HillsideDepot

Thank you all for your continued interest in my little project. Martyn - I dug out my copy of the Hendry book and found the photo of Melton Mowbray; what a great place! Rather different to Hereford, and somewhat larger, but overflowing with atmosphere. I have squirreled away in my "ideas" folder a plan of Marcroft's Radstock Works, so maybe something larger will materialise in the future. Brian - I'm assuming the Hereford installation (if that's the right name for a slab of concrete a shed and a compound!) was BR's rather than a contractor's. I'm describing it as a "Repair Pad", as "Works" seems to grand a title, but am I using the correct terminology? My references and track plans books don't show the facility, so I haven't been able to pick up name from there. I wonder how railwaymen would refer to it, possibly just "Number 10 siding" (or whatever number road it was)? Richard - yes, I know your two layouts, from photos in magazines. And yes, they have been inspirations too, all part of that mass of images, ideas and thoughts which have culminated in this project. As I said in the opening post, I came close to doing a Engineer's Depot, and will almost certainly return to that idea. It was based on Ashton Meadows in Bristol, but very much "inspired by" rather than any attempt at "a model of". This layout is my second which has been closely related to a real location, my first venture into modelling an actual place was the loco sidings which used to be at London Liverpool Street. I found that modelling a real place is great as you don't have to think about what would be there, just how to replicate it. I'm not suggesting for a moment that I achieved a scale replica, but I think I have captured the atmosphere of the place as people recognised it when I've exhibited it - even if my Western bias in the locos which appear causes some confused looks! I've been busy with buildings this week, so hopefully there will be something new to show over the weekend.

Ideas and inspiration for a mini-layout project have come from numerous sources, it might be unfair to pick out any in particular, but Marc Smith’s “Minimum Space O Gauge” was one clincher, especially this photo. Rob nhy581’s “two Lak shelves with some track on” (his words, at the recent Cardiff small layout show) is another brilliant example of the genre, both proving what can be done in a small space, and how spacious things can look in carefully taken photos. So, returning to Hereford, there was still some design work to do to transform the inspiration into a layout plan. The road bridge makes a good scenic break at the left hand end, but with nothing on the right I had to ‘invent’ a footbridge. It does have a partial inspiration at Hereford though, as the road bridge there has a footbridge alongside it, but not in this position. The store hut/workshop fits nicely for length, but is a little deep for the space I have, so it will be reduced by one section, as will the adjacent compound. The saw mill at Hereford has been replaced on my Inglenook. By strange coincidence I had already used the dust extraction cyclone at Hereford as part of a small extension on my Mortimore’s Yard layout, so I didn’t want to repeat that here, not that I had the space for the saw mill anyway, as fascinating as it would be to model. I do like the "garden fence" and that will appear on the model. What would fit in the space, I decided, was a couple of old garages/sheds which stood behind the church I am part of. My imagination isn't capable of thinking up such fascinating buildings, so I am always on the alert for interesting structures to record for possible future projects, often not knowing when they will fit the bill. Another quick check on Google Earth for the sizes (even easier than another site visit!) and this building found itself on the plans. Piece by piece things are coming together, and forming a nice plan.

Thanks for the further "likes" and positive comments - no pressure to get it looking right then! Stu, I've been wondering about this, and haven't reached a conclusion yet. I usually use 3-link/instanter on freight stock, so it would be obvious to just draw on that pool of stock. However, I'm thinking that i might revert to tension lock for this layout, as it needs so few wagons, and I quite like the idea of audience participation (even if it doesn't get invited to any shows, it is likely to been seen and operated by Scouts and Explorer Scouts at Groups where I volunteer) . While an electro-magnetic system might offer more finesse, it perhaps moves away from the "I could do that" aspect of RTR standard couplings. I'd need one of Captain Kernow's patented Horrocksford Shovels [TM] to do the uncoupling, but that's my preferred option at the moment.

Thanks Melly. Although the photos of Hereford do indeed show plenty of variety in the air-braked era, I'll be representing the mid-1970's with the model as I already have plenty of stock for that. I also plan to move the facility to the ficitious city of Westonmouth, where my other layouts are imagined to be. I've yet to decide whereabouts the wagon repair facility was, but like Hereford it will be to the side of a larger installation. Thanks Andy. Compared to Brit Vic though, this is almost bucolic! I hope that it will be interesting, as I said in the introduction, that photo really grabbed me as being an ideal subject to model, it has so many elements going for it, all backed up with excellent photographic coverage.

