Deadwater Burn EM

[torkardlane]

While trying to get work done on Woodhouse Lane I came across Russâ€mines a pint†had put up for sale Deadwater Burn and after googling it for pics remembered it from the layout comp a couple of years back. I soon realised what it was that I was not getting out of Woodhouse Lane and that was modelling a real place, having much more realistic track EM was a bonus. So lots of pm’s and emails later I was off up to West Yorkshire and a meet with Russ. After only unfortunately a brief chat I was on my way home with Deadwater in the boot of my car

 

I must admit both a change of Track Gauge OO to EM and Era late 1990’s to late 1960’s is scary and exciting but something I’ am looking forward to. The next thing is learning more about EM, Scottish borders and the locos that ran up there. I thought about changing the era that Russ ran but two tone green cl 24’s and blue cl 25’s look great. I may regauge some of my late 90’s stock to see what they look like; maybe run both era’s I don’t know yet.

 

Anyway on arrival back home weather prevented me moving the layout to the shed so I spent the night researching The Borders and locos. Next day was fine and to its new home it went, did I start making a list of what I needed to do nope. I dug out a Lima cl 60 that I had bought a long time ago with EM wheels and bodged some wires up and with an old Hornby controller, it was time to play.

 

 

After playtime it was time to get down to the serious side of looking at what I had to do. At the moment my feelings are to return it to its original state with fiddle yards at both ends. Scenics need a revamp, maybe a replacement backscene (hope Russ finds the pic files) and a total rewire for DCC.

 

I hope all those who followed Russ’s thread when building it will check it out in its new home and give views and opinions on how I’ am doing and if I’ am doing it right or wrong. Advice on all things EM would be a great help. As bits are done I’ll keep you all updated.

 

 

 

Tom

[Ragtag]

Look forward to seeing the continued development of this layout as I model the same area, albeit in a vastly different time. I've attached a couple of useful links. If you ever find yourself in the area of your prototype, check out the museum at Bellingham - they can give you access to a large photo archive from the line's operational days.

http://www.railbrit.co.uk/Border_Counties_Railway/frame.htm

 

http://www.northumbrian-railways.co.uk/index.php?page=deadwater

[Guest oldlugger]

Very nice Tom! Any more photos (track especially) or a track plan?

 

Cheers

Simon

[Jamie]

Very pleased it hasn't been broken up, tho I don't think Russ had the heart to do so.

 

EM's not that scary really, I'm a newstart through similar circumstances to yourself, and am rapidly finding my feet. Strongly recommend joining the EM Gauge Society - the stores, newsletters and manual sheets have been of great help to me already. Stock and diesel conversions have proved relatively simple.

 

A book worth getting for information on the railways of the Borders, try Branchlines and Byways: Southwest Scotland and the Border Counties. It's pretty much my 'bible', and covers your area of interest in similar depth to my own. Clearly, with the prototype lines closing at Beeching, the book covers the steam period but you can extrapolate forward.

[Russ (mines a pint)]

Hi Tom, was watching out for this,

I am on the hunt for the DVD that has the backscene file on, though I believe it may have gone into a 'packed' box!

 

Branchlines and Byways: Southwest Scotland and the Border Counties

- and that was the book that I was trying to remember the title of! - I did say we'd get to it quickly if you put it up on here!

 

-as Jamie says EM is not a black art- though he might be thinking that about some of his steam loco's

 

I was just reading some RM's this morning particularly Neil Rushby's article on sector plates- the layout would be good with these, the cassettes were a bit of a pain to be honest- but they served their purpose to start with.

 

Its a shame about the station chimneys I was genuinely annoyed about that, the layout was leant up near the door, I always managed to open it without the layout falling over but let the **** who was viewing the house go first, if I remember he was texting someone at the time - how rude!!. - at least we found the 'bits'

- dont think the 'modern' slant looks that bad to be honest- tho the 60 might be a bit big- 26's 31's 37's would look good? I was toying with the idea of sectorisation- there has been loads of talk of opening up some of it to get the harvested Kielder timber out, and with the addition of an MoD range (something along the lines of Warcop or Eskmeals) - anyway its your layout now and look forward to seeing what you make of it!

