NeilHB

Wonderful stuff Edwardian, I shall look forward to seeing more information on the estate railway! Dodo looks like a fine specimen, and eminently suited to an estate railway :-) Cheers, Neil

Tim didn't take any photos - but I did Sorry they aren't the greatest quality, the lighting in the NEC is a bit naff! The kit is delightful, and I can see one or two ending up in my collection...

i decided that as the Trent Valley Area Groups (7mmNGA) successor to Henmore is due to make its (non-operational) debut at our annual Mickleover open day in January (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/116620-mickleover-derby-7mm-narrow-gauge-21st-january-2017/) I really ought to get my finger out and actually build some stock to run on the layout! Two years ago I'd have said my ideal narrow gauge stock was Talyllyn sized, but them I became part of the Trent Valley group, and had my eyes opened to the joys of larger narrow gauge locos...I've still got my stash of Talyllyn kits in a box to build one day, but after much discussions with Mr Young, some silly ideas have been had, and a cunning plan formulated involving an Adams Radial and Hunslets proposed 4-4-0T for the Lynton and Barnstaple, as so beautifully built by David Taylor of Charmouth and Bridport fame...Andy and I womdered what the two mashed together would look like... Voila! A Hunslet Atlantic tank. Some slight alterations were needed to the drawings, slightly longer tanks to hide the motor mounting, and a rearward extension of the bunker to fit over the Radial truck. With footlplate... And with the start of the sidetanks, these are just temporary to test clearances and to see what it looks like. Must admit the way that Hornby has designed the fixing on the Radial tank is a bit awkward, and I think I will need to find a way to secure the chassis through the footplate into the sidetanks, which will need to be made wider to hide them. Boiler fittings are on order from Slimrails, in the shape of boiler fittings from their WHR Russell kit. I've ordered enough for a couple of locos... Livery wise will be standard Henmore Dale Crimson Lake, must get on and order the nameplates from Narrow Planet. "Minerva" or "Persephone" - currently undecided though I suspect a second example may follow at some point, so it's really a case of which name to use first! I've also been busy building up my stash of Slimrails kits, with 3 4-plank opens and 2 2-plank opens completed, I also have another 3 chassis' awaiting ideas for bodies to go on them, and a Slimrails brakevan needing a coat of paint. Coaching stock wise I have a couple of Port Wynnstays Henmore Dale 4-wheel coaches to build up, and then have my eye on me or two of the new Slaters kits for L&B no.16 - having seen and handled the prototype kit at Warley, I can tell you it's going to be a lovely model! Enough for now - more progress in my usual as and when format :-) TTFN, and a Happy New Year to you all!

Looks like an interesting project Dave, I shall be following with interest. Cheers, Neil

Andy - you are an absolute star - thank you very much!

Does anybody have dimensions of the motor block that they could share please? Looking to obtain one to put under a new 7mm narrow gauge body, but could with knowing dimensions first. Ta muchly in advance!

True yes it does look nearer standard - I have seen a reference to the gauge being 3'6", but as I'd only seen it once assumed that was an error. I had forgotten about Sittingbourne, so no reason why a freelanced version of Burneside couldn't work using narrow gauge steam locos! Cheers, Neil

Hi Dirk, From various books I have read it appears that the gauge was 3'. I think that given the flammable nature of the paper, they didn't even think about using steam locos - at various times during its working life one or other of the mills has burned down. I am surprised that they didn't convert to loco power after WWI, considering the number of surplus Simplex locos etc. Cheers, Neil

Thanks Mike, yes I'll bring along my research and the plans, I may even see how far I get with mocking up some of the buildings for Cowan Head over the Christmas break - given how long it's taken me to paint the turntables for Henmore I can't promise anything though! Thanks Dirk, greatly appreciated. Below I've attached a couple of photos that I've found of the line in its narrow gauge, horse drawn days: What appears to be the loading/exchange dock in Burneside goods yard. The mill complex at Burneside in narrow gauge days. I hope that these photos are useful to you. It appears that it was only ever horse worked in its narrow gauge state. Thanks Colin, it's a lovely drive through Burneside and Bowston isn't it? Did you manage to find the route of the Tramway?

Thanks 5050. Will admit that I've never heard of DEFine before - could you enlighten me please?

