B
Brinkly
Guest
[attachment=0:3qyb4c53]Title Photo.jpg[/attachment:3qyb4c53]
The background
As I am sure nearly everyone on this forum is aware I one day will build a model of Horrabridge Station on the old GWR line to Tavistock and Launceston. I first thought about making a model of Horrabridge three years ago when I initially thought about building Tavistock South, but fell in love with the charm of Horrabridge itself.
However to make the model properly would require a large amount of track, approximately 55 feet to make a circuit, excluding the station track work and fiddle yard and scenic work about 75 square feet of it! For a first finescale project, realistically it is too big. So I have decided to make something smaller; and what better than Staverton.
History
Opened on 1st May 1872 by the Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway, Staverton was the first station on the 9 mile route to Ashburton. It was a typical country station with a booking office, waiting room and ladies lavatory within the main station building and two goods sheds. One was used for general goods traffic and the other as a store. The station had a signal platform and no passing loop. The goods shed was served by a single siding with a head shunt to prevent runaways for reaching the running line. A tidy signal box was provided which also controlled the level crossing gates.
In 1897 the line was amalgamated into the Great Western Railway and in turn was nationalised into British Railways on 1st January 1948.
Even before the Beeching Review the railway had been closed to passenger traffic, this taking effect in November 1958, although goods traffic continued until 7th September 1962.
After a long period of negotiations with the British Transport Commission the line was re-opened by the Dart Valley Railway as a commercial venture, rather than a heritage railway similar to the Bluebell Railway or the Great Western Society. Running commenced on 5th April 1969 with most services either being topped and tailed by 45xx and a 64xx, or a ?double sandwich? in the form of four auto coaches and a 64xx.
In 1991 the Dart Valley Company pulled out of operations and the South Devon Railway Trust took over the running of the line on 1st January 1991.
Model
Baseboards
My model will be 9ft long and 2ft wide, built in a loop, with a rear fiddleyard, the decision not to compress the station is to enable a large amount of scenery to be included in the model as the operation isn?t the busiest in the world!
The baseboards were going to be build using the Barry Norman beam approach, but for speed I have decided to have an open frame of 3x1inch timber, with rased MDF for the track bead and station area.
The fiddleyard will have four loops which will be more than large enough branch line operation.
Track work
Track work will comprise of the P4 Track Company components running on steel rail.
Operation
The layout will be operated with one engine in steam as per the prototype, although to increase train moves I will plan the line as if Buckfast Station was able to pass passenger trains, rather than as the operating manual states that two passenger trains are not permitted to cross at Buckfast, although a passenger and goods service might cross, providing that the passenger service uses the Down Platform (Ashburton Down - Totnes Up).
As far as control is concerned initially it will be operated by DC, although depended on how I feel I might go for DCC in the future.
Scenic Work
The scenery will be a bit of a mix of old a new, I still feel that Barry Norman?s techniques using carpet felt for embankments and lint for fields still looks very effective, although newer products particularly items from International Models will be used.
Stock
One of the reasons for choosing Staverton for my project is that all of the stock would have run on the Launceston branch.
Locomotives will be a mixture of proprietary RTR and kit built items; these will include 14xx, 45xx, 4575 and 57xx. Over the past two years I have purchased a number of Bachmann items and Malcolm Mitchell kits (44xx, 45xx and 4575) to eventually be added to the roster. Long term I would like to replace all RTR chassis with Comet or High Level replacements, although this will be a very long term project (if ever!).
Rolling stock will be a mixture of auto coaches and Collett corridor stock for passenger use. Goods stock will be the usual mix suitable for branch line operation.
Period
The period will be 1954-56, allowing locos to still run in their GWR livery as I do love 14xx in GWR Green and coupled with a pair of chocolate and cream auto coaches what more could one want!
Photos
[attachment=3:3qyb4c53]3134028817_37a63b976b.jpg[/attachment:3qyb4c53]
[attachment=2:3qyb4c53]3134810774_35d40c1ca6.jpg[/attachment:3qyb4c53]
[attachment=1:3qyb4c53]staverton.jpg[/attachment:3qyb4c53]
Any advice or tips will be very welcome as always!
Regards,
Nick.
