Toftwood

If I may be so bold, I have not seen an answer for what does Throstle stand for, I believe that Throstle is another name for a Thrush??? I stand to be corrected........ Pete

I have two also, lovely runners.

So you know the place, John! pretty as a picture lovely long beaches and small bays. I'd love to model Tynemouth station, if the space was available, bridges and sharp curves at either end and an interesting 'S' track formation on the through lines not forgetting two lots of double bay platforms, a small goods sidings, a sharp curved branch up to a Coal Merchant and if you had the additional space build in the old Terminus/coal depot beyond the bridge leading to North Shields. 9'x9' in OO it aint going to happen. Pete

Managed to get into the Shed today through the sleet and rain. Spent an hour a so finishing off the painting of the back scene. I am trying to build this in a 'proper' manner, i.e. not in a rush to get tracks down and trains running before all else, as I have done in the past. Its kind of like project managing, so have been slowly working away from back to front! My next problems will be working out the complex ramps where three levels cross over, directly in front in the photo below and along the bottom of the plan. I am trying to do this as open plan as possible, we shall see. This will not be an instant layout as I have to split my availability with other interests and not much spare cash. Nevertheless I hope for reasonably regular updates and I have a few threads that I follow with similar themes e.g. Deneside.

I forgot to add that it will be DCC, using NCE handset.

I have been loath to start another thread after my previous attempts having fallen by the way. I have been working for the past couple of years slowly converting one end of my garage into a railway room and apart from a few bits like a little roof insulation its done. I'll post some pics later. My previous plan, Longhartley, got as far as the planning stage but it did not hit the spot, not what I wanted. This new plan, taken from a Peco plans book was for a roundy layout 11' x 7' if my memory serves. As I had 9' x 9' I squashed the length and pulled out the width to get it in. Its on three levels with the inclines not appearing to be too severe, climbs of 1.5" over 8 or so feet. The plan gives me a main line run with through station and a Terminus. I know trains will not be long, 4 coaches at most. I have added a colliery as I want to run coal trains, and there is ample room to add extra as we go along. Set generically in the North East, Cullerbay is a seaside resort so plenty of passenger/holiday traffic. All sizes of Loco's can her accommodated in the servicing area with turntable. A small shed for the small allocation, most Loco's turn, service and go.

If you had travelled by train, the South Shields/Sunderland trains used to arrive in the next door platforms at Central Stn, to the North Tyneside suburban ones so a straight transfer would have been easy. I was born in 1955 and barely remember the Electrics, sliding doors dusty bucket seats with leather and cloth, some sort of 'pump'?? on and off. I did manage to have a ride on a Trolley bus up Grainger street In Newcastle once. But having moved south to Letchworth for a few years then moved back to Tynemouth, the line was run by DMU's. Used to ride them to school every day plenty of time to do homework! Somedays on a crowded train in summer, we travelled in the guards van often with the doors open. It was fun some days to get the riverside train home or go the long way round via Longbenton and 'The Ministry' (DHSS) where the platforms were packed.

Well if you crossed the Tyne back then on a bus more than likely have to go all the way round via Newcastle, cars could use the Shields ferry, South to North then up via the Fish Quay up Tanners Bank into Tynemouth, along the Broadway and into Whitley Bay or along the coast via Cullercoats. :-)

Having spent my teenage years in Tynemouth, we used to get Newcastle Corp running the Coast road (No 9?) Tynemouth, and in Whitley Bay, Hunters I believe? They were a dark purple if my memory serves. My elder brother would know better than I.

The Buses on the road bridge, what company are they? I have a small collection of Newcastle Corporation including a trolley bus and a Tynemouth bus. They are like the provebial Hens teeth to get Darn Sarf around the shows.

If its any help, the ones on Newcastle Central, (see my profile pic, behind the Deltic) were painted what looked like battleship grey. Like the Name b t w. Pete

Hi Brian, Thought Holidays may have got in the way....kept checking in and no new posts.... ha ha ha. I see that you have attended to the river, probably looked stark and stuck out because there was nothing else around. There is a cracking book which I have called "Industrial Railways in Northumberland and County Durham in the Latter Days of Steam" BookLaw Pubs, Malcolm Castledine. Some really good colliery and coking plant pics lots of detail and locos. Anyway nice to see you back.

A nice grungy North Easterly dead stream! A few pram carcasses, bike frames and other assorted dross to accessorise methinks. Nice one! Pete As an edit: a thought occurred, is it too late to cut out of the base a slot and sink the river lower into the baseboard??

As you all probably well know, on the colliery systems, where a road crossed the tracks it was more than likely an ungated crossing with either a small cabin with a 'Bobby' stopping traffic with flags or the fireman jumping down and guarding the crossing when in use. So rather than have the 'usual gates maybe that would be a dare I say more authentic scenario?? maybe a servo operated "popup' Bobby as the train approaches??

Thats a lovely patina on that A3.

Yes i agree, coming along nicely!

My thoughts exactly, it will be set early 60's just before front line steam in the North East ended. I like Deltics as well but I prefer them in later life with a rake of Mk2 aircons on the back. I won't have a lot of room to run them but they will look good behind an A3, A4 or an A1.

Thanks for the info guys, My mistake, I assumed the roofs were white; they are all silver bar the R4145. However it answers the questions. I will be modelling the North East and wanted to run a Pullman service behind a 'Namer' Thanks again Pete

I have recently purchased second hand a group of 6 Hornby Pullman coaches of varying ages. They are listed as follows: R233 Agatha, R233 Sheila, R229 Lucille, R???0 Car No 77 (2nd Class), R4145 Cynthia Kitchen Car. All Boxed, and Ursula. First question is are they all from the same period and would they have operated together/similar train formations? Second question: All the boxed coaches have white roofs yet Ursula has a silver roof! What is the reason, if any for this? should they all be White? The R4145 is of Matchboard construction and is of the 'super detail' range. I shall run them together regardless, I just wanted to know a bit more about the models. Many thanks Pete.

Nice modelling, looking good!

The view looking down on the three points together suggested that to me, I did not realise how much room you had on the outer edge. If you try it again, maybe a small length inserted between the points to ease to confliction. However, if you are happy with what you have then so be it. Pete

Might not the run into the outer siding be better with the point to the kick back siding changed to a LH? Pete. P.S. Happy Birthday!

I hate to be picky and I will almost certainly get shot down, but if this is the North East (propa like) then wagons were 'mainly' 21T hoppers not 16T minerals. I say mainly because obviously 'other wagons' were available, but the mainstay were the Hoppers.

I agree, the addition of a colliery really sets the layout in the North East, maybe on the back scene behind the Colliery you could have a bleak coastal view wrapping around the left hand end, shades of the coast between South Shields and Sunderland.....just a thought?

I have always liked the Rebuilt Merchant Navy Class and had a chance to purchase a OO gauge (Hornby) one. I enquired on a LNER Facebook page if any had reached Newcastle. Apparently Lamport and Holt Line reached Newcastle in 1965 on an rail tour, hauling the train from York and return. 60103 FS did the KX to York and return legs. So now you have the excuse to run a Bullied Pacific :-) Pete