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The Hintock Branch-1930's Dorset Joint GWR/SR Workings in OO


john flann

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G'day to all on this thread. Johns layout is inspirational and although I have made a few layouts in my time it will stimulate me to get more atmosphere in to the Layout

Telling a tale with the layout helps to focus what you do and why.

For the next few weeks however I will be up to my ears in preparations for our annual "North Rail Model Expo" so may not post for some time

With John's permission, as it is his site, I will post some photos of what we do in Northern Tasmania to celebrate the "Queens Birthday" Long week end .

I have it on good authority that her majesty is amused

David   

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Hi John

 

Always good to catch up with your project and the latest photos are as good as ever.

 

I was driving back from the RMweb "do" at Taunton yesterday and, heading for the Sussex coast, took the cross-country road from Crewkerne to Dorchester via Maiden Newton.  From the top of the Dorset hills the view across to the horizon was accompanied by signposts to Toller Fratrum, Powerstock and Bridport.  "Add Hintock and Port Bredy", I added mentally as I enjoyed comparing the view in my eyes with that of your work in my mind.

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David: when your friend has finished his enhancements I'm sure you will remind him members would like to see what he has been up to.

 

I too am a member of the British Railway Modellers fraternity but its North American branch, however we are few and distant from each other in the USA. Last time I looked there were two others in Utah but both hundreds of miles away (distances are far out here in the West) so modelling the UK prototype is a lone pursuit. It doesn't stop us though. You in NZ seem to have a fair number in reasonable proximity.  From the pictures you sent me (privately) the exhibition seemed fairly well attended. I'm glad there is the interest.

 

You too celebrate Her Majesty in style-an unlikely event here. Enjoy it.

 

Rick: I think you enjoy Hintock as much as I do and thank you for the kind words about the images, I do try to please.

 

Like you I can see that scene in my mind out to the distant horizon and within it the Branch serving it by way of Hintock Junction, Everdene, Melbury, Owlcombe, Little Hintock and Hintock. All quite delightful.,

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The camera is a useful tool, for what a difference....

 

post-3088-0-22497600-1430486167_thumb.jpg

 

 

....the placement of a bush and following my rule of three, makes to the scene (it also hides a nasty paint splodge on the back scene) ...

 

post-3088-0-07612300-1430486134_thumb.jpg

 

 

...and as reminder to add that rear coupling-except it should be three link not screw link.

 

post-3088-0-04903600-1430486226_thumb.jpg

 

 

The loco is a Bachmann ex-BR 1F with added coal, crew and lamps along with re-lettering (from Fox) together with a lightish weathering. And how it comes to be shunting Hintock Town Quay is a tale for another day.

 

For William too it's another full house.

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Hi John.

 

Love the new pictures of Hintock and the new bushes do fulfill a purpose. The 1F looks great on the short freight.

 

Meanwhile I've added some bushes of my own, further down the Bredy Valley.

 

post-8259-0-71124400-1430492096.jpg

 

 

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sp1, Steve is it ?, no that won't happen and thank you for your interest as I do others for their "likes",.

 

I agree the bridge opening looks a bit stark but only at this angle. I did consider a mirror and experimented with one , as I've used successfully at Hintock where the Port Bredy Branch leads away, and  there I could position it obliquely  but here that wasn't possible. (See my post #842 and the fourth image.)

 

AndyM: another masterpiece, you've got that just right and I like it very much. I'm sure others will too. That is how I imagine the lands along the Branch to look. Again another thank you.

 

HTQ does lend itself to photography as it is so handy to move around on the table on which it rests. It's easier to light also. Another boon.

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Hi John, I missed the last couple of post's and pics somehow, loving it and as progress is good on Whittaker St, I hope to make a start on my yet to be named BLT very soon.

 

All the best.

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sp1, Steve is it ?, no that won't happen and thank you for your interest as I do others for their "likes",.

 

I agree the bridge opening looks a bit stark but only at this angle. I did consider a mirror and experimented with one , as I've used successfully at Hintock where the Port Bredy Branch leads away, and  there I could position it obliquely  but here that wasn't possible. (See my post #842 and the fourth image.)