The background
As I am sure nearly everyone on this forum is aware I one day will build a model of Horrabridge Station on the old GWR line to Tavistock and Launceston. I first thought about making a model of Horrabridge three years ago when I initially thought about building Tavistock South, but fell in love with the charm of Horrabridge itself.
However to make the model properly would require a large amount of track, approximately 55 feet to make a circuit, excluding the station track work and fiddle yard and scenic work about 75 square feet of it! For a first finescale project, realistically it is too big. So I have decided to make something smaller; and what better than Staverton.
History
Opened on 1st May 1872 by the Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway, Staverton was the first station on the 9 mile route to Ashburton. It was a typical country station with a booking office, waiting room and ladies lavatory within the main station building and two goods sheds. One was used for general goods traffic and the other as a store. The station had a signal platform and no passing loop. The goods shed was served by a single siding with a head shunt to prevent runaways for reaching the running line. A tidy signal box was provided which also controlled the level crossing gates.
In 1897 the line was amalgamated into the Great Western Railway and in turn was nationalised into British Railways on 1st January 1948.
Even before the Beeching Review the railway had been closed to passenger traffic, this taking effect in November 1958, although goods traffic continued until 7th September 1962.
After a long period of negotiations with the British Transport Commission the line was re-opened by the Dart Valley Railway as a commercial venture, rather than a heritage railway similar to the Bluebell Railway or the Great Western Society. Running commenced on 5th April 1969 with most services either being topped and tailed by 45xx and a 64xx, or a ?double sandwich? in the form of four auto coaches and a 64xx.
In 1991 the Dart Valley Company pulled out of operations and the South Devon Railway Trust took over the running of the line on 1st January 1991.
Model
Baseboards
My model will be 9ft long and 2ft wide, built in a loop, with a rear fiddleyard, the decision not to compress the station is to enable a large amount of scenery to be included in the model as the operation isn?t the busiest in the world!
The baseboards were going to be build using the Barry Norman beam approach, but for speed I have decided to have an open frame of 3x1inch timber, with rased MDF for the track bead and station area.
The fiddleyard will have four loops which will be more than large enough branch line operation.
Track work
Track work will comprise of the P4 Track Company components running on steel rail.
Operation
The layout will be operated with one engine in steam as per the prototype, although to increase train moves I will plan the line as if Buckfast Station was able to pass passenger trains, rather than as the operating manual states that two passenger trains are not permitted to cross at Buckfast, although a passenger and goods service might cross, providing that the passenger service uses the Down Platform (Ashburton Down - Totnes Up).
As far as control is concerned initially it will be operated by DC, although depended on how I feel I might go for DCC in the future.
Scenic Work
The scenery will be a bit of a mix of old a new, I still feel that Barry Norman?s techniques using carpet felt for embankments and lint for fields still looks very effective, although newer products particularly items from International Models will be used.
Stock
One of the reasons for choosing Staverton for my project is that all of the stock would have run on the Launceston branch.
Locomotives will be a mixture of proprietary RTR and kit built items; these will include 14xx, 45xx, 4575 and 57xx. Over the past two years I have purchased a number of Bachmann items and Malcolm Mitchell kits (44xx, 45xx and 4575) to eventually be added to the roster. Long term I would like to replace all RTR chassis with Comet or High Level replacements, although this will be a very long term project (if ever!).
Rolling stock will be a mixture of auto coaches and Collett corridor stock for passenger use. Goods stock will be the usual mix suitable for branch line operation.
Period
The period will be 1954-56, allowing locos to still run in their GWR livery as I do love 14xx in GWR Green and coupled with a pair of chocolate and cream auto coaches what more could one want!
Photos
[attachment=3:3qyb4c53]3134028817_37a63b976b.jpg[/attachment:3qyb4c53]
[attachment=2:3qyb4c53]3134810774_35d40c1ca6.jpg[/attachment:3qyb4c53]
[attachment=1:3qyb4c53]staverton.jpg[/attachment:3qyb4c53]
Any advice or tips will be very welcome as always!
Regards,
Nick.
you might want to change the time period to about '51 as the branch loco was repainted from GW green to lined BR black that year. Will you be including the mill?
