4mm Wolsey's Creek

[PaulR]

That granary does look very nice and would definitely act as an effective view blocker. Thank you very much to you both for searching it out - much appreciated.

On Old Parrock I didn't use view blockers at either end because I felt they would upset the overall balance of the scene. My idea was to draw the eye towards the middle instead. Very few visitors to the layout have mentioned it, although I did get a long lecture from a punter at St Neots who thought I should disguise them with sea foam trees. I certainly respect his view but to my mind the overall arrangement of features is more important.

I haven't arranged some elements on Wolsey's Creek to my satisfaction yet and I suspect that the scenic features will change as the layout develops. I find it stimulating but I also fret about it!

My latest idea for the goods shed is the one at Blythburgh on the Southwold Railway. It's quirky and simple. There was something similar at Southwold station and that had windows which might be nice. I love the barrel lying in front of the seat:





Meanwhile, here is today's effort - the crossing vee for point No. 3

 

[76043]

Whilst completely agreeing it's supposed to be a hobby, I wouldn't have finished my layout if it wasn't for exhibition deadlines. Did make it a chore at many times, but the pressure was worth it because I have more or less actually nearly finished a layout. This satisfaction was greater than the disappointment of failure after seven years of construction.

Looking forward to seeing this layout.

"The Ramblings of a Great Eastern Engineman" by Albert Grose is worth a read because he was based at Hertford. There's some good tales of the Buntingford branch in the book, my favourite being the sport of trying to leave the guard at any station.
Tony

 

[Kane Clements]

That granary does look very nice and would definitely act as an effective view blocker. Thank you very much to you both for searching it out - much appreciated.

On Old Parrock I didn't use view blockers at either end because I felt they would upset the overall balance of the scene. My idea was to draw the eye towards the middle instead. Very few visitors to the layout have mentioned it, although I did get a long lecture from a punter at St Neots who thought I should disguise them with sea foam trees. I certainly respect his view but to my mind the overall arrangement of features is more important.

I haven't arranged some elements on Wolsey's Creek to my satisfaction yet and I suspect that the scenic features will change as the layout develops. I find it stimulating but I also fret about it!

My latest idea for the goods shed is the one at Blythburgh on the Southwold Railway. It's quirky and simple. There was something similar at Southwold station and that had windows which might be nice. I love the barrel lying in front of the seat:

View attachment 218968

View attachment 218967

Meanwhile, here is today's effort - the crossing vee for point No. 3

View attachment 218966

The use of view blockers? Let us take the example of Crichel Down. A four feet something delightful, even charming, piece of work with a sodding great expensive piece of engineering inserted to provide a masque for the hole in the scenic break. Wouldn't have been built that way in real life.

Frankly having followed the story of Old Parrock and recently, finally, caught up with it in the flesh at a show IMHO it loses nothing for having a rabbit hole at each end.

Finally, Exhibit A for the prosecution.

 

[michael mott]

I will certainly be following along with this new layout, I must say that the mention of old Parrock sent me back there again. I don’t think I will ever tire of reading that thread.

 

[NHY 581]

The use of view blockers? Let us take the example of Crichel Down. A four feet something delightful, even charming, piece of work with a sodding great expensive piece of engineering inserted to provide a masque for the hole in the scenic break. Wouldn't have been built that way in real life.

Frankly having followed the story of Old Parrock and recently, finally, caught up with it in the flesh at a show IMHO it loses nothing for having a rabbit hole at each end.

Finally, Exhibit A for the prosecution.

View attachment 219102

Morning Kane,

What magazine/issue was Critchel Down featured in. Wouldn't mind seeking a copy out.

Rob.

 

[adrianmc]

Hi Rob,

The Crichel Down Affair appeared in Model Railway Constructor January 1986.

Regards

Adrian

 

[PaulR]

I loved Crichel Down. I've met Martin Goodall a few times while exhibiting Old Parrock and he's very modest about it but it had a huge influence on me and I'm sure many others too. Apart from MRJ I only keep a few railway magazines - January 86 Model Railway Constructor is one I go back to regularly.

 

[adrianmc]

Martin was kind enough to exhibit Crichel Down at the 15th Gravesham Model Railway Exhibition held over the weekend of the 26th/27th November 1988 and organised by the Gravesend Railway Enthusiasts Society (GRES). I happened to be the Exhibition Manager for the Society at the time.

Was it really 35 years ago!

Adrian

 

[NHY 581]

My thanks to Paul for the scan of what is proving to be an excellent article. So, is Critchel Down arguably the first Cameo Layout ?

( apologies for what is developing into a proper thread drift )

Rob

 

[Herb Garden]

Was it really 35 years ago!

Some of us weren't even born then!

 

[PaulR]

Although I've never lived in Suffolk I know the area well. I had a much-loved aunt who lived in Wickham Market, then Halesworth, and for about fifteen years holidays were spent with my (then) in-laws at Kessingland when my children were young. I can also claim that my great grandfather was a school teacher in Diss before moving to Petersfield in 1873.

