Hailsham - Pre-WW1 LBSC - 00 Gauge

[BlueLightning]

I still couldn't play with it properly in there. There's fiddle yards to add. This one will be 21' in total!!!!

[BlueLightning]

What have you done!!!! I'm supposed to be working on Oak Hill, or helping the kids with homework, or doing housework however my kitchen table seems to look like this:

 

and I've had most of my appropriate stock out:

 

So let's have a closer look, first there is Terrier number 76 "Hailsham" technically not appropriate as it was scrapped in 1903 but how could I not have it!!

 

and there is the more appropriate Terrier in Umber number 672, formally "Fenchurch":

 

both of these are the Honby model with smoke box wings added. Hailsham has also had a lot more detailing done, but I will leave you to look at it!!!

 

I also have a C2 in goods green, although the paintwork isn't finished yet, this was made from a Tri-ang 3F!!

 

and a Bachmann E4 which will be backdated and painted into Goods Green as number 475 "Partridge Green":

 

an E5 made from a Wills kit, this will be number 591 "Tillington", which was the last locomotive in IEG keeping it until 1917!

 

and finally I have an I3 which is also built from a Wills Kit:

 

So I hope you enjoyed this brief look at my stock. I am really hoping to start working on the layout again soon and get things running!!

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Gary

 

PS. If anyone has any suggestions for other stock that would be good for the layout then please do let me know!!!

Edited February 16, 2017 by BlueLightning

[Nick Holliday]

Just a note that, I'm afraid, the E4 as produced by Bachmann represents the class after they were fitted with later boilers, which featured the extended smokebox. The Stroudley goods green and names. would have disappeared well before they got the new boilers. However, having seen your skills, I won't be surprised to see yours suitably and expertly backdated!

[BlueLightning]

Thanks Nick,

 

The boiler is actually one of the reasons I haven't done it yet. I have lots of pictures of them in earlier condition however they are not from very good angles. As a result I can't really tell all the changes I need to make!! Are the boiler fittings still correct?? Is it just a job of cutting down the boiler?? or is it a lot more??

 

Cheers,

 

Gary

[Nick Holliday]

Thanks Nick,

 

The boiler is actually one of the reasons I haven't done it yet. I have lots of pictures of them in earlier condition however they are not from very good angles. As a result I can't really tell all the changes I need to make!! Are the boiler fittings still correct?? Is it just a job of cutting down the boiler?? or is it a lot more??

 

Cheers,

 

Gary

The good news is that, as far as I can tell, the Marsh I1 boilers that were fitted were the same diameter and pitch as the original Billinton ones. The first of these boilers were fitted using the original smokebox, for which I suspect the Bachmann dome and valves could stay, but this version would have appeared in umber.  There was quite a variety in the domes, chimneys and safety valves, so it is possible that the moulded ones might pass muster, unless someone is actually clutching a photo of Partridge Green in green when commenting!

I have looked at what might have to be done, and it looks more feasible than I initially thought, especially for someone who has created a Gladstone from a T9!

The main job is obviously shortening the smokebox. The required line seems to coincide with the vertical front of the cylinder cover plate, so there is a guide there.  The chimney looks as if it will remain in the right place, as, on the extended version it is not central, as it has to be directly above the pipe from the cylinders.  As I noted, there were several types of chimney fitted to the E4, and the Bachmann one might be suitable.  The other modification to do is to remove the top lip of the smokebox saddle, and create a smooth curve instead.  The lubricators on the side can stay, although I suspect they will suffer during the smoothing process.  A line of rivets, perhaps from Archers, will be needed on the front edge of the smokebox, or perhaps a thin metal wrapper, suitably embossed, might be a better solution. A new smokebox front will be required, but it may be possible to re-use the smokebox door, depending on what comes on your donor model.

There are some other minor cosmetic changes I have noted, SEFinecast or 5&9 Models  might be persuaded to supply replacement boiler fittings, some pipework will need removing from a later version, and the nuts or bolt heads should be removed from the buffer beam and cylinder cover plate.

[BlueLightning]

Thanks Nick. I shall have a look at the E4 when I get home later.

 

Gary

[BlueLightning]

So I guess it's time I updated this thread!!

 

Firstly the layout is NOT dead, just thought I should make that clear!

 

However I have not done anything to the layout for the last year! Until Yesterday!

 

The whole layout came out yesterday and took over my kitchen:

 

All day was spent repairing the track which had been damaged while the layout was in storage! (note to self, make boards to protect track before putting it away again!!

 

I also took the opportunity to pose some stock:

 

and while at it I noticed that one of the points in the yard did not have a hole underneath for the point motor, so this was lifted, a hole drilled and the point relaid:

 

 

The layout has now been taken down so the kitchen can be used, but I have some time without the kids this weekend so the layout will be going back up to have some wiring!

 

Thanks for looking,hope you enjoyed,

 

Gary

[sem34090]

Hurrah!

[BlueLightning]

The layout is back up again! I have made a video!! So if you like that sort of thing then it is here:

 

 

Gary

[BlueLightning]

Go DCC they said.............. It only needs 2 wires they said............

 

 

 

The layout is wired!!! and what's more it actually works!!

