MODELLING BRANCH LINES

A Guide for Railway Modellers

DAVID WRIGHT

THE CROWOOD PRESS

First published in 2015 by

The Crowood Press Ltd

Ramsbury, Marlborough

Wiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2015

© David Wright 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 78500 020 1

Disclaimer

Power tools, glues and other tools and equipment used to create model scenery are potentially dangerous and it is vitally important that they are used in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. The author and the publisher do not accept any responsibility in any manner whatsoever for any error or omission, or any loss, damage, injury, adverse outcome, or liability of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any of the information contained in this book, or reliance upon it.

Photographs by the author unless credited otherwise.

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this, my third book, to my wife Karen.

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my special thanks to Martin Nield, John Hastings-Thomson, Phil Waterfield, Clive Baker and Rob Milliken. Their kind assistance and photographic and other contributions to this book have been invaluable.

INTRODUCTION

When I was first approached by the publishers about producing a book on modelling railway branch lines, the idea certainly attracted my attention, although the prospect of covering such diverse subject matter did appear rather daunting. My intention from the start was to produce a book that would present modellers with as much information as possible and provide them with the inspiration to create a realistic representation of a British branch line. I also wanted to produce a book that would offer railway modellers something a little different from all the other publications that have been written on modelling our branch lines. In the first chapter I describe the background history of branch lines and consider their role in the future. I will then look at examples of branch lines from all parts of the mainland of Britain, as well as one of the islands, and proceed to consider how branch line modelling can be incorporated into smaller spaces around the house, garage or even the garden shed. The book is illustrated with photographs, track diagrams, maps, architectural drawings and three-dimensional interpretations of branch line layouts. This is most evident in the chapter that deals with a special branch line layout project. In a separate chapter I examine colour, landscaping and creating the settings in which to place the branch line models. I hope that both the text and the illustrations will give you, the modeller, a good reference point for starting a model of a branch line.

THE BIRTH AND EARLY YEARS OF THE BRANCH LINE

Branch lines usually summon up the image of a sleepy single-tracked railway winding its way through our green and pleasant rural countryside to reach a terminus in another sleepy market town or village. This idea would be accurate in most cases, although a good number were built to serve industry and did not have the rural ambience that generally comes to mind when the term branch line is mentioned.

The Haytor Tramway was built to transport granite from the quarries on Dartmoor down to the Stover Canal at Teigngrace for trans-shipment on to barges. The tramway used lengths of granite to form the flange way on which simple loaded and unloaded wagons were pulled along by horse.

The Ticknall Tramway in South Derbyshire was built to transport limestone from quarries to the lime kilns. The burnt lime was transported in wagons pulled by horses along primitive iron rails to be loaded on to barges at the nearby Ashby Canal.

Stone sleeper used on the Ticknall Tramway. A spike would be driven through the drilled hole, anchoring the rail down onto the sleeper. This type of track was used on many of the early tramways and railways.

A good number of our branch lines did not terminate in a country station either. These lines were smaller link routes, linking one major main route to another. Most of these were also laid to double track. Another variation was the loop line, again usually laid to double track. These routes would branch off a main line to serve a community before rejoining the same major route.

The history of our branch lines goes back to the very first railways, originating with the horse-drawn tram and gangways. These primitive forms were laid down to provide transportation of stone, coal or slate, together with other materials and commodities, to a transhipment point, usually a river or a canal. Some would be laid to move them from one stage of processing to another. The early tramways consisted of rails made of materials such as stones forming a flange way. The first metal rails would make an appearance following the industrialized smelting of iron. The individual sections of fish-bellied rail were dovetailed together and sat on individual stone block sleepers. Another feature of some of these early railways was the use of inclined planes. This was a means of moving the goods over the steep contours of the land using cables to pull the wagons up and down the incline. Early forms worked by gravity with a loaded set of wagons running down, pulling the empty wagons up. The introduction of a stationary engine would improve the operation of this system. The Swannington Railway in Leicestershire was the first to use this method. One famous railway to use inclined planes, not so far away in Derbyshire, was the Cromford & High Peak Railway. Here a number of inclines were included to traverse right across the hills of the Peak District linking the Cromford Canal in the Derwent Valley with the Peak Forest Canal in the Goyt Valley. I will cover the Cromford & High Peak Railway in more detail later in the book, looking at how this unusual railway would make a good model branch line project.

A sample of the type of cast (fish-belly) rail used on the early railways, here stamped with the letters C. & H. P. R. Co. (Cromford & High Peak Railway Company).

Using railways to move passengers as well as goods did not happen until 1825 with the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. The first major route built to link two cities was the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, opened in 1830. It was not long before the railway boom started in earnest, with the railway barons building lines to link all the major towns and cities, generating large profits from this new transport system. Along with the major arteries, secondary routes were also constructed. It was soon realized that linking dairy and livestock farming areas, as well as industrial quarries and coal mines, could also become very profitable.

Some of the early railways had to traverse hilly terrain. The Cromford & High Peak was one such railway, linking the Cromford Canal with the Peak Forest Canal. To move the wagons up and down the steep inclines, engine houses were positioned at the top using steam power to haul up the wagons on chains. These were linked to the underframe of each wagon and pulleys were fixed to the centre of the sleepers to guide the chains. Two large wheels were provided, one at the top and one at the bottom, through which the chains ran to complete a circuit.

The workshops for the Cromford & High Peak Railway situated at Cromford Wharf. All repair work was carried out here in the blacksmith’s forge.

This gave birth to the rural branch line we have all become familiar with. These railways could offer farming communities the chance to load their fresh produce onto trains that would transport them quickly to the major marketplaces in towns and cities. The rural stations that were built provided goods handling facilities for loading milk, livestock, fruit, vegetables and, in some cases, fish. The railway could now give farmers a way of conveying their produce to its destination in the knowledge that it would arrive fresh. In return the stations would have facilities for receiving goods such as coal and other commodities required by a rural community.

The branch line would also offer a passenger service to transport locals efficiently to other villages or to the larger towns and cities, giving them the opportunity to work, shop or indulge themselves in leisure pursuits away from their homes for the first time.

By the turn of the century the mainland and some of the islands would see the railway map of Britain covered with small branch lines reaching out like fingers to all corners of the land.

The following decades would see a growing need for branch lines providing a much needed link to the railway transport system. Passenger numbers and goods grew rapidly and the branch railway would play an important role during the First Word War, moving troops and horses as well as transporting other essential produce during this time of conflict.

THE DECLINE OF THE BRANCH LINE

The first signs of a decline in the need for the branch line, however, became apparent after the war. Over the next decade there was a rapid growth of motor transport using converted vehicles decommissioned after war service. This had already started in the towns and cities, but soon after the war local bus and lorry companies utilizing these vehicles would spread their services out to the rural areas. Road improvements made it possible for these services to start to compete with the railways for both passengers and goods. At first it was passenger numbers that started to decline as the railway could still move goods efficiently. Staff, however, were required at stations for both passenger and goods traffic and it was inevitable that some stations became uneconomic, closing to passenger services but retaining their goods facilities: in 1930, for example, no fewer than ninety-nine stations across the country shut their doors to passengers. Over the next decades more stations closed as the movement of goods was also transferred to road transport and we started to see the closure of the whole of the branch line. The Second World War would see renewed use of the branch lines, including the evacuation of children from the bomb-threatened towns and cities to a safer haven in the country villages. However, the war had taken the railways to near breaking point and from 1945 the branch lines continued their decline. With a new government in power, the worn-out railway system was nationalized in 1947. The new ‘British Railways’ inherited a mass of worn-out locomotives, rolling stock and country stations that were too large and overstaffed for the small numbers of passengers they were attracting. More branch line stations began to lose their passenger facilities. Most of the railways, however, still kept their goods facilities, although improved roads and lower costs started to make moving the goods by road more attractive. Road transport’s other great advantage over rail was the ability to move the goods directly door to door. The railways could only offer a service direct to where a rail dock was provided; the last part of its journey would involve unloading and sending it on by delivery cart or lorry from the nearest station.

The late 1950s would see even more change. In 1959, for example, the first motorway was built. This was the Preston Bypass, which later became part of the M6. This was closely followed by the first section of the M1 and it was not long before the motorways and other road improvements were being backed as ‘the way forward’ by the transport minister Ernest Marples. At the same time British Railways took stock of what had to be done to make the railways pay their way again. Dr Richard Beeching, on secondment from ICI, was appointed Chairman of the British Railways Board in 1961 to compile two reports on the economic state of the railways. The first of these, The Reshaping of British Railways (1963), concluded that most of the country’s branch lines were running at a loss and the stations were vastly over-manned for what few passengers were travelling on the trains. With more goods now being transported by road, nearly all the remaining branch lines were closed and the stations wiped off the railway map of Britain. A good number of secondary routes and even some of the main lines also fell to this mass rationalization of the railway system. The only branch lines that survived were those offering a commercially viable way to move goods and passengers, sometimes because the alternative of moving goods by road was not an easy or practical option. By the end of the 1960s the majority of branch lines, both those serving rural communities and those serving urban areas and industry, had passed into the history books. However, this was not the total end for the branch line as there remained a determination that part of the country’s historical and social past should survive. Since the 1950s railway enthusiasts have banded together to form preservation groups, saving a good number of our beloved branch lines.

SAVING THE BRANCH LINE

The preservation movement started with the narrow-gauge Talyllynn Railway in North Wales, which opened under preservation in 1951. The first standard-gauge line to be preserved was the Bluebell Railway in 1959. The following decades saw more and more preservation groups saving and rebuilding stretches or the whole length of a branch line that had been left to decay.

The 1960s also saw the demise of steam on the national system. The same railway enthusiasts started to save and preserve steam locomotives to run on these branch lines. There were plenty of locomotives available as British Rail rapidly withdrew all of its steam motive power in this decade, replacing them with diesel and electric locomotives. Rolling stock was also acquired by the preservationists, as coaching and goods stock similarly went through a process of replacement.

The preservationists faced a daunting task in raising money to purchase the railway and the infrastructure as well as the locomotives and rolling stock to run on them. Once the purchase had been made there remained the necessity to restore and in some cases completely rebuild the stations, signal boxes and other related buildings and structures. After closure the lines and stations had been left to decay. Empty buildings soon became the target for vandals and the tracks became overgrown with weeds. Much of the track may already have been lifted and cut up for scrap, but these determined enthusiasts did not shy away from any of the obstacles put before them. It is down to these dedicated people that there are still a good number of these railways today and that we can all experience this unique way of travelling in vintage coaching stock behind a steam locomotive along one of our branch lines.

The passenger train arrangement used by the Great Western for its branch line running featured an auto-train, where the train could be operated from both ends, either from the set of controls on the locomotive or from a duplicated set at the driving end of the auto-coach. This arrangement did not require the locomotive to run around the train at the terminus. All that was required was for the crew to move to the other end of the train, ready to drive it away in the opposite direction.

The age of the heritage railway has now become an established tourist industry, with the railways offering an experience from the past to entertain both young and old. There are now heritage railways in most counties of England, more than a dozen in Wales, six in Scotland and two in Northern Ireland. You can also travel on heritage railways on the Isle of Wight and the Isle of Man. The future will see even more railways being opened while the enthusiasm for preserving the past remains.

Besides providing a day out for the family, some of our heritage railways have created the perfect settings for the television and film industry. This has provided the railways with a good income whenever a period TV drama or film production requires a railway backdrop. We only have to look at how the North Yorkshire Moors Railway contributed to the 1960s setting of the ITV series ‘Heartbeat’ or, further back, the recreation of 1905 by the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway in the EMI 1970 film production of The Railway Children.

The heritage railways can also offer us a stage for many entertaining events, such as 1940s and Wartime celebrations, Beer Festivals, as well as Thomas the Tank Engine and Santa Specials for the younger generation. All these have contributed to making the preserved railway a success, helping keep alive some of our beloved branch lines.

THE FUTURE OF THE BRANCH LINE

So where does the branch line figure in the railway system of the present and the future? The holiday lines that were left open still attract many passengers for the summer months at least. The short branch from Twyford terminating at Henley-on-Thames becomes very busy for the regatta every year. A few other branch lines have been created by truncating what were once main lines. A good example of this is the Derwent Valley Line in Derbyshire. This line from Ambergate once carried freight and passenger traffic through the Peak District as part of the Midland Railway main route to Manchester. The line finally closed as a through route in 1968. Only the first eight miles remains open today. The track was singled and rationalized, although the intermediate stations at Whatstandwell, Cromford and Matlock Bath remained open. The branch now terminates at Matlock, from where four miles of the old line to Rowsley South have been reinstated as a heritage railway.

There are plans to reopen some closed branch lines to avoid congestion on the roads, especially those that offer commuters an alternative way to travel in and out of the larger towns and cities.

A great number of closed branch lines have become greenways in the countryside. These offer recreational amenities for cyclists, ramblers and horse riders. Some have become linear nature reserves offering the perfect habitat for many varieties of flora and fauna. It is a pleasing thought that they have been put to good use even if we can’t see trains running on them anymore.

Great Longstone Station on the Monsal Trail in the Derbyshire Peak District. Many branch lines and some main lines have been used to create linear pathways for walking or other leisure pastimes. The closed railways have also become nature reserves providing corridors for wildlife to move freely from one habitat to another.

Matlock Station was once on the busy route of the Midland Railway’s main line through the Peak District to Manchester. Matlock is now the terminus of this truncated railway, making it into a branch line known locally as the Derwent Valley Line.

CHAPTER ONE

MAKING A START

The very first thing when building a model railway of any sort is to ask yourself a few questions.

What space do I have to accommodate a model railway?

Is the model to be fixed or portable to take to exhibitions?

What scale do I want to build the model in?

How much time and how much money can I afford to put towards creating a model railway?

Choosing to build a branch line rather than a main line should give you a better chance of creating a model to fit into those smaller spaces. The chosen scale will also need to be addressed, taking into consideration the space available, the prototype that you have in mind to model and what rolling stock you intend to run. With careful thought and good design a model branch line layout can fit into the smallest of spaces.

PLANNING

I would always recommend research if you are intending to build a realistic model. If you don’t have any idea of the model you wish to build, a good starting place would be to look through books and on the internet. Research is an essential starting point to any model-making project and a branch line is no different. There are many books available on selected prototypes to give you a good account of the history. These are often supported with archive photographs and in some cases plans are also available. Another source for information would be a local studies library where larger scale Ordnance Survey maps showing track plans of branch lines should be available to view. You may be allowed to take photocopies of these maps to take home with you. This information can sometimes be available from the internet and then printed out. Railway company track plans might also be available. Try the archive collections at the National Railway Museum or the Historical Model Railway Society, although you need to become a member of the latter to obtain the information. Collate as much reference material together as possible on the desired prototype and lay this out to start the next stage.

SKETCH PLANS

The next thing to do is to sketch out a plan for your branch line layout. If possible draw this from a prototype track plan, preferably from the large scale Ordnance Survey maps or railway company plans, if you can obtain them. Use a sheet of tracing paper to make a tracing of the track plan. You will find in most cases that you might have to cut the length of a siding or it will be necessary to delete one. Even on the smallest branch line plans the prototype will still be too long or large for the space available for the layout. Compromises nearly always have to be made to make the layout practical. With careful design at this stage, for example by shortening platforms or cutting out sections of track, this can be achieved without losing the overall feel of the prototype. This can be taken even further by using the prototype plan as a guide while making something completely free. If you choose this way, however, try to include as much detail from the prototype plan as possible, but scale this down on paper to suit your requirements. When sketching out the first plans, try to be aware of the scale of the model, although this can be addressed at the next stage of redrawing the plan on squared paper.

DRAWING UP A SCALE PLAN

You will need to acquire a sheet of graph or squared paper. Use the squares to create a scale and then start to redraw the plan to the scale chosen. With the about over the basic track, enabling you to see how track drawn out you can add the buildings, structures best the track layout will fit on the baseboards. You and major landscape features. Now we can consider the baseboards on which your desired plan will fit. A starting point for this is to draw your baseboards to the same scale on tracing paper in red ink. Divide the drawing into squares. It is a personal choice whether imperial or metric measurements are used (I happen to prefer imperial). The tracing paper can be moved about over the basic track, enabling you to see how best the track layout will fit on the baseboards. You might find that the boards have to be adjusted to offer the best solution to achieve this. Any adjustments can be made and drawn on the tracing paper. You may find that the baseboards would fit better with curves to the front or rear rather than keeping the boards totally square. This, however, will make the construction a little more difficult, but it may well be worth it in the long run. Once you are happy with the plan you need to bring the track plan drawing together with the tracing paper overlay. This can be taped down across the top, creating a hinged overlay. If you need to adjust anything it still can be done, but try to make all such adjustments at this planning stage, even if you end up redrawing the plans a few times. It will be much easier to change things on paper than trying to make adjustments at the building stage. Making changes later could also turn out to be expensive. There may still be a few adjustments necessary when you put your scale plan to the full-size version of the model, but try to keep the numbers down as far as possible.

A starting point to planning a model branch line is to use a large scale Ordnance Survey map of your desired area. Illustrated is my attempt to fit a fictitious narrow-gauge station into the topography around the Derbyshire village of Fenny Bentley.

Try sketching out your ideas first on paper, putting in as much detail as possible. This should include the fiddle yard buildings and structures as well as the track layout.

If you have the appropriate software, of course, the scale plan could also be created on a computer. The overlay can be drawn over the plan in the same way and any adjustments can be made quite easily. Once you are completely happy with the plan, then it can simply be printed out.

Before we move on to creating the baseboards themselves, it is worth considering how we will store the locomotives and rolling stock to run on our model branch line. You will need to plan this out at the same time as the layout. The type of storage system will be down to personal choice, although space will determine which system will best suit particular requirements. The most common fiddle storage systems are:

Ladder sidings

Traverser table

Sector plate

Turntable

Cassette system.

BASEBOARDS

The next stage is to build the baseboards for the layout. It is important to get this right as the baseboards will be the foundation to support your branch line layout. When building a house you must put in sufficient foundations or the house will fall down: the same applies to a model railway. There are a few ways to fabricate the baseboards and one method will be described in detail in Chapter 6.

A standard baseboard measures 4 × 2ft (122 × 61cm) and the frame is made from twelve-ply cut into strips measuring about 6cm wide. This is glued and screwed at the corner joins. A sheet of six-ply has then been fitted to the frame to make the flat-topped board. A series of boards made up in this way can be fitted together to make up any configuration required for a model railway layout.

The frame of this 4 × 2 baseboard has been made up from two strips of thinner plywood. These have been assembled to create a beam by using blocks of timber in-between. This beam method creates a strong but light construction that is unlikely to warp. The ends employ only one strip of the ply. The same six-ply top has been fitted to this design of frame.

In this chapter I will describe the most accepted methods for building baseboards. The most common construction for layouts in the past was to use a pine 2 × 1in timber framework to support a top consisting of ½in thick chipboard. Although this construction gives a strong foundation for any layout, it can be very heavy. Another problem is that the framework is liable to warp. If you choose to use this type of framework, always make sure that the pine is well seasoned to avoid this, and always check the lengths of timber for twist when selecting them from the supplier. To make the construction lighter you could choose plywood or Sundeala fibreboard. The tried and tested pine frame can be glued and screwed after being sawn to the lengths required. Another way to assemble the framework is by cutting halving joints first before gluing and inserting the screws. This is a ‘belt and braces’ method that gives a much stronger and rigid support for the baseboard top. When cut to the required size, the tops can be fixed with PVA wood glue before securing with screws.

A more favourable way to construct the framework today is to use what is known as the sandwich beam technique. The sandwich consists of two cut lengths of three or five ply; the depth of the side to the beams can be anything from 2in (50mm) to 6in (150mm). The two side lengths of plywood will require adding blocks of 2 × 1in pine, which can be glued along the lengths at the ends and with one or more in the centre if the length requires them. I would suggest keeping the blocks a distance of around 18in (458mm) apart, keeping the beam rigid but still fairly light. To make the beam even lighter, round holes can be cut out on the face of the plywood beam lengths. This method of reducing weight is taken from the methods used in aircraft frame fabrication. The beams can be glued and screwed using the blocks to locate the baseboard tops. Plywood or Sundeala board is again recommended to keep the baseboard as light as possible. This method of baseboard construction is ideal for exhibition layouts where the boards will need to be both light and strong. If you will be transporting the baseboards from exhibition to exhibition, this is one of the most important issues to consider. Stretcher sections, cut to the same depth, should be added on the ends and in the centre. More stretchers can be added if the length of the side beams requires them. Any stretcher beams can be fixed to the side beams by using a pine beading strip with a square or triangular profile. This can simply be glued using good quality PVA wood glue. To make the construction even more rigid, extra stretcher beams can be added at an angle of 45 degrees; this construction will compensate for any lateral forces put upon the boards. All the stretcher beams can have the same treatment as the side beams with holes cut to reduce the weight still further.

The construction of a baseboard using the plywood beam method.

OPEN-TOPPED BASEBOARDS

So far I have only considered the construction of solid-topped baseboards, which are fine if the land surrounding the track bed is completely flat. However, there will be cases where the track bed remains flat and level but the land surrounding it might be lower or higher. To achieve the lower levels of land, a frame needs to be constructed for the lowest level. The framework can be fabricated from pine or the plywood sandwich method. The track bed can be raised on a series of risers fitted to the framework. Profile boards will then be needed to connect the levels together, shaped to the profile of the land. Higher land can also be formed by the use of profile boards.

A number of different methods can be used to create the sub-base needed for landscape formations. One of the most common of these is to use chicken wire, supported underneath by crumpled-up newspaper. You could also use the protective plastic mesh intended for use over guttering. This type of mesh is lighter than chicken wire and much easier to cut, making it a better option. It is supplied on a roll about 8in (200mm) wide, which might be a problem if large areas are required. Another material to try is the aluminium mesh used in car body repair work. Again this is much lighter and can easily be bent and sculpted, although it is a little more difficult to cut. Cardboard is a much favoured way of producing the sub-base today, as the use of recycled cereal cartons can make it the cheapest method. Another method often used nowadays is to build up layers of polystyrene sheet or Styrofoam insulation sheet, which can later be cut and sculpted to shape. I will elaborate on all these methods in Chapter 6 when discussing how to create the landscaping for a branch line layout.

Before I look at how the baseboards are going to be supported, it might be worth considering the size of the baseboards themselves. Of course, the board’s total size will depend on the size of the prototype branch line you are trying to replicate. The size of each board will also depend on the scale you are working to: in theory a branch line modelled in 2mm (1:148) scale should fit on baseboards smaller than those intended for a 4mm (1:76) scale. The other factor governing the size of the board will be how much surrounding landscape you wish to include outside the perimeter of the railway. If your branch line layout is intended to be exhibited, then you must take into consideration the size of each board. It is important that the boards used are practical for setting up, storage and transporting in a van or the back of a car. The most favoured maximum size for each board is 2 × 4ft, generally arranged in a linear fashion. Wider boards could be used, but you should always ensure that you can reach everything during construction and when operating the completed layout.

Baseboards do not have to be rectangular or square either. Curved fronts or rears could work for your choice of layout, but always keep the ends square. Unusually shaped boards, however, might create problems for exhibition branch line layouts where transportation and storage is always going to be an issue. To finish the boards a fascia should be fitted to the front and you should allow for a board to which the back scene is fixed at the rear.

Sometimes the track bed level of the railway will be higher than the land around it. When the track is elevated on an embankment, for instance, an open-topped baseboard will be required. This photograph shows a simple open frame made from pine. The land has been added using Daler board, although thin plywood could also be used. A series of wood risers were positioned and glued on this lower level. The track bed level has been first cut to shape from sheets of thin plywood and fixed to the top of the risers.

If you always intend to keep your branch line layout in a fixed position, each board section can be connected to the next by a permanent joining method such as screws. If your layout is to be taken apart to be moved, however, it will be necessary to have a joining system to connect the boards that ensures the boards line up perfectly with each other. One tried and tested way to achieve this is by using pattern-makers’ dowels. Two ‘male’ dowels are fitted to the end of one board and these locate with two ‘female’ dowels fitted to the end of the next board. Pattern-makers’ dowels are available from modelling tool suppliers.

Joining baseboards together requires major attention. It is important that the boards fit together perfectly and that any track lines up over the join. This illustration shows the method of making this join: (A) baseboard tops; (B) end boards; (C) male and female pattern-makers’ dowels; (D) bolt with washer and wing nut; (E) metal facing plates fitted to strengthen the bolt connection.

SUPPORTING THE BASEBOARDS

With the baseboards made, we must now turn our attention to how the baseboards are going to be supported. The most common supports are some kind of trestles made of timber or metal. The height off the floor depends on your preference and any height restrictions you might have in the room where the layout will be housed. My advice would be that, if you can afford the room, the layout would benefit from being displayed higher rather than lower. I would recommend that the layout should be at least 4ft (1.2m) off the ground or slightly higher, if at all possible. The model will always look more realistic when viewed at eye level.

Single trestles can be made from 2 × 2in timber legs with cross members made from plywood or pine. An extra bracing timber can be used fixed at an angle to give extra strength to the trestle assembly. Single trestles will need some way of being fixed to the baseboard frames. This can be achieved by preparing housing within the framework with provision for fitting a couple of bolts, held in place by wing nuts, to secure the baseboard to the supports. Extra arms, made from plywood, can be fixed halfway down both legs of the trestle and then located using more bolts and wing nuts to the baseboard frame. With the arms fitted at an angle of 45 degrees, these will give extra strength and even more stability to support the layout. It might also be worth fitting adjustable feet to the base of each leg. This will give you flexibility so that the baseboards are always kept level if the branch line layout is taken to exhibitions, as the floors at some venues might not be perfectly flat. The same design of trestle could also be fabricated from steel: Dexion angle iron might be worth considering, taking advantage of the easy assembly facility this material offers. You should also be able to acquire adjustable feet that fit this system.

Ways of making supports for the baseboards. (A)This single trestle is constructed from timber with two cross members at the top to support the baseboard. Also note the diagonal strut to give rigidity to the trestle. (B) Here the facing beams of the baseboard are made to overlap the trestle leg so that a bolt can be threaded through to fix them together. (C)This shows a scissor or ‘X’ trestle, again made of timber. This design locates with two cross members fitted to the frame of the baseboard. (D)The ‘A’ design of trestle to support baseboards has long been a favourite. It basically consists of two single trestles hinged together on the top cross member. The lower cross members are fitted with a length of chain or rope fitted that becomes taut when the trestles are opened out; the second illustration shows this design of trestle when closed up. Both the scissor and ‘A’ designs fold flat when not in use, making them ideal for exhibition use.

The piggyback arrangement of assembling baseboards together. Note how only one trestle support is required for each baseboard. By positioning the support near to the end of the board and creating a bridge over the join, fewer supports will be needed. Note also that a supported traverser board has been added to one end.

The alternative to single trestles is, of course, double ones. Using the same assembly as described above, bring two trestles together and fit a pair of hinges to the top stretcher rail. The finished result is a folding ‘A’ trestle. A length of rope or chain should then be fitted to the lower cross stretchers, so that when folded out the rope or chain is extended to its full length and provides anchorage to keep the trestles rigid. The baseboards can be positioned on the top of these, but some kind of anchor strip might need to be added to the baseboard frame to avoid movement.

One other idea for supporting a portable exhibition layout is to use storage boxes in which the layout may be stored when in transit to and from the exhibition venue. The baseboards are made to fit on rails inside the box, keeping them safe and secure. When the boards have been removed they can simply be fixed on top of the boxes. The bottom of the boxes could be fitted with locking castors, making the storage boxes easy to move around. This is copying the methods used by band roadies to move sound and lighting equipment around when taking concerts out on the road.

These are the best ways of supporting baseboards for portable layouts and they can also be used for permanent displays. However, there are alternatives. Small fixed layouts, for example, could be supported on one or a series of sturdy bookshelves, or similar items of furniture. I have even seen one supported on an ironing board. A narrow end-to-end layout could easily be supported on a series of brackets fixed to a wall. This arrangement could also support a wider layout, although extra legs would probably need to be fitted to the front to give the stability required. I will look at designing some smaller branch line models and dioramas in Chapter 2 and consider alternative and creative ways of supporting them.

The storage sidings arrangements could have fold-down support trestles hinged at one end. This could then be fixed to the main boards by a couple of locating bolts, again using wing nut fastenings. Another idea would be to support the storage system on two plywood arms set at 45 degrees, as described above.

The last item to consider is how the baseboards are to be located and fixed together, as in most cases more than one board will be required even on a branch line layout. One way of achieving an accurate way of registering the boards together is to use pattern-makers’ dowels. The male dowel will need to be lined up and fitted to the end of one board and a female dowel fitted to the end of the other. It is important that these are fitted and lined up correctly, but when this has been achieved you may be confident that the boards will give you a good service for a long time. When it comes to fixing the track, you should find that running problems over the joins are reduced or even eliminated altogether.

Adjustable feet will help to level your baseboards. This example is easily screwed to the wooden trestle legs.

Once time and effort has been devoted to creating a good foundation for the branch line layout, we can confidently move on to the next stage of laying and fixing down the track.

LAYING AND FIXING THE TRACK

Before looking at laying and fixing the track it is worth considering the gauge in relation to the scale you have decided to use in constructing your model representation of a branch line. Let’s start with standard gauge track. The gauge of the prototype, 4ft 8½in, came about from averaging out all the gauges used for the tram and industrial gang roads, measured from the inside of the rail or flange way. The following are the most common gauges and scales with readily available off-the-shelf trackwork to represent standard gauge track, starting with the smallest and progressing to the largest we might want to use for a branch line model.

British N Gauge

(9mm gauge)

Scale 1:148

2mm = 1ft

OO Gauge

(16.6mm gauge)

Scale 1:76

4mm = 1ft

O Gauge

(35mm gauge)

Scale 1:48

7mm = 1ft

For the more conscientious modeller, there are other gauges that match the scale exactly, although if this is your choice you will have to build the trackwork from the available kits and components. If you are confident and have the time, though, then building your own scale trackwork can be very rewarding. The more accurate gauges for 4mm to 1ft scale (1:76) are EM (Eighteen Millimetres) and P4 (Pro-Four, also known as Scale Four). Track in these gauges and scales is available in flexible metre lengths. This track system will also give the modeller the opportunity to create a more realistic appearance, which will definitely be an advantage to those who want to create a true representation of the British branch line. This type of track gives you the correct sleeper spacing, chair detail and a true scale profile to the rail itself. Possibly the only supplier of this comprehensive track system today is C&L Finescale. SMP Scaleway track, available in metre lengths and in medium radius kits for points, also gives an authentic appearance but is only available in 16.6mm (OO). Other points and turnouts will have to be made up using the soldered-on, copperclad sleeper system or made up from C&L point kits. These kits also give a printed template of the many turnouts found on British track layout. The point you require can then be made up on top of this template. Any chair details will have to be added using cosmetic ones glued on afterwards.

Whatever trackwork and gauge you finally decide to use, you will need to fix it down to a foundation. This will provide a base to the ballast as well as improving sound insulation for the trains that are going to run over your trackwork. The best material to create this foundation is cork. Rolls or sheets of cork are readily available and come in various thicknesses. This can be glued to the top of the baseboard in areas where the track is to be laid.

With the cork foundation fixed, the track can be laid on top of it. However, I would always recommend using templates first. This approach will give you a good idea of how the trackwork will flow and look. Most importantly it will allow you to check any clearances, enabling you to make any changes or adjustments at this stage rather than having to lift any fixed track, which can be expensive and disheartening.

Once you are satisfied with the track layout in template form, you can start to fix the actual track in place. I use track pins to fix the track to the baseboards initially. It is best to drill the sleepers first as this will not distort the sleepers, before pushing the pins into the cork underlay and through to the baseboard itself. The pins can be removed or cut when the ballast has been glued in around and completely secured to the track.

The next stage is to wire the trackwork to suit your running requirements. Nowadays, of course, Digital Command Control (DCC) is also an option. I am not in any way an expert on the electrical wiring of model railways and I would strongly advise you to look into the many books published on this subject.

Once you have completed the wiring of the track to suit your specific requirements, then the ballasting can be tackled. Most ballast available gives a very authentic appearance as granules of actual minerals are used. However, when selecting this, be aware that, in my opinion, the size recommended for that scale will probably be too large. If your branch line is modelled in 4mm (1:76) scale, use the grain size ballast intended for 2mm (1:146) scale. It is always worth studying photographs to identify the type and size of ballast that has been used. The pre-grouping railway companies used ash ballast rather than stone, especially on the branch lines. This material was used under grouping and also by British Railways for track ballast other than on the main lines. Fine sand can also be used as an alternative to the materials purchased from model suppliers. How the ballast is applied and then painted to give convincing results will be covered in Chapter 3.