 

AndyM: another masterpiece, you've got that just right and I like it very much. I'm sure others will too. That is how I imagine the lands along the Branch to look. Again another thank you.

 

HTQ does lend itself to photography as it is so handy to move around on the table on which it rests. It's easier to light also. Another boon.

That picture is the first time I've noticed the view under the bridge so it must not be so bad in reality - there is also so much else to draw the eye.

Steve

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post-3088-0-25646400-1431104932_thumb.jpg

 

Just to the south, left, of Hintock Town Quay Ground Frame is the not (yet) modelled Town Quay Station with a small yard and private siding to the Fenn Wright Mill and when the Port Bredy Branch carried passengers this, as Hintock Town Quay Signal Box functioned normally. When the passenger services ceased it reverted to its present Ground Frame status for the Quay and ex-station sidings.

 

post-3088-0-27645600-1431104947_thumb.jpg

 

As will be seen the construction is simple. The windows came out of my odds and ends box with which no modeller can be without.

 

post-3088-0-44836400-1431104960_thumb.jpg

 

Below, in the background the basis of the cottages is a Metcalfe card kit which I rescued from my junk box (because it never fitted in), cut lengthways and adapted. The other half I cut again in half, one half serves as the Quay Keeper's Cottage adjacent the Sykes Waterhouse structure and the other part of Fenn Wright's Mill. As such all make quite fitting models.

post-3088-0-31950000-1431105050_thumb.jpg

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John -I also find your approach to modelling buildings (in this case along the backscene)  really useful and educational for me in my own meagre quest. Nice photos here.

 

Thanks also for your advice re Hawkinsfield cattle dock location John.

regards, Andy R

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There may well have been some curiosity as to how an ex MR 1F came to be working the Port Bredy branch, well, of  course, it is by way of the S&DR's running rights but there is a little more to it than that.

 

At Kings Stoy about two miles north of Hintock Junction off the S&D's branch from Sturminster Newton during WW1 a large rail connected Royal Navy Supply and Stores Depot was constructed. At that wars end it was de-commissioned and retained on a care and maintenance basis. And then with the re-armament programmes of the 1930's brought back into use, enlarged and the railway system serving it expanded.

 

post-3088-0-20307500-1431694395_thumb.jpg

 

For this the 1F was sub-shedded at the Junction to service the Depot, the exchange sidings and to work the Port Bredy branch three times a week. It is particularly suited to this because of its low axle loadings and the concerns of the District Engineer as to the stability of the Quay retaining walls. Here we have it on such a service; the loaded coal wagon is for Fred Thompson the Port Bredy coal merchant and thr LMS open for a load of shingle from Chesil Beach.

 

post-3088-0-35809900-1431694449_thumb.jpg

 

And for the dinky ex MR brake van well suited to this purpose, I am indebted to the Superintendent of the Granby Operating Division. Thank you, JohnD.

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Martyn, maybe it is now, but not then. It was quite an industry in days of yore-and until fairly recently (a relative term)  I think you will find.

 

Whatever, thanks for the interest

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You still see pebbles for sale in garden centres so I think someone is collecting them. It is just the general public that are not allowed to take them. I presume if you own the land you can do so.

 

At the top of the page you mention modellers of Bristish railways being somewhat rare in the US and most are probably ex pats I did meet one american Scott Maze from LA who scratch built beautiful 0 gauge models winning a cup at Guildex for his SE&CR loco. I asked him why he chose to model British stuff. 'They painted them such lovely liveries' was his reply.

 

Your excuse for the LMS loco is stretching things a little but it looks so nice I can quite see why.

 

Don

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Donw, thank you for your comments and interest in Hintock. As you say, and I agree, it is a bit of a stretch to see the LMS locos, but not beyond the bounds of possibility for the MR was ever expansion minded and acquisitive. That was seen in their joining forces with the L&SWR in the re-incarnated S&D in 1875. It got them to Poole and Bournemouth no less.

 

Consider also that the major and many minor ports along the South Coast were in the hands of railway companies so the only alternative was to construct their own. This opportunity they saw at Port Bredy as did they see opportunity for developing it similarly to Bournemouth. Of course, none of this actually happened but why let a few facts stand in the way of a good story?

