Natalie

Very much enjoyed this layout at Leamington. One of the finest 2mm scale layouts that I have ever seen. The signalling is exquisite- especially the WORKING subsidiary and route indicator. The control panel diagram is quite impressive too. Very much captures the atmosphere of the place that a lot of people think that it is a model of- which of course it isn't- just inspired by.

The lighting looked good as well.

I would like to thank the very friendly crew who kindly let me around the back and take some photos and of their sequence details. The display featuring the details of the train at the time was also very interesting being a digital photo frame with corresponding photos.

Look forward to seeing this fine layout sometime soon- likely to be at Hinckley. Modelling at its finest and a logical and coherent scene presented.

Natalie

That is an absolutely gorgeous beast- with an appropriate name too.What a shame they never appeared, they would have been a magnificent sight on a Summer Saturday extra or a heavy freight. I would go as far as to say that if 91000 R A Riddles had been built, she (he?) would be sitting on a heritage railway today.

Now being the nosey mare that I am I have this urge to find out more about them- time to look in my books on BR Standards.

It does need some tweaking mainly in the positioning of the transhipment sheds. These are to be located at 90% to the main lines. The access road that comes over the bridge on the main line will run along side the transhipment shed (the side you have the narrow gauge on) and the access gate would be from there leading to a loading/unload area or access to the transhipment shed (over the narrow gauge if necessary). Need to add the blast sidings too. I'll have a tinker with it and see what I can come up with.

The Salisbury/Chilmark idea is not on ice as such- it is just not reached the stage where plans can be finalised and wood cut. I just need to sort the narrow gauge/standard gauge tranship area out first.

Green Lanes Crossing (just outside Portsmouth) had a facing connection running straight into the two exchange sidings/loop over the ungated level crossing over Rat Lane (the same road passing the north end of Hilsea Halt platforms) leading straight into Hilsea Armaments Depot. Lockerley (on Salisbury- Romsey-Eastleigh route) had 2 dead end arrival sidings on the up side (facing Dean Hill) installed in 1943 in connection with the provision of an American supply depot as did Milford Junction for Milford Goods in Salisbury. The connection into the supply depot at Lockerley trailed of these two sidings. The access route in the depot also had a faciing connection straight off the down into the depot. it is possible that there were more exchange sidings within the security gate but I don't have the relevant Pryer track layout drawings for this line- but do have a signalling plan. It is possible- but not likely in view of its military status- that the internal layout of the supply depot shows up on large scale OS Maps of the time. Now to take a look at Old Maps.

I do take your point on board however and think it is a fair one but will take a look at the hundreds of SWD signalling plans that I have (trying to see what happened during the WW2 period where possible) and see what I can find. The above plan is based on Littlebrook and Crabtree Crossing which admittedly are both on the SED.

I have a further plan (version 6 Kelly if you can upload it- I don't seem able to) which shows the mainline layout based as Chilmark was- with a trailing connection- not seen any with single slips as you describe (the nearest was a straight set back from the up line, over the down with no connection- straight into the tunnel and into Woolwich Dockyard)- the method would be a simple trailing connection and trailing crossover road such as Dinton and Deans Hill. The one alteration that has already been made to the plan is the removal on the LoS board on the up at the Saisbury end- it seems that any up train would have set back over the crossover road.

Another option would be to have a connection out of the sidings onto the up for departing trains- that could either be a ground frame- more likely as this is how Dinton controlled the far end of the up goods loop that served RAF Baverstock- a less likely option is to put another box there which would impact on the signals shown by that needing at least its distant mounted on our box's up home signal (and removal of up starter).

It is not a scale plan- the distants were shown for clarity only.