I think I'm a bit weird because as with Old Parrock, the origin of Wolsey's Creek lies with a photograph which has nothing to do with railways. I think this photograph of Blackshore Quay on the River Blyth is gorgeous. It dates from 1888 and was taken by Peter Henry Emerson. A bit of delving revealed that Emerson was born in the Cuba, moving to England at the age of eleven in 1867. His father had kept slaves and sadly he appears to have had some fairly unpleasant views as well as a cantakerous temperatment. He once described his wife as 'the best fellow I know' - is that the best he could do? By all accounts she was very long suffering. However, he did take some stunning photographs of Norfolk and Suffolk landscapes as well as recording East Anglian rural trades. Here's the photo:



This is a mile from Southwold but the scene looks remote and somewhat desolate. In 1916, the Southwold Railway built a harbour branch with a siding here. In the background there are ship repair works taking place. It's a classic composition; I love the flatness of the landscape juxtaposed with the vertical of the ship's mast and it was this aspect of the image that I couldn't let go of - it needs to be an important feature of my layout.

 

[Kane Clements]

Morning Kane,

What magazine/issue was Critchel Down featured in. Wouldn't mind seeking a copy out.

Rob.

Hi Rob.

I didn't pick up on your request sorry. I've been renovating our new place and have been and am knackered.

I see you've got a copy of the article. Lovely layout.

I disposed of my copy whenI had to downsize when wife 1 and I parted ways in the late 80s. When I returned to the hobby I obtained at reasonable expense a copy of that issue via Ebay. All the way from Australia!!

 

[NHY 581]

Although I've never lived in Suffolk I know the area well. I had a much-loved aunt who lived in Wickham Market, then Halesworth, and for about fifteen years holidays were spent with my (then) in-laws at Kessingland when my children were young. I can also claim that my great grandfather was a school teacher in Diss before moving to Petersfield in 1873.

I think I'm a bit weird because as with Old Parrock, the origin of Wolsey's Creek lies with a photograph which has nothing to do with railways. I think this photograph of Blackshore Quay on the River Blyth is gorgeous. It dates from 1888 and was taken by Peter Henry Emerson. A bit of delving revealed that Emerson was born in the Cuba, moving to England at the age of eleven in 1867. His father had kept slaves and sadly he appears to have had some fairly unpleasant views as well as a cantakerous temperatment. He once described his wife as 'the best fellow I know' - is that the best he could do? By all accounts she was very long suffering. However, he did take some stunning photographs of Norfolk and Suffolk landscapes as well as recording East Anglian rural trades. Here's the photo:

View attachment 219212

This is a mile from Southwold but the scene looks remote and somewhat desolate. In 1916, the Southwold Railway built a harbour branch with a siding here. In the background there are ship repair works taking place. It's a classic composition; I love the flatness of the landscape juxtaposed with the vertical of the ship's mast and it was this aspect of the image that I couldn't let go of - it needs to be an important feature of my layout.

Similar to myself Paul. I've never set foot in Suffolk but find myself getting totally absorbed by the byways of that county. Your attached photo is lovely and coincidentally I have been looking at Tollesbury Pier.









Though Tollesbury is in Essex, the situation in which the shortlived Pier station was located presents a similar vista. Now, I do have a 'need' for a test piece.......so.......


Rob

 

[Herb Garden]

I've never set foot in Suffolk

You really should! Second greatest county in England!

 

[PaulR]

This photo by Emerson shows Walberswick Creek in late Victorian times. I absolutely love it!

I am going to model the creek with the bridge and some of the fishermen's huts. The strange looking wooden structure on the left may be where an old retaining wall is disintegrating or is some kind of tidal defence system. There's a rather ghostly lady in black in the background.

At the end of the nearest hut is a brick structure with a chimney and an 'A' frame over it which I am pretty sure was for 'barking'. This was the process by which nets were soaked in cutch, an extract of the Indian acacia tree. It was boiled up to make a tar like solution and preserved the nets in the days when natural fibres were used. I have more detailed photos of these huts. This whole scene was swept away in a storm in the early 20's and the area is now close to the Walberswick riverside car park and its attendant ice cream van.




This 25" map is from 1903.



Southwold was considered romantic even in the late 1800s and Walberswick was a destination for artists, some of whom painted scenes like these. The people by the huts in the photo below are almost definitely visitors and are probably the reason for capturing the scene.

Fishing boats regularly moored up on the outside of this spit of land. In my imagination the railway ends here and the little terminus/halt is behind the photographer.




Some may think it's weird to get carried away with all this before deciding on a track plan but that's how I develop my ideas. To prove that railways are not being ignored, I've just finished making the four points for the layout and hope to start track laying soon. Here's one of them.

 

[PaulR]

 

[2996 Victor]

Beautiful photographs of Walberswick, the scene is so atmospheric it just cries out to be modelled!

Points and looking good!

Cheers,
Mark

 

[Allen M]

The strange looking wooden structure on the left may be where an old retaining wall is disintegrating or is some kind of tidal defence system.

Is it possible an abandoned boat hull that is breaking up? When I was a little kid, back in the early 1950s there was an old narrow boat in the canal near where I lived. The shape was different but the appearance was similar.

Regards
Allen

 

[PaulR]

Hi Allen,

That's a good thought and from that view an old boat looks like a distinct possibility. However, from the other angle it becomes clear that it was some kind of retaining wall.



A remarkable thing to me is that substantial hulls were somehow drawn through under the footbridge, obviously at low tide. It must have been worth it and indicates to me that work was done on them here. There's a another view of the open brick 'oven' in this photo. Was it for pitch? I would love to really know! I don't know whether this photo is in the public domain (the Emerson photos are) so I post it in good faith.

 

[John57sharp]

I don’t know anything, but I love this photo and the whole atmosphere of this area and what you are planning.

John