Chris Nevard
Western Thunderer
Gerry, I enjoyed seeing your classy workmanship at Larkhall weekend before last.
Just out of curiosity will the Bridport branch coach use gravity to get it from one end of the engine to the other? I was always fascinated by that aspect and the use of a siding with a gradient to make it possible.
Just out of curiosity will the Bridport branch coach use gravity to get it from one end of the engine to the other? I was always fascinated by that aspect and the use of a siding with a gradient to make it possible.
B
Bulwell Hall
Guest
Chris, thanks for your kind comments - much appreciated.
It is my intention to shunt the Bridport branch train by gravity if at all possible. The branch train comprised a B set which I propose to build from etched brass kits - so the coaches should have sufficient mass. On these two vehicles the bogies will be sprung which will help them roll with little resistance - I don't normally spring bogie vehicles - so there shouldn't be any problem with them rolling a sufficient distance. There is no problem in holding them in the 'gravity siding' whilst the locomotive is released - see Robin Gays 'sprag' on his Rolvendon layout - so the only difficulty I foresee is stopping the coaches in the right place! This may require some form of retarder - perhaps very slightly tightening the track gauge - so some experimentation will clearly be required. As the B set does not exist as yet - well only in kit form - I am unable to carry out the experiments but I am confident that it can be made to work.
I have had it suggested that it could be done using DCC and a powered bogie in the B set but I am not at all convinced and in any case Maiden Newton is very definitely an analogue railway! If I could I would have mechanical signalling and interlocking and my locomotives would be powered by steam!
Incidentally, former railwaymen have told me that the recurring problem with the gravity shunt at the real Maiden Newton station was not that the B set would run away and hit the buffers but that an over cautious guard would apply the hand brake too soon and stop the coaches before they were clear of the turnout thus preventing the locomotive from coming back on to the train. On such occasions a spare sleeper would be employed to pole shunt the coaches clear - all very unofficial of course but a pragmatic solution to a local difficulty. Gravity shunting of passenger stock was employed elsewhere - Yelverton and Wellington come to mind on the GWR but I would be interested to know where else this method was employed.
Gerry
It is my intention to shunt the Bridport branch train by gravity if at all possible. The branch train comprised a B set which I propose to build from etched brass kits - so the coaches should have sufficient mass. On these two vehicles the bogies will be sprung which will help them roll with little resistance - I don't normally spring bogie vehicles - so there shouldn't be any problem with them rolling a sufficient distance. There is no problem in holding them in the 'gravity siding' whilst the locomotive is released - see Robin Gays 'sprag' on his Rolvendon layout - so the only difficulty I foresee is stopping the coaches in the right place! This may require some form of retarder - perhaps very slightly tightening the track gauge - so some experimentation will clearly be required. As the B set does not exist as yet - well only in kit form - I am unable to carry out the experiments but I am confident that it can be made to work.
I have had it suggested that it could be done using DCC and a powered bogie in the B set but I am not at all convinced and in any case Maiden Newton is very definitely an analogue railway! If I could I would have mechanical signalling and interlocking and my locomotives would be powered by steam!
Incidentally, former railwaymen have told me that the recurring problem with the gravity shunt at the real Maiden Newton station was not that the B set would run away and hit the buffers but that an over cautious guard would apply the hand brake too soon and stop the coaches before they were clear of the turnout thus preventing the locomotive from coming back on to the train. On such occasions a spare sleeper would be employed to pole shunt the coaches clear - all very unofficial of course but a pragmatic solution to a local difficulty. Gravity shunting of passenger stock was employed elsewhere - Yelverton and Wellington come to mind on the GWR but I would be interested to know where else this method was employed.
Gerry
S
Simon Dunkley
Guest
Three come to mind very quickly:
Cowes (IOWC) was famously gravity shunted, although there was a run round loop;
Wells-next-the-Sea (GER);
Eyemouth (NBR).
Also, possibly, Killin, once Loch Tay was overgrown and largely disused.
Plenty of others, I am sure.
Cowes (IOWC) was famously gravity shunted, although there was a run round loop;
Wells-next-the-Sea (GER);
Eyemouth (NBR).
Also, possibly, Killin, once Loch Tay was overgrown and largely disused.
Plenty of others, I am sure.
AJC
Western Thunderer
Wellington is an interesting example, not least because David Amias's model replicates this feature - if I remember rightly from the MRJ article in no. 61(?) he used a Tenshodo motor bogie in his B set. No DCC so I assume the carriage was simply dragged along when being hauled. I must admit that I hadn't heard of the arrangement at Wells before now, will have to look into that.
Adam
Adam
S
Simon Dunkley
Guest
Go to old-maps.co.uk and enter the following coordinates: 592165 and 343340.