While the cogs were whirring and my mind was developing the layout plan, Peco made the first delivery of the new Bullhead track to my local shop, so, despite having some C&L lengths in stock I decided to take the opportunity to try the newcomer on this project. Also new to me is Peco’s “Bi-block” track, which I first discovered on Chris Nevard’s “Brew Street”, so a yard of that was purchased as well, with a view to replicating the GWR’s war-time concrete pot track. It’s not that much like the GWR version, but then 16.5mm isn’t that much like 4’ 8½”, so compromises all round. Effect before accuracy is my principle. The photo from Google Earth was measured up, and the dimensions converted to millimetres on the model. It's not very clear, but good enough when used in conjunction with Paul James' flickr photos. I’d already decided that the overall scenic size would be 2’ x 1’ with a fiddle yard of the same size. However, the micro-layout itch is something which will need more than one scratch, so I want a Universal Fiddle Table which will serve a number of scenic modules. I did consider having some sort of multi-track section between layout and table, but discounted that as layout two would no doubt want an arrangement which couldn’t be accommodated. So I decided on a short “drop-in” scenic section which would be a form of 'translator coupling' between the Universal Fiddle Table and the layout. This also allowed be a little more length as I don’t need the whole 2’ for fiddling (although a cassette could overhang the end by 6" or so if that lets a scheme go ahead). As the new Peco bullhead flexi track doesn’t yet have accompanying pointwork, and as 4’ overall isn’t huge, I’d already decided that the connections between the sidings would be off-stage, so for its first outing the Universal Fiddle Table would have a sector plate, rather than a cassette system which I suspect subsequent layouts will use. I have a simple spreadsheet set up for planning, which saves much time running up and down stairs and searching stock boxes when I am “what-if?” mode. After a degree of too-ing and fro-ing on the planning fax machine paper roll I settled on a 'translator coupling' length of 3”, and a sector plate length of 19”. No matter how much planning you do, there comes a time when the saw has to make a close acquaintance with the wood and work begins.

I’ve long liked the brilliant simplicity of the classic 5:3:3 “Inglenook Sidings” type layout, a liking which stems back to my introduction to the form through an article in a magazine handed on to me by my uncle, way back in the 1980s. That magazine is long gone, but through the power of the internet the lure of the Inglenook has lived on and, indeed, grown. But there is a problem with the classic Inglenook: it needs a variety of wagon types to work. And I model the 1970s, when wagon load was in serious decline and even so-called “wagon load” operation often meant a string of identical wagons in a train, rather than the “everything goes” (one wagon at a time) principle of the Common Carrier era railway. However, two possible scenarios did occur to me where it was possible that every wagon to be shunted could be different, and could be realistic. One was a Civil (or Signal) Engineers’ materials depot where a train would be made up for the job in hand, and the other is a wagon works. Earlier this past autumn I came close to building a Civil Engineers’ Depot, so close in fact that I bought the pointwork, and most of the sheet material for the buildings. Then this photo appeared on RMWeb in the “16t minerals” topic. http://DBR3-131 by Jamerail, on Flickr What a fascinating location, full of modelling potential: I was hooked! A search around Flickr soon revealed that the photographer Paul James (Jamerail on Flickr, Swindon 123 on here) had a number of other very useful photos of the location, and the attractiveness of the site grew and grew, aided by the fact that the picture in the 16 tonner thread happened to be the top post on the page, so for a period of time whenever I viewed the latest post in the topic that photo appeared briefly before the latest post was displayed. It was if it was saying “you know you want to”! The wagons in the photo suggested that the site was of manageable proportions, and a look at Google Earth allowed an estimate to be made of the sizes. The photos therein weren’t too clear, but I wasn’t aiming for a 100% scale model, more something that looked right and could be the basis for the Inglenook shunting puzzle. A plan was drawn up, but it was immediately apparent that real the sidings were much longer than the 5:3:3 lengths of an Inglenook. But elsewhere on the Jamerail Flickr gallery are photos of an ancient GWR crane and match wagon at Hereford, and of similar hand cranes on the middle siding of my intended layout. As luck would have it such a crane features in the Cambrian kits range, and what is more, its length matches the excess siding space on the middle road. The original photo shows spare wheelsets on the middle siding, but if those are moved to the rear siding that is half of the space filled. A stores van seemed a suitable addition to the rearmost siding, extra storage for the compound and shed, and a rummage through my stock boxes revealed an excess in “Big-4” designed box vans, so one could be repurposed for a less active role. So, something a bit different, and a simple project which could be completed in a fairly short time span.