 

I'll try be of any assistance regards backscene, and sign stuff, and its one less thing to move!! -

 

Good Luck! :icon_thumbsup2:

[torkardlane]

Thanks for the encouragement guys I hope I can carry on in the same standard as Russ.

 

Ragtag

great links thanks.

 

Oldlugger

I will post more photos as I get bits done. When the old RMWeb site is back up do a search on there and you will find Russ's old thread there, loads of info & photos.

 

Jamie

Joining the EM gauge society is on my to do list, more help the better. Ref the book I've been trawling the web and there seems to be a vast choice but mostly top notch prices so I may be selective in what I get I'll check that one you mentioned next job.

 

Russ

Which RM was it you read, may have that tucked away somewhere. The modern slant may be worth doing, EWS 37's with a few vans would look good. I have 37411 on the shelf, didn't that use to be called "The Scottish Railway Presevation Society"? apt name lol. Don't worry about the chimmneys they will be back on when I get chance. My first jobs going to be the rewire.

 

Tom

[Ragtag]

411 also carried Ty Hafan in EWS colours, I think it's now in green as Caerphilly Castle

[torkardlane]

Thats what came with mine ragtag, may get Shawplans version of SRPS. Better check what the differences are first.

[Ragtag]

Looks like the marker light panel was black for a start

 

http://www.biocrawler.com/w/images/f/fc/37411_%27The_Scottish_Railway_Preservation_Society%27_at_Carlisle.JPG

[Russ (mines a pint)]

Joining the EM gauge society is on my to do list, more help the better. Ref the book I've been trawling the web and there seems to be a vast choice but mostly top notch prices so I may be selective in what I get I'll check that one you mentioned next job.

The book is the best- its worth the brass- EMGS is dear the first year but fairly reasonable thereafter

-the book idea about the 24 & 25's can you send the link?

 

I think it was the Nov RM that had the fiddle yard stuff? Neil?

[torkardlane]

Downloaded the form so ill send membership off soon, The link for the 24 & 25 book is http://www.amazon.co.uk/24s-Rail-Portfolios-Hugh-Dady/dp/0711018464/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267101006&sr=8-5 . RM mag ill look up later thanks Russ.

[eldavo]

Looks like the marker light panel was black for a start

 

http://www.biocrawle...at_Carlisle.JPG

 

Also different overhead warning flashes and a Scotty dog. Probably other bits and pieces as well but when I did mine I gave up at that point as I couldn't find too many pictures. She also had yellow marker light panels at some point while carrying the SRPS nameplate as well if I remember correctly.

 

Cheers

Dave

[MartinWales]

Also worth finding is Border Country Branch Line Album by Neil Caplan.

[Tim Lewis]

 

Jamie

Joining the EM gauge society is on my to do list, more help the better. Ref the book I've been trawling the web and there seems to be a vast choice but mostly top notch prices so I may be selective in what I get I'll check that one you mentioned next job.

 

I picked up a brand new copy of this book at Warley from what used to be Midland Counties (now Ian Allan Plus or something). It was £15 instead of £35. Might be worth trying them. It is a lovely book.

[Russ (mines a pint)]

Also worth finding is Border Country Branch Line Album by Neil Caplan.

Indeed, and Tom has an email listing the 'usual suspects' I am a bit hazy on titles tho' cos all my books are packed ready for the move!

Tom your inbox should be practically bursting at the seams by morning- found the disc

I also noticed the old RMweb thread is available again

and having found that also lead me to the similarities with the warcop branch -

['CHARD]

Also worth finding is Border Country Branch Line Album by Neil Caplan.

 

Embarrassingly I've never heard of this, although Caplan's Waverley tome is basically a standard text as far as I'm concerned. Dare I imagine that it does, as the name suggests, cover the Waverley branches..... If so, I'm on a mission.