Select one of the 1:2,500 maps, and when it appears, click on it to zoom in.
Select one of the 1:2,500 maps, and when it appears, click on it to zoom in.
Gerry Beale
Western Thunderer
Well it's been a while.............Time for an update. Work has progressed on Maiden Newton in fits and starts and considerable progress has been made. The preparation and publication of my book on the Bridport Branch - beautifully produced by Simon Castens at Wild Swan Books - meant that work on the layout was necessarily delayed and more recently the construction of a purpose built railway room meant that the railway was again delayed. But during that time locomotives and rolling stock have been built so progress has been made.
The layout has been re-configured and will now be a continuous circuit rather than an end to end format which will require even more compromises, especially at the Dorchester end. This also means that now the layout is permanently installed in its room it is unlikely to leave again - at least not until I have no further use for it! Trackwork is underway and much has been achieved. The actual junction with the Bridport Branch is built but is still to be made operable. The circuit is about 2/3 of the way round the room and I have been rather enjoying running a few trains - even if they do have to backup when they reach the 'railhead'.
I will post more photos in due course but I place these here to show that the project has not been abandoned and is continuing.
Gerry
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AJC
Western Thunderer
That's really coming on, Gerry. Being familiar with Maiden Newton only from the '80s onwards, it's obviously now rather different (much less track, no signals, concrete footbridge, etc.), but the essence just about remains of what was there and those wonderful buildings will make a superb centrepiece as it progresses. I look forward to seeing more!
Adam
Adam
Gerry Beale
Western Thunderer
I have been spending time working on the flint finish of the buildings for Maiden Newton - it being one of the defining features of the place - and am rather pleased with the result. I have added highlights to Rupert Godfreys original flint work by some very limited dry brushing in white and SR stone. I think the effort was worthwhile and now I have the main station building and the enormous goods shed to do. Attached is a photo showing the current appearance of the model of the down side waiting shelter along with a recent view of the real thing for comparison. The period posters are from the very excellent Sankey Scenics and are highly recommended. 
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Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
This is one of my Dad's slides (August 1961) of Maiden Newton. Taken from the cab of a Bridport train.
Gerry Beale
Western Thunderer
What a splendid photo Dave - thanks for sharing it. This shows Maiden Newton just a couple of years before I first got to know it - I was just nine years old in August 1961 - and the DMUs are exactly as I recall them. The Southern Region influence is obvious from the green paintwork and the upper quadrant signals on rail-built posts but otherwise the GWR presence remains strong. The Bridport Branch bay 'starter' and the water column are pure GWR! On the left the 'Gravity' siding has a heavy coat of rust on the railheads - DMU operation of the Bridport branch having commenced in 1959 - but the siding does appear to be still connected. This was the time just before the decline started and by the end of the 1960s much of what is in the photo would be gone.
Gerry
Gerry
Gerry Beale
Western Thunderer
In an earlier posting I included a photo of Maiden Newton showing a van train hauled by a 44xx 2-6-2T. There is a bit of a story attached to this model - a case of being in the right place at the right time.
I attended the EMGS Skills Day at Didcot back in March - just before the lockdown - which seems like another age now. At the meeting there were several trays of models for sale from the estate of a deceased modeller. The models were all GWR but the majority of them seemed to be cast white metal locos - Will's Saints, K's Bulldogs etc,. so of no particular interest to me. But I did spot a 44xx in one of the trays which looked promising having been built from a Mitchell kit. The model was slightly battered and in need of a repaint but the price was very attractive so I bought it and took it home with me. Later I decided to try it out and it appeared to run reasonably well but was in need of a good clean up. I started to dismantle the chassis and when I removed the front pony truck I was absolutely astonished to find a Guy Williams makers plate!!
I have subsequently learnt that the deceased modeller was none other than Pat Garland and Guy had built the engine for Pat as a present. The model represents 4405 which was a regular engine on the 'Ashburton Goods' which ran daily - I think - from Newton Abbot, over Dainton to Totnes where it reversed and ran up the branch to Ashburton. 4405 is therefore a highly appropriate engine for Pat given that he - along with Pat Whitehouse - was one of the founders of the Dart Valley Railway - and incidentally a co-owner - also with PW - of 45xx No 4555. So I am delighted to have her as a memento to both Guy and Pat but her presence at Maiden Newton is difficult to explain. So far as I know no 44xx ever worked in Dorset so in this case I think Rule 1 will have to apply!
