Greetings from North Devon

[Paul Cambridge]

Hi everybody,

I've been modelling in 7mm scale (32mm gauge) since 1988, having grown frustrated with OO gauge and ready-to-run modelling.

Changing scale and learning all the new skills necessary to kit and scratchbuild was a big challenge. My long term project is 'Kelly Bray', a BR(S) branch located in East Cornwall. For those with a knowledge of Cornwall, Kelly Bray is the location where the Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway built their Callington station, terminus of the branch from the junction at Bere Alston over in Devon. It was a Colonel Stephens line, so there was lots of corrugated tin buildings with a definite light railway feel.

Not having the space to model Callington (it was large), I chose to create a model with a BR(S) / Colonel Stephens 'feel'. It is now a mature project, but a model is never finished, so there are still projects to come. However, having built the model, I find that I prefer making to operating, so currently it has lain dormant for some time now.

As my wife and I are planning to move house in 2018, work on developing Kelly Bray has been halted. It will be dismantled soon and put into storage. Out new home will have to have space to accommodate it and hopefully extend it.

I also have some 7mm scale GWR / BR(W) rolling stock, all with a West Country link. Additionally, I have an interest in 16mm scale live steam.

 

[Dan Randall]

Welcome to WT Paul.


Regards

Dan

 

[Paul Cambridge]

Thanks Dan.

Prototype wise, my main interests are the railways of Devon and Cornwall; hence the LSWR / SR / BR(S) and GWR / BR(W) figure greatly in my library. I also like narrow gauge, particularly those found in Wales. Having said that, my interest is catholic and I am not prejudiced against Eastern, Midland and Northern lines.

 

[Pencarrow]

Welcome Paul, glad we twisted your arm

I think you'll find a fair few of the 7mm crew on here.

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Paul,

welcome to WT, I hope that the planned move goes well and that you are able to have the room for the full blown Kelly Bray.

regards

Mike

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Hi Paul,
Welcome!
I have also had an interest in the Callington Branch, so much so, back in the mid 80's we holidayed near Gunnislake for three years running! If I remember correctly, the large quay house was for sale below the viaduct at calstock, and I was interested in buying it, but my wife felt the viaduct was a tad over powering
I bought the excellent Callington Railways book from a local shop in Callington and have re-read it many times.
My interests, and available budget were channeled in to live steam, so I never got round to building anything, but would be very interested in seeing photos of yours

 

[Martin Field]

Passed my driving test in Gunnislake. I seem to recall it had a medieval gate in the middle of the high street from which a suicidal copper would jump, thereby providing the emergency stop action!
Give my regards to North Tawton. Lived there for 3 years.

 

[cbrailways]

Yes, welcome Paul. I have found this forum to be very helpful when you get stuck or need a bit of motivation..... Don't forget the photographs....

 

[Paul Cambridge]

Hi Paul,
Welcome!
I have also had an interest in the Callington Branch, so much so, back in the mid 80's we holidayed near Gunnislake for three years running! If I remember correctly, the large quay house was for sale below the viaduct at calstock, and I was interested in buying it, but my wife felt the viaduct was a tad over powering
I bought the excellent Callington Railways book from a local shop in Callington and have re-read it many times.
My interests, and available budget were channeled in to live steam, so I never got round to building anything, but would be very interested in seeing photos of yours
View attachment 79479

I have a different edition of that book. It was what got me modelling the line. It’s a shame there is not a more update in-depth book, as the first edition of the book is now 50 years old. I’d like to see pictures of the 0395 class on the line as apparently they did run up there. For my part, I do run more than just O2s. The model is a platform to run my collection of SR stock, not be just a strict representation of what ran on the line. It’s not an exhibition layout, so with in reason, I run what I like. I have some GWR stock, but no layout to run that on, so that turns up at times as well.
My take on the branch was to to use Colonel Stephens / Light Railway buildings from elsewhere. For example, the station building is from the K&ESR. There was just no room for the Callington overall roof and building. The ground frame is from photos. I’ll start a thread soon.