[torkardlane]

Thanks for the files Russ plenty to keep me busy there. Yeah I've been reading the thread on the old RMWeb page 14 of 49 ive got to at the mo. the books ive ordered for now are the 24's & 25's by Hugh Dady and "Border Country Branch Line Album" by Neil Caplan. Any others will have to wait till later or Fathers Day hint hint.

 

Tom

[D9020 Nimbus]

A book specialising in the Border Counties (and also the Wansbeck line) is "The North British Railway in Northumberland" by G.W.M. Sewell. This has lots of detail about the line, the motive power used and sketch track plans of all the stations. It was published in 1992 and will now--I suspect--be very hard to find (and expensive). But you ought to be able to obtain it (and any other book) via an inter-library loan.

 

There is also a lot of information on the Northumbrian Railways website.

[Ragtag]

£80 on Amazon, none of Ebay that I could find

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Railway-Northumberland-G-W-M-Sewell/dp/0863036139/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267215856&sr=8-1

[pH]

At the risk of starting a stampede, from Abebooks:

 

The North British Railway in Northumberland and Branches and Byways - Southwest Scotland and the Border Counties

 

(Edited to show prices in UK pounds instead of Canadian dollars)

[torkardlane]

Thanks for all the book advice guys, one i had ordered "Border country branch line album" came yesterday so have not made much progress on the layout .

 

But heres some pics of what i have done.

 

First off Russ had started to change things for an extension.

 

But I want to return it to "as was"

 

New piece in place.

 

 

At the same time i have removed the backscene ready for renewing.

Now you see.

 

Now you dont.

 

Also oldlugger asked for a track plan so heres a quick piccy.

[Russ (mines a pint)]

But I want to return it to "as was"

Oh dear- should have just left it as it was

- I did have good intentions when I started the extension and it was something that had fired me up to building new stuff after a bit of a 'lull' in the hobby.

I did think of leaving the existing backscene hanging, but was concerned it would get damaged whilst alterations took place which is why it got cut to the new backscene length.

 

I am very impressed at how you have managed to remove the whole backscene board without damaging any of the structures up against it- we were talking about etched window frames for the station building which would be a huge improvement, I was never satisfied with my home made frames- you should find you should be able to tunnel in to the station now through the rear wall- it is if memory serves me rightly thin plain plasticard braced with foamboard.

 

Front former board off next? - this again was something I was loathe to do to for fear of creating big damage to the scenery!! - but looks like you know what your doing in this respect ... :icon_thumbsup2:

[torkardlane]

Thanks Russ, the baseboard stage is one part that I'am confident in, the scenery bit not so great thats why I was very careful in removing the bacscene. I even managed to remove the border sign and grass scenery bit from your old board without damage, thats going back on. Plywood seems expensive at the moment I may try reuseing yours on the backscene but I do have a new piece ready for the front.

 

The etched windows will look a treat one at each end of the building should do, also i've just thought whilst writing, an old photo of Deadwater station shows a lean to or something on the left of the main building any idea if that fits in the late 60's timeframe?

 

If anybody's got idea's on how they mount there lighting board on to their layout input appreciated, can't make my mind how to fit mine and keep things neat and tidy for transport.

 

Tom.

 

 

 

 

[Russ (mines a pint)]

an old photo of Deadwater station shows a lean to or something on the left of the main building any idea if that fits in the late 60's timeframe?

I think its a shelter for when the station building was 'out of hours' - I assumed it would be demolished, when passenger serviced finished.

there is a better pic of a similar style one at Angerton on the Northumbrian Railways site

[Intercity125]

It's been very enjoyable following the original Deadwater Burn thread on olde RM Web as well as seeing pictures of the real location which it is based on. This shows how well Russ has captured the feel of this beautiful location and it is so satisfying to see the layout go to a new home and follow the changes that Tom is making to it. Keep up the good work.

 

Paul (aka Intercity125)