CHAPTER TWO

FINDING THE SPACE TO HOUSE YOUR MODEL BRANCH LINE

In the previous chapter I have covered how to make a start on building the layout. Before we look at various prototypes to model, however, it is worth considering the space that might be available in or around the home to house the layout. This chapter is mainly concerned with a fixed layout that is not going to leave home, but let’s not forget that an exhibition layout will still need space to be stored or set up at home.

A branch line layout can be accommodated in several locations around a standard detached house. (A) An integral garage can make the ideal room to locate the layout. A detached garage can also be used, but you will have lay on a power supply and make the garage secure. (B) Here a spare bedroom has been used, but you may have to work around a doorway. (C)The loft is often used to accommodate a model railway, but there are a few disadvantages to this option. Most modern houses have close-placed roof trusses with a low profile to the ridge, making it difficult or impossible to fit in the model railway. The loft will need to be boarded on the floor. The loft space will also require some kind of insulation as well as a power supply and lighting. Another major problem is keeping the loft warm in the winter and, more important, cool in the height of summer. Therefore some kind of heating system will be required, together with good ventilation during the hot summer months. (D) A shed is always an option to house a small branch line. As with a detached garage, however, power will need to be supplied and security will always be an issue.

ROOMS WITHIN THE HOUSE

The best solution is to reserve a room in the house for the model railway. A spare bedroom might be worth considering; even a box room could be big enough for a small branch line. A popular space for the model railway has always been the loft or attic room. This can give plenty of space for the layout, but you should be aware of a few problems that this space can create. A loft will usually have very limited headroom. The floor will need to be boarded, if this has not already been done, and extra support beams or joists might have to be added. The roof space will have to be insulated and heaters fitted for the coldest days of the year. Most importantly, in the summer the heat created under the roof can be stifling and the roof will need ventilation to cope with this, otherwise the model could be damaged by the heat and the conditions will be unbearable for anyone trying to operate it. Other problems arising include access to the loft space and adding sufficient lighting for the layout. Most loft spaces have only very limited access by a trapdoor. A steep ladder or set of steps will be the only way to reach the room, making it impractical to move anything while the layout is under construction or climbing up there every time you wish to operate or work on the layout. Let’s not forget we are not getting any younger and climbing steep steps or ladders can be difficult.

THE GARAGE AND THE GARDEN SHED

Another common room or separate building to use for the model railway is the garage. Although designed to house the car, nowadays garages are more often used as extra storage space. A garage can be a completely separate building or part of the main house. An integral garage will only have the door and one or occasionally two walls exposed to the outside. The other walls will be internal and separate the garage from other ground-floor rooms of the house. The advantages of housing a model railway in this room are security and better protection from the elements than a detached garage would provide. A detached garage will, of course, still provide the room but I would advise fitting good locks and other security deterrents, if possible. It is always better being safe than sorry, especially when you have put in plenty of time and money and your model railway means a lot to you personally.

A detached garage will also need to be heated to preserve the layout during the cold and damp weather that winters always produce, as well as some sort of insulation to give that protection. There are a few other disadvantages about using the garage as the home for a model railway. The door itself, for example, will create problems and may often be in the way if you are using it as the only access to the room. Garage doors are commonly of the conventional double-hinged types or the up-and-over design. Roller shutter or sliding doors are the best for our purpose as no internal space inside is required.

Another problem, especially with newer garages, will be the floor, since concrete floors are laid to slope down from the back to the front door end. Concrete floors can also create dust and can be cold underfoot. I would advise painting the floor with one of the products available to help solve these problems.

A detached garage will also need an electricity supply, which should only be installed by a qualified electrician, as protected cable must be employed if the garage is a good distance from the house.

A garden shed can also be used to house a model railway. Sheds come in all types and sizes, and various materials may be used to construct them, although wood is the most common. Since a shed will be positioned away from the house, as with a detached garage power will need to be provided. The shed will need insulation and a heater to protect the layout against the worst of the weather during the cold winter months. Another problem with sheds is the likelihood that wildlife might set up home there. Spiders, hibernating insects and even mice or other rodents can cause damage to the layout if sufficient precautions are not taken. If the shed has windows, then blinds need to be fitted to keep direct sunlight from damaging the model and also help with security. Good locks should be fitted to a shed as a precaution, especially if you are going to store your rolling stock in there.

Extensions can be added to the shed to make the layout larger, perhaps to house a sector plate or other versions of fiddle yards. The layout could also be extended out into the garden, and this brings me to the last space to house the layout around the home.

This cutaway illustration shows how a standard 8 × 6ft shed can accommodate a branch line layout. Note how an extension has been added outside to accommodate the fiddle yard arrangement. (A) With the baseboards fixed together, one long board can be used to run the full length of the shed. (B) A fixed support leg has been added at, or near, the centre. (C) A wooden rail has been fixed to the inside frames of the shed, helping to support the layout. (D) Boards have been fixed to the back and side to accommodate the back scene. (E) A fiddle yard has been made in a box form to fit onto a framework. The cassette style of fiddle yard might be the best option here. (F) A hinged lid has been provided to complete the box, giving protection when not in use. (G)The framework only requires support legs at one end, as it can be fixed to the shed side at the other. The frame and supports can be left in position throughout the year, although they will require weatherproofing. I would suggest that the fiddle yard box is made as a detachable unit that can be stored inside the shed when not in use. Provision will, of course, have to be made for an access hatch for the trains to run through. This will also require some kind of weatherproof cover for when not in use. Other issues also need to be taken into consideration. If the shed wall has only a single skin, it would be better to have it lined and insulated. Power and lighting will have to be supplied: make sure this is safe and any cables are encased in a protective covering. Lastly, security is always going to be an issue. It is therefore important that sufficient deterrents are put in place. When not using the layout, store any valuable items in the house.

THE GARDEN

The outside space of the garden can be used for a model railway, but you will encounter all sorts of obvious problems when considering the challenging effects that the weather in all four seasons may have on any model. Anyone attempting a garden layout will have to address this and make provision for all eventualities.

The most attractive advantage of the garden is always going to be more available space, often leading to grand ideas of larger scale modelling. Even live steam is a possibility. The most common scale and gauge on the market today for the garden railway modeller is ‘G’, although Gauge ‘1’ and ‘O’ gauge are often chosen.

If you decide that a garden branch line is for you, then I would advise reading up on the subject first. There are books that will give you more detailed information than I can ever offer here.

FITTING A BRANCH LINE LAYOUT INTO A SMALL SPACE

So far I have concentrated on examining the rooms to house the layout. I would now like to look at small spaces within the actual rooms to house and display a model branch line. Small layouts can be displayed in a number of ways including using some everyday household items; even items of furniture can be utilized. The presentation of this type of layout will usually be contained within a frame. This presentation is simply known as a diorama and I would describe it as theatre presentation, with the visual part of the model centre stage, while the storage/fiddle yards can be housed offstage within the wings. This area would be screened off out of public view, concentrating on the important part of the model framed within the centre. Extra emphasis on the presentation can be made through lighting and the provision of a background, just like the scenery of a stage play, with the actors of this production being the trains themselves, entering from stage left or right.

This compact fiddle yard on Phil Waterfield’s ‘Malham’ layout makes full use of the available space in front of the doorway to the bedroom. PHIL WATERFIELD

When not in use the fiddle yard can be lifted into an upright position, giving access to the doorway. This hinged board is the perfect solution for a small branch line layout such as ‘Malham’. PHIL WATERFIELD

The standard design for a cassette using angle strips of steel, which are set to the gauge required. This short cassette has been made to accommodate a 0-6-0 locomotive and its tender.

The method used by Martin Nield to connect the cassettes in his fiddle yard to the track on his ‘Eccleston’ layout. Note how a piece of plastikard has been used with a shaped lead-in to guide the wheel flanges of the rolling stock perfectly onto the rails. The short lengths of angle strip have been wired to make an electrical contact with the track.

This long cassette has been made to store a train of four coaches. Note the simple way of holding the stock in position by using a block of foam rubber.

In close-up you can see how the block of foam rubber holds the stock when not in use. It is important, when moving the cassettes around and into position, that the stock does not run away and fall off the cassettes.

Martin has used a simple way to connect the cassettes together. These copper clips have been made to join the cassettes and make the electrical contact.

This view shows the complete set with the locomotive cassette attached to the train cassette ready to connect and run onto the layout. Note how some of the cassettes have deep plywood sides added to make handling easier.

One way to support a small layout or diorama.

To construct a branch line diorama, you will first need to start with the baseboard, as with any other layout. The baseboard can be built using any of the assembly techniques described in Chapter 1. One or two baseboards may be required, but usually only one will be adequate. The board is then enclosed in a frame at the front. The sides and back will have to be constructed, leaving the top open. An awning or pelmet is then fitted over the top and lighting units installed to illuminate the model within. The storage or fiddle yard can be placed at the sides or the back. An entrance should be provided to enable the trains to enter or exit the branch line diorama. For the best presentation, the outside of the frame should be painted black or a dark colour, while painting the inside white will reflect and concentrate all the light on the model within. A background cloth can be added to the inside afterwards. If you choose to place a fiddle yard on one or both sides, this can be hidden away from the viewing front by extending the sides or wings to the front frame, so creating the mask required without upsetting the presentation. The panels can be enhanced by creating a display of photographs, plans or maybe some printed text describing the history of the actual railway the model is depicting. This type of presentation is often seen at model railway exhibitions.

A small branch line layout can be supported on a couple of bookcases. You can also use the shelves to store your rolling stock when not running on the layout.

This track plan of a branch line terminus comes from a layout I recently designed for a proposed Midland Railway branch linking the village of Ashover to the main line that remained unbuilt. The branch would have also provided a freight service for the local limestone quarries. The layout was planned to fit into my spare bedroom with a cassette fiddle board occupying the space in front of the doorway and made so that it could be lifted or detached when not in use. I intended to use the tall stone sorting screens to mask the scenic break between the layout and the fiddle board.

Items of furniture can be used to support this type of layout diorama at home. A bookcase, for instance, can make a very good support for the display. A sideboard or sets of drawers can also work well. I have even seen an ironing board used to support a layout diorama at an exhibition. One word of caution, though: if you choose this as a support, a base with a lip of timber to make a frame will help to stop the scissor legs collapsing.

The best choice of fiddle yard for this type of layout will be either a sector plate or the cassette version. These will both fit into small spaces and support running a variety of stock on a small branch line layout. In Chapter 3 I will examine a few prototypes and present a variety of suggested designs. I have purposely included a few small layouts that would suit diorama presentations.

‘Tremore’ is a good example of a very small branch line layout. Note how by framing the layout it has become an attractive composition for the viewing public at a model railway exhibition.

A laser-cut baseboard combined with a front frame, two ends and one back board. This is now available commercially in kit form.

The well-presented branch line layout seen here, ‘Outwell Village’ by Alan Price and Neil Rushby, is larger than ‘Tremore’, although it is still compact. The layout portrays part of the Wisbech & Upwell Tramway. Note how the use of black on the frame side panels and curtain across the front concentrates the viewer’s attention on the model.

The black painted surround together with good lighting create an excellent presentation. This micro layout, ‘Ironstone’, is the work of modeller and photographer Chris Nevard, demonstrating the realism that can be created in a small space. The layout also offers numerous operating opportunities for such a small layout.

‘South Yard’ shows just how small a micro layout can go in this 2mm model. The owner’s hand gives us an idea of the scale of this attractive diorama.

The branch train waits to depart from Malham on Phil Waterfield’s splendid layout. PHIL WATERFIELD

A Midland Class 2F stands alongside the signal box at Malham. PHIL WATERFIELD

The rolling Somerset landscape is depicted in Tim Venton’s P4 branch line layout ‘Clutton’.

This photograph shows an industrial quarry as the main subject for a micro layout.

The branch train departs from the island platform on the author’s Dartmoor layout ‘Tawcombe’. ANDY YORK

RUNNING THE MODEL BRANCH LINE

Before moving on to the next chapter, I would like to make some comments about running a branch line. As can be seen from the examples shown elsewhere in this book, branch lines varied considerably in their size and scope. This was also reflected, of course, in their operation and you might want to consider these differences first before choosing and building your model. It is important for modellers to be aware of the operational potential of their chosen line, as well as its scenic interest. This is especially true if you intend to exhibit your layout to the public. There is nothing worse than creating an attractive layout with very limited train movements. It will be boring to operate and the viewing public will soon lose interest and move on.

Most prototypical branch lines would have only very limited movements. A typical Great Western branch line, for example, would probably have been served by an auto-train (one carriage pushed and pulled by a 0-4-2 tank engine) to and from the nearest junction station, where passengers could change for the main line trains. Freight would probably have been the daily pick-up goods, calling at all stations to collect and deliver. Such a sequence for operation would be very limited.

Some branch lines, however, especially those in the West Country, were busy with holiday traffic during the summer. Additional traffic would be carried on market days, including cattle specials and extra passenger trains. With this in mind, careful research will help you choose not only an attractive layout but one that has more operating potential.

Branch lines serving industrial areas, such as the Midlands and the North of England, carried much more frequent and varied traffic. These lines also had through passenger trains to important local towns and cities with several goods trains throughout the day. In addition, some would handle specific mineral traffic, such as coal or limestone. All these extra movements would add more interest to the operations. The industries along the line, such as the gas works, might require private sidings involving extra shunting operations.

Some of the larger branch line termini had carriage sidings as well as locomotive stabling and servicing facilities; these, too, would create interesting moves. Even the smaller termini on the Great Western would have an engine shed for the branch locomotives. However, other companies, such as the Lancashire & Yorkshire, preferred to house all their locomotives in large sheds at important locations.

Most branch lines were built to single track with passing loops at or near intermediate stations. This would require the trains worked using a token or staff system, ensuring there would be only one train on the single line at any time. Signalling would probably be minimal in such locations. However, the branch lines in more urban and industrial areas would be much busier. These would be built to double track in some cases and require a much more complex signalling system.

Track plans varied from company to company with characteristic designs that help to establish the location of your model. Branch lines built by the Midland Railway, for example, looked very different to those built by the North Eastern Railway. Most branch lines retained their pre-grouping track layout through the grouping period and into the early years of nationalization.

The key issue is to always research your chosen branch line before you start to indulge in any modelling. There are many books covering specific branch lines, and you could join one of the relevant Railway Societies to obtain more information.

Operating your branch line correctly, by using a working timetable and working signals, can add a great deal to the pleasure of the hobby. Information on timetables and signalling can usually be found again through one of the societies or, in the case of signalling, from the Signalling Records Society.

CHAPTER THREE

CREATING THE BRANCH LINE SETTING

In this chapter I want to look at how we can create an authentic setting in which to set a model branch line. I will first examine the different landscapes running up the edge of the line and how we might look at reproducing this in miniature. Next, I will look at the actual border between the track and the land beyond. I will then discuss the trackwork and the railway’s infrastructure. Finally, to complete the setting, the branch line models will require a back scene.

CREATING THE LANDSCAPE

In most cases the branch lines will be in a rural setting, so let’s examine the likely features and how we might reproduce them for our model. The land might be flat, but more often than not the land is undulating with sections of the railway either cut through the land or raised above the land on an embankment. Higher land or geological features might require the railway to be encased inside a tunnel, or within retaining walls.

In this photograph the rural landscape of the Yorkshire Dales has been modelled by Phil Waterfield. Phil has created an interesting feature with the river running though the centre of the scene. The elevated track bed of the branch line shows the ballast train off to perfection. PHIL WATERFIELD

To create flat land, only a ground texture will be required as a starting point. All that is needed is to apply a top covering comprising a selection or just one of the many materials available on the market to create grassland. Rough ground or turned soil can also be created from the ranges of earthy textures supplied by such companies as Woodland Scenics.

If the land surrounding the railway is contoured, then a foundation will be required to create this type of land. The best results will be achieved by using open-topped baseboards, which give the opportunity to model landscape above and below the track bed level. The track bed will first need to be positioned all on the level, unless you intend to model one of the inclined railways. The track bed can be supported on a series of risers fitted to the framework of the baseboard. The support for the land can be made first by providing and cutting profile boards or formers, then either by creating a sub-base made from mesh or by sculpting Styrofoam insulation sheet. This sub-base should then be finished with plaster bandage to provide the surface and texture to replicate the ground, before painting it an earthy colour and adding the scenic materials replicating the grass and other ground-level vegetation.

CREATING WATERCOURSES

Other features of the landscape might include fastflowing watercourses or the still waters of streams, rivers, canals, drains and ditches. Moving water can be modelled by using a number of coats of clear gloss varnish to replicate the depth and surface of the water. However, it is important to first create the bed of the river or stream. This can be created on our models by using fine sand glued down and then painted using a wash of dark brown oil paint.

A stretch of fast-running river: note the colour of the river-bed and how the white water is created as it breaks over the rocks.

The river-bed has been created by the author on this display diorama. The bed was laid down first using fine sand sprinkled into diluted PVA glue. Rocks were added by using grey cat litter for the smaller ones and real stones to create the larger ones. These were glued into position before layers of clear gloss yacht varnish were applied to form the water. Thinneddown white oil paint was then dragged through the varnish before it had dried off to give a convincing effect of white water breaking over the rocks.

When reproducing still water, especially that of a canal or a drain, it is not necessary to apply sand to the bed, since the paint finish alone will be enough. Rocks in the bed of fast-moving rivers or streams can easily be modelled using grey cat litter or smaller stones glued to the bed first. Weeds can be added using hemp painted in various shades of green. I have sometimes used natural blanket weed taken from my ornamental pond. This will normally dry out and rot away, but if you suspend it within the varnish layers and then completely encapsulate it by adding a top layer, the weed will be preserved.

If you would like to add a ripple to the surface of the still water, this can easily be achieved by adding a surface layer of varnish using a stippling action with the paintbrush. Any white water can be achieved by adding thinned-down white oil paint. If this is carefully added into the top coat of varnish when this is still wet, it should react with the varnish and feather out to give a very authentic effect. This will need to be applied up against both the rocks under the surface and those standing proud.

I would always recommend taking photographs of different watercourses. It is always worth using forms of reference to achieve the best results, before trying to replicate it as closely as possible.

VEGETATION

TREES AND BUSHES

Most branch line models will require a few trees and bushes adding to the soft landscape, both outside and within the borders of the railway. Embankments and cuttings will certainly require bushes and rough undergrowth growing with the grass. Although the railway companies kept the surrounding land cut back and maintained, the odd tree would not look out of place. Trees and shrubs were also planted by the railway companies, either to create a natural barrier or as features in decorative station gardens.

Before modelling the vegetation, again start by examining photographs to see just how and where they grow in this type of environment.

Smaller trees and bushes can easily be modelled by using natural sea foam, the stems of which can be coated with a mix of plaster and PVA to create the trunks and denser branches of the trees. Foliage can be added by using the foliage matting available from Woodland Scenics or Heki. This can be applied to the sea foam with spray glue or hair spray. Of course, you will not need to add this foliage matting to the foam if your layout is set in the winter months. Many of our smaller species of trees can be modelled using this foam, including silver birches, ashes, willows, hazels and alders.

Other bushes and brambles can be made using rubberized horsehair available from scenic model suppliers such as Greenscene. Natural materials like reindeer moss lichen make very convincing bushes. The horsehair will replicate hawthorns, blackthorns and the many brambles that quickly colonize the grasslands of railway earthworks. All these will need the finer flock applied to create the foliage in the same way as the trees.

GRASSES, WEEDS AND ROUGH UNDERGROWTH

The grass that grows on the railway borders, including the embankments and cuttings, will be very rough with different varieties growing side by side. These grasses will also grow in clumps rather than sheets of turf. To replicate this I use various scenic materials including carpet underlay felt, surgical lint, teddy bear fur and nylon fibres applied using a static applicator.

The carpet underlay felt first needs to be teased away from its webbing or backing. It should then be cut into strips and small blocks, before pulling it away in clumps that can be planted upright in a bed of PVA glue. When the area has been planted and the glue has dried, the felting can then be painted using washes of oil paint in shades of green and ochres.

The surgical lint should first be dyed green or a shade of straw. This can then be pressed into a bed of glue (felt side down) and ripped away, leaving the fibres standing upright.

The teddy bear fur, like the underlay felt, first needs to be teased or cut away from its backing, before again being planted in clumps. This can be painted in the same way, although the natural colour of the fur offers a very good representation of dead grass even without the paint.

Over recent years a favourite material used to create realistic looking grass has been pre-coloured nylon fibres. These are applied with a static grass applicator, which creates a static charge to the fibres. When these are sieved from the applicator they fall onto the PVA-coated scenery, which has a charge given to it by an electronic lead fixed to the area concerned. This makes the fibres stand on end, giving a very authentic result. However, do not be tempted to use only this method as it can look false: it is much better to mix the different materials together.

Weeds and other rough undergrowth can be represented using various different grades of the foam flock available on the market. You will first need to make a paper mask with a torn-out aperture in the centre. This can now be used to apply spray glue to the designated areas within the grassland. The foam flock can then be planted in the glue to represent the growth of the weeds. By using the same application method, larger clump flock can be glued down to create the larger weeds and undergrowth that are commonly found within the borders of railways.

This photograph has been included as a reference for rough grass land. Note how the dead dried grass is mixed in with the fresh green grass.

Wild flowers growing among the summer grass on the railway’s embankments.

The material used to create rough grass land includes carpet underlay felt, together with dyed and natural coloured teddy bear fur. The latter is ideal for replicating the dry and dead grass by cutting it away from the backing and planting it in a bed of PVA glue.

This photograph illustrates the effect that can be achieved by gluing down clumps of carpet underlay felt. Note how the clumps have been positioned to reveal the limestone outcrops on this railway cutting.

Static nylon fibres can be used to replicate grass. These are applied by using a static applicator: on charging the fibres they will fall end on into a bed of PVA glue.

Close-up view of how the glue is electrically charged. A pin is fixed into the glue and a wire from the static applicator is clipped to the pin. The nylon fibres are then sprinkled through the gauze of the applicator and the charged fibres will fall into the glue.

Weeds can be added to the static grass by using Woodlands Scenics dyed foam flock. It is always best to use more than one material to replicate rough grass areas. Wild grass varieties such as those found bordering railways tend to grow in clumps.

Undergrowth such as brambles can be added using rubberized horsehair. Fine flock is then applied using hairspray to represent the foliage.

Small trees and saplings can also be added by using sprigs of natural sea moss. This will first need to be sorted and the seeds removed before any foliage is applied.

The sea moss is then prepared by brushing a mix of plaster filler and PVA onto the stems. This will add texture and at the same time strengthen them.

Spray painting the sea moss in green, or sometimes grey or white, can give results that closely replicate branches and twigs.

The completed small tree with Woodlands Scenics foam foliage matting added with spray mount glue. Note that the same foliage flock has been applied to the trunk to replicate ivy or other parasitic growth.

Picture wire can be used for the trunks and main branches together with sea moss for the smaller branches. This photograph illustrates the results of using this method; foliage was added using the scenic flock as before. Also illustrated is a length of hedgerow made using various materials. The section of hedge on the far left was made using a scouring pad. For the centre section, carpet underlay felt was used by cutting it into strips. The final section on the far right utilizes rubberized horsehair, also cut into sizable strips. All the materials have first been spray painted using an olive green colour, before scenic foliage flock was applied using spray mount.

This photograph demonstrates how ivy can take over growing among the lower branches of trees. This can be replicated using the scenic foliage matting illustrated above.

ROCK CUTTINGS

Sometimes the construction of the branch line would involve cutting through the rock strata and exposing the geological formations during the excavations. If this is the case, then they will need to be represented on the model. Many different types of rock appear in the British landscape, ranging from the soft shales and slates through to the hard granites and grit stones. Before we start trying to recreate the rock cuttings in model form, reference photography is again recommended as a first step.

A good material to use for the shales and slates is fibreboard. The best type of boards are those used for laminate flooring underlay. By breaking the board the fibre layers will be exposed, giving a good representation of this type of soft rock. The boards should then be stacked one on top of another, with the broken edge facing outwards.

The next stage is to give the broken face a coating of plaster. I use Polyfilla mixed with a little PVA brushed thinly over the face. The plaster can be sculpted when completely dry with a scalpel or palate knife.

To create the harder rocks facing a cutting, the sub-base can be made in the same way, although this time by using sheets of polystyrene rather than the fibreboard. This should again be coated with plaster filler or Artex and sculpted when dry. Crumpled silver foil applied over the polystyrene can give a good representation of a rock face, although again this will need coating with a thin layer of the plaster. Another material to use is Das modelling clay, which can be sculpted when dry and carved into shape with all the clefts and fissures scribed or gouged out. Tree bark can also be used as an alternative to polystyrene and can look quite authentic, without the need of sculpted plaster. To complete, all the rock faces will require painting. The best results will be had using oil paint. Start with a wash of Raw Umber mixed with Payne’s Grey. A good coating of this wash will penetrate into the plaster, Das or tree bark. The thinned-down paint will also flow into all those deep cracks and fissures. The facing surface should then be painted again using oil paint, but this time the paint needs to be almost dry. First mix the colours on a palate before applying them by dry brushing over the surface of the plaster. Keep building up the colour and work from dark to light. Lichens can be stippled on using the dry brush technique. Finally weather the rock down, paying particular attention to the rain staining where water has collected within the clefts and run down the surface. To achieve the right finish, keep referring to photographic references.

This example of a limestone rock cutting was found at Rusher Cutting on what was once the Midland Railway’s main line through the Derbyshire Peak District. Note how areas of grass are intermingled with the limestone.

This close view of the same rock cutting shows how the grass grows on the ledges. The same grass can be seen growing in tufts, clinging to the clefts left between the rocks. This image also gives a good reference for both the texture and colour shades of the limestone.

Creating a rock face using plaster filler that has been brushed onto pre-sculpted insulation foam. The plaster is brushed on in layers before the next stage of carving is addressed.

The plaster can be sculpted by using an ordinary kitchen knife. The finishing can be achieved by scratching into the plaster with a scalpel.

Once the carving has been finished it is then down to painting. This has been applied using oil paint with the darker shades added first, followed by the lighter shades and white highlight. To complete the painting, dark streaks were brushed on to replicate the rain staining and general weathering.

On this sample Artex has been used instead of filler plaster. Extensive carving and scribing has been applied to recreate the texture of the rock. Surgical lint has be glued on in strips and then ripped away once the glue had dried, replicating the areas of grass established on the ledges and clefts within the rock face.

This rock cutting has been made using pieces of fibreboard that have been broken to give an irregular shape and textured edge. The fibreboard has then been piled up to create the horizontal rock strata. The plaster or Artex is then brushed on over the broken edges of the board to complete the rock face. This has been carved and scribed to finish the full effect.

The plaster has been painted in the same way as before using oil paint. Tufts of grass have been added using clumps of carpet underlay felt that have been pinched away from the backing, before being planted into position on the rock face.

Once the painting and weathering has been completed, this method can produce a convincing rock cutting.

This photograph shows a limestone rock cutting for which pieces of polystyrene have been modelled in the same way as the fibreboard. The plaster facing was then added before carving and painting to finish as before.

Another example showing how carpet underlay felt can be used in clumps to give convincing results.

RETAINING WALLS

In some locations the earth works have to cut through soft rock and earth that is likely to move. This must then be held back and supported within retaining walls. The walls can be modelled using balsawood, card or foamboard as a backing. This can then be faced with a representation of the masonry used. Embossed styrene or resin sheet, such as that produced by Wills Finecast or Skytrex, can be used for this although you will be limited to only the stone or brick coursing they supply. The alternative will be to face the backing with Das modelling clay and then scribe out the stone coursing. The latter will give you the opportunity to match the coursing of a prototype if it does not match any of those available on the market.

A low retaining wall has been provided here to hold back the earth in a cutting at Gothland on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Also of interest is the original slotted-post home starter signal of the North Eastern Railway.

A common feature of most retaining walls is buttresses, which are added to give extra support and strength. These can be modelled by using styrene sheet or fabricated from card and then covered with clay, before scribing the masonry. A few buttresses cast in resin are also available, mainly from the Skytrex range.

The retaining walls will require painting. I would suggest using the same media and techniques as described for the rock cuttings. If you intend to paint styrene or resin panels, however, these will first need a coat of primer, such as the Halfords range of acrylic spray paints: grey for stone walls and red oxide for those constructed from brick. The mortar can be added by rubbing white powder into the gaps. This, however, will need to be fixed using matt artists’ fixative spray or hairspray. Another detail to add at the painting and weathering stage is the bleeding of the mortar. This can be realistically reproduced using white oil paint and dragging this in a downward direction using a brush or a finger.

A stone retaining wall has been modelled here using a skin of Das modelling clay. The stone coursing has then been scribed after the clay had dried. Painting and weathering was then applied to finish the wall.

STRUCTURES ALONG THE BRANCH LINE

The branch line will occasionally need to be crossed by roads, requiring either overbridges or underbridges. Other rights of public way or access for farmers to reach fields that may have been severed by the building of the railway will also see the need for a bridge. Underbridges would also be built to cross watercourses ranging from small streams and drains right up to large rivers and, occasionally, river estuaries.

Various materials would be used for construction depending on the location of the line. These might include stone and brick arched bridges or underslung truss girders of iron and steel supported on abutments, pillars and wing walls built from local stone or brick. Bowstring lattice or other forms of girder bridges were built where larger spans were required. Timber was also used if the loading was not too severe.

Pictured here is a small occupation underbridge of a type that would be found on many country branch lines. The decking is constructed from a series of steel truss girders supported on stone abutments. The deck has open sides with only wooden rails for protection.

Steel truss girders have been used for this bridge over a stream.

Larger spans over water or across a valley would require a larger structure to carry the railway. In this case a viaduct would be required. Masonry arches, steel lattice girders, underslung girders and timber fans were all used on branch lines.

Smaller bridges or culverts would be constructed to divert or accommodate drains or streams. These again would be mainly built from engineering brick or local stone. Another material used for the culverts would be reinforced concrete. It was important during the construction of the railways to address the drainage, so the re-direction of watercourses within culverts was a common practice.

The construction of these structures in miniature for the model will require a number of materials and techniques to reflect the variety of the originals.

BUILDING BRIDGES

I will start with the construction of masonry arched over- and underbridges. The first task is to construct the shell. Whatever material you choose to build the shell from, it is always best to start with a drawing.

If you are constructing an arched overbridge it is important to check all the clearances, making sure that none of the stock will hit the sides and the arch. Pay particular attention to the clearances if the bridge is positioned on a tight curve.

Steel trusses have been replicated by using the Peco 2mm girder bridge sides. These support the decking for both the river underbridge and the road overbridge on the author’s 4mm ‘Tawcombe’ layout. ANDY YORK

A simple truss bridge over a lane. The bridge is supported on stone abutments and has open sides to the deck.

A stone arched overbridge on the approach to St Ives. The branch follows the coastline for most of its length and is therefore on a ledge above the cliffs at this point. Note how the bridge fits into the cutting, with the parapet steeply inclined from one side to the other.

This single-arched overbridge, built from local stone, spans the Midland Railway’s Melbourne branch. This photograph has been included as a colour reference of the stone.

When you are confident that your drawing is correct, and that the scale and clearances have all been checked, you then need to transfer the outline of your drawing to the material from which you have chosen to build the bridge shell. I build all my shells from strong cardboard or foamboard as I find these materials easy to cut and work with. At the same time they are both light in weight and strong. A new material on the market is PVA foam sheet (Foamex), which is similar to foamboard, but tougher. This has a polystyrene face, which makes it slightly harder to cut than the card-faced foamboard. The alternative to these materials would be to use plywood; although this would be robust, it would require cutting with a saw rather than a knife.

A scalpel is used when cutting out either card or foamboard materials, making a series of cuts to cut all the way through. The archway can be cut using a compass cutter, available from model tool suppliers. If you need to cut an elliptical arch, then two curves will need to be cut using the compass cutter.

The shell can easily be assembled by gluing the components together with a good quality impact adhesive. To construct the structure of the arch itself I use a thinner card, gently rolled to form the curve required and then glued to the profile of the arch that has been cut on the side walls. To hold the thin card in place it may help to add some small blocks of card glued to the inside of the arch. One tip when fixing the arch in place is to cut the card oversize, so that when this has been glued into position the excess can be cut away using a scalpel with a sharp new blade. The Wills Finecast range now includes some embossed pliable styrene sheets designed to create a brick arch. The roadway on an overbridge can be made in the same way. You may have to add buttresses, string courses, pillars and copings, which can also be made using card or wood, if you prefer. Underbridges to accommodate roads and watercourses can be constructed in the same way.

This 7mm model of a single-arched overbridge has been constructed from Corri-Cor board, which may be obtained from picture framers and is very tough but easy to cut.

The best way to create the masonry, especially if stone is used, is to scribe the stonework out of a skin of Das modelling clay. Brickwork, however, would need to be replicated by using commercial embossed styrene sheet. Brick papers could also be used, but these would not give the relief required on most masonry. For the inside of the arch I usually just coat the card with a mix of PVA and ready mixed plaster filler. This material can be used to coat the copings and other masonry features as well.

