Hando

The angle you took that photo from there feels a bit Oliver!-esque, I have to say!

Lovely layout! Is it a passenger or goods station? it's just that I can't tell if the office on the far left is a station building or not...

Hello! Here's some photos of my OO gauge micro-layout "Crow Hill", a rural light railway station constructed in a Bolla Wine box. The layout is still a work in progress and any further work will be mentioned on this thread. The layout pre-ballasting being worked on in the garden. The ballast is in! The Triang Bridge has been weathered and the road surface has been created with sandpaper.

Or narrow gauge passenger railway..? But if so, where?

Would that bit of line have once gone off to serve the cement mill (now the Heritage Coast Centre) by the beach? https://www.freshford.com/heritage_centre.htm

I think these are the only two S gauge locos that are even close to being referred to as match mass-produced: The E4 doesn't even have a tender! (unsurprisingly), I reckon that it would be able to be adapted into a working model by attaching a scratchbuilt motorised tender to it. Of course; the garish gold would definitely need re-hashing into silver with the addition of certain features, such as smoke-box door darts and the like... Damn it! Too slow to reply!

Funnily enough, a railway was planned by the LSWR to run between Crewkerne and Bridport via Beaminster, almost entirely along your route! A layout of a Beaminster in an alternate universe where it had a railway was in Railway Modeller quite a while ago, but sadly I can't remember who built it. Secondly, there were also many proposals over the years to construct lines between Axminster, Lyme Regis, Charmouth and Bridport; here's a link -->https://www.freshford.com/railway_charmouth.htm. You might want to include them in some way or another into your backstory plan... Good luck with your layout and happy modelling! Alex

Straying away from the complexities of categorisation and what kind of railways should be included in the forum, my next question is how should the forum be structured? MrWolf previously mentioned on page 2 that... My idea is that it should be made up of two smaller sections: Modelling Prototype This would be so as to prevent muddling up of information and make for a useful resource to the Minor Independent Standard Gauge and Light Railway modeller (?MIStaGLiRM?).

I would extend rule 1 to include minor independent standard gauge railways (railways that were not operated by big four companies or their larger predecessors (i.e. Lambourn Valley Railway, Railways of the Isle of Wight pre-grouping, Mawddwy Railway etc.)) or railways of sufficient character that was operated by rolling stock non-existent on other parts of their larger operators (Bodmin and Wenford Railway before its connection to the North Cornwall Railway and the Lee-on-the-Solent Railway, both lines were operated by the LSWR, but each maintained their own distinct rolling stock for a long period of their lives. *A notable other example is the Wisbeach and Upwell Tramway as previously mentioned on the thread.

The Tramways Act of 1870, brought around stricter regulations on the construction of horse drawn tramways, meaning that the tram company had a 21 year lease of their line, which also involved them having to pay for the upkeep of the entirety public highways that the lines ran over, after the 21 years was over, the local authority had the power to buy out the whole concession (including rolling stock) if its operation was not up to their standards, allowing them operate it themselves. This act created a legal loophole, which allowed the Rye and Camber Tramway and later the Hundred of Manhood and Selsey Tramway to be constructed without needing gated level crossings and other safety features that were required on "normal" railways. In 1896, the Light Railways Act was passed, superseding the use of the Tramways Act by adding legislation that was provided explicitly for minor standard gauge railways. The Act of Parliament was simpler, easier to obtain than the 1870 act (the act allowed for local authorities were allowed to veto proposals) and lowered the minimum costs to construct such railways. One notable difference between the Tramways Act and Light Railway Act was that; under the Tramways Act, on railways/tramways that ran on roadsides or in the middle of streets, their locomotives were required to have some sort of way of protecting their running gear or wheels. The R&CT went to the bare minimum on their Bagnall 2-4-0s by fixing a plate that simply guarded the valve gear, but nothing else. Other lines like the BA&WH!R, W&UT, GVT all had skirted locos.