Hi Rich, Yes that's correct - it was the only way to fit them in unfortunately. Not sure about interiors yet, need to have a think about it. For the waste paper shed I probably would do, as there wouldn't be much to see other than mounds of waste paper! Cheers, Neil

As mentioned in the previous post, further revisions were needed to the Mk3 plan for Cowan Head...so I now present Mk4! As I also mentioned, Tim had been a bad influence and I can now present the trackplans for the extra two sections... First up we have the section of line between Cowan Head and Bowston, where the private road to the mill crosses the line and leaves the line to run across the fields next to the River Kent before entering the mill at Bowston: Next up is Bowston Mill and village scene, which has more sidings for shunting! There are two sidings entering the main mill building, the rear one crosses the mill race on a very tight curve, this was the siding for the bleach tankers (I think). The next one is the main siding for loading and unloading products etc., this also exits the mill at the far end, in real life it joined back up with the bleach tank siding, but space precludes this. This may end up as a dumping siding for older wagons that are no longer in use? The siding serving the building at the very front of the layout is that which serves the waste paper building, which was where the waste paper was stored prior to reuse...who said recycling was a modern invention! Hmmm, with all modules now designed, it appears that the layout may now be 28ft in length so far...(that's including the 3'6" module for the FY, with a 3' train table - enough for a loco and 5 wagons). Considering that maximum train length will be a loco and 4 wagons, there is a good length of run, and with the trains moving relatively slowly, it should take a while to get from one end to the other. I think there are enough sidings to shunt on the way, and at Cowan Head which has 5 destinations for wagons.

Thanks Rich :-) Thanks Dave! Don't worry, after a thorough review in the Brunswick on Thursday night, these modules have gained 2ft in length. Which should mean that the curves aren't quite so sharp, and there's room for more shunting and more stock too :-) Can someone pass Rich his coat please! Terrible but did make me chuckle :-) Thanks 5050, the viewing side is one with the engine shed nearest to you. So, as stated above the plan was subjected to a thorough review in the Brunswick pub in Derby on Thursday night, with lots of suggestions and requests for running rights - seems there will be a lot of Ruston 48DS' on this layout!!! Anyhow, after a nice works Christmas lunch on Friday, I came home and drew out the Mark 3 plan for Cowan Head: Viewing side will be the lower edge, with the engine shed at the right hand end acting as a view blocker for the exit. Having discussed the plan at length this Myron with Tim, there are a couple more revisions to make, so Mk4 should appear in the next day or so. I also now have ideas for a further three modules (one single and a double) thanks to Tim (who is nearly as bad an influence as Mr Young...), so plans for these will follow shortly!

Thanks - not sure at the moment, it will probably be version 2 so I don't have to build the single slip, though I like the idea of having one for a bit of added interest! Nope this is the results of an hours doodling last night - much quicker when you can trace the previous plan :-) I'll pass on a trip round the M25 thanks!

Just as a quick alternative, after a suggestion from Andrew Young, below is an amended plan...see if you can spot the differences! Thoughts and feelings appreciated as usual please all!

Thanks Rich :-) Not sure they didn't need skirts and cowcatchers, I wonder if it was to do with it being a horse drawn Tramway to start with, and that as there wasn't much traffic it wasn't required? And good find on the slurry siding - nice bit of detective work - many thanks! Many thanks Pete. Thanks for the info re the transportation of the chlorine, guessing I can stick a couple in an open wagon for carrying them. I'll have a scout round the internet for ICI tank wagons for the bleach, something's bound to turn up :-) Marc - thank you! I had seen a B&W photo (very grainy) of a Croppers wagon but couldn't obviously tell what colour it was! If you can find the drawing can I please be cheeky and ask for a copy of it?

Thanks Ray. Have procured the last of Tim's clay wagon bodies, for collection at the pub later this week. The Skytrex ones are unfortunately the wrong era, as they wouldn't have had the hoods fitted when Burneside was still open. Believe there may be a couple of other issues such as a lack of the end door too. Ah I have a cunning plan for the Simplex - we have a tame 3D printer in our group and I have drawings and rather a lot of reference photos, so hopefully there may be a Simplex trundling around. Yours is a very, very nice model, thanks for sharing it :-) The result of the last two nights doodling are shown below for your thoughts and feelings all, I present the proposed trackplan for the Cowan Head mill module, which would be two 2'6" x 2' boards, to make one 5' x 2' layout: I've tried to make this one as operationally interesting as possible, with several different locations for wagons to be shunted to. From left to right we have: Loco shed, with fuel tanks that will need to be replenished every so often. The next siding will serve the boiler house, and is for oil tankers to be unloaded from The two sidings at the front right are for loading and unloading of waste paper and the finished products Finally the rear siding is also for loading/unloading, not sure what yet, possibly waste products, i.e. slurry for taking to the tip at Whitefoot Wood. There's only four points to build on this module, oh and a single slip too...eep! I will be using very tight points of approx. 34inch radius, so all should fit I hope! This is a photo of the actual mill at Cowan Head, which is what I've tried to reproduce at the lower right of the module, or at least loosely.