A truss girder bridge spanning a river in three sections. The centre section consists of a bowspring girder to give added strength. This bridge has been modelled on Alan Price and Neil Rushby’s ‘Outwell Village’ layout.

The next stage for the 7mm single-arched bridge was to add a skin of Das modelling clay. The stonework was then scribed out.

The stonework was then painted to replicate the sandstone of the prototype.

Examples of the standard three-arched overbridge shown here may be found on many railways. This one is constructed from brick, but stone was used for many other examples.

Before I describe other types of bridges that can be modelled for our branch lines, it is worth mentioning that any arched masonry viaduct can be constructed and finished in exactly the same way as the arched bridges.

As well as the arched masonry bridges, the railway companies also favoured the underslung truss girder to create the span. This method of using a series of girders running parallel to each other would support a road, or the railway in the case of an underbridge. The truss girders would be supported at each side on masonry abutments constructed of stone or brick. In most cases there would be wing walls to hold back the earth on an embankment or in a cutting. This type of overbridge featured parapet walls usually constructed of masonry or steel plates. Underbridges would also feature parapets, although the sides would often be left open. Guard rails or steel lattice sides were fitted in most cases between the pillars. Wider spans would require central pillar walls to support each truss length. Larger truss girders would be accommodated for wide spans, especially over rivers.

To model this type of bridge you will first need to fabricate the truss girders. These can easily be made using styrene sheet and styrene angle strip from the Plastruct or Evergreen ranges. I have also used the Peco plate girder bridge intended for N gauge (2mm scale), which makes a perfect underslung truss girder for an OO scale (4mm scale) bridge. The abutments, wing walls and all other masonry sections were made in the same way as explained above for arched bridges.

A few bridges are available either as kits or as ready-to-plant examples. These include both under- and overbridges and masonry viaducts. Kits are produced in resin, plastic and card by companies including Peco, Wills Finecast, Skytrex, Metcalfe and Superquick. I recently saw a three-arched brick occupation bridge available as a laser-cut kit. Ready-made samples are available from the Bachmann Scenecraft and Hornby Skaledale ranges. You might find one to suit your requirements, although if your branch line requires a particular style of bridge, scratch building will always be the best option.

A steel truss overbridge with a parapet and wing walls constructed of brick.

A single-arched overbridge constructed of local limestone. This bridge once spanned the Peak Line at Great Longstone.

This view of the impressive five-arched viaduct at Monsal Dale serves as a good reference for a stone viaduct. Note how brick has also been used for the arches and repair work.

WALLS, HEDGES AND FENCES

The border of the railway property will require a physical barrier. This could be a wall, a hedge or, probably the most common, a fence. In areas were surface rock is available, the railway would have used this to construct a wall. The walls would usually be dry-stone built and laid in horizontal courses, except in parts of North Wales and Cumbria, where large slabs of slate were planted end-on into the ground and positioned as upright soldiers to create a barrier.

This black and white archive photograph of Middleton Top on the High Peak Line clearly shows the use of stone walls on the railway’s perimeter. PHIL WATERFIELD

Colour reference photograph of the limestone walls bordering the railway at Middleton Top.

The use of dry-stone walling to form the railway’s perimeter. This sample is near Oxenhope on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.

To model a dry-stone wall on flat ground, first make up a frame with card. The frame consists of an inverted ‘T’ profile. The base width needs to be roughly one-third of the depth of the upright. Both sides are then filled in with Das modelling clay to the width of the base at the bottom, gradually tapering to the top. The top will require a thin strip of clay, rolled up and fashioned like a long sausage, which can then be added to the very top, creating the coping stones. Next the stone has to be scribed out following irregular random or coursed patterns, depending on the prototype. Refer to photographs of dry-stone walling as a guide, though you should note that the scribing needs to be fairly deep. The coping stones will also have to be both scribed and carved to give the best results.

This method of wall modelling can also be applied to walling that follows the contours of the land, although this time a frame is not required. The clay should be built up to the shape required and glued directly to the contours. When it comes to the scribing you will have to be careful ensuring that the coursing always remains level, with the coping top stones standing upright.

Another way of modelling long lengths of stone walling that can give good results, especially when following the contours, requires first making a walling jig. For the jig use three lengths of timber all about 14in (355mm) long. Two of these are used as side pieces with a slight angle planed on one face. The third length will act as a base section and remains square on all faces. Small packing pieces required at both ends of the jig should be glued to one of the side lengths, although you should ensure it can still be detached from the other. This can be achieved with bolts positioned through the sides and the end packers, each secured by a wing nut. A non-stick coating should also be applied to the inside faces and the base, for reasons that will soon become apparent.

With the jig now complete, to create the stone walling you will need some grey cat litter and watered-down PVA glue. Pack the jig with the cat litter and, when full, apply the watered-down PVA with a syringe. Leave this for a few hours to set completely hard and then unscrew the wing nuts to release the front-facing strip. If the mixture is the right consistency you should be able to ease the completed length of flexible walling gently away from the former. This should come away cleanly if the non-stick coating has been applied properly. The flexible lengths can now be fixed to and follow the contours of the land.

Dry-stone walls feature on Phil Waterfield’s Yorkshire Dales branch line layout ‘Malham’. PHIL WATERFIELD

The materials and equipment used by Phil Waterfield to construct the dry-stone walls for ‘Malham’. Various thicknesses of plastikard were first selected. PHIL WATERFIELD

The plastikard is cut into strips about 3mm wide. PHIL WATERFIELD

Next the strips are cut up into blocks and put into a tray ready for assembly. PHIL WATERFIELD

The blocks are piled in a random fashion and glued together using a liquid polystyrene cement. Note the first row has been assembled onto a base strip. PHIL WATERFIELD

The coping stones for the dry-stone walls are constructed by gluing together four or more strips in an offset manner. The strips are then cut into blocks ready to fix to the top of the wall. PHIL WATERFIELD

The part-completed section of wall seen here demonstrates the painting technique of first applying the dark gaps between the stones. The highlights are then added using grey and white to replicate the colour of the limestone. PHIL WATERFIELD

There are a few ready-made walling sections on the market. Those produced by Hornby Skaledale are very good, with straight, curved and right-angled corner sections all available. The method of joining the sections uses a step that can look a little awkward, so I would recommend touching up the join with a little Das modelling clay.

Let’s now take a look at how the hedges bordering the branch lines can be modelled. These divide into two categories: wild hedges and laid hedges.

Wild hedges can be made from rubberized horsehair and the natural reindeer moss. Both are available from scenic model suppliers such as Greenscene. Foliage can then be added by applying flock with spray mount or hairspray. Well-kept and laid hedges can be modelled using strips of carpet underlay felt, hanging basket liner or strips of domestic scouring sheets. Like the wild hedges, these will require finishing with foam flock, or you can try using dyed sawdust, which can also look effective.

This reference photograph illustrates the dry-stone walling found in the Lake District area. Note how the coping stones are laid at an angle.

A Yorkshire stone wall with stone steps added to give access for a footpath.

This wall has been made up from slabs of slate standing on their end to make a stockade. This type of perimeter wall was used for some of the Welsh narrow-gauge railways.

It might be a good idea to spray paint the materials used before adding the flock. This will definitely need addressing if you intend to set your model railway in the winter months.

Although there are a few suppliers of strips of ready-made and ready-to-plant hedges, I would always recommend having a go at simple scenics like this. You will not be disappointed by the results.

The most common property barrier to be used by the railway companies was, and still is, the fence. Some railways preferred the wooden types, while others used wire supported on concrete or wooden posts. The model railway market has covered the need for lineside fencing, with most styles available and in all the popular scales. Suppliers such as Ratio, Slater’s and Peco all produce lengths in their accessory ranges.

The ready-made fencing available, however, will only fit on the flat ground. If you require your fencing to run over the contours, you will have to distort the plastic. The alternative is to build the fencing from scratch. This will also allow you to replicate the exact style used by the railway company. The common four- and five-bar fence can be built from balsawood, card or styrene strip. I would recommend first producing a jig to make things a little easier.

The post and wire variation of fence can be made from balsa or styrene strip to replicate either wooden or concrete posts. The wire can be modelled using fine plastic rod from Slater’s or thin nylon thread, although, to be honest, at scales smaller than 7mm the size of the wire will hardly be noticeable; the best option might even be to leave them off completely.

An industrial branch line in urban areas might have a stockade fence built from old sleepers. I have not seen examples of any fences of this type on the market, but they are easy to build from card or balsawood.

This style of five-bar fencing was used by the London & North Western Railway. Note that the wood has weathered green due to a covering of algae. Any woodwork in a shady position will eventually weather in this way.

Sleepers were utilized for lineside post-and-wire fencing.

The most common styles of railway lineside fencing: (A) Midland, LNWR, L&Y, LMS, LNER five-bar fencing; (B) LNWR and GWR four-bar fencing; (C) North Eastern Railway, LNER four-bar fencing; (D) Great Western, LMS, LNER and Southern Railway concrete post and wire fencing; (E) Great Western wooden post and wire fencing. Top right: an alternative style of connecting five or four bars to the post, using a slotted post. This method was used by some of the railway companies such as the LNWR.

Some of the common gate types used by the railway companies. The first two on the left are five-bar gates used for farm occupation crossings and for the entrance to a goods yard. These gates would also be used to gate a private siding. The gates top right would be used on cattle pens, while the one bottom right would be found on a pedestrian or foot crossing.

The physical barriers will at some time have to accommodate a break for a footpath or farm occupation crossing to allow livestock to cross from one side of the railway to the other. The occupation crossings would require a gap in these barriers with gates to give access across the railway on a boarded crossing. Footpaths and other rights of way would need to cross the railway on similar boarded crossings with small sets of gates, or in some cases stiles would be provided both for the fences and the walls.

The land inside the borders running up to the track and the strip that ran alongside it, known as the cess, would be rough grassland in most cases, which the railway companies would always maintain by cutting the grass and keeping all the undergrowth in check. It was also common, especially near stations, to use the land to produce food. Station allotments would spring up alongside the track if the space allowed. Tended well by the station or other railway staff, vegetables would be grown and even livestock kept.

A swing gate has been incorporated into the five-bar fencing to give footpath access across the railway.

Most of the railway companies used this style of gate with vertical palings to give access to a foot crossing.

This arrangement of fencing and gate is commonly known as a ‘kissing gate’.

A London & North Western Railway ‘Beware of the Trains’ notice.

A Midland Railway ‘Beware of Trains’ notice, sporting black lettering on a white background.

Another Midland Railway ‘Beware of Trains’ notice.

A standard Midland Railway ‘Trespass’ notice in the company’s original colours of white lettering on a blue background.

A standard London & North Western Railway gradient sign. Note that the gradient on the right-hand arm is rather steep. This is because this section of railway was the Middleton Incline on the original Cromford & High Peak Railway.

The railway companies marked their boundaries. Pictured is one provided by the London & North Western Railway.

A boundary sign used by the Midland Railway using a flattened-out rail.

A Midland Railway mile marker sign. Note how the ‘V’ top is mounted onto a length of rail.

The railway companies marked the quarter and half mile. Here is a Midland Railway quarter-mile angled cast iron top, which would have been mounted on a length of rail.

PERMANENT WAY

Whatever track has been chosen, laid and wired, it will require blending into the rest of the landscape that surrounds it. The track will need to be ballasted and then painted to give an authentic appearance. It is easy to overdo the ballasting, making it look too ‘heavy’ for the scale and gauge of the track used. I have already explained my preferred way of ballasting the track by using a smaller scale than that intended. It is worth looking at reference photographs of the track and the ballast used for the branch lines. Photographs showing pre-grouping branch lines will reveal that ash ballast was used rather than stone and it was common practice to ballast right up to the top or even over the sleepers. This method of ballasting was not built up high with a steep shoulder to the edge in a manner that has become familiar with more modern railways. Later, during grouping and nationalization of the branch lines, stone ballast was used just for the main running lines. The sidings and other roads would still retain the ash ballast. When stone was used, however, it was not built up as high as that found on main lines. In theory the limited traffic using the branch lines would not produce the load on the track and foundations resulting from the heavy volume of traffic using the main lines. The only exceptions to this would be where the foundations over which the track was to be laid were unstable.

Before moving on to the ballasting process for the model, it is worth mentioning again the cess running alongside the track. The strip would be about the width of a barrow, as the gangers would use it to maintain the track. The cess would also accommodate the drainage system, especially in the cuttings, as well as giving enough room for the point rodding and the signal wires. I will cover these later in this chapter when describing the signalling operations for the branch line.

BALLASTING THE TRACK

With the track fixed down, the next stage is to ascertain where the ballast edge will run up against the cess. This will need to be roughly about 18in away from the end of the sleepers (6mm in 4mm scale). To create a neat edge, put down masking tape the correct distance away from the sleepers. With this done, the graded ballast can be applied by lightly scattering the grains, trying to achieve an even result. The next task is to lightly brush the grains up to the edge and top of the sleepers. Take a little time and care at this stage to achieve an even and neat finish.

Before fixing the ballast into position, the dry ballast should first be made damp so that the PVA glue can flow into it. The best way to dampen the grains without disturbing them and ruining your work so far is to use a fine house plant mister, which will apply a very fine spray of water to the grains without any disturbance. Once the ballast is completely damp the glue mix can be added. Pour a mix consisting of equal parts of PVA and water into a small tin. Before applying the glue mix, a small amount of washing up liquid should be added to it to help break down the surface tension that will build up when the watered-down glue is added to the grains of ballast. The best way to apply the glue mix is by using either a syringe or an eye dropper, which both help direct a rapid flow of liquid as it is soaked up by the damp ballast. Once the glue has set the ballast will be firmly held in position. Make sure you protect the moving parts of any point blades before applying the glue. This can be achieved by masking the area with strips of greaseproof paper or aluminium foil. The strips can then be removed when the glue has dried.

Once the ballasting is complete, the next task is to paint the ballast. You might choose not to paint the ballast as the natural colours of the granite chippings supplied commercially can look good enough. I would, however, still recommend painting as careful observation has revealed that the ballast will vary in shade with weathering. My method for painting the ballast is to use oil paint in a thinned-down form. Use earthy colours such as Burnt Umber and Payne’s Grey to replicate the ash ballast. Mix these colours from the tube together in a tin with plenty of turpentine thinners to create a wash of colour. With the colour well mixed, start to apply it to the ballast with a No. 6 filbert brush, letting the liquid colour flow through the grains of the ballast. You can allow the paint to go over the sleepers as it will help to tone them down and look more authentic. When this wash has completely dried, the masking tape can be removed from the sides, giving a neat edge to the ballast.

Careful observation again of photographs and the prototype will reveal how ash and oil builds up in the gap between the rails. This will be most evident where locomotives have come to a halt in stations, while shunting in sidings and, of course, on the lines outside engine sheds and other locomotive stabling facilities.

To replicate this on model trackwork I have used real ash collected from a barbecue. The light grey ash needs to crushed down to a fine powder and then glued either in the same way as the ballast or by using spray mount. If you use the spray mount option you should first make a mask to direct the spray glue only to the area required. The grease and oil spillage can be painted on with a little gloss varnish added. The best results are obtained by using an air brush, but if you do not own this tool try using your finger to blend the paint. You might be surprised by the realistic effects this method can achieve.

Parts of the sidings that are not used too much, especially at the ends around the buffer stops, will usually see weeds starting to take over. These can easily be modelled by using grated foam flock for the weeds and static fibres to create any grass required.

To complete the painting, the rails and the chairs will need the rust colour replicating. It is always worth looking at colour photographs of the track, just to check the shades of brown required. I use one or more of the rust brown colours in the Humbrol range. Mix the colours from the tins together before painting onto the rail sides and the chairs. Be very careful and use a No. 1 brush or smaller, making sure that the paint does not stray from where it is intended. The metal rails may require two coats of paint. Always use matt paint rather than gloss.

BUILDINGS

The branch line model will need a variety of buildings, most of which will be associated with the railway. I will first look at these and then examine how we can make these models realistic. The railway companies had their own distinctive style and design of buildings and associated structures. These would also be constructed from a variety of materials, from timber to dressed stone.

The larger branch line termini would include facilities for the stabling and servicing of the locomotives. Some would also feature elaborate station buildings, including train sheds to cover and protect the passengers. Other smaller termini or through stations would be more simple and austere in appearance.

Butterley Station is an example of a Midland Railway pavilion-style building, here seen from the approach road. This station building is now available as a ready-to-plant model by Hornby. Although the model is good, a little extra detailing would definitely improve it.

Butterley Station from the platform side. Note the ornate glass and iron veranda to provide shelter for passengers leaving the booking hall.

Pictured is a larger gabled pavilion Midland station building. Once standing at Syston, the building has been rebuilt at Swanwick Junction, the main museum site at the Midland Railway Centre. This building would make an ideal subject for a larger branch line station model.

The island building at Swanwick Junction consists of waiting rooms and porters’ accommodation. A prefabricated building constructed from timber has been used for this purpose. This prototype would make a reasonably simple subject for the novice scratch builder to attempt.

Larger stations with more track and sidings would obviously require more control of operations. This would see the need for the installation of one or more signal boxes. The smaller stations with simple operations would require only a ground frame, either covered with a cabin or sometimes remaining open to the elements.

For the handling of goods the stations on the branch lines would include a goods shed where loading and offloading could be carried out undercover. Smaller stations, however, might only consist of a loading bank with a hand-operated crane. The railway companies had their own distinctive designs of goods shed using a range of materials. Wooden structures were very common, but brick and stone masonry would also be used for larger and more important buildings.

Other buildings and structures associated with the goods yard would be the weighbridge and office, and the coal merchant’s offices. The yard might also include buildings supplied for the gangers or permanent way staff. These would include the huts required to store tools and materials or provide shelter. Other special loading docks would be provided for holding and loading livestock and milk. Besides the loading and offloading cranes, another feature would be the loading gauge to check the loads going out over the system. These would come in many different designs as the railway companies had their unique styles.

The station buildings provided would depend on the importance and, of course, the size of the village or town the railway was serving. The branch line station would have most of the facilities offered by the main line station but on a smaller scale. A booking hall and office, together with waiting and porters’ rooms, would be the norm at the larger stations. Extra rooms might include a separate ladies’ waiting room, complete with an inside toilet. Other extras might see the additions of a gents’ urinal, coal storage and lamp rooms. The larger branch line stations would also, in most cases, include living accommodation for the stationmaster and his family. If this was not built into the main complex, the railway company would provide a separate house as close to the station as possible.

It was important for the stations to provide some protection for their passengers. This could range from a simple canopy to more elaborate canopies in wrought iron and glass. The larger branch line termini would often include an overall train shed giving complete protection, even a small branch line might be graced by an elaborate iron and glass structure or a plainer timber-clad train shed on a simple wooden frame.

All the station buildings would stand on some sort of platform. These could be constructed from various materials including stone, brick, concrete and timber. The most common of the various materials chosen for the platform surface were stone flagstones or brick pavers. Later, asphalt was a common material as well as concrete. Timber boarding was also used on branch line platforms, especially by the London & North Western Railway Company, which preferred timber prefabricated construction for both the platforms and the buildings.

In the early days of the railways and up until grouping the platforms would be built much lower. This was because the carriages were all fitted with step boards. It was common therefore to see station platforms consisting of two heights: the original low section and the rebuilt or extended section to accommodate the later coaching stock. The original buildings would be found on the earlier low platform.

After this brief examination of the buildings associated with a rural branch line, I would now like to look at how we might construct scratch-built models of them. I will also examine what is available on the market that would suit our requirements, as there are a good number of kits and ready-to-plant models designed with the branch line modeller in mind.

STATION BUILDINGS

I will start with station buildings as you will probably be including a station on the model. If building from scratch, you should acquire reference photographs and as much information about the prototype as possible. If you are lucky you might be able to obtain the measurements of your building from existing drawings, but more often you will have to estimate them. Full details of the methods I use to achieve a reasonable estimate may be found in my first two books on modelling rural and urban buildings.

The view looking from the platform of Consall Station on the Churnet Valley Railway. The station is completely prefabricated with the platforms and all the buildings constructed from timber.

A general view of Ramsbottom Station, a standard Lancashire & Yorkshire rebuild.

The next stage is to prepare a working drawing of the desired station building. With this complete, you can then move on to transferring the elevations onto the material. I would advise constructing all masonry buildings from an inner and an outer shell. The inner shell can be made up from foamboard or a new material called Foamex, both of which can easily be cut with a craft knife or scalpel. Always be aware, though, that the inner shell must be slightly smaller than the outside measurements. The window and door apertures will also need to be cut larger than they should be. With the inner shell of all the elevations cut out, it is time to mark and cut out the outer shell, for which I use 2mm mounting card, although you could use styrene sheet if you prefer.

This outer shell, of course, must be cut out to the exact size, including all the outer walls and all the window and door apertures. The walls of this outer shell will now require a facing to replicate the masonry used for its construction. I use Das modelling clay to create a skin for all stone buildings, and then scribe out all the stone coursing. You could also use pre-embossed styrene stone sheet, although you are restricted to the coursing available. For brick-built buildings, however, I would always advise using embossed styrene sheet as scribing brick coursing would be too daunting, to say the least. When it comes to fixing the sheet up to the card outer shell, I would recommend using double-sided tape, which I find gives a much flatter and neater finish than using glue. Some station buildings, although constructed in stone or brick masonry, were faced with render. This finish can be replicated in larger scales by brushing a coating of No More Cracks plaster filler onto the card face. Textured styrene or card sheet can be used again for the smaller scale models.

Before adding the roof or any windows and doors, it is worth painting the masonry. Start with the mortar, using a wash of oil paint, and then dry brush the colour tones, building them up to replicate the masonry used. Always use reference photographs of the prototype to achieve a realistic result. One major problem with trying to model a branch line station building is that it may no longer exist. There may perhaps be photographs of your chosen building, but it may be difficult to find them in colour. In this case, try to find other non-railway buildings built from the same materials and photograph these to use as colour reference when working on the painted finish.

With the masonry painted the next stage is to add the windows and doors. There are now many different styles of window frames available on the market. With the introduction of laser cutting, the process has been adapted for model making. The other more established method is photo-etching, which is still the best process to use for 4mm and 2mm scale models. You should be able to find windows to suit your needs, but if your building requires a window frame design that is not available, you will have to have it originated. For this it would be an advantage, of course, if you have the ability to prepare the drawings of your frames. Otherwise, it may be enough to supply a good photograph from which laser-cut or etched frames can be made. This can be costly, however, as drawings have to be originated as part of both processes.

The doors could also be laser cut or etched in the same way as the windows, although it is not difficult to model panelled doors from card or styrene. In the past I have had convincing results making this type of door from old greetings cards. You might be lucky enough to find suitable window frames and doors from plastic accessory building packs, such as those by Wills Finecast and Ratio.

Before moving on to fitting the roof we must consider the many station buildings that were built from other materials rather than stone and brick masonry. Timber-framed prefabricated structures were very common. These were mainly clad with timber boarding, although some light railway companies often clad their station buildings with corrugated iron sheeting.

Timber-boarded buildings can be made from pregrooved embossed styrene sheet. Card can also be utilized to create the boarding by the process of scoring with a hobby knife or scalpel. The overlap boarding can also be fabricated from thin card sheet. Again I have had reasonable results using old greetings cards, keeping up my obsession with using cheap and recycled materials.

Prefabricated buildings faced with corrugated sheeting can be modelled by using embossed or vacuum-formed styrene sheets. Plastic building sheets produced by Wills Finecast give a good impression of the corrugated sheets, even with the overlaps produced. However, I find the sheets rather thick and difficult to cut, and they are only available in small size sheets.

Just the same as with masonry buildings, it is always worth painting the timber-clad walls before fitting the windows and doors. The best way is to use acrylic spray paint first and then use oil or acrylic to pick out other colours used on the framework and, of course, the weathering.

All of the window frames and doors can be painted with acrylic spray paint. Note that the windows should be painted before fixing the glazing. The best way I have found to fix etched or laser-cut frames to the clear glazing is by applying spray glue to the back of the frame. Take care when laying them down on the glazing sheet and a neat and good bond will be achieved. Cutting the glazing sheet slightly oversize will give you the opportunity to include strips of double-sided tape to make a fixing to the back of the inner shell or cladding, thus making the frame fit neatly into the aperture reveal.

We can now turn our attention to fitting the roof to the station building. Start with creating the sub-base with any supports that might be required. The subbase for both a gable and a hipped roof would have the same construction. With the sub-base complete, the next stage is to create the covering. Most of the roofs will be covered with slate, although other materials might be used, such as tiles and corrugated sheets.

The slates can either be cut from thin card or you can use the thin styrene sheet from Slater’s. Self-adhesive laser-cut slates available from York Modelmaking give very effective results. I tend to use double-sided tape to fix any pre-cut card slates or tiles to the sub-base. Tape can also be used to fix any embossed corrugated styrene sheet to the card subbase to give a neat and secure result.

With the covering completed, the ridge and any joins will need to be addressed in order to finish the roof. Lead flashings would be used for this, although ridge tiles were also common. These can be replicated on the model by using folded card, or aluminium foil in the case of lead flashings. Decorative ridge tiles can be laser cut or photo-etched in brass sheet. Accurate laser-cut tiles may also be obtained from York Modelmaking.

There are, of course, many different styles of canopies, some very plain and others very ornate in design. Miniature versions of these will need to be constructed to add to the station building. The simpler examples consisted of just a wooden frame clad with boarding, which would be covered with a waterproofing material such as zinc sheet or tarred sheeting. The canopy would be supported on a series of cast iron brackets. The facing edges would usually be finished with vertical boards fretted and shaped to create an ornate repeated pattern. The pre-grouping railway companies had their own distinctive patterns, which became one way of identifying to what company the station belonged.

Larger station buildings would have canopies supported on cast iron columns with brackets to connect the canopy to the columns. This would be the case on the timber-framed flat designs. Other designs would have gabled roofs, which could comprise a gable running parallel to the building or a series of gable roofs running at right angles to the building.

The canopy roof could be hipped rather than gabled. On some stations, especially in the south of the country, barrel roofs were favoured. One feature common to all the roofs was the ornate valancing to the facing edges. Some of the canopies would also allow for glazing panels to be added to give light as well as shelter to passengers on the platform beneath. The protective covering for gable-roofed canopies would normally be slates, although corrugated sheeting was also common. Curved corrugated sheets would be applied to the barrel-roofed canopies.

To model the simple canopy use styrene strip to make up the framework and embossed sheet for the panelling. The waterproof covering can be made from paper or by using strips of masking tape. When it comes to adding the valancing I would recommend the range now available from York Modelmaking, which produces laser-cut sections of most of the designs used by the railway companies. The canopy should be attached to the building using a series of brackets; laser-cut examples are also supplied by York Modelmaking, although these are best used on the larger scale models. For 4mm scale or less it would be better to use etched brackets. Many designs are available from Scalelink and these can be simply put into position using super glue to link the canopy to the wall of the building.

Free wall space on the station buildings was given up to advertising. This was more apparent during the pre-grouping period when enamelled signs were used. Poster and noticeboards were also used with the name of the railway company heading the board. There are many miniature versions of both the enamelled advertising signs and the poster boards on the market, with all scales catered for. By dressing your station building with those final visual touches, and modelling them together with the associated platform furniture, realistic results can be achieved.

The standard design of waiting shelter provided by the Great Western Railway at Carrog.

This very attractive and decorative waiting shelter is sited at Cromford. Close to the station is Willersley Castle, once the home of the Arkwright family, the pioneering industrialists. The Midland Railway commissioned G. H. Stokes, the son-in-law of the architect Joseph Paxton, to design the station buildings with French chateaux influences. Although not as simple as the wooden prefabricated samples to construct, this would make a very attractive model to add to your branch line layout.

The waiting shelter at Toddington follows the traditional Great Western design and is almost the same as the one at Carrog.

Another substantial and decorative stone building provided by the Midland Railway. This waiting shelter on the Peak Line at Darley Dale was built to a Gothic Revival design.

PLATFORMS

Unless you are modelling a narrow-gauge station or one of those very small country ground-level halts, you will need a platform. All platforms are raised off the ground to accommodate the passengers stepping out from the carriage doors. The platforms in pre-grouping days were often lower since the early carriages were fitted with step boards. The majority of platform walls were constructed using masonry, most commonly stone or brick. Timber and concrete were also used as alternatives, made up from prefabricated sections. The surface could be finished with paving flags, paving bricks, concrete or asphalt. Timber-built platforms would be topped with planking fixed so that it was either running parallel to the facing wall or at right angles to it. The edge to the platform usually overlapped slightly to connect with the carriages as close as possible. Stone flags were often used to create a defined edge to the masonry-walled platforms. Concrete edging slabs were also used, or sometimes a combination of both.

It was common practice for the railway companies to provide a signing system to inform passengers of the facilities. This shows a gentlemen’s convenience sign, provided by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, that was suspended from the platform canopy at Ramsbottom.

This ‘Way Out’ sign is another sample provided by the L & Y at Ramsbottom.

The standard running board of the Great Western. This sample at Toddington is supported on two round cast posts, which again was standard practice.

Enamelled advertising signs were commonly found at most railway stations. This one advertises Colman’s Starch.

A sign for Lyons’ Tea was a common sight at stations.

Local companies and organizations would also advertise in this way.

Fry’s Cocoa was another common advertising sign.

Tobacco and cigarette advertising was also commonplace.

Food products would be advertised on these enamelled signs.

Reproductions of enamelled advertising signs are available in all the popular model railway scales. Some of them are available on gloss card to replicate the enamelled finish. An adhesive back makes them easy to position on your models.

This notice was commonly placed at the end of a station platform. This sample shows the type installed by the Great Western Railway.

The details seen here on the platform at Consall Station include the running in board, bench, luggage trolley, station fencing and the signal box positioned on the platform.

A typical design of wall-mounted station oil lamp.

This type of gas lamp was to be found in the station and goods yards. The lantern top had six glazed sides. Most of the pre-grouping railway companies used this design of lamp.

Pictured is a Midland Railway standard platform lamp and post. Note the Midlands colour scheme used for their lamps.

The later design of bench used by the Great Western Railway. This view clearly shows the ‘Shirt Button’ logo on the ends. Also in this photograph is the base section of a platform lamp post and the typical GW spear fencing. The platform covering of blue pavers complete with diagonal gripping grooves is worth noting and was common on Great Western stations.

The Midland Railway used a bench with cast iron mock rustic supports and ends.

Illustrated is the standard pattern of station fencing used by the Midland Railway and a few other companies. The palings were set at 45 degrees on a three-bar fence.

The typical design of luggage trolley used by the Great Western.

Another luggage trolley of a type used by the North Stafford Railway. The luggage on the trolley is well worth noting for reference when modelling.

Detail of the edging stone slabs used on many branch line platforms. Note the white warning stripe painted on the very edge.

A platform-mounted water tank combined with crane, known as the parachute tank. This sample is a Lancashire & Yorkshire design situated on the platform at Ramsbottom Station.

A standard design Great Western water crane. Note the colour scheme of terracotta and buff.

A typical station footbridge found on the Midland Railway.

This station footbridge demonstrates a design common to the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. Also worth noting is the platform edging and the crossing gates.

SIGNAL BOXES AND GROUND FRAME CABINS

Control of the trains on the branch line would require a signalling system. Therefore the signal box will be an important building to add to your branch line layout. The size of the box, of course, is determined by the number of points and signals required. A lever frame should be provided to cover this and a few spares should also be included. Smaller track layouts with only a few points and signals would require only a ground frame, either left open or with a small cabin to provide shelter.

The different railway companies had their own distinctive style of signal box. Some of the larger companies had their own signal works employed to make up the frames and boxes to house them as well as the signals themselves. Other companies would commission specialist signalling companies, such as Mackenzie & Holland or Saxby & Farmer, to make the frames, boxes and signals to suit their requirements. These boxes were of a common design, although detailing could be slightly different to identify a particular railway company. The ground frame cabins similarly had their own distinctive style, most being given some ornate and fancy embellishments to make them distinctive.

A small Midland Railway signal box. Most of the Midland boxes were built from prefabricated timber sections, with a slated hipped roof. The photograph also shows the grouping of the lamp hut, water closet and coal bunker

A standard Great Western design of signal box, featuring a hipped roof and brick construction.

This later type 3B Midland signal box has a narrow locking room suited to a restricted ground area.

A very small London & North Western signal box.

Tutbury Crossing box is an early Mackenzie & Holland design for the North Stafford Railway. Note the pyramid roof and mainly brick construction.

This is a later M&H North Stafford box, with timber cabin on a brick locking room base.

The detail at the staircase end of a Midland signal box. The brick base, seen here, was not standard on the Midland. This colour scheme was also used by the LMS.

This delightful model of a Dingle & Sky Railway signal cabin features on Mark Tatlow’s P4 layout ‘Portchullin’.