 

It still needs the point motors adding, but all the droppers are on! I need to get a few more point motors, and I have run out of solder, but I imagine it being done in the near future!!

 

I have also built some crude board end protectors:

 

So now I won't have to worry quite so much about the track getting damaged.

 

I had the thought as well that I should probably document the layout properly, at least that way someone will know how it works! So I started so an operators guide:

 

Thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed,

 

Gary

Edited April 3, 2018 by BlueLightning

[Annie]

 

 

Go DCC they said.............. It only needs 2 wires they said............

 

 

 

The operators guide is a very very good idea  

[BlueLightning]

Hopefully it will mean I remember how it works when it finally gets taken out somewhere!!!

 

Gary

[BlueLightning]

What's this I see before me?? An update to the giant layout!! It cannot be! has it really been 15 months since we were here?

 

So recently the layout got to go up again! and it was great to see it all in one piece

 

and I spent some time playing with bits of paper and card to check everything before having structures made up for the layout

 

The platform heights were double checked against stock, and seem a bit high, so the real ones will be a couple of mm smaller

 

Once this was done it only felt appropriate to try and recreate some photos from the real thing, just to see how well it was going

 

All looks good to me!

 

I also got some backscene boards made up, this is starting to feel like a real layout now!

 

With all that done, cock ups of the buildings were started!

 

I must admit I'm getting quite excited by all this now

 

I also found some cheap wagons on eBay that just had to come home to me, so the layout now has it's own coal merchants wagons

 

I plan on getting the rest of the mock up buildings built over the next few weeks, and once that is done, I will follow up with another video of the layout, hopefully with some running this time!!

 

Thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed,

 

Gary

[Nearholmer]

Looking good!

 

Someone makes (used to make?) a good, simple, ready-lettered plastic kit for an earlier version of the W&B wagon. I remember building one c30 years ago when I was into LBSCR in EM for a few minutes. All it needed to make it true to period was removal/omission of a lot of the brake gear.

 

And, here is the station with about ten different names, from my recent bicycling expedition.

 

 

[BlueLightning]

Thanks Kevin,

 

I think POW Sides make the W&B kit now, I remember seeing someone with it at some point, and that was the original plan, but these ones were only about £5 each, and shouldn't look to bad with a bit of work (I hope)

 

Thanks for the picture! I keep meaning to head up the line, all my trips on the Cuckoo in the 12ish years I have lived here have been southwards!

 

Gary

[Nearholmer]

Here’s something else for you to look for: Hellingly.

 

The station building there is intact, but I didn’t stop again for a photo, because it’s hidden behind dense shrubbery.

[BlueLightning]

A mere 2.5 miles from my front door, there really is no excuse to have been up that way is there? Especially since Oak Hill's station building was built using drawings of Hellingly!!

[BlueLightning]

Hi everyone!!

 

I promised an update video on this layout! and I have finally made it!! Hopefully it won't be a year and a half until the next one! (No running, I shall get that done next time the layouts up!)

 

 

[Annie]

Nice to hear news from Hailsham again Gary.

[BlueLightning]

Thanks Annie,

 

THe layout doesn't get out much, because as you can see from the video it takes up the entire length of my kitchen, and that is the only room it fits in!!

 

Linny is down soon and will be taking away the mock up buildings and a copy of the drawings, to use as the basis for the kits, hopefully it won't be too long until they are done, in the meantime I will be ordering the point rodding stools from Modelu next week, so there may be some updates coming soon!

 

Gary

[CUCKOO LINE]

Hi where did you get the drawings for the buildings from ? 

[BlueLightning]

Hi, all the drawings came out of "The Cuckoo Line" by A C Elliott it has 2mm:1ft drawings of most of the railway buildings on the line. The only one it hasn't got for Hailsham is the Granary, but I have recently found a photo of the building, showing how wrong I got my interpretation of it, so that needs redrawing.

 

Gary

[CUCKOO LINE]

Thanks , yes I have that book just wondered if you found another source !

 

Also don't seem to be many good quality photos of the station building around to check the smaller details, at least I haven't found many anyway, I used to travel on the cuckoo line and remember seeing a Q1 shunting at Hailsham, the class 33 goods train that went up to Heathfield and the DMU shuttle to Eastbourne.

 

Earlier in my life I can just vaguely remember going to London from Hellingly station, not the quickest of journeys but life was more relaxed in those days !

 

John

[BlueLightning]

Hi John,

 

I have no memory of the Cuckoo, but I have lived in Hailsham for 13 years now, and it's such an interesting trackplan I just don't see how I could resist!!

 

I have a friend who has built the station building in 7mm for our club layout (Uckfield MRC) so I usually have access to that to study, and it is a very nice model!!

 

Gary

[CUCKOO LINE]

On 27/09/2019 at 11:34, BlueLightning said:

Thanks Annie,

 

THe layout doesn't get out much, because as you can see from the video it takes up the entire length of my kitchen, and that is the only room it fits in!!

 

Linny is down soon and will be taking away the mock up buildings and a copy of the drawings, to use as the basis for the kits, hopefully it won't be too long until they are done, in the meantime I will be ordering the point rodding stools from Modelu next week, so there may be some updates coming soon!

 

Gary

Any progress on the kits ?

Edited December 9, 2020 by CUCKOO LINE
correction