Due to the reduced size of the "Man Cave" my intention for the rest of 2019 is to continue to sell off "stuff" that I've accumulated over the years. This is a double edged sword in that it will make space for the next project and will also help to raise some cash for future expenditure.
Since my decision to bin Grogley Junction I've been thinking about what's next. During 2017 I found the Ratio building kits along with rolling stock that I've collected over the years for a possible GWR Branch Line Terminus. All I need is a suitable location.
Two articles mentioned in a previous post
"an itch that might need scratching", have been at the back of my mind for several years. If I used the research from one and the trackplan from the other they would make a very good starting point for a fictitious BLT. At the end of this post I've quoted in full,
from the January 1975 Railway Modeller to show the diligence that Mr Pocock went to with his research and ideas.
The depth of the article captured my imagination but with no offence meant to Mr Pocock, his track plan did not. For illustration I've placed a scan below of his track plan to show his thoughts on how it would fit into a garage setting.
When
the April 1979 Railway Modeller landed on the door mat, the Plan of the
Month article struck a chord. This plan is based loosely on Swanage so
has some prototypical resemblance. Back in 1979 I was not in a position
to create a layout of this size, but I always thought it would be a good
starting point as a track plan for a BLT.
I'll
offer no excuse in admitting that the 3D illustration of the track plan
is probably why it has had such a lasting impression on me. It also
ticks all the boxes for including all features for a West Country Rural Branch Line Terminus. As
for Bigbury Bay, the road over the bridge could be the B3392 from
Bigbury-on-Sea to the A379. Then with a few minor amendments to Great Westernise the plan I think it would suit the location well. Whether
these minor amendments could include features from Iain Rice's "Witheridge" track plan (from
his "An approach to Model Railway Layout Design") we'll have to wait and see.
Well
that's it really, the track plan will have to be finalised before this
project progresses any further. So, for now, the Ratio kits along with
all the rolling stock will be kept. Don't think there is any harm in dreaming of future projects, just wish I had more time available...
don't hold your breath, this project has a very good chance of not
getting beyond the dreaming stage, especially as I would also like to build a
GWR Engine Shed layout.
Anyway,
less of this frivolity, nearly a year has past since Scaleforum with
little progress on Tredethy Wharf and I really need to focus on getting
the layout ready for the Caistor show in October
"Plan of the month
Bigbury Bay
A
beginner's line by N. J. Pocock
A
BRANCH IS BUILT: The GWR built the Kingsbridge branch late in the 19th
century. It is assumed that the GWR also decided to construct a line from a
junction just to the east of Ivybridge viaduct to run south over the undulating
terrain to terminate on the coast, passing by the villages of Modbury and
Aveton Gifford, and thence via the Avon estuary to Bigbury Bay. Fig. 1 gives the
route chosen for the branch line. Originally, the route was drawn out on a 1
inch Ordnance Survey map but this was found to give insufficient contour detail
so a 2 1/2 inch map was used in the end.
Despite
the difficult contours of the terrain, only four major engineering works are
necessary, viz. Sheepham Viaduct (300 yards long by 120 feet high), Modbury
Summit Tunnel (500 yards long), Aunemouth Bridge (350 yards long by 25 feet
above mean sea level), and Aunemouth Tunnel (1,000 yards long). The last two
items, strictly speaking, are only there to provide. a natural scenic break for
the model of the terminus since it is quite feasible for the tracks to continue
around the estuary, dispensing with the tunnel and crossing the estuary at its
mouth in the bay. It is assumed that the GWR built the line economically (to the
“yellow” colour axle-load restriction) and hence only the lighter tank engines
would be allowed over the metals- effectively, the ubiquitous 45xx and 55xx
2-6-2T’s. The line is situated in the heart of the Devon farmland so there
would be no heavy freight trains; but a modest freight service would entail
general goods transported into the area and milk and farm produce transported out
of the area. By the 1930s, when West Country holiday traffic was at its peak, facilities
would exist (like the Kingsbridge branch), not only for a local passenger
service, but also a daily through-coaches service to and from Paddington. These
would be supplemented with extra coaches and workings on summer Saturdays.
Ivybridge Station was rebuilt to function as a junction station for the branch.
PREPARATIONS FOR A
TIMETABLE:
Fig.