The Ratio kit of Highley signal box, modelled and painted using artists’ oil paints by the author.

Another fine scratch-built model of a box of all-timber construction on the Taff Vale Railway. The model features on the superb P4 layout ‘Ynysybwl’.

GOODS SHED AND LOADING DOCKS

The larger branch line station would most likely incorporate into the yard a goods shed where incoming and outgoing goods could be loaded to and from wagons with the benefit of shelter from the elements. These again differed in style and size and would be built to whatever was required for that particular site. The majority of goods sheds came in two standard designs. The first and more popular to be used by the railway companies was the through shed. This design gave access to the building for the wagons to enter through large doorways at each end. A loading platform would then be built up to the track and fitted with one or more cranes. Access for road vehicles would be provided from large doors fitted to the front of the building. Some of the early Great Western examples had the doors at the ends, giving a drive-though facility for the horsedrawn carts or the lorries to load and offload the goods straight onto a dock running parallel with the roadway and the railway. The side loading docks would usually have a canopy fitted over the doorway to give shelter. An office would also be provided for the handling of all the goods in and out. This could be positioned inside the shed to keep an eye on operations or incorporated at one of the ends as an extension to the main building. Occasionally the office might be positioned on the side near to the road loading doors; an example of this arrangement is at Buckfastleigh.

In the other widely used design of goods shed the railway had no access to the interior of the building. Instead the railway ran to the side of the building with a trackside dock provided. Large doors gave access from the shed to the dock and a canopy gave shelter to the loading area. A repeat arrangement would be found on the opposite side for loading and offloading road vehicles. The goods office, again, could be found either internally or as a lean-to extension. This type of goods shed was favoured by the London & South Western Railway at the smaller stations.

OPEN LOADING DOCKS

Some smaller branch line stations would not have room or need for a goods shed. Here a loading dock would be provided consisting of a short platform. This would usually be built from masonry matching those at the station or from timber. A crane would be provided on the larger docks. Some docks might be built within the station platform area for the loading or offloading of fresh milk. Some docks were positioned at the end of a siding to give loading access to end-loading wagons. This type of dock would have a slope added, especially if motor vehicles or carts were involved. Most branch line stations would have a dock for loading and offloading livestock. The cattle docks would have pens provided to stable and sort the animals. The pens consisted of fencing made either from timber or concrete post and metal tube rails. The Great Western Railway used recycled bridge rail originally intended for the broad-gauge track. Gates would be located within the pens at regular intervals to give entry and exit for the livestock. Each pen would need to be cleaned out, so it was important to have drainage. The surface to the pens would have raised cobbles or something similar to provide a good grip for the animals. The pens also sloped towards the centre where the drain was situated. Water and feed troughs would be located within the pens, as the railway companies always looked after the animals’ welfare for the short time they were with them. Besides the cleaning down of the pens, some cattle docks also had hard-standing fixed from the dock wall spreading across the railway tracks themselves. This concrete or cobbled area would also have drainage, so this too could be washed down from time to time, as inevitably a certain amount of mess would be produced when handling the livestock.

ENGINE SHEDS

It was common for most branch lines that had a terminus to have its own locomotive stabling and maintenance facilities. The branch line would often have its own regular locomotive housed in its own engine shed. The sheds varied in style and size from wooden structures to substantial stone or brick buildings. All the steam sheds would have some kind of ventilation fitted to emit the smoke. They would feature large doors together with an inspection pit inside, and in most cases outside as well.

This interesting view of part of the Taff Vale layout ‘Ynysybwl’ shows plenty of trackside detail. Note the colour of the rails, chairs and the ash ballast.

The engine shed would also have some means of providing fuel for the locomotives. A water tank and coaling stage were provided for the steam locomotives. The shed would also have an external pit for the disposing of the fire, with an ash bunker provided to store them. The coaling stage was often combined with the water tower, if space was an issue. This was a common practice on some of the Great Western branch lines. Water tanks were also often positioned within the roof space of the shed, again probably to save space. Again the Great Western favoured this arrangement, but it was also common on other pre-grouping railways, especially the North Eastern. The water tanks in most cases had a water crane fitted, the parachute tank being a good example of this. This design of tank was favoured by most of the pre-grouping companies. Separate water cranes were accommodated by the Midland Railway in most cases, although other companies also provided separate cranes for the larger engine sheds.

The larger sheds would also provide sand driers and even small repairs and general maintenance workshops. Other buildings to be found around the engine shed provided accommodation and mess facilities for engine crews and maintenance staff. These could range from sheds made from old rolling stock to buildings made from substantial masonry. Recycled passenger coaches were commonly used for this purpose as well as old guard’s vans.

This model Great Western water tank was put together by the author using parts from the Wills Finecast plate girder bridge and columns from the Hornby footbridge. Other styrene parts were constructed using both sheet and strip from Evergreen. The model was painted using artists’ oil paints to match the photographs taken of a prototype.

Pictured is a timber-built coaling stage, constructed by the author from balsawood. The coal heap was carved from foam and painted black, before real coal was glued on to give a realistic effect.

Some branch line engine sheds would include a turntable, especially if tendered locomotives were employed. Since, however, smaller locomotives were used on the branch lines, the turntables could be of restricted diameter.

SIGNALS AND TELEGRAPH SYSTEMS

For the final part of this chapter I would like to take a look at signals and telegraph systems. It would be likely that branch lines would be only a single track with passing loops provided, usually at the stations along the line. This type of operation would require strict control to allow only one train to use the single-line section of track at a time. A token system was adopted by the railway companies to control this particular method of train operating. The train could not run along the section of single track until the token had been despatched to the crew by the signalman. The token would be handed back to the signalman at the end of the section, or collected by staff.

The branch would also be controlled by semaphore signals. These would control the trains entering and exiting a section of track, provide clearance for a train starting from a station and protect level crossings. Other signals would provide control at junctions, with the signals having two or more arms positioned on separate posts. This type was commonly known as a splitting signal, and the arms on the separate posts were called dolls.

The pre-grouping signals came in many different styles and were distinctive to the railway companies. Some of the larger companies had their own signal and telegraph works, while others commissioned their signal requirements from signalling companies such as Mackenzie & Holland and Saxby & Farmer, the same companies that were responsible for many of the signal boxes.

Over time the signals were renewed and modernized. The most significant change was the repositioning of the arms to show a clear road from a lower quadrant to an upper quadrant. (The Western Region was an exception and retained the lower quadrant.) Modernization would see semaphores replaced by colour light signalling, although these rarely made an appearance on the branch lines.

For shunting operations and locomotive movements signals were positioned on the ground. The signalling companies also supplied ground signals of this type.

The block signalling used, together with operational communications, required a telegraph system employing conventional wires carried on telegraph poles, which were positioned alongside the railway. The wires connected the signal boxes and stations to provide all the necessary communications along the branch line.

A Great Western home signal is here shown protecting a level crossing. Note the steel lattice post.

Another Great Western home signal protecting a level crossing at Staverton. Here the doll is mounted on the more conventional wooden post.

This photograph taken at Buckfastleigh shows a bracketed home starter. The subsidiary smaller doll supporting a letter ‘S’ on the arm directs the driver to shunt ahead when given a clear road to do so.

A later tubular-posted bracket signal. The Western Region of British Railways preferred the lower quadrant, whereas the other regions adopted the upper quadrant. Also worth noting here are the ground-mounted shunting signals.

The rear of a typical design of Midland Railway home starter signal.

This photograph taken at Swanwick Junction illustrates a splitting home bracket signal supplied by the Midland Railway.

Rear view of the same splitting bracket signal.

In this photograph the home starter and the smaller ‘calling on’ arms are mounted on a post fixed under the bracket. This arrangement was owing to its position close to the overbridge at Butterley, which gave the drivers a limited view of the signal.

This signal displays a Midland Railway bracket with a combined home and distant arm fitted to the main right-hand post. The left-hand post is fitted with a smaller ‘calling on’ doll.

This photograph of a bracketed home starter signal at Darley Dale station, clearly illustrates a how an upper quadrant arm has been fitted, replacing the earlier Midland lower quadrant arm. The original posts, bracket, staging, and finial has been retained.

A standard steel tubular post with an upper quadrant arm. This design of signal was adopted by most of the grouping companies and the British Railways regions, apart from the Western Region.

CHAPTER FOUR

SELECTING A PROTOTYPE BRANCH LINE

In this chapter I would like to present a selection of prototype branch lines from around the country to use for model projects. I have purposely selected both rural and urban examples that have been built by a number of different railway companies. The intention is to inspire you, the modeller, to build one or maybe more from my selection. I have tried to give as much information as possible, with the inclusion of a short history, track diagrams and, in most cases, three-dimensional illustrations to give a good idea of what the finished model would look like. Period photographs are included where possible, together with a guide to the buildings on the site. Some of the branch lines chosen will also allow for constructing layouts that might fit into smaller spaces around the home (see Chapter 2). Although most of the branch lines are standard gauge, I have also included a few examples of narrow-gauge and light railways.

The order of selection starts in South West England, working towards the North. Along the way I have also included a branch line serving the Isle of Wight. The selection concentrates on those to be found in England, although some wonderful examples are to be found in Wales, Scotland and across the water in Ireland. With reluctance I decided that it would be too much to include these in the book.

All the branch lines selected will make interesting layout projects in most of the popular scales. Although most of the branch lines I have chosen are based on true prototypes, in Chapter 5 I have also included a few invented examples, some of which have been loosely based on prototypes.

SOUTH WEST ENGLAND

ST IVES BAY LINE

Britain’s most south-westerly branch line, which became the picturesque final five miles (8km) on the line to one of the most popular holiday resorts on the North Cornwall coast, owes its existence to pilchard fishing. The town originated with fishermen’s cottages built on twisting streets set around the harbour. Other industries connected with the early town were boatbuilding and mining, together with a certain amount of smuggling! The fishing trade brought prosperity to St Ives in the 1830s, bringing in around £10,000 each season, enough to have gas lighting installed as early as 1835. The special light around St Ives Bay, reflecting off the sea and giving a similar effect to that found in Florence and the Mediterranean, became a magnet for artists, who soon established a community in the fishing town. With the coming of the railway the light, sunshine and sandy beaches also attracted tourists in their thousands. Tourism now became the town’s major source of income, as it remains today.

A branch line scheme to serve St Ives was first proposed in 1844, but it was not until 1873 that an Act of Parliament was passed for the construction of the railway from St Erth. The West Cornwall Railway constructed the line to broad gauge, with the branch becoming part of the Great Western’s Bristol, Exeter & South Devon Railway after amalgamation in February 1876. Intermediate stations were located at Lelant and Carbis Bay. The line was relaid to standard gauge in May 1882.

The branch had stabling facilities for its own locomotive with a single-road engine shed built. This was situated on the approach to the station, on the south side of the viaduct, tucked away against the cliff face. A small water tower was provided with a coaling stage accommodated underneath. The engine shed measured 40 × 18ft (12 × 5.5m) to a height of 16ft (4.9m). An inspection pit was provided inside the shed, with a second outside the shed alongside the water tower and coaling stage. The engine shed also boasted a stone-built engine house. The shed opened on 24 May 1877 and remained in operation until September 1961. A signal box was provided to operate the points and signals controlling the train movements around the station, goods yard and the engine shed. The box was a Saxby & Farmer (Class Four) design with a twenty-lever frame.

The goods road ran off the main road into the station, with an extra road to serve a dock at the back of the platform. The goods shed was built of local stone with a crane provided internally and one externally positioned on the loading dock. The goods shed had to be located into a tight space, and like the engine shed occupied a position right up against the cliffs.

The station building was built from local granite to a style common with some of the other Great Western branch line and local stations. It had a large hipped roof with a projecting platform canopy, and featured a number of tall stone chimney stacks. Internally the station provided the usual rooms with a booking hall, offices and waiting rooms, all with toilet facilities. The platform was longer than usual for a branch line terminus as it was built to accommodate the long trains that terminated here in the holiday season.

The track layout in the station had a runaround loop with a long head shunt situated at the far end. The loop rejoined the main road at the station end of the viaduct. At the other end a turnout gave access to a short head shunt to give entry to locomotive stabling and servicing facilities. The layout was very simple with only seven points in total, with all the main trackwork on the curve. St Ives would certainly make an interesting and attractive project for a branch line model.

St Ives track plan: (A) station building; (B) goods shed; (C) signal box; (D) engine shed; (E) water tower and combined coaling stage; (F) weighbridge and office.

HELSTON BRANCH

The Helston branch was the most southerly railway line on the British mainland. The line was opened on 9 May 1887 and was just over eight miles (13km) in length. It had intermediate stations at Praze and Nancegollan with a small halt also provided at Truthall. The junction for the branch was from the West of Cornwall main line at Gwinear Road. Helston has always been the terminus of the line, although the layout of the station indicates that it was intended to extend the line even further south to reach the communities on the Lizard Peninsula. This never happened and the Great Western Railway provided its own bus service instead. The branch line became famous for transporting broccoli in the 1930s to serve the demand from markets in London and other cities. Nancegollan station was completely remodelled in 1937 with an extensive array of sidings that were added to during the Second World War. Large exchange sidings were also provided at Gwinear Road for larger trains of vans to transport the perishable broccoli quickly to all parts of the UK.

The branch line’s most distinctive engineering feature was the stone-built, six-arch Cober Viaduct. This impressive structure enabled the line to cross the deep Cober Valley, near Helston. The approach to Helston was on a curve in a cutting, entering the station under a stone overbridge. Immediately the line split, forming the loop with entrance to the goods yard and loading bay. There was originally a head shunt running off the outer siding. This was extended and realigned to reach the loading chute for serpentine stone, built in 1957. The layout at the far end includes the crossover for the runaround loop. This loop was also extended at the far end, providing the head shunt to the goods road. The main running line was extended on a steep embankment, where the long prefabricated wooden carriage shed was situated.

For all the traffic the branch carried in the 1950s, the line’s fortunes declined. The Beeching Report concluded that most of Cornwall’s branch lines would close. The Helston branch was to be one of the first: the final passenger service train ran on 3 November 1962, hauled by D6312, a Class 22 Bo-Bo diesel.

Helston track plan: (A) station building; (B) goods shed; (C) signal box; (D) engine shed; (E) cattle pens; (F) carriage shed.

Station building

The main station building at Helston was quite large for a branch line and was almost identical to the one at St Ives. The wide rectangular building features a steep hipped roof compete with four chimneys. All the station walls were constructed from random cut granite blocks, with cut corner quoins and shallow-arched window and door lintels of the same material.

One feature of the station was a postbox cemented into the south-eastern wall. The building had a long canopy running its whole length on the platform side, supported on large cast iron brackets. In the later years the gents’ toilet door was screened off with pre-cast concrete walling. The main building housed a booking hall and office, general and ladies’ waiting rooms, parcels office, porters’ rooms and toilets.

Engine shed

The single-road engine shed was built from local granite rubble stone; the window and door reveals and the corner quoins were faced with red brick. The rear wall to the shed was later rebuilt using concrete blocks. The windows were arched and glazed in multiple cast iron frames. The rail entrance doorway followed the same pattern with a large arched red brick lintel. Two large wooden doors were provided to fit the aperture. The shed had an inspection pit inside, with an ash pit and bunker positioned outside the doors. Alongside was a coaling stage and Great Western mushroom pillar-style water tank. The shed also had a lean-to extension providing a small workshop to carry out minor repairs on site.

Goods shed

Like the engine shed, the goods shed was constructed from rubble granite stone with the same red brick facings to all the quoins and lintels. The section on the gable end above the rail openings featured beaded vertical boarding, common to a good number of Great Western sheds. The roof was covered with slate, with simple straight barge-boards to the gable ends. Inside, the shed would be provided with a small loading crane positioned on a wooden staging. The far end of the shed had a lean-to office built from the same materials as the main shed. This was later rendered on the rear walls and an extension was added, again with rendered walls and a flat tarred roof. The goods shed originally had a small wooden valance awning to provide shelter when loading carts from the opening on the yard side.

Carriage shed

This 100ft (30m) long single-road shed could accommodate two-bogie carriages and was constructed entirely from timber. The wooden frame was clad with vertical timber boards, which were beaded with laths over the joins. Corrugated iron sheeting was used to clad the roof for its full length to complete this prefabricated structure.

Signal box

The locking room and lower section were constructed from the same red brick used on the engine and goods shed. The cabin above was of a timber construction with a gabled roof covered with slate. It followed the standard design of Great Western box with a frame of twenty-one levers, including spares. Early photographs suggest that the stairs seem to have been moved from an original position running parallel to the track to one parallel with the gable end of the box. This might have been to save space in its confined location. A gallery was provided with a porch to enter the upper cabin. Later photographs also indicate that the vertical wooden planking immediately under the windows was changed to horizontal planks. The brick-built chimney stack also seems to have been replaced at some time with a stovepipe chimney.

Staffroom and station storeroom

Between the signal box and the main station building stood the staffroom and station storeroom. The staffroom was of red brick construction with a slated gabled roof, measuring 13 × 9ft (4 × 2.7m). Next to this along the short platform was the station storeroom. This building was of wooden construction and measured 20 × 7ft (6 × 2.1m), with vertical wooden boarding and a roof of boarding covered with tarred felting.

Stone chute

In the late 1950s the head shunt siding was relaid to accommodate a loading chute. This was built onto a sub-base of concrete, with concrete columns supporting a loading platform and the chute. The structure utilized the side of the cutting to gain the height required for the lorries to tip their load of serpentine stone into the waiting wagons below. This stone is unique to the Lizard Peninsula and at the time there was commercial demand for the material.

Goods yard

A long dock was constructed on the outermost siding with a cattle dock provided. The far end of this siding was used to offload and store coal. Later the yard also boasted a large six-ton crane to handle larger consignments of goods, possibly replacing the smaller crane inside the goods shed. At the far end of the yard stood the road motor shed, where the railway buses were garaged and maintained.

PRINCETOWN BRANCH: PRINCETOWN

I have here selected one of the most isolated branch lines in the country. The Princetown Branch traversed the wild terrain of Dartmoor to reach its terminus at the village of Princetown, which became famous for the prison built to house captives from the Napoleonic wars in 1809. The branch was just over ten miles (16km) in length with a ruling gradient of 1 in 40 from its junction at Yelverton to the terminus. A railway to connect Princetown with Plymouth was proposed as early as 1819. The line was constructed and opened as far as King Tor in 1823, and the remaining section was opened in 1826. The railway in these early days was horse drawn to transport granite from quarries on Dartmoor. A new line was built to standard gauge from Yelverton on the Tavistock branch to a new terminus on the western edge of Princetown with only one intermediate station at Dousland. The Princetown Railway remained independent until 1921 when it was absorbed by the Great Western Railway, which opened the intermediate halts at Burrator in 1924, King Tor in 1928 and Ingra Tor on 2 March 1936.

The single track ran in from the west and split to the runaround loop just before the overbridge. I would suggest that this could be used to create the scenic break to give entry to the fiddle yard. Within a few yards of the bridge a turnout from the loop gave entry to the goods road and the locomotive stabling and servicing roads. A turnout before the loco facilities provided a coal and general goods road. An extra temporary siding was installed in 1923, although this lasted only three years. At the far eastern end of the loop a crossover linked back to the main running line, which passed through the station platform. On the early plan a single slip was installed to provide a through loop to serve the goods shed. This was taken out and replaced by 1948, making the goods road into one long siding. The loop ended with a spur to serve an end-loading dock used originally for carriages and later for motor vehicles. The main running road terminated with a longer spur to accommodate a carriage shed. This was removed in the 1940s, leaving a long head shunt at this end of the station.

The Princetown branch closed on 5 March 1956. The entire track was lifted later that year and the buildings were all demolished, apart from the station house and stable block. Parts of the line have been turned into a path giving walkers wonderful views of the tors and rugged landscape of Dartmoor.

Princetown track plan: (A) signal box; (B) lamp hut and oil store; (C) station building; (D) cattle dock; (E) end dock; (F) stable; (G) goods shed; (H) engine shed; (I) coaling stage; (J) turntable; (K) permanent way department.

Station

The station platform provided a cattle dock at the far eastern end, with the main station buildings occupying the western end. The substantial buildings were constructed from local granite and rendered, with a long, slated hipped roof. A canopy was provided running the length of the centre section, with wooden screens added to each end to give passengers shelter from the harsh Dartmoor weather. The building consisted of the main booking hall and office, together with waiting rooms for both ladies and general passengers. The building also housed the parcels office and a general storeroom. The parcels office, however, had originally been intended to accommodate the lamp room.

Goods shed

Standing almost opposite the station building was the goods shed, built from the same rendered granite. This had an external loading dock running up to the goods road. Two large sliding doors were provided on the rail side with a loading crane positioned inside the building. Another yard crane was provided on an extra platform to the eastern side of the shed. The tall gabled building with a slated roof had a goods office added on to the western end. This possessed a hipped roof of the same slates, and was built onto the angled slope of the loading dock. The road entrance was situated on the western gable end of the building and there were also double doors to give access. Both the rail dock and the road entrance were fitted with a protective wooden canopy, although photographic records shows these were removed during the final years of the line’s existence.

Signal box

The cabin at Princetown was unusual in design with separate sections of sliding casement windows. Solid masonry was provided between the windows and on each corner. Like the other buildings on this site, the box was constructed from the local granite with a weather coating of render. The building was topped by a pyramidal slated roof that extended to form a canopy over the landing at the top of the staircase. This was also enclosed on both sides to give the signalman much needed protection from the bleak Dartmoor weather. The locking room had a cast iron framed window on the western end. A stovepipe chimney replaced the brick stack in 1926; some exterior renovation was added around 1948.

Engine shed

The engine shed incorporated the water tank, which was situated over the entrance doors. The shed was again built from granite blocks covered in render. The gabled roof was covered with slate and fitted with three smoke ventilators. Internally the shed featured a smoke hood that ran the length of the building and projected though the glazed panel above the double doors, so becoming a feature to the external fabric as well. The hood, however, was later removed and the glazed panel boarded over. Eventually the whole slated roof was replaced with a boarded and felted covering, while two of the smoke ventilators were removed.

A lean-to extension was fitted at the eastern end of the shed to create a storeroom. Glazed panels were also installed on the eastern gable end to allow extra light into the shed.

Outside the main doors a wooden shed was erected as a storeroom, but this was later removed and storage was provided in the lean-to at the rear. Further along stood the water crane and coaling stage. The staging roof was covered with corrugated iron sheeting. The original sides were clad in timber planking, although this was also replaced at a later date with the corrugated sheeting.

Further along this siding a small turntable was provided, with room to turn a medium-sized tank engine. The site also featured a plate-layer’s hut. Another hut was situated at the western end of the platform, grouped along with the lamp and coal huts, which were both constructed to the typical Great Western corrugated iron design.

Carriage shed

The carriage shed was a typical design found on Great Western branch lines. It was constructed on a prefabricated frame and clad with corrugated iron sheeting, with a curved barrel roof of the same materials. The shed was 180ft (55m) in length and could accommodate two-bogie coaches. Alongside the carriage shed stood the stable block for the yard’s horses. This remained in situ well after the removal of the carriage shed during the 1940s.

One other feature of the Pricetown yard was the stabling of a clerestory-roofed camping coach. This could be found at the end of the goods siding from 1934 to 1939. Anyone wishing to model the branch at this period would find this vehicle made an interesting addition.

Locomotives and rolling stock

The first references to locomotives on the branch indicate that two 0-6-0 ex-Llynvi and Ogmore Railway side tanks were employed on the branch when it opened. These locomotives were given Great Western numbers 919 and 923 and remained on the line until they were withdrawn in 1892 and 1888, respectively.

From this period the 517 class 2-6-2 and 19xx 0-6-0 tanks were used until the more familiar Churchward 44xx & 45xx class 2-6-2 tanks. The 44xx class was first introduced in 1905 and the 45xx class worked the branch regularly in the 1950s through to the closure. 19xx class pannier tanks would also visit the line, fitted with snowploughs to clear the line during the winter months.

The trains would mostly comprise a single coach or sometimes, from the 1930s onwards, two ‘B’ sets. The trains would often have goods vehicles, such as milk vans, added to the rear, together with a goods brake van. This arrangement would be common right up until the line closed.

Short freight trains would be a mix of goods vehicles including open coal wagons and covered vans. The branch would also sometimes see special vehicles bringing in supplies to the prison.

KINGSBRIDGE BRANCH (THE PRIMROSE LINE)

The Kingsbridge Branch was opened on 19 December 1893. The junction for the branch with the South Devon main line was at South Brent. From there the course of the railway followed the Avon Valley for most of its length, with intermediate stations at Avonwick, Garra Bridge and Loddiswell. The branch running-in boards at Brent Station read ‘Kingsbridge (for Salcombe)’,since Salcombe did not have a railway connection and was reached by the branch and a connecting bus and ferry service. The last section of the branch line was the most difficult to engineer as the 625 yard (570m) Sorley Tunnel was required to take the line from the summit down to the hillside station site at Kingsbridge.

The station and yard was entered from the west on a sharp curve and on an elevated embankment. The single line split with tracks on the right entering the single platform of the station. The next set of points formed the runaround loop and gave access to the goods yard. The engine shed was tucked away on a short spur positioned close to the main station buildings. The signal box was also situated on this side of the site, positioned on the outside of the curve to give the signalman a perfect view of all train operations.

Situated alongside the loop, and opposite the signal box, stood the goods shed on its own through road. Further along the yard a double slip gave entry to two long sidings and a head shunt. The far siding served for general goods and was provided with a yard crane. The other long siding was used as the coal road with a number of coal storage bunkers. The weighbridge, together with the office, was sited near to the entrance of the yard.

Kingsbridge track plan: (A) station building; (B) engine shed; (C) coaling stage; (D) signal box; (E) goods shed; (F) coal bunkers; (G) yard crane; (H) weighbridge and office.

On the other side of the site, two short roads were provided for the milk dock and the end loading dock. A short head shunt was positioned directly opposite the dock roads and the short spur into the engine shed.

The station had the usual accommodation with a booking hall and waiting rooms, together with porters and storerooms. Behind the station building a number of huts were provided for extra storage and a goods office.

ASHBURTON BRANCH: STAVERTON, BUCKFASTLEIGH AND ASHBURTON

The Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway opened on 1 May 1872. The branch line, just over nine miles (14.5km) long, terminated in the ancient stannary town of Ashburton. This attractive terminus station has deservedly been the subject of many models in the past, but before we look at this wonderful prototype again, let’s discuss the first and second intermediate stations along the line.

Staverton

The first stop is Staverton, where the station had one goods siding set to the east of the level crossing. The platform measured 203ft (62m) in length, with a brick-built booking hall and office, together with a ladies’ waiting room and toilets provided. The building was a simple gable-roofed structure and was set well back from the platform edge, with steps down to the lane that ran immediately behind. The goods shed was not built until ten years after the opening of the station, in which year a second shed was constructed as a flour store by Messrs Bowden & Sons of Staverton Bridge Flour Mills. The goods siding was extended to serve both sheds, which had been built to the west of the existing level crossing; this required a second crossing being put in across the lane leading to Staverton Bridge. On the east side a permanent way hut was built for the Staverton gangers. Set further back in the yard was a large stone-built cider store, originally built in 1892 and belonging to P. A. Mann of Landscove. The store was taken over by Edwin Hill, who had become Staverton’s leading cider maker.

Staverton track plan: (A) station building; (B) goods shed and store; (C) signal cabin; (D) crossing gates; (E) cider store.

The yard later served Staverton Joinery, which opened in the 1940s and gave the station a new role, with timber being delivered and the finished furniture being transported out in containers. The factory also brought more passenger traffic, with the workers using the train to get to and from the workplace.

A small ground-level signal cabin was provided at Staverton controlling the points to the siding and signals protecting the level crossing. The signalman would also lock and unlock the gates to the main line, but not to those of the goods siding.

The goods facilities and passenger service both closed in 1958, although the station was to reopen in 1967 under preservation by the Dart Valley Railway Association. The station today has been restored to its former Great Western splendour and is as busy as ever with tourists visiting this picturesque heritage branch line, which since 1991 has been operated by the South Devon Railway.

The crossing end of Staverton Station.

The level crossing gates at Staverton.

The ground frame signal cabin provided at Staverton. Note the GWR colour scheme and the weathering on the roof.

Buckfastleigh

The second and largest station along the branch line, as far as the goods facilities were concerned, is Buckfastleigh. The station building here was similar to the one at Bovey, although yellow brick was used for the quoins and lintels, instead of the granite stone found at Bovey. The building is 63ft (19.2m) long and comprises the stationmaster’s office, general waiting room, booking office and hall, and a ladies’ waiting room. Added to the main building at the southern end is a lamp and coal store, together with the ladies’ toilets and gents’ urinals. A long approach road was put in to link the station and yard to the main road. Originally the goods shed was the same size as the one at Ashburton, but the goods shed and yard were extended in the 1880s to serve the town’s expanding wool industry. The goods shed was enlarged from 39ft (12m) to 89ft (27m) in length, with a lean-to goods office added to the yard side. In addition to this an extra 5-ton crane and a carriage loading bank were supplied. At the same time a weather canopy was provided to give cover for passengers on the platform. The sidings were extended with a three-way turnout being moved further to the north to give the sidings the extra length needed. An extra non-railway building was erected as the Co-operative coal store, positioned on land opposite the goods yard gates.

Further improvements were made at Buckfastleigh from 1906 to 1908 with a fourth siding added to a new dock. The third siding was realigned and two spur sidings added running each side of the running line at the north end. The loop running through the station was also extended at this time. The station had an extension to the north end with a corrugated lamp and coal store added. The goods shed was extended again with another prefabricated structure clad in corrugated sheeting. A barrow store was erected on the platform to the south end of the station building, fitted with the typical Great Western pagoda-style roof. To the north end of the platform a new signal box was built with a brick locking room base. This replaced the earlier ground frame. The signal box was a standard type 7D with a stud frame of twenty-two working levers and five spares, initially, and was commissioned on 17 December 1906. The loop had a short loading platform positioned opposite the station building. At the Ashburton end of the station and goods yard, the line crossed the River Dart before passing under Ashburton Road overbridge. This end of the line was completely changed when the A38 Express Way was built over the track bed. The preserved line now terminates at Buckfastleigh and this far end of the goods yard is now occupied by workshops and sheds, running up the banks of the river. The line ends with the head shunt buffer stops right up against the embankment of the A38.

Buckfastleigh track plan: (A) station house; (B) station building; (C) loading docks; (D) goods shed; (E) signal box; (F) permanent way huts.

Buckfastleigh station building from the road side.

This close-up photograph of the platform side of the building at Buckfastleigh shows the detail of the stonework, together with the yellow brick quoins and lintels. Note the GWR booking office sign.

The branch auto-train on the loop at Buckfastleigh.

Ashburton

The station at Ashburton was completed in 1872; the terminus station featured a timber-built train shed identical to the one at Moretonhampstead. A 300ft (91m) long platform was provided on the running-in side with a shorter platform opposite, although this was not built to its full length until 1928. The main station building was built from local brown stone with red-brick dressings on the arched lintels. The building measured just over 59ft (18m) and consisted of a storeroom, a parcels office, the station office and booking hall, a general waiting room, a ladies’ waiting room with a toilet, and finally the gents’ urinals. The train shed measured 80ft (24.4m) in length, and remained as built without any extensions or major alterations until the station closed in 1962.

Just along the platform stood the goods shed, which was built from the same stone as the main station building and was fitted with a 2-ton crane inside. The only alteration made to this building was the replacement of the original timber-built lean-to goods office to one constructed of brick with metal-framed windows around 1950. The shed was served by a single road leading off the main running line.

A runaround loop was provided that was extended to form a siding running under the roof of the train shed. Provision was made for a cattle dock, which was extended in 1928 and amalgamated into the shorter platform on this side. The cattle dock became a major part of the station as Ashburton was noted for its cattle fairs, which were held in North Street in the town until 1909. After this date a new cattle market was opened opposite the station. The station was rarely seen without any cattle wagons in this part of the terminus. The loop was lengthened around 1930 to accommodate longer cattle trains.

Opposite the end of the main platform was the turnout for the engine shed road. Ashburton featured a single-road shed built from the same reddish brown limestone complete with the red-brick arched lintels, following the style of the other buildings. This small engine shed had a workshop attached to the Buckfastleigh end. The main building had a lapped timber-boarded gable end above the two shed doors. The roof had a louvred ventilator running the full length of the gabled roof. In front of the shed was an ash pit and alongside the shed road a coaling stage was provided. Originally this was built from timber sleepers; this was replaced with one constructed from concrete blocks just before the Second World War. Alongside the coaling stage, set slightly back, was the water tower, a typical Great Western structure supported by four upright girders. A water crane stood in front of this tower.

