Watering facilities at Grogley

Just a quick thought....

As I am planning in to the timetable two runs up the Wenford Bridge Branch, as in the 1939 timetable, I could justify some watering facilities at Grogley for the Beattie Well Tanks to top up. These tanks had small water tanks and could top up with water on the Wenford Bridge Branch at Pencarrow. It would be a little bit of added interest at Grogley possibly sited at the Up end of the Up platform with access from the goods loop??

Track - Sleepers and Chairs and other stuff

I'm nearing the point of placing an order for track components so need to put some thoughts down to the type of sleepers and chairs that I'm going to use.

Sleeper type, plastic or wood?
Wooden sleepers would be my preference as I feel they will give a more natural feel to the track work. On the other hand as I have not built any track for some considerable time A plastic kit might be a good starting point (no pun intended). At this moment, in drawing the track plan, there would not seem to be many points at Grogley that suit an of the standard "out of the box" kits. The main junction will have to be bespoke.

This has started me thinking that I may build a little 6 x 1 ft test layout using a couple of kits and then building a couple of bespoke points using wooden sleepers. This would give me a chance to iron out any problems before embarking on the main project.

Sleepers size and length?
My understanding on the sleeper wide is 10" for plain track, 12" for turnouts. But were 12" sleepers used on joints on plain track? Regarding length, as the track had been relayed at least twice before the 1960's the sleepers should be 8'6" long.

Chairs, Standard 3 bolt or LSWR?
From photos it looks like Wadebridge had the standard 3 colt chair in 1959, though the Wenford Bridge branch still had the LSWR chairs in 1962. As yet I have not been able to confirm Grogley after 1933 when it still had LSWR Chairs, but it looks like Boscarne had the standard chair in 1962. So I've settled on the standard 3 bolt "S1" Chairs for the main running lines though the junction. (That is 1 bolt on the outside and 2 bolts inside).

A cat among the pigeons
With all the above said I have I've seen a colour slide that looks like Dunmere junction may have had concrete sleepers in June 1960. I am also certain I have a B/W photo somewhere of the junction outside Wadebridge circa 1960 that seemed to showed concrete sleepers on the Bodmin section. Makes me think:
Q1) I could justify laying the plain track leaving the junction towards Bodmin with concrete sleepers?
A1) I think the answer to the above question is yes but no. After reading Colin Craig's article, mentioned below, I feel that with no detailed information as to the exact type of concrete sleeper and rail used on the branch I cannot justify any on the model.
Q2) So when did BR introduce concrete sleepers and on what lines first?
Q3) Were concrete sleepers laid on branch lines first as tests before being used on mainlines?
Q4) When did flat bottom rail start to be used....was this at the start of the introduction of concrete sleepers?
All of the answers to the last three questions above can be found in an excellent article by Colin Craig from the MMRS at http://www.mmrs.org.uk/technical/track.html

Broken Glasses

Broken my glasses this weekend which make typing this very difficult. The knock on effect is that yet again no progress has be made on the track plan. Again this is very disappointing/frustrating as having not use Templot properly in the last two weeks means I will have no doubt forgotten some of its tools and commands.

E160626 12t Box Van

Another old EM gauge wagon. This one is from a Three Aitch kit (I think that is how you spell it). Again as it only has brake shoes on one side that were not too tight to the EM wheels so the P4 wheel set dropped straight in.


It's strange how standards progress.....I remember being happy with this wagon when first built. I now feel it needs more detail picking out and weathering. There is another one of these vans in my stock box plus a couple of Three Aitch Eastern Region 6 plank opens that might be contenders for quick conversions. Just need some more P4 wheels sets.

I'd better start being careful as there seems to be a risk that I might be getting out of that armchair.

First P4 wagon M475613 3plk open

One that I prepared earlier...ex EM gauge.



Had a quick browse thought my existing EM gauge wagon collection for any that might still run straight and true. Found a few but most with the brake assemblies too tight to EM gauge making them little difficult to convert quickly.

Then I found this one....not completely finished, needs tare weight applying and weathering, but with brake assembly only on one side the P4 wheels just plopped straight in. No rubbing on brake shoes......excellent. I think it is an old Parkside wagon but cannot find it in their current catalog. Looks like I had replaced the plastic buffers with some white metal ones possible from Kenline. She sits well, nice and square so I'm hopeful that this one will run true without a compensated chassis.

Its a start.......just need some track to run it on!!!

More possible Bullied coaching sets for layout

Another browse though the books reveals two three coach Bullied sets that might have been seen on the North Cornwall Line. (Possible for the Mawgan Porth to Exeter workings or even the ACE).

Bullied sets 768 - 769 were made up of,
Semi-open Brake Third - Seven compartment Composite - Semi-open Brake Third
These two sets had been transferred to the West Country from South Eastern Section in 1959. - An Illustrated History of Southern Coaches

Coaching Stock (ACE)

During the 1960's it would seem that Bullied coaching stock was used on the main expresses on the North Cornwall Main Line. BR Mk1 stock was rarely seen on the line. In the summer months it is possible that a Bullied five coach set was used (No's 840 - 860) particularly on a Saturday. The Saturday working may also have included a catering vehicle which would have worked down the line on the Friday.

The above said, odd coaches would be added at Okahampton or Exeter creating some strange formations. Also in the early 1960's the fixed sets seemed to be in a state of flux with odd coaches appearing at random around the system. One know working of the ACE in July 1960 was made up of a Bullied brake second, a second from a Bounemouth six-car set, a Maunsell second open, a standard Bullied composite and Bullied brake second.

In the winter months the working would have been reduced to a 2 coach set of a brake composite and a second.

The above taken from an article by A. Henderson in BackTrack magazine Vol 11 Number 7 July 1997

Another possible coaching set for the ACE running though Grogley. This would be the final section of the ACE destined for Mawgan Porth.

I believe sets 63 - 75 spent most of their lives in the West of England.

Bullied Set 66
2 coach set consisting of
No. 4374 - Semi open brake third - (Comet Ref S8)
No. 6706 - Corridor Brake Composite - (Comet Ref S9)

Could add a loose Bullied BCK to the above set to make a three coach set (Comet Ref S7)