Westhaven BR(S) 1959-1963

[derekchilds]

I am finally introducing you to my model of Westhaven, a might have been, leaving the Southern mainline west of Crewkerne at Clapton (as was actually proposed for a branch to Beaminster) to the coastal resort of Westhaven (nee West Bay). Westhaven developed significantly in the late 19th century eclipsing all of the other East Devon resorts, which saw the line upgraded to neo main line spec. This meant that as well as the branch service from the mainline there are many through services to further a field eg. Yeovil Town, Salisbury and of course Waterloo. It is my intention one day when space permits to remodel Westhaven as a through station on the Dorchester to Axminster and Exeter secondary mainline (as was once proposed by Mr Castleman and his friends at the Southampton & Dorchester Railway in the mid 19th century) with the branch from Crewkerne maintained. I make no shame in mentioning that the whole idea was inspired by the late, great, John Charman and as a result I even have assumed that there was a link from Charford to Westhaven.

One of the advantages of my rambling thoughts is that it allows me to run virtually any of the vast array of ex SR locos and stock (with the exception of MN's which will have to wait for the through line!) as well as BR standards and I run the layout representing 3 separate time periods 1959/60, 1961, and 1963 to maximise the appropriate locos for the period in question.

I will shortly attach some initial photos to give the general imprssion of what it is all about.

[Tim Hale]

Branch line to Beaminster from Clapton? Sound rather familiar.

 

Tim

[melmoth]

Branch line to Beaminster from Clapton? Sound rather familiar.

 

Tim

 

There's a lot of West Dorset about right now. I'm (badly) laying the track on a junction terminus which could hopefully doubly as either West Bay with a Colonel Stephensish extension of the Abbotsbury branch coming in from the east or a Bridport branch terminus more central to the town with a link to the proposed Exeter extension of the S&D. It's a generic enough plan in 8'x16" to allow me to swap the locations over and run semi-fictional timetables based on both locations roughly between 1947 and 53.

 

Has Westhaven been exhibited? The name rings a bell.

[derekchilds]

Branch line to Beaminster from Clapton? Sound rather familiar.

 

Tim

Yes I'll agree with you, but I must say that "Westhaven" has been in existence for several years now, but only recently have I had the courage to share it with you all. Anyway your Beaminster Road is far better than my meagre effort and something that I really look up to. I've been following your progress and eye for detail with great interest and can't wait toi see it fully operational - modelling the real mainline to the west was too much for me!

 

Derek

[derekchilds]

There's a lot of West Dorset about right now. I'm (badly) laying the track on a junction terminus which could hopefully doubly as either West Bay with a Colonel Stephensish extension of the Abbotsbury branch coming in from the east or a Bridport branch terminus more central to the town with a link to the proposed Exeter extension of the S&D. It's a generic enough plan in 8'x16" to allow me to swap the locations over and run semi-fictional timetables based on both locations roughly between 1947 and 53.

 

Has Westhaven been exhibited? The name rings a bell.

No my Westhaven has'nt been exhibited, and is very unlikely to as it is in a semi-fixed situation at home.

I'll show my age in that I believe there once was an Ex LNER layout with the same name in Model Railway Constructor way back in the 1960's!

 

Derek

[melmoth]

A bit before my time - my first copy of MRC was June 78, which I got instead of 4 weeks worth of the Beano.

[Bibby Line]

Derek,

 

Interesting idea, i look forward to seeing the photos and details of the trains you propose to run.

 

Eddie

[derekchilds]

Here are a couple of photos to get going with.

 

View looking towards buffers of Westhaven station, in a quiet moment

 

Station pilot (2-4-0WT) prepares to move Bogie "B" newsvan ( ex 1.15am Waterloo news train, detached at Yeovil Junc.) from main platform to bay whilst train engine (U 2-6-0) prepares to move to turntable and take water etc.

 

More to come if anyone's interested.

 

Derek

[ian b]

Very much so! Keep 'em coming!

[Oldddudders]

Not quite sure that's a Bogie B, but the principle is excellent. IMHO the 0115 Waterloo to all points west makes a most interesting prototype for anyone modelling operations in the SR West Country. A sort of ACE without the passengers - or not many, anyway!

 

Yes, more pics welcome here.

[derekchilds]

Not quite sure that's a Bogie B, but the principle is excellent. IMHO the 0115 Waterloo to all points west makes a most interesting prototype for anyone modelling operations in the SR West Country. A sort of ACE without the passengers - or not many, anyway!

 

Yes, more pics welcome here.

 

Guess what you're right it is a "special" Bogie "B" with 4 wheels missing!! in other words a BY van. In that case according to my running schedule it can't be the 1.15 ex Waterloo, but most likely the 5.54pm arrival from Salisbury.

 

I did take the photo sometime ago and I told you that I was getting old so I'm allowed the odd senior moment and the eyesight is failing too!

 

Derek

[Big James]

Such a nice looking layout. But just curious where did the U class come from as the K class rebuilds was always my favorite class of engine.

 

Big James

[derekchilds]

Such a nice looking layout. But just curious where did the U class come from as the K class rebuilds was always my favorite class of engine.

 

Big James

This is not a K class rebuild but the DJH model of the new builds (no. 31618). I too would love a model of a K class rebuild but to date no one has produced one and as far as I know from all of the usual suspects I doubt that it this likely.