The ground frame was situated between the turnout to the engine shed road and the loop crossover. A larger frame and cabin was planned in 1911 to improve the signalling at Ashburton, but this was never installed. This ground frame remained in service at the terminus right through to the closure.

Opposite the engine shed road was a long siding, which was extended to its final length in 1882. This was known as Tucker’s Siding and served Edwin Tucker’s new mill. Besides the mill, other buildings associated with the firm to store malt and fertilizer were to be found skirting the back of the yard. A loading bank for the company was provided at the north end of the goods shed.

Other small buildings around the terminus included a lamp hut and coal store positioned at the north end of the train shed. In later years a plate-layer’s hut was positioned near the cattle dock and a grounded coach body was positioned just outside the south doors of the goods shed.

Besides the cattle trains, local traffic saw a regular pick-up goods serving the goods shed as well as coal being delivered to the town and to Tucker’s mill. Passenger trains comprised auto-fitted locomotives with either one or two motor trailers. These were usually powered by 14xx and Class 517 locomotives in the early days, with the locomotive facing Ashburton. Two-coach ‘B’ sets would also make an appearance hauled by small Prairies. Pannier tanks may also have been used on local passenger and freight traffic from time to time. These trains and locomotives would be seen at all the other intermediate stations along the branch. An exception was an eight-coach Sunday School Special hauled by two 45xx Prairie tank locomotives, which terminated at Buckfastleigh. Other specials, probably shorter than the school special, occasionally traversed the whole length of the branch. Since part of this branch line has now been preserved as a heritage line, there is the option to run various stock and locomotives, although this can only be done if you are modelling Staverton or Buckfastleigh.

Ashburton track plan: (A) station building and train shed; (B) goods shed; (C) grounded coach-body store; (D) oil and lamp stores; (E) cattle pens; (F) water tank; (G) coaling stage; (H) engine shed; (I)Tuckers’ malt store.

This archive photograph showing the approach to Ashburton Station is full of detail and colour reference for the modeller to work from. CLIVE BAKER

The branch train under the train shed roof at Ashburton. CLIVE BAKER

This interesting archive colour photograph shows No. 1420 taking on water at Ashburton locomotive shed. CLIVE BAKER

MORETONHAMPTEAD BRANCH: LUSTLEIGH

I have decided to choose one of the intermediate stations along the Moretonhampstead branch of the Great Western, which opened on 4 July 1866. Starting from the junction at Heathfield on the eastern side of Dartmoor, the line followed the valley of the River Bovey for the first six miles (9.6km). Bovey was the first station, with Lustleigh being the only other station. Lustleigh was provided with only one goods siding, complete with a small stone warehouse positioned at the back of the yard. Lustleigh’s claim to fame was the transformation to ‘Baskerville’ when used for an adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles filmed in 1931. The gabled station building was built using local granite and consisted of a booking hall and office together with a ladies’ waiting room and toilet. The single platform was long enough to take three bogie coaches and extended right up to the overbridge. Across from the platform was a well-tended garden with colourful flower beds, well-kept lawns and rustic fences covered with rambling roses. This wide area would have been originally intended for a second track for a passing loop, but this was never installed. The overbridge was also built with a wider arch to accommodate this second track. If you choose to build a branch line model of this station you could use either the true name or perhaps those invented by author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: ‘Baskerville’, ‘Grimpen’ or even ‘Coombe Tracey’.

Locomotives and rolling stock

The first locomotives employed on the branch belonged to the 517 and Metro classes. These were followed after their introduction in 1906 by the 45xx class 2-6-2 tanks. During the 1940s the Collet 0-4-2 tanks were introduced on the branch and these remained common until the final years. This class of tank was employed on the auto-train service, hauling one or two trailers. The 45xx class tanks were used to haul trains consisting of the usual non-corridor ‘B’ Set combination.

Mixed freight trains were common on the branch with the local pick-up goods dropping off the odd wagon for Lustleigh. The passenger trains would also include some freight vehicles, especially milk vans, which would again be dropped off at the intermediate stations along the branch.

Lustleigh track plan: (A) station building; (B) goods store.

The restored Bovey Station. All the station buildings along the branch were constructed of local Dartmoor granite.

LYME REGIS

Although the first sod of the Axminster & Lyme Regis Light Railway had been cut as early as 29 September 1874, it was not until 22 January 1903 that the very first train ran over the whole line, carrying the railway’s directors. The building of the railway had been disrupted for many years owing to recurrent problems with the construction of the Cannington Viaduct. The branch finally opened to fare-paying passengers on 24August later that year. The main feature of the six-and-a-half-mile (10.4km) branch was the impressive ten-arch Cannington Viaduct. Totally built from concrete, the viaduct had to be fitted with a jack arch to brace the third arch, which had caused so many problems during the construction.

The branch line had one intermediate station situated at Combpyne. The station here served a small rural community on the Devon-Dorset border. The halt comprised an island platform with the line splitting to form a passing loop. The booking hall was situated at ground level along with a goods store. A general goods siding ran off the up line to serve a loading dock with a head shunt at the other end.

For our model I would like to concentrate on the terminus at Lyme Regis. Despite the name, the station was a good half mile from the town in the hamlet of Uplyme and, as the name implies, was at the top of a hill. All the station buildings and platform were originally constructed from timber. The platform was later rebuilt in the prefabricated concrete sections preferred by the Southern Railway. The booking hall and office, waiting and porters’ rooms, together with the toilets, were all located in the long wooden building. There was a shallow hip-roofed canopy with the traditional London and South Western Railway ornamental valance. The roof was originally clad with corrugated iron, which was later replaced with asbestos corrugated sheets. The station name board at Lyme originally carried the suffix ‘For Charmouth’, a seaside resort only two miles away to the east. This board was removed in 1939, but when it was reinstated after the war the suffix had been taken away. The station comprised a single platform capable of accommodating a six-coach train. A runaround loop was provided together with a siding to access the goods shed, with two other goods roads running off this long siding. The longer of these was the coal road with a number of coal pens provided. The town end of the goods shed road was also used to offload coal when required. The shorter of the sidings was used to stable an ex-LSWR coach that provided sleeping quarters for the staff. Moving to the Axminster or north end of the yard, a short road served the engine shed. This shed was originally built from timber and could accommodate two locomotives on its single road, but it was destroyed by fire in December 1912. A replacement structure was erected in 1913 on the footprint of the original building. The new shed had a prefabricated steel frame and was clad in corrugated asbestos sheet, with wooden doors. The second shed was shorter and had an inspection pit running the full length. A washout hydrant was located alongside the pit. Outside the shed, a water column was provided on the short road, with a wooden sleeper-built coaling stage positioned on the opposite side. This new shed soon became dilapidated and holes appeared in the asbestos cladding, although this was restored in 1947. The goods shed, originally positioned at the far town end of the yard, was moved during the 1920s to stand nearly opposite the station buildings. Timber boarding was used to clad an all-wood frame, which was raised off the ground on a series of sleeper baulks. The goods shed had a large gabled roof that overhung both the rail and yard side loading bays and doors to provide shelter. A lean-to goods office was provided to the south end gable of the shed. The platform had a bay with a siding running from the entrance opposite the engine shed. The bay had a cattle pen located with access from the station approach off Uplyme Road. The signal box was located between the bay and the station entrance road. This had a fourteen-lever frame in a ground-mounted cabin, which was of all-timber construction with a slate-covered hip roof in which was set an ornate roof vent for the combustion stove. With this addition to its roof the signal box would make a very attractive model.

The branch became famous for the Adams Radial tank locomotives that provided the motive power well into the 1960s until they were finally replaced by Ivatt 2-6-2 tanks. Ex-Great Western 14xx tanks also made an occasional appearance in the late 1950s, but these were less than successful as they were unable to cope with the line’s fierce gradients. The early days of the line would see London, Brighton and South Coast Railway Terriers and then the Adams O2 0-4-4 tanks, but the gradients and the sharp curves were too much for all these smaller classes of locomotives. In November 1963 DMUs took over on the branch, although steam was again used from time to time when there was a shortage of diesel units. Closure of the line came on 29 November 1965 and the station and goods yard has become the usual small industrial estate.

Lyme Regis track plan: (A) station building; (B) cattle pens; (C) oil and lamp stores; (D) signal box; (E) coaling stage; (F) engine shed; (G) yard crane; (H) goods shed; (I) coal bunkers.

SOMERSET & DORSET: WELLS

This track plan, which shows the Somerset & Dorset branch entering Wells, would make a very interesting layout project with the S & D branch crossing and joining the Great Western’s line running east to west. This will give the modeller the opportunity to run locomotives and rolling stock from each company; during the grouping period, of course, both the GWR and the LMS could be represented.

SOUTHERN ENGLAND

SWANAGE BRANCH: CORFE CASTLE

The London & South Western’s branch from Wareham to Swanage finally opened on 20 May 1885, nearly forty years after the first proposals were made. The railway provided a regular passenger service with through trains in the holiday season from Waterloo. The railway also provided a service to transport Purbeck stone, for which the area had become synonymous, from the quarries close to Swanage. The freight facilities ended in 1965 with the remaining line reduced to a long siding, with final closure on 3 January 1972. A first bid by local enthusiasts to buy the land and track failed, but another group determined to save this branch line was successful. By this time, however, British Rail had lifted the entire track and some of the buildings had been demolished.

The only intermediate station along the line, Corfe Castle, will be the subject for this project. The village is set in a gap in the Purbeck ridge and is dominated by the impressive ruins of the castle. The station served the hamlets and farms in the area together with the clay works on the sparsely populated heath. The station was architecturally attractive, fitting in with the Purbeck stone cottages in the village as well as blending aesthetically with the castle. The station building was large for such a small village, featuring terracotta embellishments to the roof ridge. The station had a passing loop with platforms on both sides. The Swanage down side had only a wooden prefabricated waiting shelter. Also located on this platform was the LSWR signal box, although this had been removed by 1956. The familiar vertical paled fencing was also replaced at the same time with the more modern concrete and wire variety.

Wells: Somerset & Dorset and Great Western (Tucker Street) track plan: (A)GWR Tucker Street Station and train shed; (B) level crossing; (C) GWR signal box; (D) stable; (E) weighbridge and office; (F) coal bunkers; (G) yard crane; (H) S&D goods shed; (I) S&D signal box; (J) S&D engine shed; (K) water tank.

This photograph of Corfe Castle shows the platform detail and the main station building.

In this photograph of a train entering Corfe Castle Station, the background is dominated by the ruins of the castle perched high on the hill. This would make a wonderful backdrop for anyone wishing to model this station.

The station had the usual standard LSWR goods dock located at the end of the main platform. The shed, built again from the local stone. The goods road dock would have been used for end-loading vehicles was extra-long, extending behind the station build-and milk would have been one of the main forms of ing. For many years this was used to store camping produce to be transported from here by rail. The coaches, with two Pullman cars utilized for this in the other spur leading off the head shunt was the coal early 1960s. The sidings here included a long head road. This longer siding accompanied the usual coal shunt with one short stub siding to serve a loading storage bunkers and merchant offices belonging to L.G. Stockley. The merchant also had two wooden-clad coal store sheds built side by side. Other buildings in the yard included another general store shed and a smaller one used for storing oil. A loading gauge was situated on the head shunt. This unusual layout required all the traffic to use this short head shunt to access all the sidings. The Warham end of the station also featured another medium-sized corrugated iron shed situated just off the main platform and a small lamp oil store on the north end of the down platform.

Corfe Castle track plan: (A) station building; (B) shelter; (C) goods shed; (D) coal bunkers; (E) store/warehouse; (F) permanent way huts.

Signalling at Corfe Castle was simple with home signals on medium and tall posts. These protected and controlled the passing loop through the station and would originally have been the company’s preferred traditional lower quadrants. In later years they were changed to upper quadrants on steel rail and lattice posts. The platforms would have the traditional cast iron (barley sugar) LSWR lamp standards, which were also replaced with the modern concrete Southern Railway types at some point during the 1930s. Running-in boards again would have been of timber construction originally, replaced with the concrete variants under Southern and British Rail ownership.

Corfe Castle will make a very attractive model for a through branch line station, set against a fantastic backdrop with the castle dominating the skyline.

VENTNOR

For this branch line model I have ventured away from the mainland to the largest of England’s offshore islands, the Isle of Wight. The island had its own unique railway network, which included some very interesting terminuses to model. The one I have chosen is Ventnor, the prototype of which was contained inside a restricted space, giving the modeller the freedom to construct a reasonably accurate model without too much compromise as to size. Ventnor Station occupied the old chalk quarry cut into St Boniface Down and was reached through a tunnel. Extensive quarrying continued even after the first services had commenced. By the early 1900s, however, most of the quarry had become redundant and the railway yard occupied this entire restricted site, using the sidings to maximum effect. Caves were even cut into the rock of the quarry face to store materials and create garages for the carts and other vehicles.

The station buildings were linear with glass panels set in the canopies of different profiles to make the most of the space. The station also featured an island platform, with its own long canopy, that was accessed in an unusual way since a normal station bridge was not an option due to the restricted space. Instead a platform-level portable bridge was installed to span the single main running line to reach the island platform. A simple bell communication system was installed in the signal box to indicate when the line was obstructed by the bridge. The goods shed was an interesting structure built from stone with a large barrelled roof. The signal box was positioned at the station throat and close to the tunnel mouth. The box featured a sunshade fitted over the veranda end to give the signalman a clearer view of the signals.

Ventnor track plan: (A) station building and canopies; (B) goods shed; (C) signal box; (D) coal bunkers; (E) stables; (F) turntable.

This wonderful archive colour photograph shows the complete station layout at Ventnor. PHIL WATERFIELD

Both the entrance and the full length of Ventnor Station and yard are visible here. Note how the station has been squeezed into the old quarry. PHIL WATERFIELD

This archive photograph illustrates the entrance to the station, with the tunnel and signal box in the background. Note the provision of an inspection pit at this end of the station. PHIL WATERFIELD

SOUTH EAST ENGLAND

CRANBROOK (THE HOP-PICKER’S LINE)

In 1892 this branch line in Kent was opened as far as Hope Mill, renamed Goudhurst a few months later. The line was extended through Cranbrook to reach its terminus at Hawkhurst in 1893. The branch was built by the Cranbrook & Paddock Wood Railway Company, which was absorbed by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in 1900.

The station at Cranbrook was situated two miles (3.2km) from the village of Hawkhurst and had a single platform constructed on a right-hand curve, with a goods-only loop alongside the running line. The goods yard was situated at the Paddock Wood end of the station. The longest siding running alongside the running line served the coal depot used by Messrs Banks and Messrs William Miles & Co. There was a gated entrance to the yard on the northern perimeter alongside a goods storage shed belonging to corn merchants J. Forman & Son. A loading platform including a crane was located at the end of the goods road. At the station end of this road was the general goods shed with a 30-cwt crane provided inside. Between the shed and the buffer stops was a small coal wharf and office. This end of the station also had a bay siding with end-loading facilities, which was separated from the 300ft (91m) long passenger platform by spear fencing. The first building at this end contained the waiting rooms, booking hall and offices, together with the urinals, all housed within a corrugated iron-clad structure typical of the designs produced by H. F. Stephens in Kent. Running right up to this building was the stationmaster’s house, a tall and thin brick-built design like the one at Goudhurst, with three dormer windows set in the steep roof. Next was the small signal box, which consisted of a timber cabin sitting on a shallow brick locking room base, which required a staircase of only five steps to reach the cabin door. Beyond the signal box stood a cycle shed and porter’s office. On the opposite side of the tracks to the station there stood a series of small buildings including a coal shed, permanent way trolley shed, permanent way hut and an oil storage shed.

The station was very busy in the summer months when there was an influx of hop-pickers coming down from the capital on the ‘hop-pickers’ specials’. The local service trains were push-pull fitted for branch line operation. Another interesting service was the special train to carry boarders to and from Benenden School. This five- or sometimes six-coach train became known locally as the ‘St Trinian’s Belle’. The service came to an end in 1958 when local buses were provided. Other specials running through Cranbrook included those organized by the Ramblers’ Association. These trains consisted of nine coaches, requiring double-headed locomotives to cope with the gradients on the line.

The goods traffic serving Cranbrook reflected the hop picking as well as other agriculture in the surrounding countryside. Milk would be picked up from the station on a daily basis, As with most country stations, coal traffic was important, bringing this fuel to the local area.

Cranbrook track plan: (A) station building; (B) signal box; (C) goods shed and goods store; (D) coal bunkers; (E) permanent way huts; (F) oil store.

The last train to serve the station at Cranbrook operated on 10 June 1961 and the line closed two days later. The track was lifted early in 1964.

WEST MIDLANDS

ARLEY

The Severn Valley Branch Railway took four years to build, and finally opened on 31 January 1862. The line connected Shrewsbury with Hartlebury in Worcestershire following the course of the River Severn. The village of Upper Arley, together Arley Castle, stands on the eastern side of the river. A ferry service was provided to take passengers to the station, which was situated on the west bank along with the local public house, the Harbour Inn. The Severn Valley Railway Company was soon amalgamated into the Great Western Railway under the act of 1872.

Arley Station originally comprised only one short platform situated on the north, or up, side of the line. A compact goods yard was provided with a loop ending in a loading dock. The station buildings were originally built of local brick and consisted of the stationmaster’s accommodation together with a booking office and hall. The station also gave the public a waiting room and gentlemen’s toilet, but originally no special facilities for the ladies. The stationmaster and his family were given a parlour, kitchen, pantry and two upstairs bedrooms, together with an outside scullery. The station was upgraded in 1883 when it received a loop to provide passing opportunities, with a second platform built on the down line. A small waiting shelter was also built on this platform. The goods yard loop was altered to give access from the down line using a trailing turnout and a crossover. The new layout was controlled and signalled from a signal box built in the centre of the layout, giving the best sighting of the station area for the signalman. At the same time the main station building was extended to provide a ladies’ waiting room with toilets. The extension was matched to the original, with a glazed canopy provided. A third bedroom was also added to the stationmaster’s accommodation later in 1909. Final alterations to the layout were carried out in 1907, with the crossing loop extended. Both platforms were extended at the same time. The only other building at Arley is the small weighbridge office positioned behind the main station at the entrance to the goods yard.

In April 1938 a camping coach was delivered to Arley and located on the outer loop of the goods yard. The coach was a four-wheeled vehicle with three third-class compartments and one first-class luggage compartment. The coach, built by the Great Western Railway in 1901 as number 949, was advertised by the GWR in its 1938 booklet as offering ‘Camp Coaches for Happy Holidays’;a week’s rent cost £3.The coach came in the chocolate and cream livery, but was repainted in brown in May 1945. It remained in position until 1950 and was finally condemned in 1966. The coach was considered for preservation at one time and anyone wanting to build a model of Arley during this period could include the coach as an interesting feature.

The station closed to passenger traffic and goods in January 1963 after the line was deemed uneconomic by the Western Region of British Railways. The station was left to decay but remained intact. The original signal box was demolished and the goods loop siding was lifted. This was not to be the end for Arley Station, however, as it was to be resurrected by the preservationists in 1974. The signal box from Yorton on the West Marches Line was dismantled and re-erected at Arley, although it is to a design associated with the London and North Western Railway rather than the typical Great Western structure.

Arley track plan: (A) station building; (B) waiting shelter; (C) signal box; (D) weighbridge and office.

EAST MIDLANDS

GLENFIELD

Glenfield was the first intermediate station travelling from Leicester on the West Bridge Branch. The original station building was the cottage alongside the level crossing, provided with a ground-level platform. In 1874 a raised station platform was built with a combined booking office and waiting shed.

Glenfield is famous for its narrow 1,976 yard (1,800m) long tunnel, which was only a short distance from the station.

The single track entering from the west split to form a passing loop through the station. This crossed the road on a level crossing where the original station house had become the crossing keeper’s house. This building had angled walls (like a toll house) on the railway end, making it easy to view activity on both the railway and the road. The loop had a short spur siding running off at the far eastern end of the station to serve a cattle dock before the loop rejoined the main running line. Just before this spot a turnout gave access to a long siding that ran parallel to it before terminating with a sleeper-built buffer stop placed just before the tunnel entrance.

The booking office and waiting shelter were in an attractive timber building with an overhanging hipped roof of slate. The building was fitted with arched windows and doors, while the overhang was finished with an ornate feather-edged valance.

A small lock-up goods shed was provided at the station in 1887 with an additional office accommodating the local coal merchants, Messrs Ellis & Sons. On the western end of the platform stood a wooden ground-frame cabin, from where the signals protecting the crossing were operated, along with the points and later the gates.

The locomotives employed on the branch were restricted to the tight clearances of Glenfield tunnel. For this reason only smaller Midland class 0-6-0 2Fs were used and this remained the practice until closure. There was an exception to this when a Standard class 2 2-6-0 locomotive traversed the line in 1964, but the platform edging stones from the now closed station had to be removed to make this possible.

The station at Glenfield was only a small country station throughout its existence. The buildings remained in situ well after passenger services had ceased. The station therefore would make an excellent country branch line model. The tunnel would provide the perfect scenic break at one end. The crossing end could easily be disguised by putting trees in place to mask the trains running off into the fiddle yard.

Glenfield track plan: (A) crossing and station house; (B) level crossing; (C) signal and gate cabin; (D) station building; (E) goods store; (F) cattle pens; (G) tunnel.

Glenfield finally closed to all traffic in 1966. A residential housing development occupies the site today.

ILKESTON TOWN

The Midland Railway terminus at Ilkeston Town stood at the end of a short branch line less than a mile (1.6km) in length. The track plan shown here gives the modeller the opportunity to create a challenging but interesting layout. The terminus features a large goods yard including two large warehouses for goods.

Ilkeston Town track plan: (A) station building; (B)waiting rooms/shelter; (C) dock; (D)stables; (E) level crossing; (F) footbridge; (G) signal box; (H) cattle pens; (I) yard crane; (J) goods warehouses.

RIPLEY BRANCH: LITTLE EATON

Little Eaton was the first intermediate station on the Midland Railway’s Ripley Branch. The station here opened at the same time as the branch on 1 September 1856. The first part of the branch from Little Eaton Junction on the North Midland main line was laid to double track as far as Little Eaton Goods. The line was then singled over the level crossing before crossing the brook and entering the station. Along-side the short platform the line then split with a three-way turnout to give rail access to Dowding’s Paper Mill. One long siding ran parallel to the running line, while the other curved away to a loading facility in another part of the mill. For our layout design, however, I have made a change to this siding, with this curving again the opposite way and entering the mill.

The station at Little Eaton was provided with a very short platform on the down side. It was not necessary to raise the original low platform since all the coaches had running boards. The buildings were constructed of local brick with a few stone embellishments. An extra wing added at the south end of the station building did not have the stone embellishments of the north gable. This extension was occupied by the stationmaster and the parcels office. The short platform was connected to the road over the level crossing with a boarded pathway, giving access over the mill sluice on an iron truss bridge. The level crossing itself was constructed with the road at about 30 degrees to the track, so two gates were required to be at right angles with the road when closed. Positioned a short distance away from the crossing was Little Eaton Station signal box. This was a typical Midland Railway structure, although a very squat base made this box really a ground frame consisting of sixteen levers. On the opposite side of the line and the crossing was the stationmaster’s house. For the model this could be moved to the south side of the crossing, which would help towards providing a scenic break at this end of the layout.

The north end of the layout would use the mill buildings to provide the scenic break, with a narrow gap included for the mill access road to enter the complex. This ran across the running line and the siding on a narrow gated occupation crossing.

The layout could be extended at the south end if the room is available, which would allow the goods yard and goods shed to be modelled, providing the scenic break at this end if this version were chosen.

The branch would see most of the smaller Midland classes of locomotives in the early days. The local stopping trains would have been hauled by the Midland 0-4-4 tanks right through to British Railways’ days. For a short period a Sentinel steam railcar was tried out in the Ripley area. Midland and LMS Class 4Fs would have been common on freight, local passenger and excursion trains traversing the line. Smaller Midland classes of 3Fs and 2Fs were also commonly used. Besides the usual pick-up goods and milk trains, coal traffic was the main commodity carried along the branch. The line served the many collieries situated in the area around Denby, Ripley and Heanor. One interesting visitor to the line that could be included was the preserved Midland Compound 4-4-0 No. 1000, from the footplate of which Noele Gordon presented the ATV programme ‘Lunch Box’ in October 1961.

The branch line remained open for local coal traffic as far as Denby until the 1990s, first serving the pits and then opencast mining. The motive power for these trains was usually a pair of Class 20 diesels. This period also saw a few diesel-hauled specials with names like ‘The Denby Dawdler’. Modelling the branch at Little Eaton, however, would see many changes from the original layout. Nearly all the buildings have gone. The only recognizable building remaining is the stationmaster’s house, which, much altered, is now a private residence. Also the crossing gates remained over the secondary road, now controlled by an operator from a Portakabin alongside.

Little Eaton track plan: (A) station building; (B) level crossing; (C) signal box; (D) stationmaster’s house; (E) goods shed; (F) paper mill.

NORTH MIDLANDS

WIRKSWORTH BRANCH (ECCLESBOURNE VALLEY)

Hazelwood

The first intermediate station along the branch was Hazelwood, originally spelt Hazlewood when it opened in 1867. The station is located in the wide expanse of the Ecclesbourne Valley nearly two miles (3km) from the junction at Duffield. Before entering the single platform, the line is crossed by a threearched overbridge carrying Nether Lane. All the bridges were built with a centre arch to accommodate two tracks: those on the lower section of the line were built from brick, whereas those in the upper valley were constructed from local stone. The Wirksworth Branch was originally planned to be a main line to reach Matlock and beyond.

The single platform had a loading dock at the Wirksworth end and a loop ran off from a turnout just beyond the end of the platform. A long siding ran back from the far end of the loop to end in the yard to finish level with the platform. The loading and the milk dock were accessed from a point off the station end of the loop. Two small ground frames controlled the points for the loop, which were positioned one at either end.

The station building was built from stone and features two gables joined together with a narrow section occupying the booking hall. This section also had a canopy on the platform side with a fretted steel lintel. The footprint and design of building was identical to the other intermediate stations at Shottle and Idridgehay. The building still exists, although it has been extensively modernized to accommodate a local business.

The yard at Hazelwood could hold thirty-eight standard-sized wagons. Herbert Swift became the local coal merchant based at the station and owned two twelve-ton private owner wagons. At the Wirksworth end of the yard the loop and main running line crossed the River Ecclesbourne on a twoarched bridge. A footpath also crossed both the loop and the running line at this point and ran parallel with the track over the river bridge. The loop connected back with the running line just beyond this bridge, with a head shunt provided.

The station closed in January 1953 and the yard and goods facility in 1964. The yard was then occupied by an indoor riding school after the track had been lifted. Today the yard houses a timber yard and sawmill.

Hazelwood track plan: (A) station building; (B) weighbridge and office; (C) coal merchant’s office; (D) cattle pens; (E) coal bunkers; (F) permanent way hut; (G) ground frame.

The north end of Hazelwood station yard today, with the bridge over the River Ecclesbourne in the foreground.

Shottle

The next station along the branch is Shottle, although the village is a considerable distance away. It is actually situated in the settlement known as Cowers Lane, which stands in the valley bottom alongside the crossing of two trunk roads. The immediate area close to the station consists of only a few cottages, the station house and a public house, the Railway Inn.

The station layout at Shottle is almost the same as that at Hazelwood with a loop and sidings running off it. These include one long coal and general goods road and two short sidings to serve the cattle and milk docks. The station and yard, however, are positioned on the east side of the main running line rather than on the west at Hazelwood. A three-arched overbridge, again built from brick, crosses the line at the southern end of the station, this time carrying the A517 Belper to Ashbourne trunk road.

The station building itself was exactly the same as the one at Hazelwood and occupied the same footprint. The main difference was that the station house was situated along the platform, although slightly set back from it. The semi-detached building, complete with a number of outbuildings, occupied the land between the platform and the station approach road.

The station building at Shottle is the only one still remaining on the branch that is complete to the original Midland Railway design. The building has been owned since closure by a local company, Peak Oils, which has retained its Victorian character, inside and out. I have used this prototype for the project model in Chapter 6 and the owners have kindly permitted me to measure and photograph the building to produce an accurate model.

Shottle station has been relaid with a passing loop so that trains on the Ecclesbourne Valley heritage railway can now pass. The long siding has also been reinstated in the goods yard to store permanent way vehicles. The platform, reinstated and surfaced, reopened in August 2014 to allow passengers travelling on the railway to alight and discover what the local area has to offer, including refreshments at the Railway Inn.

Shottle track plan: (A) station building; (B) cattle pens and loading dock; (C) stationmaster’s house; (E) ground frame.

The station building at Shottle is the only intermediate station on the Ecclesbourne Valley branch that still remains in its original condition. This photograph was taken on 9 August 2014, the day the station reopened for train services on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway.

Shottle Station from the road bridge. The platform is under restoration for the reopening. The building is owned and used as an office by Peak Oils.

Idridgehay

The third and last intermediate station along the line was Idridgehay, which also served the nearby village of Kirk Ireton. This was the most important intermediate station along the branch, standing some five miles (8km) from the junction at Duffield. Although the track layout was again similar to the previous station, the siding was longer and served the cattle dock.

The station building was of the same design and footprint as the others and the platform was about the same length. This was on the west side of the main running line and the yard was situated behind. The main difference at Idridgehay was the inclusion of a level crossing at the Wirksworth end of the platform. This included the delightful stationmaster’s house, situated alongside the crossing, and the only signal box at an intermediate station on the branch. The small box was needed to operate the crossing gates and controlled the loop and the signals that protected it and the crossing. The box, however, was removed in the 1950s and was replaced with a ground frame. The crossing gates were also later removed, before being reinstalled by the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association.

A local coal merchant named Smithers operated from the yard until the business closed down in the 1930s and the weighbridge was removed. It was some years, however, before the coal merchant’s office was also demolished.

The station building has been converted into a private dwelling. Although much of the exterior detail has remained, modern extensions and roof windows have been added.

The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association has made a temporary extension to the station platform to allow passengers to alight from the trains once more.

Idridgehay track plan: (A) station building; (B) station and crossing house; (C) level crossing; (D) signal box; (E) coal merchant’s office; (F) weighbridge and office; (G) cattle pens and loading dock.

The new running-in name board at Idridgehay, replicating the original LMS Hawkseye design.

Idridgehay Station and crossing. This painting by Colin Wright, the author’s brother, shows one of the last regular stopping service trains hauled by an LMS Ivatt 2-6-2 tank in 1947.

The crossing and crossing house at Idridgehay as seen today.

The station building at Idridgehay is now a private house.

The crossing and crossing house viewed from the platform.

Wirksworth

The final station and terminus of the branch is Wirksworth. This is an interesting and very complicated layout for a branch line terminus. One reason for this is that it was originally intended to be another intermediate station on a through double-tracked route. Second, the station yard was extended to accommodate all the stone transhipment sidings and a number of industrial private branch lines to serve the many working limestone quarries in and around Wirksworth. Most of these were of standard gauge, although two narrow-gauge railways also connected with the terminus. An unusual feature in the yard was the provision of two tunnels cut though the hillside to give access to two of the town’s quarries. With the terminus serving so many limestone quarries, there was a need for locomotive stabling as well as rows of sidings for all the mineral wagons. A two-road engine shed was provided with accommodation large enough for two large tender goods locomotives. The shed also had repair facilities with a workshop and small forge situated at the rear.

The station and the yard are entered through Wash Green overbridge. The three-arched stone bridge spanned two tracks through the centre arch, while the head shunt was spanned by the eastern arch. The bridge would form the perfect scenic break for one end of the layout, with line serving a cassette or sector plate-type of fiddle yard.

Almost immediately beyond the bridge the line enters the station. This consisted of a single platform only, with the station building positioned at the northern end. The original signal box was situated about halfway along the platform. The station building at Wirksworth reflected the intermediate stations on the line, being a twin-gabled pavilion design. Since Wirksworth was the principal station and terminus on the line, however, the footprint was slightly larger and the building featured three window reveals, with the centre one deeper than those to either side on the gable. Directly opposite the start of the platform, and running almost up to Wash Green bridge, stands a high-level loading dock. This ran up to and alongside the head shunt siding, allowing tipper lorries to unload limestone directly into waiting wagons. The stone dock was accessed by a road leading down off the bridge.

The goods shed was located to the north of the station with a loop supplied to run through the building. The shed was built from local sandstone with three road-loading doors situated on the yard side. The gable end featured two arches, one of which served as the rail entrance and was functional. The other one, however, was filled in to create a blind arch that served no practical purpose and was only there to make the gable ends symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing.

The cattle dock was also located at this side of the yard on a siding running off the goods shed road and positioned close to the station building. Two long sidings to provide the coal roads also ran parallel to the goods road. This facility was accompanied by the usual arrangement of coal storage bunkers and the local coal merchant’s sheds.

