cromptonnut
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Posts posted by cromptonnut
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... and cash only to boot.
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Definitely a varied list of items... Jouef, G scale, clockwork, British, continental... one heck of a collection!
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Outside a local butchers.
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Wow... that's changed a lot
The last time I was in Chard Junction box was back in the seventies when it was all levers. -
There's a level crossing at Chard Junction and theoretically a second platform could be accessed by crossing the road and having access.
There could indeed be, say, every other train in each direction stopping there and running the other through the loop, but I believe it's something like 30mph over the loop pointwork so unless they replaced the points either end of the loop with high speed ones so you could run through either platform at linespeed I don't think there'd be a lot of advantage in it - and the cost of the associated work might be more than putting in a simple, shortish platform. Maximum train length is usually 2 x 3 carriage 159's, and often just a single 3 car unit, so you wouldn't need the second platform to be as long as the existing platform necessarily.
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In any case Chard Junction sits on a fairly minor road with only a B-road into Chard once Perry Street is reached. The road to Axminster is an A-road though with a long single-lane light-controlled section at an old river bridge which can cause delays. Travel from Chard to Exeter is likely to be as quick via the A30 despite the first few miles of that being on an old-style twisting road.
Depends which way you go though
The 'minor road' to Chard Junction from the B3167 is actually a fairly good road due to the milk lorries, J B Wheatons lorries and anything going to/from the quarry and industrial units at Yonder Hill. From then, you could go B3167/B3162 via Forton to Chard which is a fairly slow and not particularly good route, but I'd cut through Waterlake Road pas Perry Street Club up to Tatworth Church then take the A358 into Chard, which is the same road that you'd use from about a mile west of that point where it joins the B3167 to travel to Axminster, via that lovely bridge/traffic light problem at Weycroft which you mention.However, one positive point of going - particularly in the car - from Chard to Axminster on the A358 is that you pass Buffers Model Railways at Colston Cross...
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Interesting thread! Just a few thoughts of my own:
Chard Junction:
It's always puzzled me why this station hasn't been reopened. As the platforms are still extant, the trains stop there anyway (to pass) and tickets are sold on board, it would take little more than the driver opening the doors! It *may* not get many passengers, but as an (almost) free station, it wouldn't need many!
Platform singular - the 'London bound' platform is still there, although not sure whether it's in a suitable condition for passenger use by current standards; the 'Exeter bound' platform on the loop is long since gone.
There has been a campaign for many, many years to get the station reopened - I was involved in it until I moved away in the late 90's as I lived a mile or so from the station.
Local councillor Andrew Turpin is very keen to see it reopened - http://www.thisisthewestcountry.co.uk/news/somerset_news/7991036.Campaigners_defiant_over_Chard_Junction_sale/?ref=rss but that's the last news I can find about it.
The station itself is about a mile from the main village of Tatworth/South Chard, and three miles from Chard itself (the Chard to Taunton branch of course long since gone and built over in a number of places) so you'd need about a 4 mile bus journey to get into Chard - whereas both Axminster and Crewkerne are only about 8 miles away.
You're right it does seem silly when a large number of trains have to stop there to wait in the loop for a passing service anyway, but I guess that it's more down to the bean counters than anything else.
Within 5 miles of Chard Junction you have a population of about 18,000, and the alternatives of Crewkerne or Axminster on the same line, or Taunton on the Paddington line being about 15 miles away, there is certainly a good potential - but I wonder whether the thought is that taking those people that would use the train away from Axminster or Crewkerne would make either of those stations less financially viable?
I totally agree with there being no need for more work (on the face of it) than tidying up the platform, installing a shelter or two, and tying in with the local bus service to make everything work together - although admittedly the cost of reinstalling the second platform could be quite an expensive task. I believe that some of the land of the old platform may well have been 'commandeered' by the adjacent milk factory (which although still rail connected hasn't seen any milk trains for about 30 years and I'm not sure quite how functional the facilities still are).
Crewkerne's second platform still exists and appears in reasonable condition, but when I was there about a month ago there didn't look to me like there was enough room now to put in a second track and that's without all the clutter such as control boxes that are in the space..
It's about an additional 5 minutes on the train from Chard Junction to Axminster, then about 35 minutes on the bus from Axminster to Chard. Unless buses were timed to meet the train then I suspect that the 20 minutes it is likely to take on the journey from Chard Junction to Chard on a bus, you're only saving around 20 minutes each way on the journey. To local people that would be a significant change, possibly opening up employment opportunities, although in all honesty I wouldn't fancy the commute from there to London!
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Just came across this thread, we had a very nice week's holiday recently down there just a few miles away on a cottage at West Hollowcombe Farm, and only discovered the fact there used to be a railway there on leaving as I passed a building that looked very much like a station and googled it when I came home.
This was the picture I found: http://www.exmoorian.co.uk/dulverton-railway-station.htm
Some lovely scenery down there - and you've got some fantastic buildings there so far to start on it. Will follow this with interest.
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Here's an interesting one, quite apart from the unusual format.
Listing contains Heljan locomotives Class 50 58001 in Railfreight red stripe, and a Class 54 "Western Nobleman" in blue. I wasn't aware Heljan had made a Class 50 (or there were any Railfreight red stripe ones) and didn't know a Class 54 existed.
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Ah but it's our old friend Mr Micmcn (of Cartmel) who has had, at the last count, this http://www.ebay.co.u...=item45fd68d591 thing for sale 3 to 4 years now!