Would the W&U still be included in the forum, and by your definition, was the Bideford, Appledore and Westward Ho! Railway was a tramway?

Yes, due to its very distinctive rolling stock and its nature of being a part-roadside tramway, part-railway

*I did intend to include all minor independent standard gauge railways, so in some ways I should have given a name to this thread that better conveyed my proposal. On the question of where is the line drawn in terms of the scope of such a forum... Personally I would include the G&KER and the BCR, however I probably would not include the E&TLR; as in my opinion, it was more of a general branch line that just more cheaply built, since although it was owned by an independent company, its trains were still run by the Great Eastern Railway using their rolling stock thus, in my eyes it was less independent and was not of the same factor of other local lines like the Mid Suffolk Light Railway and the Southwold Railway. @ianb3174's idea of merging such content with the SG Industrial forums is not a bad idea, yet I feel that if a separate forum existed then ideas like those of @MrWolf's library section could be explored. Of course- such things could also take place in the SG Industrial forums.

I'd wait it to see the opinions of everyone else - I think it'll need a little more support, before it happens. I can't be the only person with ideas!

I reckon it would go in the Special Interests section of the main forum.

Hello all! [Np. By "Standard Gauge Light Railway" I also mean to include railways of a similar nature that were constructed before the 1896 Light Railways Act was implemented (i.e. Hundred of Manhood and Selsey Tramway, North Sunderland Railway, Wantage Tramway, Brill Tramway etc.), but not including railway lines that were built to Light Railway Acts, but were in essence ordinary branch lines operated by the Big Four or large predecessor companies] It's come to my attention that RMweb doesn't seem to have a single specific area where Std. gauge Light Railway content is centralised. There are already many specific forums, but it seems there is not one for this sort of content, where there seems to be lots of people who would contribute to such an area... As well as the poll, here are a few questions I've put forward for discussion: 1. Would you be interested in a Std. gauge Light Railway forum? 2. If you are interested, how would you structure such a forum? 3. If you are not interested, what is the reason? 4. If you are a Forum Moderator, what are your thoughts? I am looking forward to your responses! Thanks, Alex

Hello Everyone: I'd like some information on the whereabouts of the ex-Burton Latimer ironstone quarries locomotive. It was last at the NRM, however when I went yesterday (for my rare birthday) I was told by a volunteer there that the team who were doing the restoration had left with her! Any information would be kindly received, as I'm interested to see if any work has progressed. Thanks, Alex

Why was Devon named so? Was she named after an investor or promoter of the line?

From a little browsing I've discovered the locos that were used on the Howden and Derwent Reservoir Contracts (1901-1914): Peckett 0-4-0ST Buller 901/1901 this later worked at Stockton-on-Tees Gasworks. Manning Wardle (?) 0-6-0ST Toco Peckett 0-6-0ST King Here are my queries: 1) Were there other locos on the Howden/Derwent Res. Contracts? (excluding the narrow gauge locos used to construct the Derwent aqueduct) 2) What were the locos used on the later Ladybower Res. Contract (1935-1946)? Any information would be happily received. Thanks, Alex

Wonderful loco, apparently it was bought second hand from somewhere in Great Britain. I reckon the rather Scandinavian-looking spark arrestor was probably made by the mill.

The Midland had a triangular junction at Ambergate, so MR trains were still able to run between Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester on their own metals; it was just the case that the route was not so direct.

Hi all; I am planning to build a small layout of a railway in the peak district, and I stumbled upon the proposed (albeit, never built) Hope, Bradwell and Castleton Light Railway. Does anyone have any exact details for the route of the line (i.e. maps etc.)? I already know the vague course of the line, but I do not know the specific route. Any information regarding this never constructed railway would be very helpful. Thanks, Alex

Have you set up the Five Inch Narrow Gauge Association? I remember reading the article on your railway in Miniature Railways Magazine a while ago...

It'll be a challenge for them especially since it's invisible!!

Revd. Awdry would have approved! Well done! Alex