A six-ton yard crane was also supplied on the line running back from the main goods shed loop.

The engine shed, situated on the other side of the yard, was also built from the local stone. The two-road structure featured a large pitched roof that supported a long, hip-roofed ventilator. Beyond the north end of the engine sheds stood the water tower. This had a typical Midland Railway panelled tank, but unusually this was supported on a timber-built tank house (tank houses were generally constructed from either stone or brick). A turntable was also provided on a siding running alongside the shed. At the northern end the whole side was traversed by a long stone-arched bridge that enabled a footpath and farm traffic to cross the site. The bridge would provide another scenic break to this end of the layout. I would suggest that the best option would be a cassette type of fiddle yard arrangement to connect with the four tracks running through the bridge.

Wirksworth track plan: (A) signal box; (B) station building; (C) cattle pens; (D) weighbridge and office; (E) coal bunkers; (F) grounded coach body (store); (G) tunnels to quarries; (H) goods shed; (I) stationmaster’s house; (J) engine shed; (K) water tower; (L) turntable; (M) stone loading dock.

Wash Green Bridge is at the entrance to Wirksworth Station.

My model based on Wash Green Bridge is here seen still under construction using foamboard and mounting board. A skin of Das modelling clay has been added, in which the stonework has been scribed.

The long bridge at the north end of Wirksworth yard would make a good scenic break for this end of a layout.

The tunnel entrance of the industrial branch into Dale Quarry as seen today.

Motive power on the branch

Although the branch was used for some of the Midland Railway’s early experiments in using railmotors for passenger services, the most common locomotives on this and most other Midland branch lines were the Johnson and later rebuilds of the 0-4-4 tanks. These would normally be in charge of a two-coach train. In April 1953, however, No. 58077 propelled a four-coach enthusiasts’ special along the branch.

Occasionally larger 4-4-0 Class 2P locomotives were used on two-coach trains. This class was also put in charge for the Gloucester Railway Society’s tour along the branch line in 1955.

The last passenger locomotives in regular service were the Ivatt 2-6-2 tanks. These were the successors to the Midland 0-4-4 tanks, introduced by the LMS in the years before nationalization. The Riddles version of this useful 2-6-2 tank locomotive, built under British Railways, would also make an appearance on the line hauling a few enthusiasts’ specials through the 1950s.

Regular passenger services terminated in 1947, although freight services continued for many years, mostly hauled by the ex-Midland 0-6-0 tender locomotives. Larger and consequently heavier trains of limestone, however, brought a need for more powerful engines. The Stanier Class 8F became the most common motive power for this type of mineral train.

During the 1950s, however, the regular pick-up freight traffic, both for the collection of milk and livestock and for the delivery of coal, diminished. The limestone quarry traffic, however, continued into the diesel era with Class 20s in charge of most of the trains (running in pairs on the larger trains).

One notable event on 7 September 1961 saw three veteran locomotives – the Johnson ‘Spinner’ No. 118, the London, Tilbury & Southend Railway 4-4-2 tank Thundersley and Midland Compound No. 1000 – released from the Round House at Derby. This event was filmed for the TV series Railway Roundabout in 1962.

The branch was also regularly used for the testing of locomotives from Derby works, so various dieselpowered locomotives and units would be seen from time to time.

The closure of the main stone quarries in the area finally brought an end to services on the branch. In 1999 the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway purchased and started to clear the site at Wirksworth to establish the headquarters of the Heritage Railway. The extensive site was ideal for the storage of their heritage rolling stock and the erection of sheds to carry out restoration work. The railway now uses heritage diesel railcars on regular service trains, with the occasional visiting steam locomotive making an appearance. The branch has been given a new lease of life, bringing tourism to the town of Wirksworth and the Ecclesbourne Valley.

CHEADLE

A branch line to serve Cheadle was considered as early as 1850, when the people and businesses of the town felt neglected. The main Uttoxeter to Stoke and the Churnet Valley line all bypassed the town by about four miles (6.5km) on either side. A proposal was made for an extension to the ‘Loop Line’ services that would include Cheadle. This, however, was not achieved until 1901, since the line that left the Uttoxeter to Stoke main line near Cresswell proved to be very difficult to construct, requiring a tunnel and gradients reaching 1 in 40. The tunnel continued to be a major problem after the lining collapsed, requiring expensive repairs. The finances of the Cheadle Railway Company further deteriorated when two collieries closed during 1906. All this resulted in the company going into liquidation. The North Stafford Railway took over the running of the railway and improvements were made at Tean and Cheadle stations. In 1922 the London, Midland & Scottish inherited the line. After the tunnel collapsed again, the LMS decided to divert the line within a cutting, skirting most of the higher ground. This new line opened on 26 November 1933, although even then some believed the LMS’s expenses were unjustified for such an unimportant branch line.

Cheadle track plan: (A) station building; (B) goods shed; (C) stables; (D) cattle pens; (E) stationmaster’s house; (F) loading dock.

The station and goods yard at Cheadle. The building on the left is the stationmaster’s house. PHIL WATERFIELD

This archive photograph shows a Class 4F about to depart from Cheadle Station with the branch local. PHIL WATERFIELD

Cheadle station was completely rebuilt with a brick main building with a large awning covering the platform. The station had the usual runaround loop and the goods roads ran off this at the throat with a head shunt provided. The roads included one to the goods shed, a general goods siding and a coal road. The goods shed was constructed of a timber frame and boarding with an extension on the Tean gable end.

Traffic on the branch declined dramatically following the closure of the New Haden colliery in 1943, although a brick works built close to the colliery brought some trade to the line, including the moving of sand. The goods facilities closed from lack of demand, although passenger traffic from the station continued until 1963. All that remains today is the large stationmaster’s house, now a private residence; the station building was demolished to make way for a bungalow on the site.

During the early days of the branch most of the North Stafford classes were employed on both passenger and freight services. Under the LMS and British Railways, ex-Midland locomotives were stabled at both the nearby Uttoxeter and Stoke depots. 4Fs were common on the branch. Larger classes made an appearance, including 2-6-0 ‘Crab’ Moguls, Stanier 8Fs and Class 5s (Black Fives). The larger tank engines were also common on the branch, including Fairburn and Fowler 2-6-2 tanks. Diesel multiple units were to take over the local passenger service trains until final closure.

ROLLESTON ON DOVE

Rolleston on Dove Station was one of three intermediate stations on the five-mile (8km) branch line linking the North Stafford and Great Northern lines to the Midland main line at Burton upon Trent. The line was built with double track for the full distance running off the North Stafford’s Derby to Uttoxeter route at Marston Junction. A double-tracked spur joined at Dove Junction, which gave the Great Northern Railway’s connection, allowing the Derby Friargate line to cross the North Stafford’s main line at Egginton Junction. The short stretch of branch line also gave running rights to the London & North Western, via Marston Junction, to reach the brewery town of Burton. The company had its own branch along with the Great Northern, both splitting from the North Stafford line at Stretton Junction, to give both companies their own extensive goods yards and warehouses at this important brewery town. The North Stafford’s three stations were located at Horninglow, Stretton and Claymills and, the subject for our model, Rolleston on Dove.

Rolleston on Dove track plan.

The station name was changed from just ‘Rolleston’ after the opening of the Midland line from Lincoln to Nottingham, which also had a station at Rolleston in Nottinghamshire. To avoid confusion, the Staffordshire station gained the suffix ‘on Dove’.

A small goods facility was provided at the station by means of a loop that ran behind the main platform. The goods yard had a loading crane, at the Burton end of the loop there was a loading dock and cattle dock, while at the other end there was a short head shunt. To gain access to the goods loop at this end, a trailing turnout off the up line then crossed the down line with a single slip. This created both a crossover between both main lines and an entry to the goods loop. Two trailing turnouts were provided on the down line, one at the Burton end with a line crossing the goods loop, again with a single slip to give direct access from the down line to serve both the loading and cattle docks. The second turnout from the down line was situated at the Marston Junction end of the station. This gave access to the goods loop and the head shunt.

The main station buildings were on the down platform where the booking office, waiting rooms and porters’ rooms were provided in a prefabricated alltimber North Stafford structure. The shallow gabled roof covered in slates extended to provide a canopy over the platform to give shelter to the passengers. On the down platform a simple gabled roof shelter was provided, again with the roof extending to create a canopy. This shelter was to a standard prefabricated design common with many others on the North Stafford system. Both canopies featured a wooden boarded valance finished with the standard North Stafford fretted pattern to the edge. The public access to the station was via a footpath leading off the lane running behind the up platform. Access to the down platform and booking office was over a barrow crossing at the Marston Junction end. The goods yard was accessed by an approach road leading off Station Road. Just off the end of the up platform was the signal box. A standard North Stafford cabin design by Mackenzie & Holland was provided on a low brickbuilt locking room base. The box remained in use until the goods loop was decommissioned in the 1950s. Directly opposite the signal box was a plate-layer’s hut built from brick with a steep pent roof. The only other building in the station area was a goods store shed standing at the top of the goods approach road.

The short branch gives plenty of opportunity to run a variety of locomotives and rolling stock. In pre-grouping days freight trains would pass through the station in the pre-grouping liveries of the North Stafford, London & North Western and the Great Northern. The goods stock would comprise mainly vans or open wagons to carry beer barrels. The wagons of these three companies would be represented but other company wagons would also be seen, as just about every pre-grouping company sent wagons into Burton upon Trent to collect the beer. A good number of private owner coal wagons would also be a common sight bringing fuel for the town’s many brewery boiler houses and the other industries associated with the breweries. The stopping trains ran a regular service between Burton and Tutbury on the North Stafford main line. In the early pre-grouping days, small ‘B’ class tank locomotives were in charge, hauling sets of six-wheeled vehicles.

This train became affectionately known by locals as the ‘Tutbury Jinny’. In grouping and into nationalization this train was converted to a ‘push & pull’ service of two bogie coaches hauled by ex-Midland 0-4-4 tank locomotives, all of which were push-pull fitted. These lasted until the mid-1950s. Ivatt and Standard 2-6-2 tanks took over the service until the end came on 11 June 1960. Other passenger trains, including many excursions and diverted services, used this stretch of track. Motive power was varied, although 4Fs, Crabs, B1s and Black Fives were the most common during the LMS and the early British Railways period. Needless to say the passenger stock on these trains varied dramatically, using a variety of LMS and LNER vehicles.

The station closed to local passenger traffic early in 1949. It stayed open, however, for the occasional excursion train picking up passengers. Final closure and removal of the buildings came in the mid-1960s. The track was used as a long siding to store wagons awaiting repair or scrap in a yard at Burton, before the track was lifted. The station area and most of the track bed today has been turned into a linear path and nature reserve called The Jinny Trail.

This archive photograph from 1951 shows the ‘Tutbury Jinny’ local push-pull train entering Rolleston on Dove Station. BURTON DAILY MAIL

An excursion passing through Rolleston on Dove Station, hauled by a Class 4F. By then the station had closed to local traffic, but it still remained open for excursion trains. PHIL WATERFIELD

A Class B1 hauling a freight through Rolleston on Dove Station during the early 1960s. PHIL WATERFIELD

This model of Rolleston on Dove Station is the work of Clive Baker. A Class 4F is seen passing through the station. CLIVE BAKER

A Class B1 is seen passing Rolleston signal box on Clive’s model. CLIVE BAKER

A Class 2F shunting into Rolleston yard. CLIVE BAKER

STATON’S PLASTER MILL BRANCH: TUTBURY

For this branch line model project idea, I have deliberately chosen a short industrial branch. This railway was constructed to serve the plaster and alabaster works. The mill at Tutbury first opened for business in 1783 and was acquired on behalf of J. C. Staton & Co. of Burton upon Trent.

The short stretch of railway was less than a quarter of a mile (400m) in length, with the exchange sidings at one end and the track running right inside the complex of the works itself at the other. The line left the exchange sidings as a single track to cross the River Dove and the county boundary from Derbyshire into Staffordshire. The track crossed the river on an opendecked bridge with no protective railings. Soon after crossing the bridge the railway split into two loading sidings. A spur ran off the west loading siding to give access to the small engine shed. Halfway along this siding was the road loading dock, built up to a height that allows loading straight into awaiting wagons.

The two sidings then joined back on a three-way point to the main running line. This then crossed the yard to enter the works through an archway in the office building. The square building had a clock tower fitted to the roof, making an interesting feature for a model.

The branch closed along with the demolition of the plaster mill in 1968. In 1944 the largest-ever explosion on British soil took place in the gypsum mines serving as a munitions store at nearby RAF Fauld, when between 3,500 and 4,000 tons of stored ordnance bombs and other munitions were accidently detonated. The resulting huge crater can still be seen scarring the landscape.

Although this prototype is small it can still make an interesting shunting layout. A fiddle yard at each end, using either a sector plate or cassettes, works well. The unusual clock tower building makes the perfect scenic break with trains entering and disappearing through the archway.

Locomotives and rolling stock

The branch employed its own industrial locomotives. Research indicates that the original locomotives were two Manning Wardle saddle tanks. Later photographs, however, show that a couple of Peckett 0-4-0 saddle tanks were used on the branch, one being acquired from the Truman’s brewery in nearby Burton upon Trent. These were housed in the single-road engine shed located on the spur.

The company had its own fleet of wagons comprising three-plank opens, sign-written with the company name ‘J. C. STATONS & Co.’ These wagons would be loaded with large blocks of gypsum going into the mill and processed alabaster coming out. All the loads were secured with chains or ropes and sheeted for protection, in the case of the finished alabaster.

If you choose to model this prototype then you will need to acquire kits of the Pecketts. Off-the-shelf locomotives, however, might be an alternative. I would suggest the ex-Midland 1F tank produced by Bachmann or perhaps the ex-L&Y Pugg would look the part.

There are plenty of three-plank wagons on the market as either ready-to-run examples or as kits. If you have the skills, these could be painted in the correct livery and hand lettered.

Tutbury Plaster Mill track plan: (A) plaster mill; (B) engine shed; (C) stables.

One of the branch’s Peckett locomotives is seen crossing the River Dove with its train. CLIVE BAKER

This archive photograph shows the entrance to the Plaster Mill and yard. The engine shed is on the far right. CLIVE BAKER

Both the Pecketts are seen in this view of the Plaster Mill yard, with one standing outside the small engine shed. CLIVE BAKER

WATERHOUSES

In 1904 the Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway linked up with the standard-gauge North Stafford’s branch from Leek Brook Junction; the dual stations opened in the following year. The layout of the stations and goods facility gives the modeller an unusual combination with a prototype that mixed standard and narrow gauge together.

The standard gauge line came in from the west and terminated with a runaround loop alongside a single platform. A goods road ran off at the western end and split into four sidings, three of which linked up with three narrow-gauge sidings. The Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway entered the yard from the east and occupied the northern side of the site. The three sidings provided an interesting exchange operation using the light railway’s specially built low-slung transporter wagons. These allowed standard gauge goods wagons to be shunted onto them and carried to all the stations along the line for loading and unloading. Each station was provided with a short length of standard gauge track to carry out this operation.

Back at Waterhouses, a goods shed was built alongside the standard gauge goods road. The building was of wooden prefabricated construction and did not offer rail access inside, opting for a goods loading platform alongside instead.

The station building at Waterhouses was also of timber construction, reflecting others on the North Stafford system at Consall, Bradnop, and Stretton and Claymills. The building provided a booking office, together with a waiting room, and was positioned in the centre of the platform. The platform itself, however, was of a more substantial masonry construction using blue paver bricks for the surface. This platform was slightly higher than its narrow-gauge counterpart. Both were positioned back-to-back with steps down to reach the L&MVLR.

Both the stations were situated on the side of the Hamps Valley, being built on a ledge, with the Leek to Ashbourne road at the lowest level. A tall wooden waiting shelter was provided at the far western end of the narrow-gauge platform, with a large gable-roofed canopy.

Another feature at this end of the two stations was that both railways were crossed by a lane leading to limestone workings positioned on the south side of the site. Two stone-built bridges were provided alongside one another for each of the railways.

The signal box, positioned at the throat of the goods yard and just beyond the bridges, was of the standard Mackenzie & Holland design. The frame consisted of ten levers, seven allocated to the standard gauge and two to the narrow gauge, with one left spare. Home signals were provided to control the runaround loop. Originally the loop on the narrow gauge had a home and starting signal mounted on one post. However, this was removed when the later station was constructed backing onto the standard gauge platform. Two standard NSR ground disc signals were positioned on posts to raise them to the height of the driver’s view approaching each side of the Ash-bourne Road level crossing. These were worked from the gates, swivelling sideways to give the driver an all-clear to proceed.

Locomotives and rolling stock

The Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway had only two locomotives: No. 1 E. R. Calthrop and No. 2 J. B. Earle. Built for the railway by Kitson & Co of Leeds, they followed those designed by Everard Calthrop and used on the Barsi Light Railway in India. The 2-6-4 side-tank locomotives were very distinctive with a massive headlamp fitted to the front of the smoke box. Both had Walschaerts valve gear and horizontally mounted cylinders. The original livery was a milk chocolate brown with a double white lining; the frames, chimney and smoke box were painted black. This livery changed when the ownership was handed to the North Stafford Railway, with the corporate madder lake being used instead of brown, and the lining changed to a single cream line. The lamps were also returned to brass with the brown paint removed. The livery changed again with the grouping of the railways, in 1922, to the standard LMS crimson lake, lined with black and straw. In the late 1920s, however, an unlined black livery was adopted.

The coaches, four in total and built by the Electric Railway & Carriage Works, were also to an Indian light railway design. They featured a distinctive open veranda or platform at each end of the carriages. The carriage roof was extended to provide a canopy for the veranda. The livery was originally an attractive primrose yellow, but this was changed to the crimson lake to match the locomotive during the LMS ownership.

The goods stock consisted of only eight vehicles and fell into groups of three: the low wagons, the covered van and the transporters. The low wagons, numbers 1 and 2, were built by the Leeds Forge Co. Ltd. They were a direct copy of the wagons supplied to the Barsi Light Railway. As the name suggests, the body was very low with high rounded ends fitted. The low steel underframe was fitted with bogies. The wagons were mainly used for carrying milk churns, although in the peak holiday period the wagons could be converted to makeshift carriages with the addition of knifeboard seats and canvas canopies supported on metal hoops. Wagon No. 3 was the only covered van built by the same company as the low wagons, again built with a low underframe with a pair of bogies. The body consisted of centre sliding doors and end vents, with louvres fitted for ventilation in the later years. This was also used mainly for the transportation of milk. The remaining goods vehicles were the transporters, which were probably the light railway’s most well-known operating feature. The wagons were designed with a flange way on each side of a flat steel body to accommodate the wheel sets of standard-gauge wagons as they were rolled on and off the vehicle. One of the transporters was lengthened to carry the six-wheeled standard-gauge LMS milk vans. Like the open wagons it was possible to convert the transporters to passenger-carrying vehicles if the need ever arose.

The paint livery for all the wagons was originally the North Stafford red oxide. This changed to the standard freight grey under the ownership of the LMS.

Turning our attention to the standard-gauge stock, locomotives would have consisted of the tank engine classes of the North Stafford Railway from the ‘B’ Class through to the New ‘L’ Class, the latter also being prominent in the early years of the LMS. Coaches would be of mainly North Stafford six-wheeled and bogie stock. Some of the newer LMS coaches would have also made an appearance in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Goods stock would again be of North Stafford origin with both open and covered vans being used. Private owner wagons for coal and stone traffic would also be common. In the later years the sixwheeled LMS-built milk vans and tank wagons would also be seen serving the dairy at Ecton. All these goods wagons, of course, would be seen traversing the narrow-gauge line carried by the transporter wagons.

The Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway only lasted until 12 March 1934 when the traffic committee of the LMS took the decision to close the line. Soon after the track was lifted. The track bed today has been turned into a very popular footpath and cycleway, giving the visiting public access to this picturesque limestone valley with the highlight being the impressive Thor’s Cave. The standard-gauge line closed to passenger traffic on 30 September 1935. Freight trains continued to serve Waterhouses for a further eight years. As a branch line project, however, it would be a better choice to model it up until 1934, when the connection between the two gauges was evident.

The operational arrangement would be very interesting and challenging for the modeller, but if well modelled it would make a superb branch line layout. It could all be modelled at 7mm (1:43) scale using 32mm O gauge for the standard and 16.6mm OO gauge track system for the narrow gauge, if room allows. Otherwise the layout could be reduced in size by opting for 4mm (1:76) scale. This would use 16.5mm OO for the standard gauge section and 9mm N for the narrow gauge. The choice is yours.

Waterhouses track plan: (A) NSR station building; (B) L&MVLR waiting shelter; (C) signal box; (D) goods shed; (E) weighbridge and office; (F) permanent way huts.

Waterhouses.

This photograph of the station building at Consall indicates how Waterhouses Station would have looked. This is a standard North Stafford Railway prefabricated timber structure.

LEEK & MANIFOLD VALLEY LIGHT RAILWAY: HULM END

The track plan illustrating the terminus of the L&MVLR at Hulm End has been included to give the modeller the opportunity to create a totally narrow-gauge branch line layout.

Hulm End track plan: (A) station building; (B) engine shed; (C) carriage shed; (D) standard-gauge loading dock.

The timber-built station building at Hulm End has recently been restored and made into the Manifold Valley Visitor Centre. The track bed of the former narrow-gauge railway is now a public walking and cycling trail.

CROMFORD AND HIGH PEAK RAILWAY: MIDDLETON/MIDDLEPEAK

I have included another freight-only layout plan prototype, featuring part of the Cromford and High Peak Railway in Derbyshire. The High Peak Railway was originally planned as a canal, but the high terrain and the limestone plateau made this impossible. A railway was the best solution for linking the Cromford Canal with the Peak Forest Canal and transporting the minerals mined and quarried in the Peak.

The only problem with a railway was how to traverse the high hills and topography. The answer to this problem was a series of inclined planes. This layout plan features the sidings and yard at the bottom of the Middleton Incline. The area includes the quarry branch, as well as the yard and sidings of Hopton-Wood Stone Firms Ltd. The yard was known as Middlepeak and was close to the quarry of the same name.

The yard includes a simple track layout along with a number of interesting buildings. These included workshops for dressing the stone, two small cottages, the yard stables and the weighbridge, complete with an office. The cottages were to house the workers and the stables were for the horses used for yard shunting.

Middlepeak track plan: (A) stone-cutting workshops; (B) offices; (C) weighbridge and office; (D) stables; (E) workers’ cottages.

The remains of the workshops at Middlepeak yard on the High Peak Railway.

ASHBOURNE BRANCH

For this branch line model project I have decided to look at the original North Stafford Railway branch from Rocester, on the Churnet Valley line, to the terminus at Ashbourne. The line was built and opened in 1853. The branch was extended when the London and North Western Railway built its line from Buxton through the Peak District to reach Ashbourne from the north west. This route was opened as late as 1899, with a new LNWR station built to replace the original NSR terminus. I have presented the original terminus station for a layout project. This gives the modeller the licence to run stock from the pre-grouping days through until the 1960s.

Norbury and Ellaston

This was the first intermediate station along the branch, situated at roughly the halfway point between the junction at Rocester and the original terminus at Ashbourne. A passing loop was therefore provided here. The station had a single platform with all the buildings, including the signal box, along its length. The platform varied in height; the low section from the crossing to the station buildings was the original height for when the coaches were all fitted with step boards. The loop rejoined the main running line opposite the station building with a short spur to a loading dock provided on this side. Access to the dock was by a gated roadway from the level crossing.

On the south side of the crossing was the main goods yard with one long siding. This was used for coal and other general goods. A goods store shed was provided in the yard together with a weighbridge and office. These were located close to the yard entrance and near the level crossing.

Norbury and Ellaston track plan: (A) station building; (B) signal box; (C) weighbridge and office; (D) store/goods shed; (E) level crossing.

The weighbridge office at Norbury and Ellaston as seen today.

The former goods shed and station buildings at Norbury. The station is now a private house.

Clifton

The next intermediate station along the branch was Clifton, which stood only about two miles (3km) away from Ashbourne. Clifton had the usual loop running through the station and a second platform was provided. The yard at Clifton featured a long general goods siding with a crane provided. This siding, along with two others, had loading docks alongside, although one was an end loading dock and the other finished in a bay. The far road served as a head shunt, with the private siding of Mayfield Mill running off to the south west.

A crossover, situated between the two platforms, connected the loop and the main running line. Within a few yards the two tracks crossed the level crossing. The main station building was located right at the end of the platform, with the station signal box crammed into the space between. The timber cabin top of the Mackenzie & Holland box overhung the brick locking room base. This box also featured a large bay window on the crossing end to give the signalman good visibility of the road approaches to the crossing. This box has been preserved and can now be found gracing the platform at Consall on the Churnet Valley Railway. Clifton boasted two signal boxes, the other one being the Clifton yard box. This box was situated right at the far south end of the station to control the throat of the goods yard and entry to the mill siding.

Clifton track plan: (A) station building; (B) weighbridge and office; (C) crossing signal box; (D) yard crane and dock; (E) station footbridge; (F) level crossing; (G) waiting shelters; (H) yard signal box; (I) mill; (J) private siding to Mayfield Mills.

The signal box that once stood alongside the crossing at Clifton. The box was moved and rebuilt at Consall Station on the Churnet Valley Railway.

The station buildings at Clifton are today a private residence.

Ashbourne (North Stafford Terminus)

The original North Staffordshire Railway station at Ashbourne was constructed from brick and stone and featured an overall glass roof, although this was not added until later. On the approach to the station the branch split with tracks to the left forming the entrance to a number of general goods and coal sidings. The signal box was positioned on this side, giving good observation and control of all the operations at this end of the terminus.

The first track splitting to the right gave entry to the two-road engine shed, built around 1880 and incorporating a large water tank and a coaling stage. The second turnout gave access to the goods shed and the cattle pens, although the first road leading off from this turnout created the goods loop. Before the cattle and other loading docks came the road to give through movement to and from the goods shed. The stone-built shed survives at Ash-bourne and is the only reminder that a railway ever existed there.

At the town end of the goods yard stood the stables and a grain store. The twin-gabled frontage to the station building faced Old Station Road. Further on was the entrance to the coal yard, where there were a number of wooden sheds housing a shop, the coal merchant’s offices and a general store.

Ashbourne (North Stafford Terminus) track plan: (A) station building; (B) weighbridge and office; (C) coal merchants’ offices; (D) stables; (E) goods shed; (F) cattle docks; (G) engine shed and coaling stage; (H) signal box; (I) end loading dock.

Locomotives

During the pre-grouping days and well into grouping the line was served by a number of North Stafford classes, including the New L class. Grouping would also introduce some of the Midland classes, such as the 4Fs. The later grouping period and the formation of British Railways saw the introduction of the Stanier 2-6-4 tanks and the Fairburn Class 4 2-6-4 tanks. These were sometimes joined by Fowler 2-6-4 tanks, ‘Crab’ 2-6-0 Moguls and ex-LNWR Super D class 2-8-0s.

When selecting the classes to run on the branch some ‘modeller’s licence’ might be allowed, based on reference to the classes of locomotives that were seen on the branch after the terminus had closed.

TISSINGTON

The previous layout plans were chosen from the original North Stafford Railway’s branch to reach Ashbourne, a market town famous for its Shrovetide football match of medieval origins. The London & North Western Railway completed its line from Buxton to Ashbourne in August 1899. The track was realigned from the old North Staffordshire terminus to connect with the LNWR and a new station was built.

I have chosen Tissington, the second station along the line, standing within the Peak District National Park only five miles (8km) from Ashbourne. The estate village of Tissington was built around the Jacobean mansion of Tissington Hall, the residence of the Fitzherbert family. The village, however, was mostly known for its well dressing festival, held during the week of Ascension Sunday, when all the wells around the village are dressed using thousands of flower petals pressed into clay frames to depict religious themes. The annual well dressing festivals are a traditional custom in many Derbyshire villages and are thought to have originated as a thanksgiving for the supply of pure water.

The station at Tissington was located very close to the village within a shallow cutting. Access to the station was from the village side, via the road that crossed the railway at the north end of the platforms. The platforms were constructed of blue brick, with stone edging copings, but all the buildings were constructed of timber. The London & North Western Railway provided prefabricated buildings for most of its stations, apart from the major ones. The buildings at Tissington consisted of porters’ and general waiting rooms, parcels office and toilets.

The signal box, a typical LNWR type 3 with a lever frame, was located on the eastern side platform at the Ashbourne end. The cabin was positioned on a low brick locking room with a short staircase positioned parallel to the northern gable end. A water tower was positioned on the western platform just before the overbridge at the far northern end.

The track layout featured a loop with two tracks running through the station with a platform on each side. The railway was engineered to double-track for its full length. This can be seen in the overbridges, which were all built to span two tracks. At the southern end of the station was a trailing turnout to shunt and serve the goods facilities. A diamond crossover took the goods road over the loop. A trailing turnout just off the south end of the western platform also gave access and formed a loop with turnouts at each end that gave access to a long siding running up to a loading bank. The bank continued along the loop and ran up to the head shunt at the southern end. The open loading dock was the only facility without a goods shed. At Fenny Bentley, however, just three quarters of a mile (1.2km) to the south, the situation was reversed. There was a goods shed, probably positioned here because of the access to the main Ashbourne to Buxton road, but no station.

A wide selection of motive power was seen through the station, especially from the 1930s through to closure. The large Fowler and Fairburn tanks, in charge of most of the local stopping trains, were replaced by diesel multiple units in the later days of the line. Freight trains would be hauled by ex-LNW ‘Super Ds’ and 4Fs would be common on the pick-up goods services; 8Fs, ‘Crabs’ and Ivatt 2-6-0s would be in charge of larger freight trains, including lime and coal trains. The same locomotive classes, with the addition of ‘Black Fives’, were commonly used on the many excursion trains that traversed the line. Later years would have seen a few diesel classes on these trains. In 1954 an ex-GWR (Flying Banana) railcar was employed on a Locomotive Club rail tour.

Tissington track plan: (A) station building/waiting rooms; (B) signal box; (C) loading docks.

Tissington station closed in the mid-1960s and now is a car park for visitors to the village. The track bed is now a very popular walking, cycling and horse riding linear route called the Tissington Trail.

NORTH WEST ENGLAND

HOLMFIRTH

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway’s Holmfirth branch opened to passenger traffic on 1 July 1850. The short branch line of only two and a half miles (4km) turned off the main line at Brockholes Junction and followed the valley of the River Holme. The branch had one intermediate station along its route at Thongsbridge. It was laid to double track for the full distance with the main feature being the viaduct at Mytholmbridge. The viaduct was built to carry the railway over the valley of the New Mill Dike. The branch eventually closed to passenger traffic on 31 October 1959, although freight services lasted until 28 April 1965. The line was finally lifted the following year, with all the buildings and structures standing derelict for a further decade.

Holmfirth station was built in a mock-Tudor style, featuring steep gables and tall chimneys all built from local gritstone. The station was situated on the side of the valley, just above the centre of the town, and comprised only one long platform. The new booking hall and office, together with the waiting rooms and toilets, were built as an extension to the main station house. This extension was built of the same stone up to the retaining wall at the back, which followed the gradient of the road.

The extended buildings were fitted with a 180ft (55m) long canopy, supported on a series of elaborate cast iron pillars. This roof featured glazed panels with a valance of wooden boards, which were painted in the alternate company colours of tan and mid-brown in pre-grouping days. The end of the canopy fronted the original station goods shed. This two-storey building was used as a ‘piece shed’ to store cloth prior to despatch to the markets of Huddersfield and Leeds. The building’s upper storey was level with the road at the back. The shed was demolished in the early 1950s. Other buildings at the town end of the platform included the gents’ urinals and porters’ room. These were built as an extension to the gable end of the main station house. The last building on the platform side was a lamp store. This utilized the remains of a pre-1870s four-wheeled carriage that still carried the lettering ‘L.Y.R. Third Class’.

The town end of the station also featured a turntable, which was installed in 1890. This facility was 45ft (13.7m) in diameter and could turn the 4-4-0s and the 0-6-0 tender engines. The turntable, however, was removed by the LMS on 21 September 1938.

A runaround loop ran off the turntable with access provided for the loco to run back onto the train by means of a trailing crossover. Entry to the goods yard was via the second road, with the goods shed positioned across from the station. The shed was built with the outer loading doors at a lower level to access the goods approach road. One track entered the upper storey, running through the shed with a relief return loop siding running beside it. An extra siding ran off the goods shed road, which served a cattle loading dock at the Thongsbridge end and a series of eight coal drops at the goods shed end. A timber platform was later replaced by a stone-built unfenced cattle dock. Two 3-ton yard cranes were supplied along this siding and another similar crane was available within the goods shed. There was a short siding used by the local coal merchants as well as for general use. The back of the yard had the usual collection of coal merchants’ offices, with extra goods offices and the weighbridge, together with its office closer to the entrance to the approach road.