 

[JasonD]

'Our new home will have-to-have ...'
so that's not decided yet. Packing railway stuff away, er ..., 4 weeks tops! 2018 move ... 30-ish weeks away? New home: 2 years getting the lounge ceiling painted and toilet roll holders up.... Don't stop modelling. Sorry, meant to say DON'T STOP MODELLING!! I speak from pathetic, unforgivable personal experience.
Good luck
Jason

 

[Paul Cambridge]

'Our new home will have-to-have ...'
so that's not decided yet. Packing railway stuff away, er ..., 4 weeks tops! 2018 move ... 30-ish weeks away? New home: 2 years getting the lounge ceiling painted and toilet roll holders up.... Don't stop modelling. Sorry, meant to say DON'T STOP MODELLING!! I speak from pathetic, unforgivable personal experience.
Good luck
Jason

Its not just the decorating, it will be the 4 acres minimum for the ponies.......

 

[Rob Pulham]

Welcome Paul

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Its not just the decorating, it will be the 4 acres minimum for the ponies.......

And with that amount of acreage, sell the ponies and get a nice 5" gauge railway

 

[Paul Cambridge]

And with that amount of acreage, sell the ponies and get a nice 5" gauge railway

Don’t think Mrs C would agree to that! The whole purpose of moving is to have room for the ponies. Plus the 7mm layout, a workshop and a garden for the 16mm stuff. My wife is fully aware of these requirements and wants to find a place that will meet ALL of this. We’re all happy then.

 

[David Varley]

How about a Welsh Pony?

 

[Paul Cambridge]

How about a Welsh Pony?

Funny you should say that! One of them is a Welsh Section A. This is Foxy, the great escape artist!

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Welcome Paul,
My folks live in Kelly Bray, and I live in Gunnislake. if you need any piccies of the area, let me know. The bus shelter on Station Road (seen on the left of this picture https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...ngton_Station_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1855735.jpg ) is all that's discernible of the station environs now; the site has been turned into an industrial estate named (rather cruelly in my opinion) Beeching Park.

Cheers

Jan

 

[Paul Cambridge]

Thanks Jan. I have all that I need now as this project is mature. As will be revealed in due course, I took a slightly different course with the station building, using a drawing of Rolvenden on the KESR. Well, they were both Col Stephens lines, but I must say the PD&SWJR was much more up market than most of his other lines. I reckon that the Bere Alston to Gunnislake section is the last piece of Col Stephens' empire still operating a passenger service on the national rail network.

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Thanks Jan. I have all that I need now as this project is mature. As will be revealed in due course, I took a slightly different course with the station building, using a drawing of Rolvenden on the KESR. Well, they were both Col Stephens lines, but I must say the PD&SWJR was much more up market than most of his other lines. I reckon that the Bere Alston to Gunnislake section is the last piece of Col Stephens' empire still operating a passenger service on the national rail network.

No worries, Paul.
It's a fascinating line. I send some time looking at the NLS maps of the line (such as View: Devonshire CV.SW (includes: Calstock; Tavistock Hamlets.) - Ordnance Survey Six-inch England and Wales, 1842-1952), and walking around tracing what went where. The "spaceship" of Plymouth Brickworks is long gone from the Gunni skyline, but the piers of the branch that ran over the Dimson road remain.

We lived in Bere Alston for a couple of years before emigrating across the Tamar to Cornwall, so the line is well known to this idiot. I've always fancied to try and model a shelf layout of the line up past the back of Calstock to Gunni to Okeltor Crossing. The units make heavy weather of it now - a recent service had to set back to Calstock and take a run at the slope to get up to Gunni.

Cheers

Jan

 

[Paul Cambridge]

The last time I travelled on the line was back in May 2006. It was a lovely late spring day. The 150 unit stopped for Okeltor Crossing, then spent the next 10 minutes going nowhere with spinning wheels. You could smell the burning metal . Eventually grip was found from somewhere and we continued the grind up to Gunnislake. Stopping for open crossings with no flashing lights for the Road is one thing, but at that crossing it appears to be a problem.