 

Derek

[Tim Hale]

This is not a K class rebuild but the DJH model of the new builds (no. 31618). I too would love a model of a K class rebuild but to date no one has produced one and as far as I know from all of the usual suspects I doubt that it this likely.

 

Derek

 

If you are talking about a LBSC K-Class, it was produced in 4mm by K's, Blacksmith/Mallard, Jidenco/Falcon and now by Ace.

 

Tim

[melmoth]

If you are talking about a LBSC K-Class, it was produced in 4mm by K's, Blacksmith/Mallard, Jidenco/Falcon and now by Ace.

 

Tim

 

I think the 'Rivers' 264Ts were also K class and that's what's being referred to.

[Big James]

Thank you for all your help guys. Gonna try and get hold of a DJH kit next payday. It'll give me something to do over the cold months.

 

Another quick question does anyone no what color the river tanks would have been painted if they ha survived into BR days?

 

Big James

[Tim Hale]

I think the 'Rivers' 264Ts were also K class and that's what's being referred to.

 

Too many Southern K's?

 

Tim

[melmoth]

Too many Southern K's?

 

Tim

 

I'd not thought about it until today, but the LBSC brought classes B4, E1, K and L into the Southern Railway at the grouping and all are very different from the similarly named SECR/LSWR classes.

[derekchilds]

Here are some more photos for your delictation

The early morning arrival at 7.23am of the single coach/newsvan (ex 1.15am ex Waterloo), BY van added at Salisbury and the PMV (mail ex Eastleigh also added at Salisbury) hauled by WC 34033 "Chard" attached at Salisbury.

The same train in the main platform at Westhaven, pending dispersal by station pilot (usually Beattie Well tank 30586) .

"Chard" prepares to turn and will then take water prior to her next duty.

"Chard" prepares to leave Westhaven for Yeovil Town with the 7.55am "School" train, which comprises the single coach (ex 7.23am arrival) and 2 Maunsell strengtheners for all the rowdy kids!

Here is the 1.24pm goods arrival from Yeovil Junction (originating at Templecombe) hauled in this instance by "black motor" 30317. Not much traffic today!

Just to prove that "Charford" lives - here is the morning arrival from there, there are only 3 arrivals and correspondingly 3 departures back to Charford

per day, and the service is not likely to last much longer. Anyway Adams radial has an easy task with just a single Maunsell BCK for company.

 

Hopefully more later.

 

Derek

[derekchilds]

As I have not posted for sometime, due to other pressures on my time-such is the demands of retirement!, I thought I would give you an update.

 

The layout is moving on slowly and now operates to a timetable which varies the locos and stock dependent of the time period in question. All locos and stock rostered are based on those allocated (mainly 72A/72B/72C) and likely to pass through the area at the relevant time being operated, this gives me a chance to significantly add variety, especially when I additionally use the alternative locos for the period in question. Also for some reason the branch was constructed to mainline standards (the supposed prototype - not my tracklaying!!) which will allow virtually any loco bar an MN to be seen (my excuse to run loco classes H15, N15, S15, V, BR standard 5 and rebuilt Bulleid Pacifics).

 

As an example the local Westhaven to Crewkerne (junction with the mainline) service in 1959 is run with (or will be when Mr Kernow delivers) an O2 0-4-4T and ex LSWR "Gate stock" in pull/push mode (I often use an excuse to substitute an Adams radial 4-4-2T for the O2 and work in non p/p mode), 1960 uses an M7 0-4-4T or BR 3 2-6-2T and Maunsell "W" set (non P/P), 1961 uses the same locos as 1960 plus also BR 2P/2FT 2-6-2T (converted from Bachmann Ivatt 2-6-2T) or ex LMS 2P/2FT 2-6-2T and BR converted P/P Maunsell set (in either P/P or non P/P mode - dependent on the loco used, 1963 uses the M7 and BR P/P Maunsell set (P/P mode) or substitute with ex LMS 2P/2FT (non P/P mode). I said that there is a lot of variety available!  

 

I'll try and post some more of my very amateurish photos soon, to reflect some typical movements on the layout.

 

Derek 

[jonny777]

Please don't put your efforts down too much. It is an excellent layout which as soon as I saw the first photo of this thread I knew that I was going to enjoy reading about.

[Oldddudders]

 

I'll try and post some more of my very amateurish photos soon, to reflect some typical movements on the layout.

 

Derek 

You might try taking pics without using flash, if your camera will let you. Use a firm support, because the exposure will be much longer. Not worth not trying.

[derekchilds]

Thanks for the advice, will try it.

 

Derek

[derekchilds]

Here goes - 3 new images taken without the flash, as suggested. I told you I was a rubbish photographer!

 

Station pilot G6 awaits on shed for its next duty.

 

The 9.08am local from Crewkerne arrives with an 0415 deputising for the usual M7, together with the Maunsell "W" set "105".

 

'Black Motor' waits in the yard to return to Crewkerne having bought in and shunted the morning pick up goods.

 

Hopefully more to follow.

 

Derek

[cromptonnut]

Just come across this one from the "SR layouts" thread.  Any further updates?

 

Spent the first 25 years of my life near Chard Junction so it's an area I know fairly well and although my interests are more modern than the 1960's I do enjoy layouts of the area in steam days.