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Building a 4mm finescale model railway which has its basis on a
planned (but never built) railway line that never actually served the
villages of Ewhurst and Ewhurst Green in Surrey! |
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Ewhurst Green’s
station building as repainted and detailed. The platform at this location is
brick-faced with the concrete harp-and-slab construction making an appearance
with both the later-built country-end platform extensions and Up Passenger
Loop. |
Fellow Finescale Modellers,
This webpage is regularly updated as the layout
progresses.
Moving house in August 2013 to a secluded bungalow
just 440-yards from the beach (as the gull flies) brought an end to 4mm layout Apothecary Street (named after a short-lived London
junction outside Holborn Viaduct station upon where the model drew inspiration)
but provided the opportunity for a new layout, ‘Ewhurst
Green’.
With my modelling deeply rooted in British Rail’s Southern Region, a design was needed that would permit operation
of full-length trains at a location which could encompass traffic from at least
two of the Southern Region’s divisions. Furthermore, the layout needed to be
operated by just one person (if required) – mindful there is a limit to the
number of trains that can be realistically controlled at any moment in time.
A tall order which led to ‘Ewhurst Green’; a
model railway which has its basis on several planned (but never built) railway
schemes in Surrey (including a c.1884 proposal from Dorking) that may have
served the villages of Ewhurst and Ewhurst Green (as a junction for Cranleigh and Guildford) on its route down
through Midhurst to conceivable join the railway along the coast near Havant, thence onto Portsmouth and Southampton. Ewhurst Green was
also in an area with which I had many past associations several decades ago.
Had a direct railway from London ever served
Ewhurst and Ewhurst Green, then it is likely these villages would have
significantly increased in size and (by virtue of the station’s goods yard
facilities) potentially attracted some local industry befitting this
(otherwise) rural area.
With Up and Down Main Lines operational, the ‘Ewhurst Green running sessions’ were proving extremely popular with East Sussex
Finescale group members; particularly following lunch at ‘our’ local beachfront
café under a mile away – until the pandemic struck in late 2019!
However, many short video clips are regularly
uploaded to Ewhurst Green’s channel on YouTube although this is
now proving difficult to use and may be archived.
https://www.youtube.com/@ewhurstgreen
Enjoy
– Colin!
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Visiting H2 Brighton Atlantic 32424 ‘Beachy Head’ heads south
through Ewhurst Green. Behind the locomotive is a CCT fitted with cycle
hangers. |
Some layout descriptions commence with baseboard
construction but before any of this this happens it is important to decide
exactly what one is intending to model and how reasonably prototypical
operation could be achieved within the physical space available. In this
respect it is necessary to consider the model, not in isolation but as part of
the regional network within which it is located including its rail services,
even a reasonably viable timetable. Accordingly, our ‘starting’ point is the
Layout Concept. However, readers are welcome to head straight to any of the
chapters listed below:
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With Maunsell
Pull-Push set 619 in the Down Headshunt, set 607 is propelled past on an Up
service by M7 no.30051. Set 607
was damaged at Eastbourne on 13th September 1961 and subsequently
disbanded. BCK 6682 was scrapped with the SO to ‘Loose’ working the rest of
its days as a pull-push trailer on the Lymington branch. Both expertly weathered by TMC, set 607 was additionally renumbered as
this was not in Hornby’s range. Headcode discs are still to be fitted to
these models. On branch lines these trains often sported both a headcode with
a tail lamp! |
Southern Region
With any model railway the starting point ought to
be what does a railway-modeller want in terms of a model (whilst being mindful
of constraints such as space and budget)?
As a railwayman who followed his grandparents onto
the Southern (in my case British Rail’s Southern Region rather than the
Southern Railway) my modelling interests are fairly-well cast-in-stone. The
previous (terminal layout) Apothecary Street had been constructed as a parody
of Holborn Viaduct with cross-London freights via Snow Hill tunnel and
expanding this concept was considered.