Probably "wide-to-gauge" as illustrated by Mike the Station Master here

Both freight and passenger workings at Westbury in September 1986 in this wonderful video https://youtu.be/R8E4vPxHehc

A little update on the state of play in Wiltshire, after I had a drive around yesterday. Badminton Line Brinkworth - masts for a distance either side of the former station, but not all in position. Temporary yard in field next to bridge in Brinkworth village, containing piles. Little Somerford - small area of masts (again not complete) east of former station. View west not possible. Main Line Area of masts each side of former Christian Malford halt - again not complete Odd masts as far Down as just west of River Avon bridge The light was fading rapidly by the time I got there, so I may have missed some which would otherwise have been visible in the distance across the fields.

It's been ages since anything new has appeared here, and to be honest nothing has progressed down at Mortimore's Yard. Too many other things have got in the way, but I'll no doubt return at some point - that extension needs finishing! Anyway, with the forecasters convinced it was going to snow, the foreman persuaded his fitters to equip a Hymek with miniature snow ploughs, just in case. It spent this morning touring the local area looking for a snow flake, without success. Perhaps the foreman would have better occupied his staff changing those head code blinds for something more realistic! Talking of the extension, this battered little hut has appeared in the yard. It was previously alongside the signal box, but was a bit large for the location. Whilst having a good tidy up (that's one thing I have done recently!) I found a Dart Castings corrugated iron hut of smaller dimensions, much better suited to the space at the 'box. So with that planted there, the spare Wills hut was available to reuse, and this spot seemed just right, with the addition of a brick base to accommodate the way the land drops away. The hut photo also offers a glimpse of the new extension, doing what I intended and providing a background to photos. Here is a higher level view of the state of play. As well as the background the yard has been much improved by the addition of Lanarkshire Models GWR stop blocks, and the coal yard has been redesigned to take more account of the space available. I was never happy with the previous arrangement, not be very much like the actual yard, but without knowing what lay just off the previous edge of the layout it was hard to decide how it would look. What I have now seems to make more sense. Having returned to Mortimore's Yard I feel enthused to do some more work on it, but I have a new mini-layout to finish (and start a topic for!) which is getting my attention at the moment.

As much as I enjoy cycling along the old Calne branch, I'd much rather travel in a Toad...

I haven't read it yet, but I think it is this http://www.phillynmra.org/wp-content/uploads/Car-Orders-without-Numbers.pdf

Latton to Stroud school? That'll be why numbers are down again on my colleague's Wiltshire Council contract for entitled pupils from Latton & Cricklade to the catchment school, then. Good background stories to some nice models.

But maybe they are nearly ready. Just because there hasn't been any news that doesn't mean necessarily mean that nothing has happened. Kernow have made surprise announcements of several recent limited edition models, but only once they have stock in their warehouse. You never know, we might be pleasantly surprised.

It's even more haphazard that perhaps we'd realised! I went out again last night hunting the piling machine as the NR website said they would be working to Chippenham Station, so that had the potential of yielding a few photos. When I first went out at about 2230 there was a machine on the Up just short of the Western Arches (I think that's Chippenham Viaduct to the Railway). No photos there on the embankment behind trees, but at least the machine was located. The other unit seemed to be a bit further along, but not easy to locate behind the houses. I was out and about in various ways until 0100 hoping to see one of the units on the Western Arches (is that what the single extra long pile is for?) and maybe the other approaching the station. But as I circled town the piling train was sometimes near the Western Arches, sometimes not, and finally I found it out at Lowden, working on the Down side roughly opposite where I'd watched it the previous night. All very odd. Needless to say, I didn't stay up all night, as I was prepared to do. Chasing the piling machine is like following 'will-o'-the-wisp'...

I wonder the same, Jim. The NR website says: Which is rather confusing as those times aren't hugely different to a normal overnight possession. OK, the hand back would have to be 0500 for the first train, so 2 hours less on the first two and they'd probably need a later start on the third one during normal traffic, so 6 hours less overall. Surely that's equal to just 1 more night, hardly the "months" they refer to in the second paragraph. I assume that they don't have sufficient qualified/experienced labour to double shift the machines, and I assume there would be restriction under the working hours/daily rest period requirements which would effectively keep night shift workers on a night shift, but on the face of it it does seem odd to work in a residential area over night at Christmas. I wonder how long we will wait before they put the masts up.

Had a little drive around this morning and found a piling train "asleep" on the mainline at Thingley. In the distance, pretty much opposite Thingley Junction is the sub-station/National Grid connection which will provide power for this part of the project. A general view of Thingley Air Ministry Sidings. Some of the piles ready for tonight's shift. The one by itself is particularly long.