Thanks Tim, that sounds good to me, will send you an email shortly :-)

Only just discovered this topic but very glad I have - the layout looks brilliant so far and I am looking forward to seeing it progress. As the coordinator for the 7mm narrow gauge associations AGM & Exhibition at Burton on Trent each June, would you like to bring Fintonagh to our 2018 show please?

Below is the plan for two of the modules, the entrance to Bowston village, which is photo #3 in the first post, this is the right side of the plan. The left half is the slurry siding at Whitefoot Wood, the line exits the scene to the left behind the road which climbs at this point, the line continues on the level in a cutting behind the road, and is the opposite end of the cutting from the photo seen a couple of posts above. Each board is 3'6" x 2', so plenty of room for scenics...and a hell of a lot of trees...! Given the sweep of the line here which I wanted to retain, these two modules will operate as a pair, and the line exit at either end of the pair will be in the same place, so that they can join to the other modules.

Fab news Steve - you've just made my day! Shall look forward to one of the later cab variants arriving for use on Burneside :-)

Yes that's a good point - though not sure how long the version produced by Slaters was in use for - for the BR version which I think would be more suitable there sadly isn't a kit in 7mm, though I note that Parkside do produce a kit for one in 4mm...maybe they could be persuaded to upscale it?! True about the quarry junction module, shall have to see what space is available. Yes I think you are right on the size of the modules, 2ft would give more depth, and space for more scenery!

Wonderful news if it is the Ruston 48DS - stick me down for at least one! That will be one half of the motive power for Burneside sorted (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/117525-burneside-tramway-in-7mm-scale/&do=findComment&comment=2532726) - just need to sort the Simplex now!

It's not that obvious if you aren't aware that it was there, but having now seen the OS maps I can generally follow the route on Googlemaps etc. Just need to get back up to Burneside to do a more recent field visit, when we last went I wasn't sure of the route so missed a few bits out. Thanks Russ, much appreciated :-) Thanks Andrew. Current thinking is roughly 3'6" x 18" for each board size, which given that most of the modules will be a single line of track should be more than sufficient for lots of scenery around it. Think the Cowan Head board may need to be slightly larger though, or formed from two smaller boards to create one say 5' x 18" - this should give enough space needed for the sidings and loop etc. Edited to add that I want to 'frame' each board so that each scene is separate, so that you get a sense that the train has travelled somewhere? Yes the Lionheart tank wagons are lovely, which is why I'm now glad I have an excuse to buy a couple! It will make it a bit different being oil fired. Yes thinking a couple of 16T minerals, plus one or two clay wagons (though not the hoods sadly as they came in too late for Burneside...unless I contrive that it stayed open longer!) and some sheeted opens. From looking at the photos again this morning, it looks like the new Dapol high bar opens will be suitable, as well as a couple of their new BR standard 12T vans! I have a small confession about the quarry - it was a complete work of fiction when I designed the original layout, added in to give a bit more operational interest. I could still include it, perhaps a later module could include a junction to a fictional quarry? Yes true there is the Tin Turtle to build at some point, and I will probably succumb to a Fowler before too long! The MW can have running rights if and when I build the quarry junction board (or when no-one else is looking ) Aye I shall bring them with me to the Brunswick. If I get a chance before the meeting I'll sketch out a couple of the ideas that I have and bring them with me too.

Ray, many thanks for the tanker suggestions. I did think 40lb might be too light, but was just going off what I had read. Code 100 probably easier to get hold of, especially as I have a couple of lengths of 00 Peco flexible track waiting to be donors! Thanks Dave - yes I think there was a real mix of track types in use on the Tramway. Supposedly some of the earlier rails where bought back from Palestine after WWI! I will have a look at the Peco code 70 as well - probably better for some of the lightly used sidings, such as the slurry tip one?