No confusion on your part. All I've done is essentially lost the trailing connection out of the sidings on the up. Your down-up trailing crossover was simply off stage. Plan is based on Crabtree Sidings (near Belvedere)- though no level crossing and Littlebrook which was the exchange point for Dartford Power Station (with a modification in the branch direction). A SR ARP type box is envisaged in the region of 20-25 levers. SR rail post signals are envisaged although some LSWR examples might also appear. My thoughts for era are for 1966/67 as this allows Warships on Waterloo-Exeter trains as well as the last vestiges of steam. 1953/54 is also attractive as it allows for a wide variety of kettles but also 10000/1, 10201-3 on some of the Exeter services.

"Discussed a little with Natalie" !! I think I've done more than discuss it a little! But it is certainly a location that ticks all the boxes- lack of third rail to be compensated by Bulleid Pacifics and green coaches moving onto Warships- including of course D827. Let's think of Chilmark but with a slight twist- mainly in having some exchange sidings a la Dean Hill as they would enhance operation I believe and also require that the traffic would need to be tripped by an MoD loco to/from the depot.

That's because they were armament depots rather than airfields.

There are the RAF depots at Chilmark, Dinton and Dean Hill where BR (ie mainline railway company) delivered appropriate goods in standard gauge wagons to the exchange sidings from where the RAF loco collected then and took them onto site and the transhipment shed where the loads would be transferred into a narrow guage railway and then taken off into the location of the storage bunkers-often on the site of an old quarry. I assume Hilsea was worked on similar lines.

The nature of such locations means that details of the internal railway systems were blanked out on contemporary OS maps but the details can be found if you keep your eyes open and know where to look. The TeleRail DVDs on Chilmark and Longriggs Military Railways are useful for mid 1990s.

"Being mainly a shunting layout we had been worried that either we or the public would be bored stiff within a couple of hours."

I can honestly say that boredom was never a consideration whilst watching this excellent creation at Nottingham on Saturday. I did end up clock watching but only because I knew my viewing time was rapidly counting down. Given the choice I would have liked to have watched the entire sequence- but then there is DEMU Showcase to try and succeed there!

Trust me- this is a great layout and so much more than a 'shunting plank' as you put it. It is a breath of fresh air grounded in proper railway operating procedures.

Hi Pete,

I very much like what you have done with this model and that you have captured the character of them well. I too have a few of the Kirk kits secreted away for a rainy day and have plans to use them on my planned 1968/69 Portsmouth/ Fratton area layout. Looking forward to seeing some more of your work.

Hi Pete

the 73/0 looks superficially similar to the 73/1 but there are a huge number of detail differences which the Hornby model ignores.

Are you able to elaborate on the detail differences? I am aware of the difference in bodyshells (extra windows etc)and in the provision of jumper cables on the cab fronts- are there any other major differences such as in bogie details or underframe equipement or are the others of a more minor nature? I have a Lima 73/0 to be upgraded and I like the look of what you have done to yours. Haven't chosen a loco yet(except to say it will be one of E6001-6!)nor colour scheme - my only proviso is that it must be in 1968/69 condition. Best get my books out and take a look at the shots within. Looking forward to seeing a fully painted shot of this fine model.

Hi Dave

Most definitely worth continuing with your posts. I read them in the old place and look forward to reading them here. Which version buffet car does the SP kit supply- the ex RB or RU as (I'm sure you are aware) there are differences between the two types.

Hi Simon

Just been passed onto your blog via the Wigan website. Millport has long been a favourite of mine since seeing the original article in the Todeller many moons ago. It appealed to me as it was LNWR signalled (having worked LNWR signalboxes this was a huge draw!!) and it just looked right. I went as far as having 'fantasies' as to how it would look in the present day or even with 25Kv OHLE!! Sadly I never got to see it in its original form but was delighted to see the revamped/built layout in the Todeller in recent years. This was sufficient to encourage me to come and see it at a Wigan expo and I was not to be disappointed. I shot about 20 minutes of video too. I was thinking about visiting Wigan expo again this year now that I am working (and earning!!) again and seeing that Millport is going to be available for viewing has swung it for me! I look forward to keeping track of this fine layout.