Salutations from Sunny Sussex

[Nestor]

Good afternoon all

Figured I should introduce myself as a new member to this forum.
Finally building up the energy to actually start constructing another layout after a good few years of very limited modelling activity and plenty of armchair musings. The intention is to build something relatively simple to cut my teeth after something a break from building anything.
As I am Sussex based the plan is for something firmly Brighton. I have devised a totally nonsense scheme for a secondary branch off the East Coast route to a fictional town at Cuckmere Haven. From here an equally ludicrous branch would also exist to serve the popular tourist spot at Birling Gap. This branch will very much follow in the vein of the long gone Dyke Railway.
My approach to following prototypes has tended to be as long as it looks believable and follows prototype practise then that’s good enough. All going well my partner and I will be moving into a larger house next year at which point the main Cuckmere town may well come to fruition…
At this stage this only exists in the form of a series of sketches in my somewhat battered sketchbook. Three very simple baseboards have also been constructed.
I’m sure much more will follow (although my schedule dictates that posting will be limited). Regardless, this is more to introduce myself and put the ideas down in writing -somewhere-

Nestor

 

[Herb Garden]

Welcome to the gang Nestor!

Any scribbles diagrams or sketches of what you might be planning.... Images are like currency round here

Herbie

 

[Alan]

Plenty of photos please even ones of your sc rapbook plans.

 

[Nestor]

I think I’ve got this right…
So my scrapbook is currently the outlet for all ideas. I will share more but this image covers both the Birling Gap idea and a version of the Cuckmere terminus.
Birling Gap takes the lead from the Dyke Branch whilst Cuckmere follows ideas from Littlehampton and Seaford. Since drawing this one I’ve decided that the platform at Cuckmere really ought to be straight and that some of the crossovers may be a little over zealous.
All the sketches in my scrapbook tend to not follow any measurements and are more a way to get the ideas down out of my brain hence perhaps some rather questionable angles and radiuses. A general outline rather than a serious plan so to speak. The sketches cover a huge variety of locations as often they act as a way of just getting the idea expressed. A lot of them are pretty rubbish…
Currently away from home having enjoyed Peter Gabriel at the o2 last night so more to follow when I return this afternoon.

Nestor

 

[David Waite]

Hi Nestor
Welcome to WT,
What scale are you thinking of modelling ?
David.

 

[Nestor]

Good morning

The scale will be 4mm, 00 with bullhead track due to stock I already have. My main interest when it comes to construction is scenery. I have demonstrated my (mostly unoriginal) ideas on modelling grass and hedges a few times at Ally Pally. I am looking forward to be able to put these into practise on my own layout again.
Below are some images of a diorama I built some time back as a demonstration piece on overgrown track and hedges.

 

[Joe's Garage]

Welcome and very realistic track.
Cheers
Julian

 

[Nestor]

Thanks, the track was built to Irish broad gauge, 21mm in 4mm.

Trip over to Brighton today for a birthday bash. Got off at London Road. The eventual plan if/when Cuckmere gets built is to have a building similar to that at London Road, Seaford, Portslade and others. When I lived in Brighton I was a member of the Brighton Model Railway Club which has some relevance to this post…

Here’s a photo of London Road (a delightful station) and another of the initial sketch which has had some minor alterations, the main being off some off-scene sidings at the rear of the goods yard for a dockside ala Littlehampton.

I’m hoping to get started on Birling Gap this week as well.

 

[Nestor]

Recent activity -
Started on three LBSCR opens

Sketched out some variations of the Cuckmere plan


Threw together a never to be built but “wouldn’t it be nice” idea for a layout loosely based on Havant pre it’s widening.

Not pictured but the boards for Birling Gap are ready for track laying to commence so just waiting on some free time between work.

That’s all for now

Nestor

 

[Barry37]

Recent activity -
Started on three LBSCR opens
View attachment 191535
Sketched out some variations of the Cuckmere plan
View attachment 191534
View attachment 191536
Threw together a never to be built but “wouldn’t it be nice” idea for a layout loosely based on Havant pre it’s widening.
View attachment 191537
Not pictured but the boards for Birling Gap are ready for track laying to commence so just waiting on some free time between work.

That’s all for now

Nestor

The Cuckmere valley, as you may know, did have a railway. This was a 2ft gauge line down the east side (from the present-day Country Park car park), which mostly followed the farm track. Used for removing shingle from the beach, until the early 1960s. All, but a couple of rails on a bridge over a ditch, had gone by May 1969. The concrete unloading ramp near the A259 was there for longer, though.
Cuckmere Haven was lit to resemble Newhaven Harbour during WWII, so kind of connected.

 

[Nestor]

The Cuckmere valley, as you may know, did have a railway. This was a 2ft gauge line down the east side (from the present-day Country Park car park), which mostly followed the farm track. Used for removing shingle from the beach, until the early 1960s. All, but a couple of rails on a bridge over a ditch, had gone by May 1969. The concrete unloading ramp near the A259 was there for longer, though.
Cuckmere Haven was lit to resemble Newhaven Harbour during WWII, so kind of connected.

I vaguely new but have come across very little information on it. I’ll dig out some of my Southern and Sussex Railway books and have a look. My plan of course makes some very liberal assumptions of geography and imagination…

Nestor

 

[Barry37]

I vaguely new but have come across very little information on it. I’ll dig out some of my Southern and Sussex Railway books and have a look. My plan of course makes some very liberal assumptions of geography and imagination…

Nestor

The Middleton Press/Chalk Pits Museum book "Industrial Railways of the South-East" has a photo. My recollection of the loco is that it was a green Ruston with a cab, rather than the Simplex in the photo, which I suppose was earlier.
There was a similar operation on the Tide Mills' beach east of Newhaven Marine station. This rather murky view (background of a photo taken by my grandfather in the 1930s) shows the unloading ramp, probably a loco and a skip.

 

[garethashenden]

Nestor!! How nice to hear you've returned to modelling!

 

[Nestor]

Nestor!! How nice to hear you've returned to modelling!

Why hello there Gareth! Good to hear from you.

Don’t think I ever left just haven’t had much space. Remained involved through the occasional building or kit plus endless track plan ideas…
I do now have some baseboards built and stock in the works so further than I have been for a while. Initial plan is for something small and manageable and then to see where I get from there.

Nestor

 

[Nestor]

Good evening

Another variation on the same idea. I quite like this one…
I’ve included some sidings that act as the harbour branch. The sidings around the engine shed and cattle dock are a little over complicated but could be easily simplified. The buildings around the harbour are taken locally in Hastings, Newhaven etc
That’ll do for now.


Nestor