5 gives the final compilation of a timetable for the branch, but there are a
few preliminaries before arriving at the final product! First, there is the
drawing out of a Gradient Profile (see Fig. 3) to get an idea of the gradients
the trains have to negotiate over the branch. This was done by drawing the proposed
route on a 2 1/2 inch Ordnance Survey map and calculating the rise (or fall) in
feet of a stretch of line and dividing this into the length of the track, also
in feet of course. The neighbouring Kingsbridge branch had the convenient use
of the comparatively flat Avon valley for most of its route, but the Bigbury Bay
branch has no such convenience until it reaches Aveton Gifford and the Avon
estuary. Nevertheless, after several attempts at route planning, it was found
best if the branch turned south after leaving the main line just east of
Ivybridge Viaduct and descend steeply (1 :42) at the steepest part to Ludbrook
Halt where after a short level stretch, the line rises again towards Modbury
before entering a level section to reach the station. This was found to be the
most difficult part of the line to route-plan because of the undulating nature of
the terrain and deep valleys of the river Erme’s tributaries which the line has
to cross, yet in the final route chosen only one large viaduct (at Sheepham)
was found necessary. At Modbury station the line turns east up a valley of one
of the river Erme’s tributaries and ascends to Modbury Summit Tunnel; and after
the line has emerged out of the gloom it finds itself in another valley, this
time of a stream that flows into the Avon estuary. The tracks descend down this
and into Aveton Gifford station, thence to use the Avon estuary as far as
Aunemouth Halt, and then cross the estuary and enter Bigbury Bay by use of a
tunnel through the earth cliifs. This last section is level. From the Gradient
Profile the running times “up” (towards London) and “down” (from London) can be
calculated. The first two columns of Fig. 5 shows these; allowing for a maximum
train speed of 35m.p.h. and stopping times of passenger trains at stations and
halts en route. These are realistic running times for the average branch line
speed for this kind of branch on the GWR was 21-22m.p.h. (as per the Kingsbridge
branch among others) and the Bigbury Bay running times correspond to this very
well.
 |
| Fig 4 |
Finally,
Fig. 4 shows a table of all trains stopping at Ivybridge, Monday to Friday, 4th
July to 25th September, 1938. This was compiled from the official GWR working
timetable at the Transport Historical Records Office in London. The table is
not entirely accurate for the simple reason the branch from Ivybridge to
Bigbury Bay is fiction, not fact. Thus, one of the North West expresses
(Manchester and Liverpool via Bristol, South Wales, Shrewsbury and Crewe) has
had its‚ schedule altered to stop at Ivybridge in both ‚”up” and ‚”down” directions; likewise, one of the
Paddington- Penzance expresses to stop and attach the through coaches from
Bigbury Bay on the ‚”up‚” working, and detach the through coaches on the
‚”down” train; the parcels train, Paddington to Penzance via Bristol, has also
had a stop inserted into its timetable at Ivybridge since it stopped at Brent
for the Kingsbridge branch; the ‚”up” Tavistock Jnc. - Ivybridge goods
originally carried on to the sidings at Brent so that the loco could help out
with workings on the Kingsbridge branch but this now terminates at Ivybridge, and
the return evening trip starts from Ivybridge, so that the loco can serve the
Bigbury Bay branch‚ - Kingsbridge being served by a goods trip to and from
Newton Abbot instead! I will end this section with a brief comment on the GWR
mainline workings in the West Country - there was nothing that was symmetrical
about them in the “up” and ‚”down” directions, as Fig. 4 bears out, and the
official working timetable shows.
THE WORKING TIMETABLE
FOR THE BRANCH:
Fig.
5 is a working timetable for the branch, Monday to Friday, compiled from the
running times and Fig. 4, taking care of course not to put a branch train on a collision
time with a mainline train over Ivybridge viaduct! The table is more or less
self-explanatory, but a few words need to be said here. Two locos only are
required to work the branch, two “B” sets and a three coach rake of corridors,
a couple of milk tanks, either a syphon “J” or 40ft. Dean luggage Van for the
parcels, and an assortment of 30 or so wagons. All these are available in kits.
A spare all-3rd coach‚ - how about a 58ft. Clerestory made up from two Triang
brake/3rd Clerestories ?‚- can be kept in the coach siding for Saturday local
passenger trains, to supplement the “B” set. Any parcels from Bigbury Bay
branch would be taken in the van as far as Ivybridge and then put on a local
passenger to connect with the appropriate parcels train at either Plymouth or
Newton Abbot. The perishable traffic from the branch for the Crewe and
Paddington freight expresses is attached to the rear of a local passenger train
to Totnes and Plympton (for Tavistock Inc. sidings) respectively. The milk
tanks are taken on to a dairy between Ivybridge and Cornwood by the 45XX that
worked them up from Bigbury Bay, and at the dairy sidings marshalled into the
appropriate train-set for their destination. A Saturday timetable has not been
worked out since this would mean more coaches for through services, a longer
traverser in consequence, and into the bargain the afternoon goods would not
run, thereby detracting from variety in operation."