As I have previously posted that I put one up at the same time as him and got around £1.50 for it, and the buyer wasn't even happy with his purchase so I gave him his money back, which in a perverse way gave me some satisfaction!
"PART OF A SMALL COLLECTION AVAILABLE OF BLANK BODY SHELLS THAT WERE REMOVED FROM THE FACTORY WHEN IT CLOSED BY A VERY ANGRY CHIEF DRAFTSMAN !!!!!"
Is that an interesting way of saying "removed without permission", and potentially the seller is guilty of 'handling stolen goods'?
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I wasn't aware that Hornby did enough items now to make a complete N gauge layout including track and stock.
... and a layout that "needs some attention". I'm not sure that's all it needs.
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Injecting random thoughts into someone else's planning is even funner, and carries no responsibility!
... or resulting financial outlay/risk
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It is 4mm scale, 00/EM/P4
Nothings being added to the website till after warley.
Price wise i'm not too sure as i'm awaiting the invoice for the etches to work out the final prices.
Ok, no hurry, I can wait
Thinking these might have fitted nicely as O-9 wagons in a mine operated by gnomes... it's a long story. -
Now finished and to be released at Warley in a month is the Londonderry/Seaham Harbour Chaldron coal wagon.
This features cast parts with etched nickel silver brake gear which is very delicate to represent the spacing between the layers.
This looks exactly what I might have been looking for, for a 'wierd project' I had in mind a long time ago. I can't see anything about it on your website. Can you give me an idea of price and, more importantly, what scale it is please? Thanks!
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Found this picture http://www.railbrit.co.uk/location.php?loc=Mistley of an '08' hiding somewhere in the yard in April 1983 which may be of use. Look at the state of the rails!
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(it was also the scene of a spectacular derailment in the 1970s when one empty bitumen car finished up having apparently gone the wrong way through the diamond but without touching it - suggesting that it had been airborne at the time
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Sounds interesting. I don't suppose there's any photos about of that?
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How about the old bitumen terminal at Cranmore - served until 1985 - now part of the East Somerset railway?
Bit of text at the bottom of http://www.eastsomer...page.php?pid=16 about it; also a picture http://www.railphoto...1-RP-1.jpg.html of a 25 and 40 arriving at Cranmore with a train of tankers from Ellesmere Port.
There was an interesting trackwork arrangment there with access from the run round loop rather than the platform line due to the angle, using a curved diamond across the platform line. The track plan can be seen at the top of the first link above (old terminal top right, now storage sidings), and a photo of that arrangement the last image on this page (scroll the top bar to the right) here: http://www.eastsomer...ery.php?gid=163 and the few before it showing the tanker sidings.
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Oh and if anyone knows of any Lima or Hornby UKF livery PWAs being available I would like to know!
B & H Models in Lincoln (http://www.bandhmodels.com/) had some in when I went up a long, long time ago, and it's still showing on their website but doesn't give stock levels. Might be worth a call anyway? They have a lot of old Lima stuff there.
I've got two but I'm keeping them!!!!
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Whilst my username may give away my interest in all things '33', I certainly won't be rushing to buy any simply as money is tight; I have two Heljan 33's that look ok to me (I'm not whatever the diesel equivalent of a rivet counter is) and whilst I can understand someone wanting to upgrade from, say, the old Lima one as the difference would be noticeable, it's not so great to me from the Heljan one - which, rushing past at a scale 50mph from 2ft away you probably can't tell anyway.
I mentioned this to my other half yesterday as justification to place an order for the Taunton Cider cargowaggon, which although expensive as far as wagons go, is an acceptable purchase when i suggested to her the twin pack sound fitted 33's at £400.
I also, of course, need to figure out finishing a layout to run the 33's I already have on ... and strangely enough, paying for a wedding later this year is considered more important than expanding my already too large loco fleet according to her.
*shrug*
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It's sad you even remember 5 Star...
I remember them too, not a great deal, only the slightest touch...
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Try "HO" scale and put in the keyword "moving" ....... (try to ignore the childish ones)
Some of them look a lot more "adult" than "childish" to me!!!!
I really wonder how many of those they sell? I can kinda understand the 'novelty' factor but I can't imagine spending £40 on something like that...
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I seem to recall that bitumen trains used to run to Cranmore (East Somerset Railway) until the mid 80's too. Don't know whether that gives any assistance or not?
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I happened to be up in Cambridgeshire with my partner this weekend visiting some friends of hers, and as it was only 20 miles away I thought it was worth a visit (even if just to get a break from all the girly chat!) so I was allowed to go off on my own. Doris, my sat-nav, found the store very easily and I was very impressed with the amount of stock on show, and the layout of the store - plenty of room and not crowded like many are. Had lots of time to wander round, said hello to a few staff members that knew of RMWEB and although hadn't spoken to me specifically vaguely recognised my username.
Nice to go upstairs and have a look at the big layout too - although as I only have a small space and budget it's not something I'll be recreating.
Ended up coming out with a new 03, DCC chip and some trees (for a side project I'm working on) all for about £70.
Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area, or a detour if you're going up the A1(M). Looking forward to a return trip when the bank balance is a little healthier (although based on todays visit that healthiness may only be short-term).
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Eastwood Town - A tribute to Gordon's modelling.
in Layout topics
Posted
Ouch, that's not fair. Here I am browsing a random thread and find that you're talking about me and my modelling indecisiveness...