 

Should you be further interested I commend JH Luckings book, Railways of Dorset, RC&TS 1968, also an article of mine, Management of the Midland Railway in the early years of the Twentieth Century, Back Track November 2010. The former an excellent chronicle, the latter a good read.

 

I'll post later a map of the MR and its connections. 

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attachicon.gifDSCN4386-1.jpg

 

There may well have been some curiosity as to how an ex MR 1F came to be working the Port Bredy branch, well, of  course, it is by way of the S&DR's running rights but there is a little more to it than that.

 

At Kings Stoy about two miles north of Hintock Junction off the S&D's branch from Sturminster Newton during WW1 a large rail connected Royal Navy Supply and Stores Depot was constructed. At that wars end it was de-commissioned and retained on a care and maintenance basis. And then with the re-armament programmes of the 1930's brought back into use, enlarged and the railway system serving it expanded.

 

attachicon.gifDSCN4388-1.jpg

 

For this the 1F was sub-shedded at the Junction to service the Depot, the exchange sidings and to work the Port Bredy branch three times a week. It is particularly suited to this because of its low axle loadings and the concerns of the District Engineer as to the stability of the Quay retaining walls. Here we have it on such a service; the loaded coal wagon is for Fred Thompson the Port Bredy coal merchant and thr LMS open for a load of shingle from Chesil Beach.

 

attachicon.gifDSCN4391-1.jpg

 

And for the dinky ex MR brake van well suited to this purpose, I am indebted to the Superintendent of the Granby Operating Division. Thank you, JohnD.

 

Hi John

 

Thank you ........thats very civil of you........I am delighted see it working on the Quay. I hoped its small footprint might be useful but I suspect the Weymouth Operating Division had to send it to the local workshops to upgrade the running performance?

 

As always the photos are delightful as is the back story or "legend" . To my mind a totally credible explanation for the 1Fs appearance......which is not without precedent .........I am sure I saw a 3F at Hintock. It also, of course, explains why the 1F was bearing a GWR white head lamp rather than the black ones preferred at that time by the LMS :jester:

 

Best wishes to you and Jeanne from a warm and sunny Vancouver

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Hi John,

 

Glad it's warm and sunny with you for it means later next week we can anticipate that warmth and sunshine. It will be very welcome for we are in the throes of a late winter storm, persistent cold rain mixed with sleet and plenty of snow in the mountains and on the lower bench's. Thanks too for the good wishes, whilst Jeanne is now home being in hospital is hard work and she needs to recover, happily slowly that is happening.

 

The brake van as you remark fits the scene very nicely, and is  nice pair with the 1F, on HTQ it doesn't run very far and  what it does is quite OK. All I did was to weather the running boards and roof.

 

Now you did have me there regarding the lamps, and you put is so kindly. The story though is that the enginemen, Richard and James are both ex-regular NCO's from the Dorset Regiment. Being infantrymen bull comes naturally and they thought we can do as well as the GWR and set to with the whitewash. This they had over from white washing their bothy. At such a remote outpost as Hintock Junction they rarely see a Loco foreman- but I think it highly likely when next he appears the lamps will be black and bulled like their best boots.used to be.

 

How does that sit with you?

 

My regards,

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Absolutely brilliant John!

 

Its good to see that an ex Gunner (oops Bombardier) still remembers the old adage...."If it moves salute it, if it doesn't then paint it white!"

 

Cheers

 

John

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Thank you Peter, it was kind of you to put up that image of the mellow, lush, bountiful and beautiful Dorset countryside. Living now in the Rocky Mountains in a desert State one tends to forget of such scenes and how green it all is. A very useful reminder.

 

Yes, it is that long lost age of the Dorset country branch line which I recall that interests me- that I am happy with- and gives me a lot of fun.

 

My best regards, 

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                  post-3088-0-91352000-1432311642_thumb.jpg

 

Returning to earlier posts this 1900 MR system map and connections shows in broad fashion what interests hey had in Dorset. Considering their expansive attitude it is not unreasonable to suppose that a branch down to Port Bredy and up to the S&DR was feasible.

 

I think I must have had this map at the back of my mind when I thought up the scenario I adopted. There is usually fact, somewhere, for all I do at Hintock.

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