The signal box at Holmfirth was a standard Lancashire and Yorkshire design with a frame of twenty-four levers. The original box of all-timber construction was destroyed by fire in 1899. The replacement building had the later brick-built locking room, with a gabled timber cabin above. The box was situated at the entrance point to the short bay platform positioned at the entrance of the station goods shed. In pre-grouping days this platform was also used to despatch parcels and milk.

Holmfirth track plan: (A) turntable; (B) station building; (C) goods shed; (D) wool warehouse; (E) signal box; (F) cattle pens; (G) yard cranes; (H) coal drops; (I) coal merchants’ offices; (J) weighbridge and office; (K) general goods offices.

Holmfirth.

The layout and position of the station and goods yard on the side of the valley offers a very interesting prototype for a model. Start by considering the lowest level of the model, the approach road to the goods yard at the front. This would need to be on a gradient running from the lowest level at the entrance to reach the track level further along the yard. The next level would comprise all the trackwork and most of the buildings. The final level at the back would accommodate the station road on the gradient. The cottages beyond could be modelled in low relief, perhaps to a slightly smaller scale, using the techniques of perspective modelling described in Making Urban Buildings for Model Railways (The Crowood Press).

The restored station and canopy at Hebden Bridge. The canopy at Holmfirth would have been almost identical to this as it was a standard design supplied by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. MARTIN NIELD

Hebden Bridge signal box. The box at Homfirth would have been very similar in size and design as it was a standard design of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. MARTIN NIELD

A typical Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway station canopy, seen here at Ramsbottom; Holmfirth’s would have been almost identical.

Close-up showing the detailing of the brackets and canopy roof construction.

A typical L&Y ‘Way Out’ sign suspended from the canopy. MARTIN NIELD

WORTH VALLEY BRANCH: OXENHOPE

Oxenhope has now become a well-known branch line terminus, since it lies at the end of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. The branch was built by the Midland Railway to serve the local community and the many mills in the valley. Oxenhope stood at the head of the valley and was just over four miles (6.5km) from the industrial town of Keighley. The Worth Valley branch had intermediate stations at Ingrow (Ingrow West), Damems, Oakworth and Haworth.

Oxenhope track plan: (A) station building; (B) goods shed; (C) ground frame; (D) mill; (E) yard crane; (F) weighbridge and office; (G) cattle pens; (H) coal bunkers; (I) loading dock; (J) coal merchants’ offices.

A detailed drawing, such as this Midland Railway plan of Oxenhope Station and yard, makes ideal reference material for planning a layout.

The yard side of Oxenhope Station building. Note the two different styles of gables.

The older of the station building’s two gables. Note the weathering to the stonework.

The entrance and head shunt approaching Oxenhope.

The head shunt at the far end of Oxenhope platform. This was extended under preservation and the parachute water column added.

On entering Oxenhope the line split to give access to the goods yard and facilities to the left and the runaround loop to the right. Oxenhope had a long platform with the station building situated near the far end. The goods shed also intruded onto the platform, with the goods shed road and dock immediately behind it.

The station building must have been enlarged at some time, as the two gabled ends are slightly different in design. All the buildings are built from the local Yorkshire gritstone with roofs of Welsh slate. The station building accommodates the usual booking hall, office and waiting rooms, with the gents’ urinals occupying the goods shed end.

Besides the goods shed road a long siding ran off to serve Oxenhope Mill. A shorter siding was also proved, probably as an overflow or holding siding. Two long sidings behind the station building ran off the goods loop. The far one would have been the coal road and the nearer one a general goods road with the cattle dock, which was extended to form a loading dock and was provided with a 5-ton yard crane.

The weighbridge and office stood close to the dock and a number of coal merchants’ offices were positioned on the yard and station approach road. The yard also had a plate-layer’s hut sited at the end of the mill siding. The only other building in the yard was a store situated alongside the goods shed.

The signalling and points at Oxenhope were operated from a ground lever frame. This was located along from the throat of the sidings and alongside the runaround loop turnout. A foot crossing was also located here, giving a right of way across both the main running line and the entrance to the sidings, close to where the head shunt was provided.

Locomotives and rolling stock

The branch would have seen all the usual classes of Midland small locomotives with the ex-Johnson 0-4-4 tanks in charge of the passenger services. Ivatt and Standard 2-6-2 tanks took over this duty in the later years, with the occasional Fairburn 2-6-4 tank. Freight operations would have been by hauled by Midland 0-6-0 tender locomotives, such as 3Fs and 4Fs. The line also had a diesel railbus provided for passenger services during the last years of the branch’s operation by British Railways.

The coaching stock was originally all Midland vehicles, which probably lasted well into grouping. These would have been replaced by LMS and British Railways equivalents as time moved on.

The goods stock again would have been of Midland origin, making up freight trains serving the mills along the valley. With the closure of the mills the only freight traffic would have been the pick-up goods service. This service provided the delivery of coal to the remaining industry and community, besides picking up milk and livestock from the local farms in the valley.

The branch became one of the first to be saved by the preservationists as the basis of one of the country’s premier heritage railways. Perhaps its greatest claim to fame is its central role in the 1970 film production of E. Nesbit’s classic The Railway Children. Over recent years the railway has seen a wide variety of locomotive classes of both steam and diesel traction. The railway boasts a comprehensive collection of vintage coaches, as well as a good selection of freight stock.

For anyone wanting to model Oxenhope today the choice of locomotives and rolling stock is very wide, especially when visiting locomotives feature for the gala weekends. The track layout has been altered with most of the goods sidings now being used to form storage for the line’s regular running carriages. A long prefabricated shed has also been provided, doubling as a museum.

CONISTON

The branch first opened from Foxfield to terminate at Broughton-in-Furness in 1850. The complete line through to Coniston was opened to passenger traffic on 18 June 1859. A further extension from Coniston to serve the copper mines was opened in 1860.

The motive power running on the branch consisted of a wide range of classes stretching from the earliest days of the Furness Railway through to British Railways. The early days of the line would see 2-2-2 well tanks built by Sharpe, Stewart and Co. These were followed by 2-4-0 tender engines, some of which were later rebuilt to 2-4-2 tank engines. In 1914 larger tank engines built by Kitson & Co. were introduced to cope with the gradients on the line. The most notable motive power to run on the branch at this period was the introduction of the railmotor. Built at Barrow and transferred to the line after first working the Lakeside Branch, this appeared in the Furness Railway coach livery of Ultra-Marine (blue) and Spilt Milk (white).

During the period of grouping the LMS tried out different classes of locomotives on the branch including ex-London & North Western Webb 2-4-2 tanks and ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire Aspinall 2-4-2 radial tanks. The early period would see the use of Pettigrew 0-6-0s, but towards the end of grouping large Fowler 2-6-2 tanks and a Fowler 0-6-0 Jinty were to be the favoured motive power.

Following nationalization British Railways experimented with an ex-LMS AEC diesel multiple unit. This was introduced in 1958, but its service was short-lived as it could not cope with the steep gradients of the branch.

British Railways went back to steam power with a regular pair of Ivatt class 2-6-2 tanks (41221 and 41217), both of which were ‘push-pull’ fitted for use on motor trains. Occasionally larger locomotives would make an appearance on the line, the most common being Stanier Class 5MT 4-6-0s (‘Black Fives’). The larger tender locomotives, however, would have to reverse to Millom to be turned for the return journey, because the turntable at Coniston was too short. The later years would see ex-Midland Class 3Fs and 4Fs on most of the freight trains, although it is possible that larger freight locomotives were seen from time to time.

Coniston track plan: (A) station building and train shed; (B) weighbridge and office; (C) goods shed; (D) coal bunkers; (E) cattle pens; (F) loading docks; (G) turntable; (H) engine shed and coaling stage; (I) signal box; (J) yard crane; (K) station footbridge.

Passenger services were withdrawn from the branch with the last train running on 4 October 1958. An enthusiast special traversed the branch in 1961, and the very last freight service ran in 1962, with complete closure in the same year. The following year the track was lifted and that was the end of the Coniston branch. The impressive station with its train shed has completely gone and the site redeveloped, making it very difficult to identify where the station was.

Both Broughton and Torver station buildings, though, have been converted into private dwellings. The old goods shed at Torver can also be located, although it is in a very dilapidated state. Some of the track bed has been turned into a footpath. The only part of Coniston station to be preserved is the footbridge, which has found a home on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.

A typical Furness Railway signal box pictured at Lakeside. The box at Coniston would have been of similar design.

NORTH EAST ENGLAND

ALSTON

Alston station is the terminus of the North Eastern Railway’s thirteen-mile (21km) branch from Haltwhistle on the main route between Carlisle and Newcastle. Although standing in the valley of the River South Tyne, Alston claims to be England’s highest market town. The South Tyne valley was very rich in minerals with coal measures and seams of lead both to be found. Limestone was also quarried from the cliffs on the edge of Alston. A lime works was built on the approach to the station with sidings provided by the railway. With all this mineral wealth to be exploited the building of the line commenced in 1851 and opened to Alston for both goods and passengers in November 1852.

The line was built to single track with intermediate stations at Featherstone Park, Coanwood, Lambley and Slaggyford. The branch was operated by an electric tablet system from Haltwhistle to Coanwood, by train staff from Coanwood to Lambley, and again by electric tablet from Lambley to the terminus at Alston.

The railway was heavily engineered to follow the sides of the valley. Two impressive viaducts were needed to cross the river valley, one as the branch left the main line at Haltwhistle and one at Lambley, which required sixteen arches. Approaching Alston the railway ran on a shelf with a stone retaining wall holding the track bed above the river.

Track layout and facilities

The track layout at Alston consists of the single-track line running parallel with the long head shunt before the four roads of the sidings for the Alston & Nent Force Lime Works. At the station end of the sidings the goods line continued to run alongside the main line with a crossover to give access to the goods yard and the lime sidings. The goods line then fanned out with the coal roads on the far side, then came the private siding to the Alston limestone company’s wharf. The next turnouts provided the roads to the goods shed and the loading docks. On the river side of the main running line a loop ran through the station. Extra roads ran off this one to the engine shed, one short spur and finally an outer loop running around the outside to the turntable. The loop and the engine shed road both connected with the turntable. A reverse road ran off the outer loop; this was where the line’s snowplough was stored. The coal road sidings running on the extreme side of the yard were inclined to serve the coal drops at the end. Both of these roads measured 139 yards (127m) in length, holding up to nineteen wagons on each road. The goods shed siding had a capacity of twelve wagons, although the loading dock siding running parallel to this could hold an extra sixteen wagons. The private siding was a total of 276 yards (252m) long, passing under the Hexham Road to terminate alongside the River Nent. The extended dock in the yard provided access to both the cattle dock and the end loading siding. This was only a short spur, but could hold up to nine wagons. The cattle dock, however, was 150 yards (137m) long and could hold as many as twenty-one livestock wagons at any time. On the opposite side of the yard was the runaround loop of 91 yards (83m) in length. Next to this was the locomotive shed siding, totalling 150 yards (137m).On the extreme river side of the site was the loop, also used as the carriage siding of 65 yards (59m). The last three sidings with the main running line all terminated on the 42ft (12.8m) diameter turntable.

The locomotive servicing facilities included the engine shed with inspection pit. Alongside the shed was the workshop building with a 7,000 gallon water tank supported above the rear half of its length. In front of the shed was an exterior pit for raking out, and alongside this was a water column and coaling stage. In later years this was replaced with a coal wagon positioned on the short siding leading up to the workshop. The station passenger platform was 318ft (97m) in length with booking hall, waiting rooms and a parcels office. The goods dock was supplied with a 4-ton hand-operated crane. In the far end of the yard the weighbridge was located near the goods shed and coal drops. The office was combined with the coal merchant’s offices in a wooden building common to North Eastern Railway practice.

The line today

The first section of the track was lifted in 1976–7. British Rail left the last section initially to allow the South Tynedale Railway the chance to raise enough money to purchase this residual part of the route. Sadly this was not to be the case, and the remaining track was lifted in March 1977. The South Tynedale Railway, however, did manage to purchase 3½ miles (5.6km) of the track bed and lay narrow gauge track from the station at Alston to Lintley Halt.

Alston track plan: (A) engine shed; (B) turntable; (C) snowplough shed (later addition); (D) signal box; (E) station building and train shed; (F) coal merchants’ offices and weighbridge; (G) goods shed; (H) coal drops; (I) loading docks.

CHAPTER FIVE

MODELLING FICTITIOUS BRANCH LINES

In this chapter I have included a few branch line layouts that are fictitious, although they are based loosely on prototypes. It is sometimes a better option to take an imaginative approach to build a model branch line that will suit your requirements and the space you have available to display the model. I hope the selection provided here will inspire you to have a go at building one or more as projects of your own. The selection offers four layouts operating both goods and passenger services, with two built to standard gauge and two narrow-gauge light railways. The others selected give the modeller the opportunity to build an industrial branch line operating only goods, although one does feature a director’s saloon as part of the running stock.

Most of the industrial branch lines selected will occupy small spaces and take the form of a display diorama rather than the usual end-to-end layouts.

To conclude this selection I have included two branch line layouts, built to high standards, that demonstrate what can be achieved. The first one is Phil Waterfield’s ‘Malham’, a fixed display within the house that depicts a fictitious terminus in the Yorkshire Dales. The concept is that it represents a branch built by the Midland Railway to serve the limestone quarries and the local farming community, besides providing a passenger service, running off the Settle and Carlisle line and terminating at Malham.

The second layout has been made to be portable so it can be run and displayed at exhibitions. This layout is totally industrial and depicts the fictitious ‘Manston Brewery’. The model has been built by Rob Milliken to P4 (18.3mm) gauge.

IMAGINARY MODEL BRANCH LINES

CHAGFORD

Chagford is an imaginary branch line terminus based on what might have been. Typical Great Western practice has been followed in laying out this small West Country terminus, incorporating all the facilities required for a station of this size, including locomotive stabling.

Chagford track plan: (A) station building and train shed; (B) cattle pens; (C) signal cabin; (D) loco stores and mess-room; (E) parachute water tank; (F) engine shed and coaling stage; (G) coal bunkers; (H) coal merchants’ huts/offices; (I) goods shed; (J) weighbridge and office.

The layout at Chagford is here shown changed around, with the goods yard fronting the layout.

ASHOVER

This small Midland Railway terminus has been designed using the concept of a standard gauge railway being built along the route of the Ashover Light Railway. The terminus would have served the large village of Ashover, together with Butts Quarry and those at Fallgate and Milltown.

The station layout would follow others of a similar size built by the company, with all the goods handling facilities required. The terminus also has locomotive stabling and servicing requirements, including a turntable. A private siding is also located at the far side of the site running off to Butts Quarry.

Ashover track plan: (A) station building; (B) goods shed; (C) signal box; (D) lamp and oil stores; (E) engine shed; (F) coaling stage; (G) loco stores and mess-room; (H) cattle pens; (I) coal bunkers and coal merchants’ offices.

Butterley station building would be a perfect fit for a model of the unbuilt standard gauge service to Ashover. Hornby has recently produced a ready-to-plant model of the station.

PARWICH/LONGNOR (NARROW GAUGE)

This layout plan offers a choice of two narrow-gauge light railway terminuses.

Parwich would be the terminus of an imaginary railway built to light railway practice serving this area of the Derbyshire Peak District. The line would have connected with the North Stafford station at Ashbourne before following the valley of the Bentley Brook to reach Parwich. The railway would have served the local community, transporting dairy products from Parwich and servicing the limestone quarry at nearby Ballidon.

The second choice of Longnor would be the terminus of an extension of the Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway. This was proposed, but lack of money meant that the line terminated at the smaller hamlet of Hulm End. The railway would have provided a service to the local farming community in the upper Dove and Manifold valleys. Longnor itself was a thriving market town and became an important meeting place of the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Parwich/Longnor track plan.

Parwich/Longnor.

The track plan provided would therefore suit both concepts, with the goods and other facilities all catered for.

FENNY BENTLEY (NARROW GAUGE)

This layout plan features the largest of the intermediate stations along the fictitious narrow-gauge branch from Ashbourne to Parwich. Fenny Bentley is entered on a level crossing over the main Ashbourne to Buxton road. A passing loop is provided along with a general goods siding. The yard has a small stone-built warehouse together with the local smithy.

Fenny Bentley track plan: (A) level crossing; (B) crossing keeper’s hut; (C) weighbridge and office; (D) yard crane and dock; (E) coal merchant’s office; (F) smithy; (G) warehouse; (H) yard office; (I) grounded van body (store); (J) station building/waiting room.

IMAGINARY INDUSTRIAL RAILWAYS

The next three layout designs presented are all industrial, requiring freight-only operations. The designs would also fit into small spaces even in 4mm scale, making them micro layouts.

BREWERY BRANCH (BURTON UPON TRENT)

Burton upon Trent was famous for having the largest private railway system in the country. I have presented a small layout plan here of one of the brewery branches. I have purposely included one of the many level crossings that became a feature of the town’s streets. The model is based around one of the ale docks where casks of finished ale would be loaded onto wagons. This was then transported via the internal brewery branch lines to the exchange sidings, where the wagons would have been marshalled into larger trains for distribution to all parts of the country.

The larger breweries had their own fleet of locomotives with short wheelbases to cope with the sharp curves. Any modeller wanting to produce an accurate model would therefore have to look at the available kits or scratch build them. The smaller breweries, however, used locomotives supplied by the railway companies that met their requirements. The Hornby ex-L& Y 0-4-0 (Pug) or Bachmann’s Midland Class 1F tank would be good choices for your ready-to-run motive power.

Burton Brewery Branch track plan: (A) level crossing; (B) signal box; (C) lamp hut; (D) yard crane; (E) cooperage dock; (F) ale loading dock; (G) hop stores and maltings; (H) wagon turntable; (I) gatehouse.

OAKTHORPE COLLIERY

Oakthorpe is a fictitious small colliery based on the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire coal fields. The plan presented includes the main part of the colliery, all condensed within a small area to give an interesting but manageable layout. I have used the coal sorting screens at one end to form a run-off to a cassette fiddle yard. At the other end the positioning of the engine shed masks the run-off. The centre of the layout is dominated by the head stocks and the winding house. This has an attached boiler house complete with chimney.

Oakthorpe Colliery track plan: (A) boiler house; (B) engine/winding house; (C) pithead stocks; (D) sorting screens; (E) pit-prop store; (F) rail weighbridge; (G) engine shed and coaling stage; (H) coal delivery dock.

The modeller’s choice of locomotives to run here is probably more varied than on the brewery layout. The Hornby J94 springs to mind, although the Bachmann Midland Class 1F would also not look out of place.

RIDDINGS BRICK AND PIPE YARD

The last design I would like to present is another industrial branch concept serving a brick and pipe yard. Although completely imaginary in design, it is based on the works that belonged to James Oakes & Company of Riddings. The works were sited at Pye Hill, just over the county border in the Erewash Valley. As with the colliery layout I have used buildings to either mask the cassette fiddle yards or position them so that the trains run through them to enter.

Besides the more conventional buildings on this site, a number of round beehive brick kilns are featured, together with their familiar square chimneys.

As on the previous layout plan, the choice of locomotives is open to any of the classes that would fit. The selection could include any smaller classes from the ‘Big Four’ as this type of brick yard was found in most counties around the country.

Riddings Brick and Pipe Yard track plan: (A) beehive kilns; (B) square chimneys; (C) workshop; (D) yard offices; (E) engine shed/water tank and coaling stage; (F) brick stacks; (G) pipe stacks; (H) yard crane.

To conclude this chapter I have included two imaginary layouts built to high standards. The first features Phil Waterfield’s ‘Malham’, creating a branch line to serve both the local community and industry.

The second shows Rob Milliken’s totally industrial brewery layout, based on a typical brewery branch and yard. Rob has cleverly used an original name derived from an amalgam of Mansfield and Marston Breweries: ‘Manston’

A private owner wagon belonging to James Oakes & Company. A number of wagons would be required if you choose to build this industrial branch line. The wagon has been produced as a limited edition by Bachmann and is available from the Midland Railway Centre.

Modelling a brick and pipe yard will also require a good number of the distinctive beehive kilns. This 4mm scale resin casting of such a kiln, produced from a master by the author, is now available from Skytrex 2013.

A general view of ‘Malham’, Phil Waterfield’s model of an imaginary Yorkshire Dales terminus. PHIL WATERFIELD

The brick and pipe yard will also require a few chimneys. This square sample was common to this type of works. The resin casting pictured is also available from Skytrex 2013 to complement the 4mm scale kilns.

Another view showing the station at ‘Malham’. PHIL WATERFIELD

The track plan for Rob Milliken’s model of the fictitious ‘Manston Brewery’. ROB MILLIKEN

This photograph illustrates just how compact the ‘Manston Brewery’ layout is. Rob has made a special effort to present the model in a professional way, which is important when presenting a model such as this at public exhibitions. ROB MILLIKEN

This close-up view of ‘Manston Brewery’ shows just how much detail and interest Rob has managed to include in a relatively small space. ROB MILLIKEN

CHAPTER SIX

BRANCH LINE MODELLING PROJECTS

This chapter presents a number of projects to guide you when attempting to build a model branch line, especially one incorporating a simple country station.

BUILDING A BASEBOARD

For this project let’s look at constructing a simple baseboard. The board chosen measures 4 × 2ft (122 × 61cm) and comprises a level flat top fitted to a deep frame made from strips of 12mm plywood. If you do not own a circular saw, I would suggest using a timber cutting service to cut the ply into strips 50mm wide (or 2in if you intend to work entirely in imperial measurements).

Start by cutting strips to form the sides to the full length of the board (48in). The end strips are then cut, allowing for the width of the plywood on each side (24in less 24mm). The top sheet of six ply can be purchased ready cut from most DIY or timber suppliers. The sides are then fitted up to the edge of the ply and glued into position using PVA wood glue. Hold the strip in position with a couple of G-clamps until the glue has dried and formed a bond. In order to be certain that the assembly is secure, the assembly can also be drilled and screwed. The other side strip can then be offered up and fixed into position.

12mm plywood has been cut into lengths, each 50mm wide, ready to make up the frame for the baseboard.

With these secure, the end strips can be fitted, similarly glued and clamped in place before securing them with screws. The corners can now be addressed and fixed with two screws across the join.

Take care that your assembly is perfectly square. This is very important over the ends, where two or more boards have to fit together, to ensure that the track being fitted flows from one board to the next without any running problems. For this reason, keep checking the alignment of your assembly with a woodworker’s square.

CREATING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR THE TRACK

The main reason for laying a foundation for the trackwork is to reduce any noise created by the trains when running over the baseboards. The best material, and the one I have chosen to use, is cork. Cork underlay, obtainable from model railway suppliers, comes in various thicknesses and is available either in sheets or on a roll. Cork floor tiles can also be used instead, although these only come in a thickness of 3mm. If you select an insulation board such as Sundeala board for the baseboard tops, there is no need to use cork underlay. Before laying any track, the cork underlay is painted a neutral grey colour to give a base for the ballast when it is applied.

The side frames are first glued to the 5mm plywood top and clamped.

The end frames are then cut to length, before being glued and clamped. Allow the glue to dry. The corner is drilled and screwed to make a strong and secure joint.

The complete assembly, with the plywood top also drilled and screwed.

To finish the board, cover the exposed screw heads with wood filler before sanding down all the edges and the top.

LAYING THE TRACK

For this project I am using lengths of C&L track, which is available in metre lengths. The lengths are flexible, so gentle curves can be followed from a prototype. The track is detailed with the British standard sleeper spacing, realistic chair detail and bullhead rail. The chosen gauge of 16.5mm allows off-the-shelf locomotives and rolling stock to be run over it. The track is positioned following a gentle curve, such as is found on the prototype at Hazelwood.

When happy with the positioning, track pins are inserted into the sleeper ends, but not pushed all the way in. This fixes the track down temporarily before gluing the ballast in place. The ballast then holds the track in position permanently and the pins can be removed.

A length of C&L track is positioned, before being secured with track pins.

The flexi-track is cut using a cutting disc fitted to a mini drill.

The cut rail ends are then cleaned up using a small file.

BALLASTING THE TRACK

With the track pinned down temporarily, the ballast can be added. The ballast selected was intended for a 2mm model, but the size of the grains would look correct for the 4mm track used here. The ballast used on the branch lines tended to be lighter than that used for the main lines. For information on how to glue the ballast into place, see Chapter 3.

To give a finished appearance the ballast will require painting, using thinned-down oil paint to give the right effect. The colour chosen here is a combination of Payne’s Grey and Burnt Umber, mixed with a liberal amount of turpentine or white spirit to make a colour wash. This is then applied to the ballast with a brush, letting the paint wash flow over the grains. The wash will dry fairly quickly to give a convincing finish.

With the ballast painted and dry, the rail sides and the chairs can now be painted using a rust brown colour, chosen from the Revell matt enamel range. The paint is carefully applied to the rails and chairs using a No. 1 brush. Always look at how the rails and chairs rust on real trackwork and try to replicate this colour on your model. (For detailed information on how to reproduce track colour, see Chapter 6.)

Since this project includes a section of track running through the station, I have decided to add a little weathering. Observation of prototypes at heritage railways has shown how grime, ranging from oil to ash, builds up where the locomotives regularly come to a standstill in the station platform. This is created using some of the scenic powders supplied by Woodland Scenics and Treemendus. Careful application of the powders can make a realistic addition to the track. Try adding a few pieces of scaled-down coal to represent spillage from the steam locos to complete the scene.

The colour for the ballast is mixed in a tub using oil paint. The colours used here are Payne’s Grey, Zinc White, Yellow Ochre and Burnt Umber.

Turpentine thinners is added to the paint mix, before the thinned-down paint is brushed over the ballast and sleepers, allowing it to soak in.

After looking at reference photographs, Revell Matt 82 Rust Brown was chosen for the rail and chair colour.

A No. 1 brush is used to apply the paint carefully to the face of the rails and the chairs.

Once the paint is dry, the rail tops are cleaned with an abrasive track rubber.

Extra detail to the track running through the station is added using weathering powders and barbecue ash. The reference photographs provided in Chapter 6 will help when trying to replicate the build-up of ash and oil found on the track. The addition of a few lumps of spilt coal completes the scene.

BUILDING A STATION PLATFORM

The next part of the project is to build the station platform. I have here used a carcase made up from strips of Foamex, although foamboard or mount card can also be used. Before constructing the carcase, calculate the appropriate distance between the platform front wall and the track. This is checked by running a coach along this section of track to make sure the platform edge is close enough without clashing with it. This will be more of an issue if the platform has to follow the curvature of the track.

The cross members are cut to length to fit up against the front wall, and then the front wall itself, first cut into strips to a depth of 12mm. Each strip is then cut to around 300mm in length. These strips are then offered up and glued to the ends of the cross members, which have also been cut from the 12mm deep strips. The tops are the next to be constructed, creating the surface to the platform. In this case use 2mm mounting board, first cut into strips, each strip being about 20mm wider than intended. This allows the edge to be cut following the gentle curve of the front wall.

With the platform top fixed and glued down, the slope is added at one end only. Use the same materials, cutting both sides of the slope to the shallow angle required. The top surface is then added using the card. With the slope completed, the stone facing can be fixed onto the front wall and the wall in the milk bay, using the stone-embossed styrene produced by Slater’s, which closely matches the prototype. This is fixed into position using double-sided tape rather than glue.

The next job is to fix the coping stones to form the platform edge. These are cut from styrene sheet, first into a strip and then cut into individual slabs. The copings are then glued so that they slightly overhang the edge of the platform. Once all the coping slabs are fixed, the texture of the platform’s surface can be created using a ready mixed plaster filler, such as No More Cracks by Unibond. This is brushed on, mixed with PVA. This not only gives a good representation of the platform surface but also becomes rigid once the plaster mix is dry.

The platform can now be painted, but before adding any paint you should carefully look through your reference photographs. In this case I first applied a ground colour using a neutral mid-grey emulsion paint. Once this has dried, a mix of oil paint is made using Raw Umber, Yellow Ochre, Payne’s Grey and Titanium White. This is mixed together in a tub with a good amount of turpentine added, before brushing the paint over the surface of the platform. Then brush over a little extra white paint, using a stipple action with the brush. It will look more authentic if the colour is patchy rather than creating one flat coating of the paint. Mix another wash colour using Naples Yellow and a little Titanium White and apply to the facing wall, giving the base and mortar shade. Once the wash is dry, the next stage of painting is to dry-brush colour over the face of the stones on the walling. Use the same colours as were applied to the surface of the platform. A useful tip to improve the texture of paint for dry brushing is to put out the colours on a palette the day before they are going to be used. As can be seen from the photographs, I have adapted an old plastic video cassette case for this purpose. This has the advantage that the case can be closed up when not in use. By the next day the oil paint will have dried off enough to be applied to the facing wall of the platform, using the dry brushing technique to pick out and replicate the colour of the stonework. Keep referring to your reference photographs to achieve the correct colour shades required.

The starting point for the station platform is to cut back the cork underlay, ready for positioning the platform facing wall.

The cutting back is first measured by using a spacer made from a piece of card, cut to the correct width. Note how the ends of the sleepers are used as a guide.

In this photograph the front facing wall and the stretcher panels have all been cut from Foamex and glued into position. The station yard at the rear has been filled in using polystyrene sheet and topped with fibreboard.

The platform tops are added using mounting card cut to size.

To create the platform’s surface, brush on No More Cracks plaster filler mixed with PVA glue.

Slater’s Plastikard is used to create the stone facing wall and platform edging slabs.

The platform facing wall and the edging slabs are painted using oil paint.

This close-up photograph shows how the colour shades of the stonework are blended together by dry brushing the oil paint over the surface.

The finished facing wall. Note how the paint has been blended to create a realistic effect.

This photograph illustrates the colour tones found in the stonework.

CONSTRUCTING A STATION BUILDING

For this project I have selected a country Great Western station building based on a prototype at Ashburton. This station had a timber-built train shed attached, but for the project I have just concentrated on the main building containing the booking hall and other rooms.

The starting point for this model should be the preparation of a scale drawing. If you do not have precise measurements to hand, it is possible to estimate them by looking at photographs of the prototype.

I have here included a field sketch of Shottle Station made for a future project to show how measurements can be taken from a prototype. Here I managed to obtain permission for this exercise from the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway and the owners of the station building, Peak Oils.

I decided to construct the carcase or shell of the building using Foamex board for the inner shell and mounting card for the outer shell. The Foamex is marked out for all the elevations, making sure that the thickness of the outer skin card is deducted from the measurements. The window and door apertures are then marked in, allowing at least 5mm extra all the way around so that the windows and doors fit into this larger reveal. The outer shell is cut from the 1.5mm mounting card, again making allowance by deducting the thickness of the mounting card from the width of the gable ends. The windows and doors are all cut out, this time to the actual size including the arched tops.

The next stage is to add the cornice and plinth. Extra strips of the mounting card are cut ready to be fixed to the side walls. The plinth is then cut to about 8mm in width with an angled top. If you are not confident cutting the angle, ask a picture framer to cut this for you on a mount cutter. You will require two strips cut at different widths to make up the cornice. The arched lintels are also cut from thinner card using a compass cutter. These are then fixed into position on the walls before moving on to the next stage.

With all the card walls completed, a skin of Das modelling clay is applied, using PVA glue to enable the clay to adhere to the card. Make sure the skin of the clay is applied to a consistent thickness all the way around. Pay particular attention when forming the corners and around any windows and door reveals. Once the Das clay has completely dried, the stonework can be scribed out. Use photographic reference and try to replicate the stonework as closely as possible. Start with the corner quoins and those around the windows and doors.

The scribed walls are then painted with a wash of oil paint mixed to replicate the colour of the mortar, which here requires Naples Yellow, mixed to a consistency of 20 per cent paint to 80 per cent thinners. I would now suggest painting the stonework before fixing in the windows, doors and the roof. The colours are first mixed on a palette, before applying the paint by dry brushing over the surface of the stone. You will need to take your time to build up the colour tones to match the prototype as closely as possible.

The windows and doors can now be made and fitted into the reveals. The windows are cut from old greeting cards with double-sided tape applied to the reverse side. The sash frames are cut out very carefully using sharp blades in both the compass cutter and the scalpel. The frames are then fixed to the glazing material, which has intentionally been cut oversize. The glazing bars, cut from adhesive-backed paper to form a very thin strip, are then added.

Before fixing into position the frames are coloured using a Letraset ProMarker Sandstone pen, which is very close to the railway companies’ colour of light stone. The windows can now be fixed into the reveals, using the overlap on the glazing to fit up to the back of the mounting card of the second shell. The reason for cutting the first shell window and door apertures larger now becomes apparent, since the windows and doors can be fitted through the first aperture and fixed to the back of the second to give a shallow reveal replicating the prototype.