Just back from another lineside visit, and didn't really expect to see much. However, there was a considerable amount of equipment on site, stretching Up from the A4 bridge for about 600m along the tall embankment, and behind houses. As I drove around I noticed more lights at Lowden, and there was "Brunel" with a 3 vehicle unit about to plant a pile. As I didn't expect to see anything that well, I typically didn't take my camera! By the time I'd parked and walked back they were making the final adjustments to the pile location. The embankment here is low, almost on the natural level of the land, and I'd estimate the pile to be about 4m long. It took 13 minutes to drive it in, with a number of stops to check alignment. Within a minute of finishing the pile the machine moved off to the next location (hidden behind a house). There have been complaints about the noise of the operation, I'd estimate I was less than 20m away from the pile, and I'd say it was no more noisy than, say, a class 37 would be passing on full power, although the pile driver is obviously stationary for a number of minutes. Sorry I couldn't get a better photo, that's the best my phone can do!

The piles on the train weren't particularly long, indeed I've seen some elsewhere which they haven't been able to "plant" correctly sticking out nearly as much the whole length of the ones on the train last night. Unless they drive one in and add another on top. It is a huge embankment, and before the forest grew on its sides you could even see the trains running along the top - lots of childhood memories of distant train watching!

Tonight marks the start of 3 nights of piling between Thingley East and Chippenham, so I went out to see what is happening. The Open Train Times signalling diagram showed the works train arrive at Chippenham 2 minutes early at 2308 and remain there, although the work site is apparently from Thingley East to the A4 bridge. Driving parallel to the line nothing was visible except at Thingley Sidings where there is some sort of works compound in operation. It's not the best road to stop on and have a look at proceedings, but there were several sets of road vehicle lights among the floodlights. Back at Chippenham the piling train was still standing in the platform but the station is, not unreasonably, locked so it wasn't that easy to look at the train. However, it appears to be two piling units coupled, the rear one named "BRUNEL" and carrying 8 piles. The front unit seemed to have 7 piles aboard. I left at 2347 with the train still there, but it has now vanished from the signalling diagram. I assume it has moved into the possession and in doing so has ceased to be the train the system recognised.

It's not just that the sub-station is already built at Thingley, that is also the closest point to the National Grid installation at Beanacre (next to the Melksham line) which provides the feed. The work to lay cables 3.25 miles from Beanacre across the fields and a few minor roads to Thingley took almost a year to complete, so a sizeable project in itself. Continuing to the South Wales Main Line is adds 7.75 miles to that, plus the need to cross two A roads and the M4.

I've not watched the Public Accounts Committee session (timely reminder to do so), but yes, Thingley Junction will be electrified in this Control Period. Work is on-going at the moment, with piles as far west as the Langley Burrell area (according to the plan, I've not been to look). Thingley East to Chippenham is scheduled for piling work over night on December 24/25/26, and NR have been holding a number of public information sessions in Chippenham explaining the works. There is a National Grid feeder station at Thingley (built partly on the old Air Ministry Sidings) which, I assume, is why the works end at Thingley. I know the class 800s are designed to switch modes on the move, but I wonder if they will do that at Thingley, or whether it will be done during the Chippenham station stop. Or will it even be different in each direction? I could see they'd want an electric departure westbound before switching to diesel 2 miles on at Thingley, but remain on diesel eastbound so the driver isn't switching roughly where they start braking (not that I know how the power switch adds to the driver's work load as he concentrates on stopping at a station). Time will tell, but I know it won't be as interesting to watch as the switch from AL-whatever to class 50 used to be on the WCML...

If diesel power is good enough for Bath Spa and Bristol TM, then maybe Steventon will be diesel too....

I agree. I've been "up and back down" the size route with several layout ideas I've seen on here and elsewhere on the web. It is so easy to add a point, extend a siding to accommodate something else, and so on, until suddenly the idea has lost its original beauty. Then my additions are gradually removed ('do I really need?') until the original plan re-emerges, proving just how well thought out it was. Less is most definitely more. I will admit though, the "helicopter view" provided in the initial post is now printed out and I am scribbling notes around it as I think through the possibilities of something similar to give my Hornby Sentinels somewhere to play....

And I'd like to be a fly-on-the-wall this morning at the companies who were considering bids for the East Midlands and South Eastern TOC franchises, given these have been named as the first to be let under the new arrangements. Will anyone, now, be willing to take these on?