However, in recent years the range of Southern
models that have become available make modelling of the Southern Region’s
divisions relatively straightforward, even before the many offerings by kit
manufacturers is considered. So, when Bachmann had brought out its marvellous
model of Thomas Myres’ 1880-1883 LBSCR station buildings the opportunity to utilise one of
these couldn’t be ignored.
Geographical Location
In building a model railway, one really important
factor is its geographical location; in the case of Ewhurst Green somewhere on
the former Southern Region (obviously). Even then there were distinct
differences between the South Western, Central and South Eastern Divisions and
could a model which could realistically incorporate stock from all three
Divisions (SWD, CD and SED) be created whilst using the Thomas Myres ex. LBSCR
station building?
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The Up Side waiting
room and subway cover (as modified and repainted) awaiting completion of the
station’s platforms. |
Thomas Myres
Thomas Myres was first asked to
design the replacement station building at Hassocks (1880), thence those
required for the ‘secondary’ railway lines built in East and West Sussex –
Hailsham to Eridge (1880), Chichester to Midhurst (1881), Lewes to East
Grinstead (1882) and Haywards Heath to Horsted Keynes (1883); a total of
eighteen buildings. Ewhurst Green’s replacement station building could have
made the total nineteen; perhaps more with other stations along the ‘route’!
Use of this building design would set the layout
firmly in Central Division (ex. LBSCR) territory with some limited scope for
South Western or South Eastern Division workings. However, ‘historical design’
along with a sprinkling of ‘modeller’s licence’ can push the ‘bounds’ whilst
still remaining reasonably credible.
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Visiting SR Malachite
N15 746 ‘Pendragon’ hauls set 209 on an Up London service through Ewhurst
Green. |
Credibility
The next stage was to identify a reasonably
‘credible’ location for the station and the potential services that could
exist. Obviously, this isn’t an essential step, but it does help in terms of
what type of services could have run and the rolling stock required. A credible
backstory will assist in developing the layout and its design towards providing
a model that will ‘look the part’. In this respect railways that were planned
but never built provided inspiration.
However, any station (and the services it could
have seen) would have to be operationally manageable by myself; there is no
point in building a layout that takes a team of operators to run it. On that
basis the favoured option was for a junction station where trains (circulating)
on the Up and Down main line essentially form the backdrop for the branch
line’s operating sequences.
In terms of appearance part of the overall concept
was for none of the scenic track to remain parallel to the track-room’s rear
wall and that a less-is-more approach was intended.
Era
Hassocks Gate station opened on 21st
September 1841; now called Hassocks (code HSK) its first building was to a design by David Mocatta. However, it was Thomas Myres who designed its
replacement which was built between December 1880 & August 1881 by James Longley & Co of
Crawley. Sadly, this
building was also demolished by British Rail in 1973.
Accordingly, with Myres architecture this could
suggest either an opening date of the model railway’s station as being circa
1880-1884, else a replacement station building being erected during this
period. The date of opening for the railway does provide a degree of historical
context.
Notwithstanding, the actual period being modelled
would be essentially within the period 1954 to 1962 although concentrating
within the middle of that timescale. As the model develops thoughts are
collecting towards narrowing that timescale down to a specific year or even
having two distinct running periods with slightly differing stock. Certainly,
the scenic details would not significantly change across such a relatively
small period.
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An unlikely photograph
for a ‘real’ Ewhurst Green. However, one of the joys of running sessions
permits visiting early BR Blue liveried Merchant Navy 35024 'East Asiatic Company' to pass BR
Green liveried no.35011 ‘General Steam
Navigation’; the latter being a recent metal-bodied release under the
Hornby-Dublo brand (albeit in lined blue ‘3-rail’ packaging). |
Liveries
In terms of rolling stock quite a few coaches
retained Southern Railway post-war Malachite green into 1956 (some even beyond)
without receiving BR’s Crimson Lake (and Cream). Following the abolition of Second-class on 3rd June 1956 (at which point Third-class was immediately
renamed Second-class), the following month (July 1956) saw significantly
changes to liveries with Crimson Lake (with or without Cream) being rapidly
replaced by Southern Region Green far quicker than would have happened under
the usual ten-year repainting cycle at Lancing Carriage Works (repaints took
place instead of the 2½ yearly varnishing).