The doors are cut from the same greetings card with the frame assembled in strips onto a backing card. These, like the glazing of the windows, are cut out oversize to allow them to be fitted into the reveals. For the main booking hall doors I used the laser-cut ones supplied by Truetexture.

The next task is to construct the roof and the covering. First a sub-base is fitted to the side and gable end walls using the 2mm mounting card. The roof covering of slate is replicated from thin greetings cards. These are first marked out before cutting the individual slates halfway along the strip. Use doublesided tape to fix the strips of slates to the sub-base of the roof, since this gives a much cleaner and quicker way of attaching the tiles than using glue. The strips of slates are fixed overlapping, starting at the eaves and working up to the ridge. To finish the roof, the ridge is added, again using a folded strip of the same card.

The slated roof is painted using an overall coat of Humbrol Tank Grey acrylic spray paint. This is then painted over, picking out some of the individual slates in lighter or darker shades of grey and then blended by dry brushing.

The chimney stacks are constructed from mounting card and covered with Das mounting clay, before scribing out the stonework. Chimney pots, here from the range supplied by Langley Models, are glued into position and the flaunching added using extra modelling clay.

The penultimate task is to construct the small canopy over the booking hall door on the road side. This is made from Evergreen styrene strip for the framework and sheet styrene sheet for the roof. The canopy is faced with an ornate valancing, typical of the railway company. I have selected the 4mm scale Great Western Railway style produced by York Modelmaking. The laser-cut valance is glued to the outside frame of the canopy. To finish, the roof is covered in strips of masking tape to replicate the waterproofed felting. I here used two ornate etched brackets supplied by Scale Link. These are first fixed with super glue to the inside framework of the canopy, which can now be painted using a dark matt grey colour for the felting and a light stone colour for all the woodwork, including the valance. The whole assembly is then offered up to the station building and super-glued in place.

To complete the model, guttering and downpipes are added. The guttering is made using styrene channel profiled strip from the Plastruct range. For the downpipes styrene rodding is used with small strips of masking tape cut and wrapped around to form the collars. Next the barge-boards are made from thin card strip and fixed to the gable ends of the roof. With the roofline details secured, they are all painted, again by mixing and matching the railway companies’ light stone colour.

Finishing touches to help dress the model might include selecting a number of enamelled advertising signs and poster boards and fixing them in position. The examples used here are by Sankey Scenics, although other suppliers also produce this type of scale signage.

A field sketch of Shottle Station produced for a new branch line project. With the permission of the building’s owners I was able to conduct a survey, providing the opportunity to measure and take detailed photographs. All this information gathered at the site would be valuable when it comes to building a future model.

The inner shell of Chagford station building was cut from Foamex board. The window and door apertures were all cut oversize.

The outer shell was then cut from the thinner mounting board. This time the windows and doors have all been cut to the actual size, complete with arched tops.

Both the inner and outer shells can be seen assembled together to form the walls of the station building. Note how the stretcher and corner braces have been added to give the model extra strength.

Here the plinth and the cornice, both made from strips of mounting card, have been fixed into position.

The arched lintels were all cut from greetings card, using a compass cutter.

The arched lintels have now been located into position on the building.

Modelling clay has been applied to create a skin in which all the stonework can be scribed out.

The doors were cut from greetings cards. Doublesided tape is used to fit the frame to the backing panels.

Brushing the first wash of paint over the scribed clay. The colour was made up to replicate the mortar.

The next painting stage was to add the stone colour by dry brushing the paint over the surface.

The window frames were again cut from the greetings cards, using the compass cutter for the arched tops.

The card sash windows have been fixed to the glazing, before fitting into the apertures.

In this view all the windows and doors are fitted along with the roof. The sub-base was made from mount card and covered with slates cut into strips of thin greetings cards. The slate strips were fitted to the sub-base with double-sided tape, with each strip overlapping the previous one until reaching the ridge.

The gable end was finished with barge-boards, again made from card strip.

The pair of chimneys for the station were made up from mounting card. The stacks were then covered with modelling clay before scribing in the same way as the walls. White metal pots selected from the Langley range were added, before more clay was used for the flaunching.

This photograph shows the chimney stacks fitted to the roof. More clay was added to create the flashing on the join. The slates have been painted an overall mid-grey, with the odd ones picked out in a lighter shade.

The building is now nearing completion, although the chimney pots still require painting.

The woodwork for the awning and the barge-boards required painting in the correct Great Western colours: Humbrol Matt 187 for the light stone colour and Humbrol Matt 82 for the dark stone.

Humbrol Desert Sand, which can also be used for the light stone colour, is available in an acrylic spray.

The awning required a Great Western pattern valance. This laser-cut example is available from York Modelmaking.

The awning would need to be supported on wall brackets. These etched samples from Scale Link are ideal for the job.

To complete the awning, the woodwork was painted with Humbrol Desert Sand acrylic spray.

A certain amount of weathering was required to finish the painting of the main building. Rain staining was brushed into the slates and lichens stippled onto the ridge and the edges, using Yellow Ochre oil paint.

Masking tape was applied to the top of the awning to replicate the felted covering.

The completed Chagford station building with the guttering and downpipes, dressed with enamel advertising signs.

SCRATCH BUILDING LINESIDE FENCING

The first job is to make a jig so that sections of fencing can be set out easily and assembled on it. For the jig, first cut a piece of 9mm foamboard to about 3in wide and 12in long (76 × 305mm). Then the fencing is drawn to scale on the face of the board. Draw the horizontal bars out first, giving a series of equal parallel lines. The next stage is to measure and space out the upright posts. This will now complete the jig ready to start assembly of the fencing.

Card is used as the material from which the fence is constructed: the upright posts are strips of mounting card and the bars are simply strips cut from old greetings cards. Double-sided tape is applied to the rear face of the greetings card before the strips are cut. The posts should be cut to around 2.5–3mm wide and the fencing bars to around 1–1.5mm wide in 4mm scale. The posts and bars will need to be overlength for assembly.

Having cut a good number of card strips for both the posts and bars, assembly on the jig can now start. The first task is to locate and position the upright posts on the jig. Dressmaker’s pins are then pushed into the foamboard jig, right up to the sides of the posts on both sides, to hold them temporarily in position. This exercise is repeated to complete a panel of five posts. With the posts in position the rails can be assembled. First peel the backing paper away from the taped side of the bar and carefully position the first bar over the posts, following the drawing on the jig underneath. The bar should stick without any mess to all the posts in the panel. It might be worth securing the bottom bar in position before moving on to the second bar as this will make the assembly more rigid. The other bars can now be positioned and secured to the posts in the same way. With all the bars satisfactorily secured, the pins can be removed and the whole assembly turned over to fix the intermediate uprights.

To replicate this, use extra strips cut to the dimensions of the bars and position them using the jig as a guide. This now completes the assembly of this panel of fencing. If you are joining more panels together to make a long length of fencing, however, you need to miss out the last post on the panel and cut the bars to meet halfway on the upright post.

On occasions when the fencing line needs to follow the steep or even gentle contours of the railway’s earthworks, position the uprights at the desired angle and then assemble the bars in the same way.

Finally the fencing will require painting. The whole assembly should first be spray painted with a Dark Sea Grey from the Humbrol range. Before painting the lighter grey shades, pay careful attention to the reference prototype: for this example I used Payne’s Grey, Titanium White and a little Naples Yellow. I would advise against painting your fencing brown: even if the fence has just been creosoted it will appear more black than brown. Careful observation will reveal that woodwork in open spaces will quickly bleach to a silvery grey colour or even green in a damp and shady environment. Some reference photographs to follow for colour may be found in Chapters 3 and 7.

A simple jig made from a strip of 5mm foamboard. All the elements of the fence have been drawn on the face to the scale required: the upright posts, the five rails and the upright tie posts.

The next stage is to cut the posts from mounting board to about 3mm wide. These can be positioned overlength on to the jig. Pins are then used to secure the posts ready temporarily for the next stage. The pins will push easily into the foamboard.

The bars can now be cut from old greetings cards, but double-sided tape is first applied to the back of the card. The strips are cut to about 1.5mm wide and longer than the panel of fencing required. This can be easily trimmed to size after assembly. The bars are fixed using the tape to make a bond to the upright posts on the jig.

The section of fencing is removed from the jig, turned over and positioned back on the jig. Extra shorter lengths of the 1.5mm card strip are now fitted into position to make the upright ties.

The finished panels of five-bar lineside fencing, now removed from the jig and awaiting painting.

The fencing panels are painted using Humbrol Matt Sea Grey spray paint, ready to be fixed on the branch line layout.

USING STYRENE STATION FENCING

For this last little project, I have chosen to work with a styrene fence, produced by Slater’s, intended for station platforms. The three-bar panel arrangement, with diagonal palings set at 45 degrees, was common on the Midland and other pre-grouping companies. The design was followed by the LMS and grouping companies and was also adopted by British Railways.

The lengths of fence are first cut from the sprue and then cleaned of any flash. The panel of fence is then given a coat of matt Dark Sea Grey from the Humbrol acrylic spray paint range. Before painting further, look at photographic reference material for this type of fencing. On this occasion I decided to try to weather it slightly, toning down the colour to a more bleached lighter grey. This is done by mixing Payne’s Grey oil paint with a little Naples Yellow and Titainium White. The colour is brushed on all over until the colour tone is achieved.

To finish, I selected a few enamel advertising signs from a sheet produced by Sankey Scenics in 4mm scale. Fix a strip of double-sided tape to the back of those selected before carefully cutting them out using a scalpel. These are then fixed to the fencing in appropriate positions to give that finishing touch.

Styrene Midland Railway station fencing as supplied by Slater’s.

The styrene fencing panels are painted before cutting them from the sprues. Humbrol Matt Sea Grey spray paint is used again.

The station fencing has been fixed to the back of the platform. Dry brushing a lighter grey over the surface gives a more weathered look.

Enamelled advertising signs are fixed to the fencing to give a finishing touch.

CHAPTER SEVEN

ADDING COLOUR TO THE MODEL BRANCH LINE

In this chapter I want to take a look at how we can add authentic colour to the model branch line. This aspect of model railways tends to be overlooked, and yet the correct colour application will not only bring the layout to life but also create a realistic looking model. It can be argued, and I would agree, that colour needs to be toned to the reduced scale of the model, since we will always be looking at our model from a distance. This distance would equate to many yards or metres if it were full 1:1 scale. This distance will make colour recede and appear lighter than if you were standing only a few feet away.

This picture of a lamp standard gives a reference for the light and dark stone colours used by the Great Western.

I first intend to address how we can all add the correct colour to our branch line layout, and also try to show how the correct scaling of this colour can be observed and then applied to our models.

Painted surfaces will also be subjected to weathering and this will be something worth considering when applying paint. This needs to be carefully examined if we wish to create an authentic looking model. For the most part the railway companies valued their buildings, structures and rolling stock. This applied especially to the pre-grouping companies, who wanted to present a professional image to their customers. It was therefore important that they kept the railway property well maintained and freshly painted. However, the weather, combined with pollution from smoke, would soon tone down even freshly applied paint.

During the period of the Second World War the railways were used to capacity and repainting the stock and buildings was by no means a priority, unless it involved painting white stripes on things to avoid bumping into them in the blackout.

After the war the railways were looking shabby and run-down, this condition of railway property would need to be replicated if modelling this period. Modellers attempting this will be faced with the lack of colour photographic reference. The majority of photographs from pre-grouping through to nationalization are only in black and white. Colour photography was still in its infancy and not advanced enough to give an accurate reproduction.

With the nationalization of the railways, the newly formed British Railways had to pick up the pieces of this vastly run-down railway system from a motley variety of locomotives, rolling stock, buildings, structures and general infrastructure. BR needed to create a new, fresh-looking image for the railway to impress the public. New colour schemes were tried out until a standard corporate colour was arrived at. The standard colours were reserved for the locomotives and rolling stock. The buildings and other items were regionalized, with a background colour being adapted to signify that particular region of the railway network. This soon became standard practice with the regional colour used on posters, timetables, literature and signage as well as the buildings and structures. The regional colour applied to the buildings would be combined with cream. In the late 1960s, however, a new standard modern corporate identity was introduced with the shortened name British Rail, together with a new stylish logo. The main colour that was adopted for the new image was blue. This was used with a very light grey for most of the rolling stock and the buildings. This corporate colour scheme lasted for a couple of decades and was known as the blue era. It was not until the privatization of the railways that the standard colour was dropped. Today’s liveries are somewhat of a mishmash of colour and imagery. The double arrow logo of British Rail, however, although designed in the late 1960s, has not been changed in any way and has become the symbol to identify the railway that everyone has become familiar with. The modern railways have, of course, been documented with colour photography giving the modeller plenty of reference material to replicate the colour on their models.

This lamp post gives the reference for the colours used by the LMS and the Midland Region of British Railways. Also of interest is the faded BR blue coach livery in the background.

How then do we go about trying to replicate the correct colour used by the railways before the BR period? Although there was no colour photography in the pre-grouping era, some documentary evidence has survived and some railway observers at the time recorded what they saw. The liveries of locomotives, carriages, wagons and buildings for each of the pre-grouping companies can usually be found by contacting the relevant railway society or the Historical Model Railway Society: sometimes, however, there may be disagreement over the exact shades of colours used.

Other places to start looking are museums such as the National Railway Museum, which not only holds records but has a fantastic collection of the real items. The museum can boast that all the items have been restored to their original condition and this includes painting them in the correct colours.

The heritage railways are also worth visiting. Most will have researched the liveries and colours of the railway companies that originally owned their preserved line. If the heritage railways have the original buildings there is a good chance that the paintwork will be authentically reproduced. You can record the colours used by taking photographs. If you make your intentions clear to the staff, they will usually offer you their cooperation.

I have included this image to show how grime builds up over the track at the end of the station platform where the locomotives come to a standstill. The brick facing wall of the platform is also of interest for colour reference.

Another example of how grime build ups on the track at the end of the platform. Also worth note for reference is the brown colour of the rails.

Fellow model railway enthusiast Martin Nield is building a Lancashire & Yorkshire branch line terminus in P4. He advised me that the first thing he did when deciding to model this pre-grouping company was to join the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society. The society produces publications and has its own collection of photographs, drawings and other archive material. Martin was able to identify the colours for the locomotives (black with white and red lining),carriages (tan and lake) and wagons (grey). The locomotive black and the wagon grey were available from the Humbrol enamels range, while the authentic carriage colours were available from Phoenix Precision Paints.

Among the society’s collections are coloured postcards produced before the Great War and giving a contemporary record of the colours. However, most of the subject matter features the trains: the society is less sure of the buildings and structures as few records have survived.

As well as the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, societies have been founded for other pre-grouping railways as well as those representing the ‘Big Four’ and the British Railways period. I would advise joining one of these; most have websites that can be found on the internet.

To conclude this book I offer a selection of colour reference photographs to replicate the prototype. The selection includes methods of recreating track colour, stone and brick masonry, woodwork for buildings, telegraph poles and fencing, metalwork for railway structures and other forms of the railway infrastructure.

The selection also deals with how weathering has affected the railway environment over the years. It is to be hoped that the reference photographs will help you towards achieving a realistic finish to your model branch line.

This close-up illustrates the rust-brown colour of the rail and chair.

Here is another reference photograph to show the rust colour of the rails. You will observe that the rust brown colour can vary in shade.

As can be seen here, spilt coal can often be found between the rails. This would be a common feature around the coaling stage of an engine shed, under the loading screens at a colliery or in the coal delivery sidings.

Pictured here is the discarded ash and clinker found on and around the track outside an engine shed. This also can be found anywhere a steam locomotive comes to rest, as ash can fall from the locomotive’s firebox by deliberate means or accidental.

Both colour and texture reference is evident in this photograph of the locomotive inspection pit.

This photograph gives the modeller good reference for bleached wood, weeds and dead grass found by the trackside.

A good example of how woodwork can weather. Note how this lineside fence has turned a silvery grey, with green algae appearing in places.

This image shows how grease marks may be found on the rails, over the slide chairs and on other working parts of a turnout.

The effects of blistering paintwork on a lineside hut. This can be replicated on models by painting the undercoat first and then applying the top coat. Just before this top coat has completely dried off, stick masking tape over the surface and quickly rip the tape off again. This should pull small areas of the top coat away with the tape and reveal the undercoat paint colour showing through.

The effects of weathering on a black-painted galvanized lamp hut. Note how the light grey of the metal material is showing through, especially on the curved roof and the tops of the side panels.

In this photograph we can see how the sandstone has weathered to a dark brown or even black in places, while the mortar lines have remained the original colour.

Pictured is another stone station building at Oakworth. Note how the Yorkshire gritstone has blackened in certain places, especially along the roofline and corners.

This close-up of Butterley station building has been included to show the different colours of the sandstone. Note the variation of shade within each individual stone block. We need to replicate this subtle blending of colour together with the weathering on our models.

I have included this photograph of Ventnor Station again on purpose to illustrate how colour will recede when viewed from a distance. The picture has also been taken from an elevated viewpoint, looking down on the station area. This is how most of us will be observing our model railways, looking down on them from a relative distance to the scale of the models. Note how the colour of the trees in the foreground is more intense than those in the background. On most models this phenomenon has been overlooked, as we tend to paint them the same colour as if we were standing right next to them. It is therefore worth considering distance and scale of colour when building a model branch line. PHIL WATERFIELD

APPENDICES

SUPPLIERS OF EQUIPMENT, KITS AND OFF-THE-SHELF MODELS

Scale rules, small squares, scalpels, blades, cutting mats, paintbrushes and general tools

Squires Model and Craft Tools

100 London Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex PO21 1DD

Telephone: 01243 842424

www.squirestools.com

Eileen’s Emporium

Unit 19.12, Highnam Business Centre, Newent Road, Gloucester GL2 8DN

Telephone: 01531 828009

www.eileensemporium.com

Hobby Holidays

The Spinney, Low Street, Beckingham, Doncaster DN10 4PW

Telephone: 01427 848979

www.hobbyholidays.co.uk

Foamboard, Das modelling clay, paints, brushes, styrene sheet and strip

Freestone Model Acessories

28 Newland Mill, Witney, Oxfordshire OX28 3HH

Telephone: 01993 775979

www.freestonemodel.co.uk

Slater’s (Plastikard) Limited

Old Road, Darley Dale, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 2ER

Telephone: 01629 734053

https://slatersplastikard.com

Evergreen Scale Models, Inc.

65 Bradrock Drive, DesPlaines, IL 60018, USA

Telephone: 847-635-9066

www.evergreenscalemodels.com

Squires Model and Craft Tools

Hobby Holidays

Eileen’s Emporium

Scenic materials, accessories and dressings

Woodland Scenics

PO Box 98, Linn Creek, MO 65052, USA

Telephone: 573-346-5555

www.woodlandscenics.com

HEKI Kittler GmbH

Am Bahndamm 10, D-76437 Rastatt-Wintersdorf, Germany

Telephone: 07229 18 17 15

www.heki-kittler.de

Green Scene

60 Hollymount, Worcester WR4 9SF

Telephone: 01905 24298

http//green-scene.co.uk

Dart Castings

17 Hurst Close, Staplehurst, Tonbridge, Kent TN12 0BX

Telephone: 01580 892917

www.dartcastings.co.uk

Langley Miniature Models

166 Three Bridges Road, Three Bridges, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 1LE

Telephone: 01293 516329

www.langleymodels.co.uk

Springside Models

2 Springside Cottages, Dornafield Road, Ipplepen, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 5SJ

Telephone: 01803 813749

www.springsidemodels.com

S&D Models

Highbridge Works, PO Box 101, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset TA9 4WA

Telephone: 01278 781603

www.sanddmodels.co.uk

Duncan Models

34 Waters Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 3NX

Telephone: 01722 321041

www.duncanmodels.co.uk

Building kits, off-the-shelf models and accessories

Truetexture Ltd

68 Merrington Place, Impington, Cambridge CB24 9AL

Telephone: 07949 020080

www.truetexture.co.uk

Superquick Model Kits

The Red House, Axminster, Devon EX13 5SE

Telephone: 01297 631435

www.superquick.co.uk

Cooper Craft

Broom Lane, Oake, Taunton, Somerset, TA4 1BE

Telephone: 01823 461961

www.cooper-craft.co.uk

Metcalfe Models and Toys Ltd

Bell Busk, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 4DU

Telephone: 01729 830072

www.metcalfemodels.com

York Modelmaking and Display Ltd

Unit 13, The Bull Commercial Centre, Stockton-on-the-Forest, York YO32 9LE

Telephone: 01904 400358

www.yorkmodelmaking.co.uk

Skytrex (2013) Ltd

Unit 1, Charnwood Business Park, North Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 1LE

Telephone: 01509 213789

www.ogauge.co.uk

Scenecraft by Bachmann

Bachmann Europe Plc

www.bachmann.co.uk

Skaledale by Hornby

Hornby Hobbies Ltd, Westwood, Margate, Kent CT9 4JX

www.hornby.com

Station and yard lighting

Express Models

65 Conway Drive, Shepshed, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 9PP

Telephone: 01509 829008

www.expressmodels.co.uk

RMLectronics

1 Glebe Gardens, Beeford, Driffield YO25 8BF

Telephone: 01262 481264

www.rmlectronics.co.uk

DCCconcepts Pty Ltd

3/13 Lionel Street, Naval Base, WA 6165, Australia

www.dccconcepts.com

Tiny Signs

Available from www.gaugemaster.com

Sankey Scenics

16 Norbreck Close, Great Sankey, Warrington, Cheshire WA5 2SX

Telephone: 07565 892209

www.sankeyscenics.co.uk

Track

C&L Finescale Modelling Ltd

Aran Lodge, Severn Road, Hallen, Bristol BS10 7RZ

Telephone: 01179 505470

www.finescale.org.uk

PECO

Underleys, Beer, Devon EX12 3NA

Telephone: 01297 21542

www.peco-uk.com

SOCIETIES, MUSEUMS AND HERITAGE RAILWAYS OF INTEREST TO THE BRANCH LINE MODELLER

SOCIETIES

The Scalefour Society

www.scalefour.org

The EM Gauge Society

www.emgs.org

The Gauge O Guild

www.gauge0guild.com

The N Gauge Society

https://ngaugesociety.com

The 009 Society

www.009society.com

The 7mm Narrow Gauge Association

www.7mmnga.org.uk

The Midland Railway Study Centre

www.midlandrailwaystudycentre.org.uk

The LMS Society

www.lmssociety.org.uk

The Lancashire & Yorkshire Society

www.lyrs.org.uk

The North Stafford Railway Study Group

www.dmoore.org.uk

The Great Western Study Group

www.gwr.org.uk

North Eastern Railway Association

www.ner.org.uk

Cumbrian Railways Association

www.cumbrianrailways.org.uk

London and North Western Railway Society

www.lnwrs.org.uk

London & South Western Railway Society

www.lswr.org

The Historical Model Railway Society

www.hmrs.org.uk

HERITAGE RAILWAYS AND RAILWAY MUSEUMS

Avon Valley Railway

Bitton Station, Bath Road, Bitton, Bristol BS30 6HD

Telephone: 0117 9325538

www.avonvalleyrailway.org

The Battlefield Line

The Shackerstone Railway Society Ltd, Shackerstone Station, Shackerstone, Warwickshire CV13 6NW

Telephone: 01827 880754

www.battlefield-line-railway.co.uk

Beamish Museum

Beamish, Co. Durham DH9 0RG

Telephone: 0191 370 4000

www.beamish.org.uk

The Bluebell Railway

Sheffield Park Station, near Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 3QL

Telephone: 01825 720800

www.bluebell-railway.co.uk

Bodmin & Wenford Railway

Bodmin General Station, Bodmin, Cornwall PL31 1AQ

Telephone: 01208 73555

www.bodminrailway.co.uk

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre

Quainton Road Station, Quainton, Aylesbury, Bucks HP22 4BY

Telephone: 01296 655720

http://bucksrailcentre.org

Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway

Station Road, Chinnor, Oxfordshire OX39 4ER

Telephone: 01844 353535

www.chinnorrailway.co.uk

Churnet Valley Railway

Kingsley & Froghall Station, Froghall, Staffordshire

ST10 2HA

Telephone: 01538 750755

www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk

Colne Valley Railway

Castle Hedingham Station, Yeldham Road, Castle Hedingham, Essex CO9 3DZ

Telephone: 01787 461174

www.colnevalleyrailway.co.uk

Dean Forest Railway

Norchard Station, Forest Road, Lydney, Gloucestershire GL15 4ET

Telephone: 01594 845840

www.deanforestrailway.co.uk

Didcot Railway Centre

Didcot Railway Centre, Didcot, Oxfordshire

OX11 7NJ

Telephone: 01235 817200

www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk

East Lancashire Railway

Bolton Street Station, Bury, Lancashire BL9 0EY

Telephone: 0161 764 7790

www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk

East Somerset Railway

Cranmore Railway Station, Cranmore, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 4QP

Telephone: 01749 880417

www.eastsomersetrailway.com

Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

Wirksworth Station, Station Road, Coldwell Street, Wirksworth, Derbyshire DE4 4FB

Telephone: 01629 823076

www.e-v-r.com

Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway

Bolton Abbey Station, Bolton Abbey, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 6AF

Telephone: 01756 710614

www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway

The Railway Station, Toddington, Gloucestershire GL54 5DT

Telephone: 01242 621405

www.gwsr.com

Isle of Wight Steam Railway

The Railway Station, Havenstreet, Isle of Wight PO33 4DS

Telephone: 01983 882204

www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk

Keighley & Worth Valley Railway

The Railway Station, Haworth, West Yorkshire BD22 8NJ

Telephone: 01535 645214

http://kwvr.co.uk

Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway

Haverthwaite Station, near Ulverston, Cumbria LA12 8AL

Telephone: 015395 31594

www.lakesiderailway.co.uk

The Lavender Line

Isfield Station, Isfield, near Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 5XB

Telephone: 01825 750515

www.lavender-line.co.uk

Lincolnshire Wolds Railway

Ludborough Station, Stataion Road, Ludborough, Lincolnshire DN36 5SQ

Telephone: 01507 363881

http://lincolnshirewoldsrailway.co.uk

Llangollen Railway

The Station, Abbey Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire LL20 8SN

Telephone: 01978 860979

www.llangollen-railway.co.uk

Mid-Hants Railway (Watercress Line)

The Railway Station, Alresford, Hampshire SO24 9JG

Telephone: 01962 733810

www.watercressline.co.uk

Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Museum

Brockford Station, Wetheringsett, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 5PW

Telephone: 01449 766899

www.mslr.org.uk

The Midland Railway – Butterley

Butterley Station, Ripley, Derbyshire DE5 3QZ

Telephone: 01773 747674

www.midlandrailway-butterley.co.uk

National Railway Museum

Leeman Road, York, YO26 4XJ

Telephone: 0844 815 3139

www.nrm.org.uk

North Norfolk Railway

Sheringham Station, Station Approach, Sheringham, Norfolk NR26 8RA

Telephone: 01263 820800

www.nnrailway.co.uk

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Pickering Station, Pickering, North Yorkshire YO18 7AJ

Telephone: 01751 473799

www.nymr.co.uk

Northampton & Lamport Railway

Pitsford & Brampton Station, Pitsford Road, Chapel Brampton, Northampton NN6 8BA

Telephone: 01604 820327

www.nlr.org.uk

Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway

Queens Park Station, Torbay Road, Paignton, Devon TQ4 6AF

Telephone: 01803 555872

www.dartmouthrailriver.co.uk

PEAK RAIL PLC

Matlock Station, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 3NA

Telephone: 01629 580381

www.peakrail.co.uk

Severn Valley Railway

Kidderminster Station, Comberton Hill, Kidderminster, Worcestershire DY10 1QX

Telephone: 01562 757515

www.svr.co.uk

Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust

The Railway Station, Washford, Watchet, Somerset TA23 0PP

Telephone: 01984 640869

www.sdrt.org

South Devon Railway

Buckfastleigh Station, Buckfastleigh, Devon TQ11 0DZ

Telephone: 01364 644370

www.southdevonrailway.co.uk

Spa Valley Railway

West Station, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 5QY

Telephone: 01892 537715

www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk

STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway

Fire Fly Avenue, Swindon, SN2 2EY

Telephone: 01793 466646

www.steam-museum.org.uk

Swanage Railway

Station House, Swanage, Dorset BH19 1HB

Telephone: 01929 425800

www.swanagerailway.co.uk

Tanfield Railway

Marley Hill Engine Shed, Old Marley Hill, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE16 5ET

Telephone: 0845 4634938

www.tanfield-railway.co.uk

West Somerset Railway

The Railway Station, Minehead, Somerset TA24 5BG

Telephone: 01643 704996

www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk

INDEX

asbestos 106, 107

back scene 17

base boards 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 28, 35, 159, 160

board

Daler Board 17

foam board 43, 50

ironing board 29

bolts 18, 19, 54

bracing 18

canal 7, 8, 36

chicken wire 17

coal, coaling 34, 83, 91, 93, 106, 109, 116, 117, 122, 125, 126, 137, 140, 147, 148, 154, 161

concrete 24, 48, 56, 69, 83, 95, 106, 108, 110

cork 21, 159, 160

crane 84, 92, 96, 97, 101, 103, 112, 126, 136, 140, 147

Das Modelling Clay 42, 43, 50, 53, 55, 65, 165

diorama 20, 28, 29

dock 10, 64, 76, 83, 92, 95, 96, 99, 119, 122, 126, 127, 136, 137, 138, 144, 146, 147, 148, 154

double-sided tape 62, 67, 163, 166, 172, 174

exhibition 19, 21

fascia 17

fencing 56, 105, 108, 172, 173

fiddle yard 24, 27, 29, 95, 114, 121, 129, 155

foliage 37, 55

foundation 15, 21, 22, 35

framework 16, 19, 35, 116

freight 105, 108, 116, 122, 126, 131, 133, 138, 139, 144, 145, 146, 152

furniture 27, 29

garage 24, 110

garden 25, 37

gauge

loading gauge 64, 110

narrow gauge 10, 21, 120, 130, 148, 149

standard gauge 130, 131, 149, 150

girder 47, 52, 103

glazing 66, 67, 166, 172

heritage 11, 12, 103, 119, 124, 145, 161, 173

inclined plane 7, 8

industrial 34

landscape 14, 17, 35, 37

laser cut 66, 67, 166

lighting 20, 23, 28

loop 7, 34, 84, 92, 95, 98, 105, 106, 110, 112, 113, 114, 117, 119, 120, 125, 126, 127, 130, 135, 138, 139, 140, 147, 160, 161, 163

masking tape 67

masonry 43, 47, 50, 52, 65, 69, 84, 97

oil paint 35, 66, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166

Ordnance Survey 13

plaster 35, 42, 43, 50, 60

platform 67, 69, 76, 93, 96, 97, 98, 101, 103, 105, 106, 107, 108, 110, 113, 114, 115, 119, 120, 121, 126, 130, 131, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 144, 161, 163

ply, plywood 16, 17, 20

polystyrene 17, 42, 50

portable 13

PVA 16, 37, 50, 54, 61, 154, 159, 163, 165

resin 52

retaining walls 35, 47

road 10, 12, 85, 92, 95, 96, 99, 101, 103, 106, 107, 110, 112, 116, 117, 120, 125, 129, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 144, 147, 166

rust 62

scale 13, 14, 22, 42, 50, 52, 66, 67, 91, 172, 174, 175

scalpel 50, 166, 174

scenery 34, 37, 114, 115, 116, 120, 161, 166, 174

scribing 53, 66, 166

shed 24, 83, 84, 91, 92, 95, 96, 97, 99, 106, 107, 137, 140, 144, 147

engine shed 62, 83, 84, 93, 97, 106

goods shed 76, 94, 95, 96, 99, 101, 103, 112, 114, 122, 125, 138, 140, 144, 146, 163

train shed 62, 64, 103, 146

shunting 34, 62, 85

sleeper 21, 22, 56, 61, 107, 114

Spray Mount 62, 66

stationery engine 8

styrene

styrene sheet 47, 50, 66, 163, 166, 173

styrene strip 52, 56, 116, 173

styrofoam 17, 35

supports 18, 20, 23, 29, 35

syringe 54

template 21, 22

timber 18, 19, 47, 62, 66, 67, 69, 76, 97, 106, 107, 110, 114, 117, 125, 126, 136, 138, 140, 159

token 85

topography 14, 133

tracing paper 13, 14, 37

track, track bed 14, 16, 21, 34, 35, 58, 61, 62, 76, 83, 84, 85, 91, 95, 98, 105, 108, 113, 114, 117, 120, 125, 130, 131, 137, 138, 161

tramway 7, 20

transhipment 7

trestles 18, 19, 20, 21

turntable 15, 123, 139, 147, 145, 150

varnish 35, 36, 62

vehicles 9, 76, 97, 110, 126

vents, ventilation 23, 24, 83, 95, 107, 122, 131

vintage 10

war 9, 11, 103, 178

wiring 22, 56