CarriageShed

Hi Neil I've also collated a little info on S&D locos: http://www.ngauge.historyfiles.co.uk/FeaturesS&D/locomotives.htm I model 1930, so my data focuses on the pre-nationalisation period. Feel free to copy anything for a shared database. Peter

A nice look at some classic Southern locos... even if they're the wrong scale for me.

I came. I saw. I was suitably amazed. Wonderful layout. I spent more time in front of this (and photographing it for reference) than any other layout. A few shots are available here, but to be honest I was more interested in structures than rolling stock (wrong period for me):

It was a pretty good show (and still is as it's also open today, Sunday). I've uploaded a few of my photos here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/album/4339-swindon-2017/ (I took far too many of Bournemouth West!)

Hi Frank Many thanks for such a detailed response. If you think it's hard to find evidence for modelling the Nationalisation period, you should try the period I'm modelling - 1930. I presume the pump house was around then? None of the the pre-Grouping photos I've found online show that part of the scene, and there are very few SR-period photos around, but in the BR-era ones where it's visible it looks more like a house. The trees are certainly interesting. It's looking likely that the outer wall of the pump house would have been plain brick (why install a window that can't see anything?). If I can squeeze in a tree or two in front of it to match the real thing then that won't matter at all. Until further evidence comes up that should probably be good enough. I know what you mean about the signal box. The only useful photo I've found is in 'Steaming Through West Hants' by Peter Hay, and that's only an end-on view. Again, my version of the signal box will be facing towards the wall/window, so I probably only need to worry specifically about the rear and sides. Other details on your layout, though, have been very informative for me, such as the extra water column alongside the sidings. Thanks for all the photos. Peter

I've got to build at least some of this for a compressed N Gauge version, so thank you for the details that I haven't been able to find in 1:1 gauge material. Do you know if the pump house had windows in the far side wall? It's this side that will be facing outwards on my version, so it would be very helpful to know. Keep up the good work. Peter

I'm looking forward to Swindon...

I'm no expert on layout building, but given that this is an exhibition layout and you'll want to keep the viewing public entertained, wouldn't it be possible to build the train shed roof out of mostly transparent materials? You could still build in the windows and whatever pipes and systems in solid materials, but make the main 'grey stuff' transparent. Then all that detail you'll be adding to the platforms and concourse will be fully visible. Cameras could be an additional option for another way of viewing it. Just an idea...

Nice work! It's looking really good. That also explains why Russ has been unusually quite lately. You'll have him complaining that his back's gone :-p

I still haven't been able to find out the provision on these things for cycle storage. I'm betting it's nothing like the lovely guard's area on the HSTs...

I'm getting around 29C down here, despite being further inland, but it's still hot enough to fry a Si in his man cave! Good luck with the hard work before the fun properly begins.

There are basic drawings in Terry Gough's 'A Pictorial Guide to Southern Wagons and Vans', p136.

I'd be more than happy to see S&DJR links from anywhere if they provide extra information. The link to the BWMRG has been a revelation (I'm trying to do a compressed version of BW in N Gauge), but you can never have too much original information.

Luckily this thread's not entirely dormant... It's nice to see that I'm not the only one modelling the early Grouping. I'm at the top end of that period - 1930. My area is the western division of the SR, although I'm not going to let that stop me from allowing in the odd interloper from other SR divisions. Essentially, it means modelling pre-Grouping stock in Grouping colours. Right now I'm building an Etched Pixels/Ultima 6-wheel carriage kit for a race special, part of a rake of eight of them.

I'm working in N, focussed on 1930. That means mostly pre-Grouping stock in Grouping colours, so I have lots of work ahead of me...

Good luck with the move, let alone with getting the house ship-shape and then starting the new Frankland. Decorating a house alone will take the best part of a year (at least, it did me), and only then can you really start on the layout. I realise that this is in reverse order of importance, but life is like that sometimes. The benefit from our point of view is that we'll be in on the development of Frankland Resurgent from the very start.

Merry Christmas, Si, and a Happy Hobbiton New Year! All the best Peter

Crikey. That's an impressive space for a layout. Good luck with the construction of it.

Definitely one of the best N Gauge layouts around. I was standing in front of it on Sunday, discussing the bridge abutment work with a friend. Very neatly done, and I've picked up a very useful tip about constructing pavements.

Being an N Gauge modeller myself, I've been searching for a while for authentic cattle wagons (for 1930). This looks wonderful, but what chassis are you going to fit to it? The standard Peco one will be too short, so I'm guessing it means cutting down a 15ft chassis. More pics please!

I usually tell people who ask that I'm modelling pre-Grouping in Grouping colours. In N Gauge you can do pretty well in locos for that period (I model the SR, LMS, and S&DJR), because much of the upgrading to pre-Grouping locos had already been done by 1930. Locos that are largely produced for the transition era modellers are still accurate for me - and I have the bonus of Union Mills locos. Rolling stock can be more difficult, but wagon kits (Etched Pixels, N Gauge Society) or Gramodel resin bodies help a great deal. Maunsell carriages from Dapol are good for top-notch passenger services, and as you've seen, old Farish suburban coaches can be hacked to produce something pretty convincing for other services. Still on the to-do list is sawing two suburbans in half to produce a couple of 44ft SECR 6-Compt carriages. My excuse is that they were in service on the S&D by the mid-1930s and their whereabouts before that are hazy (as is the case with a lot of pre-Grouping coaches). I'm looking forward to that hack but need Etched Pixels to re-open his business so that I can get a couple of GWR siphon roofs...

He's still planning the 4mm version? I met Graham at the Chatham show in the spring and got chatting about LSWR rolling stock. He showed me a 42ft carriage body in OO and described how he was intending to shrink all the detailing down to N Gauge for the likes of me. Perhaps that was only a pre-production sample...? It looked very nice though, and I'd welcome a rake of them in N Gauge.

Mine's gone back for a refund, no replacement required (or trusted). It must have been suffering from 'hearsay'...

With mine I seem to have poor (forward) running full stop. Even on the straight. It feels as though part of the motion is getting slightly jammed on 'some' revolutions of the wheels but not all. The loco struggles to force through this for a moment or two and then it frees up. At very slow speed of course, it just stops, but on higher power it runs smoothly with the occasional lurch through this sticky bit. No idea what to do about it. I can't visually see any thing wrong.

Well done, Si. I wish I could be that useful with the electrics without any help.