to make a good representation of Minehead that people would recognise rather than you having to point out that it's the buffers end of half of Minehead station platforms.

 

In OO each half length train is not even going to travel its own length to "arrive" at it's destination. But in N gauge 8 ft x 2 ft would allow you to have scale length trains and some landscape to arrive out of.

[Modelling Martin]

I realise you are limiting yourself by utilising existing OO stock, but this is exposing the severe limitations of the wrong gauge in a domestic environment. Minehead station really needs around 15 feet minimum in OO gauge. A switch to N gauge (you really don't need a microscope to see it) would enable you to make a good representation of Minehead that people would recognise rather than you having to point out that it's the buffers end of half of Minehead station platforms.

 

In OO each half length train is not even going to travel its own length to "arrive" at it's destination. But in N gauge 8 ft x 2 ft would allow you to have scale length trains and some landscape to arrive out of.

 

Hi there, thank you for your opinion any advice good / bad is much appreciated. I'm afraid i've got stock from a larger layout that i have collected over the years which I really don't fancy selling and buying again in N gauge and it is all DCC Sound which i feel will play an important part in my new layout. I figured in OO i was never going to get much of a run anyway so might as well make the most of a big station. I think in the future have the option to extend the layout to the east (the turntable and beach) and west (extending the carriage sidings and a level crossing) which i will be able to assemble in full at exhibitions,

 

Regards,

 

Gary

[brianusa]

Contrary to much thinking herein, preservation is not a dirty word in modelling.  In my OO days, I did a creditable Buckfastleigh and while definitely GW, included many 'foreigners' from other regions and time, so with Minehead, go for it and enjoy running what you have.  Being over here, I was not subject to such critics; nobody knows where Buckfast is even let alone what its station is like!

 

Brian.

[Chris Dark]

Looking forward to this, I am a volunteer based at Minehead

[Modelling Martin]

Contrary to much thinking herein, preservation is not a dirty word in modelling.  In my OO days, I did a creditable Buckfastleigh and while definitely GW, included many 'foreigners' from other regions and time, so with Minehead, go for it and enjoy running what you have.  Being over here, I was not subject to such critics; nobody knows where Buckfast is even let alone what its station is like!

 

Brian.

 

I think many people associate preservation with 'i can run whatever i want' which i think simply isn't the case for everyone. In this case I'm going to run rolling stock as close to the WSR as possible and make it as close as possible in the space i have available. The only exception will be the locomotives which where possible I will try and make sure they are preserved examples ( I only have one actual GWR engine at the moment!),

 

Gary

[Modelling Martin]

Looking forward to this, I am a volunteer based at Minehead

 

No pressure then! I hope I can model Minehead as true as possible. The problem at the moment is finding images of the engine shed side closest to the promenade which could prove tricky when i get round to building the shed,

 

Thanks for all your kind comments,

 

Gary

[BenW]

Hi Gary,

 

I'm a volunteer on the MPD at Minehead - let me know what angles you'd like of which buildings and I can take some photos for you without too much trouble.  Should warn you though that the back of the shed hosts some rather ugly-looking Portakabins!  I'll also do a quick whip through wood store/oil store/coal pile etc if you're interested?

 

I did a 'train set' for my D of E bronze & silver so very supportive of this one!  Hope the exams go well.

 

Regards,

 

Ben

[Modelling Martin]

Hi Gary,

 

I'm a volunteer on the MPD at Minehead - let me know what angles you'd like of which buildings and I can take some photos for you without too much trouble.  Should warn you though that the back of the shed hosts some rather ugly-looking Portakabins!  I'll also do a quick whip through wood store/oil store/coal pile etc if you're interested?

 

I did a 'train set' for my D of E bronze & silver so very supportive of this one!  Hope the exams go well.

 

Regards,

 

Ben

 

Hi Ben,

 

Heres a picture of the area i was trying to get a photo of with the yellow shape representing the area where any photos would be much appreciated:

 

Copyright Google Maps 2015

 

I think space limitations mean i can't model all the portakabins behind the shed (oh what a shame!),

 

Gary

Edited May 3, 2015 by Modelling Martin

[BenW]

Ok Gary, that shouldn't be a problem.  I'm next down on Tuesday afternoon so will try to get something taken then.  Failing that (if I forget, or the camera breaks or there's some crisis or other) I'm down there a fair bit at the end of the month so I'll get something done then.

 

B

[Modelling Martin]

Ok Gary, that shouldn't be a problem.  I'm next down on Tuesday afternoon so will try to get something taken then.  Failing that (if I forget, or the camera breaks or there's some crisis or other) I'm down there a fair bit at the end of the month so I'll get something done then.

 

B

 

Sounds great i would really appreciate that . Feel free to post them on the topic as i believe a few people may find them interesting,

 

Thanks again,

 

Gary

[Modelling Martin]

Hello everyone,

 

I've been looking around for buildings after the excellent recommendation of the Gaugemaster kit when i found out that Hornby produced a station building based on the Dunster station I think? Anyway i personally think it represents Minehead's pretty well. I understand people's negativety towards ready to plonk buildings but i feel my modelling capabilities aren't up to a station building or signal box yet although the carriage works and engine sheds shoudn't be too difficult to build and i feel i would enjoy building them more than the complex shapes associated with the station building,

 

Here are some pictures for reference of the Hornby building:

 

 

Copyright Hattons 

 

Kind regards,

 

Gary

[BG John]

I didn't realise that Hornby had replaced the kit, that's now produced by Gaugemaster, with a RTP version. If it had been available 30 years ago, I might have had a finished building on my layout at the time, rather than a part built one! This is as far as I had got with the kit version in 1985, and it's still in that state, apart from the windows that have fallen out! I really must finish it one day! I wonder if I've still got the rest of the bits!!!

[Modelling Martin]

I didn't realise that Hornby had replaced the kit, that's now produced by Gaugemaster, with a RTP version. If it had been available 30 years ago, I might have had a finished building on my layout at the time, rather than a part built one! This is as far as I had got with the kit version in 1985, and it's still in that state, apart from the windows that have fallen out! I really must finish it one day! I wonder if I've still got the rest of the bits!!!

 

 

Wow that station looks great I often think plastic has the sharper crisper edges than resin highlighted by your model there. After looking on the gaugemaster website it says you cover the plastic shell with stone / red brick sheet? I'm not a card fan so i would have to make a new plastic 'skin' for the building which seems like a lot of trouble compared to the Hornby offering which i think looks pretty good and hopefully a bit unique after the canopy and detail have been added to it,

 

Gary

[BG John]

Mine is covered in embossed Plastikard, partly because it's what I scratchbuilt the goods shed with, and partly because the only printed option was red sandstone, which is right for West Somerset, but not for where my layout was based.

[Sasquatch]

Hi Gary.

There's nothing wrong with preserved line modeling. Both of my layouts are so and I do run what I like! (when no one's looking of course)  You might like Dunster which one day I aim to extend to Minehead myself.

So I'll be following your project for obvious reasons.

I used Wills sheets to replace the Walls on Dunsters station, they're a bit tough to work with. The RTP version looks more accurate especially around the windows, bare in mind that RTP buildings can be improved upon as I did on my other layout Goathland.  

Please to help with any modeling questions BTW.

 

Regards Shaun.  

[brianusa]

Hi Shaun, down there in OR.  Just checked out your Dunster site; excellent work,  although we only rode the train once when we came back home.  Most of my 'knowledge' of the WSR is from the computer version and books although the virtual representation is quite good.

 

Brian.