I stripped the paint , replaced a few of the fittings with more up to date items and repainted her. I could find only a few photos of 4405 and those that I did find showed no sign of any lettering or insignia on the tanks either in later GWR or BR days. I did add the 'shirt button' totem to the tanks initially but was unhappy with it so have recently removed it and now I feel happier. I added more weathering - I hope I haven't overdone it but she was in a bit of a state in the post-war GWR period. She must have gone to Swindon for a 'heavy general' later as she survived to become one of the last of the class to be withdrawn from service in 1955. Sorry to have gone on a bit but I think it is quite an interesting story and I do love these Great Western 'small prairies'!
Gerry
I attended the EMGS Skills Day at Didcot back in March - just before the lockdown - which seems like another age now. At the meeting there were several trays of models for sale from the estate of a deceased modeller. The models were all GWR but the majority of them seemed to be cast white metal locos - Will's Saints, K's Bulldogs etc,. so of no particular interest to me. But I did spot a 44xx in one of the trays which looked promising having been built from a Mitchell kit. The model was slightly battered and in need of a repaint but the price was very attractive so I bought it and took it home with me. Later I decided to try it out and it appeared to run reasonably well but was in need of a good clean up. I started to dismantle the chassis and when I removed the front pony truck I was absolutely astonished to find a Guy Williams makers plate!!
I have subsequently learnt that the deceased modeller was none other than Pat Garland and Guy had built the engine for Pat as a present. The model represents 4405 which was a regular engine on the 'Ashburton Goods' which ran daily - I think - from Newton Abbot, over Dainton to Totnes where it reversed and ran up the branch to Ashburton. 4405 is therefore a highly appropriate engine for Pat given that he - along with Pat Whitehouse - was one of the founders of the Dart Valley Railway - and incidentally a co-owner - also with PW - of 45xx No 4555. So I am delighted to have her as a memento to both Guy and Pat but her presence at Maiden Newton is difficult to explain. So far as I know no 44xx ever worked in Dorset so in this case I think Rule 1 will have to apply!
I stripped the paint , replaced a few of the fittings with more up to date items and repainted her. I could find only a few photos of 4405 and those that I did find showed no sign of any lettering or insignia on the tanks either in later GWR or BR days. I did add the 'shirt button' totem to the tanks initially but was unhappy with it so have recently removed it and now I feel happier. I added more weathering - I hope I haven't overdone it but she was in a bit of a state in the post-war GWR period. She must have gone to Swindon for a 'heavy general' later as she survived to become one of the last of the class to be withdrawn from service in 1955. Sorry to have gone on a bit but I think it is quite an interesting story and I do love these Great Western 'small prairies'!
Gerry
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Gerry Beale
Western Thunderer
Thanks Adam. I quite agree with your Dad about oiling round GWR locos. A good few years ago now I was lucky enough to spend a day on the footplate of 2857 on the Severn Valley Railway. Part of that experience was to assist with the preparation of the engine before the days work began. Apart from the very early start my over-riding memory is of how difficult and unpleasant it was to go underneath the 28xx to oil round. It is not an experience I would care to repeat and those who did this 'back in the day' and those who still do this work have my greatest respect.
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
I find that interesting, Gerry. After all, it goes on every weekend on our heritage railways so my approval of all those who help in this way goes up another notch!
In terms of unpleasantness, and bearing in mind my love of Southern Spam Cans, I understand that it was not at all unusual for a fitter to have to climb in to the valve gear oil bath to make adjustments. That must have been really horrible. Perhaps nowadays such adjustments are much less frequent as the quality of the materials used in the chain drive has probably improved over time.
Brian
In terms of unpleasantness, and bearing in mind my love of Southern Spam Cans, I understand that it was not at all unusual for a fitter to have to climb in to the valve gear oil bath to make adjustments. That must have been really horrible. Perhaps nowadays such adjustments are much less frequent as the quality of the materials used in the chain drive has probably improved over time.
Brian
AJC
Western Thunderer
I think dad said that the 14xx was the least user friendly of the lot - accessing the motion, except for the slidebars, was only practical from below, and the usual venue was the Ashburton cattle dock which meant lying/crouching in the very limited space betwixt axles and firebox... A pit would mean you could stand and that's easier, but such luxuries weren't often part of the early preservation context!
Adam
Gerry Beale
Western Thunderer
I've been tinkering with my phone again! A couple of snaps giving a flavour of the sort of trains that I intend to to run - the 'down' train is a Bristol - Weymouth 'stopper' with 2912 Saint Ambrose whilst the 'up' train has 4988 Bulwell Hall at the front.
Of course if I stopped tinkering things might be a little more advanced! But a delivery this week of track components from the EMGS means that tracklaying can re-commence although there does seem to be a shortage of GWR two-bolt chairs at present.
Of course if I stopped tinkering things might be a little more advanced! But a delivery this week of track components from the EMGS means that tracklaying can re-commence although there does seem to be a shortage of GWR two-bolt chairs at present.