During 1956 /1957 there was quite a mix of post-war
Malachite Green (with BR typeface), Crimson Lake (and Cream) and BR(S) Green.
Occasionally it was difficult to see a huge difference between post-war
Malachite carrying multiple layers of varnish and BR(S) Green.
1959 was the last year for Maunsell corridor sets
to be seen running in Crimson Lake & Cream (CLC) livery; this also saw the
demise of a lot of non-corridor stock with much still in Crimson Lake (CL).
Nevertheless, on the Southern Region many Mk1 3 Cor & 4 Cor (corridor
coach) sets weren’t repainted CLC to Green until 1961 (a few even lasted into
1962); this being in part due to the varnishing undertaken at Lancing Works
every two years or so. 1959 also saw the first of the UIC yellow First-class cantrail bands.
A number of Southern Railway steam locomotive
classes were withdrawn very shortly after nationalisation with more
disappearing mid-fifties onward, thence with the stock associated for the 1959
Kent-coast electrification; these all being interesting periods of change.
With such a variation in rolling stock and liveries
it has been decided to keep the period as a concise range (rather than a
specific date) although this range can be narrowed for any given running
session.
Notwithstanding, individual trains are normally
formed of stock that would have run together both in terms of livery and
division. For example few BRCW ‘Cromptons’ would not
have run with a CLC-liveried Maunsell corridor set.
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With a tree
temporarily removed from besides the LSWR wooden gates into the coal yard, an
uninterrupted view is enabled of the bus shelter, Level Crossing, concrete
footbridge thence Lavender House with its ‘H’ type television ariel mounted
on its chimney. |
Less is More
The
room housing Ewhurst Green has considerable length. However, in order to try
and create greater realism, a ‘linear’ layout with scenic track parallel to the
back wall of the track room was simply not going to happen.
Firstly,
whilst the central scenic section of the layout is constructed on a straight
32”-wide baseboard, the other two-thirds on either side taper outwards to
around five-feet in width (the baseboard design still places everything within
arm’s reach – more on this later). This arrangement helps to break up the
otherwise linear appearance of the scenic section.
At
either end, the double-tracked main line curves around from the storage loops
on tracks hidden from view (at the country end the double-tracked branch
similarly curves – again out of sight). The scenery is designed to place these
out of immediate view whilst avoiding the old cliché of disappearing into a
tunnel.
However,
once the mainline becomes visible, it comprises two long straights split by a
large radius curve (position mid-way along the station’s platformed section).
This design has a number of benefits with the principle two being:
(1) the main scenic running lines are not
parallel to the rear wall of the model room and
(2) space is created between the main lines
and the back wall for the station building, forecourt and Down bay platform.
Even
the long retaining wall (with agricultural works atop) is constructed on a
taper relative to the back wall. In terms of railway history, the factory originally stood atop a cutting
and (with the enlargement of the station) the cutting had to be replaced with a
retaining wall in order to enable a headshunt alongside the Down Main.
Visually,
the front of the station building cannot be seen but the (arguably) more
interesting platform side can. In terms of operational accessibility, this
arrangement allows the platform loop and goods loop to be on the operator’s
side of the main line (and station). Furthermore, the tapering boards can be
used for fanning out the station’s goods yard and sidings whilst leading the
scenery into the two curved boards which hide the tracks are they curve round
to the storage loops.
Finally,
the decision was made not to crowd the baseboards with track; once again this
was to try and improve the appearance of realism. As the old adage says, ‘Less is more’.
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As construction progresses Ewhurst Green is starting to look greener
and more rural. With the coal yard well underway, the headshunt leading up to
the Signal Box has been laid. Lavender House sits beyond the Level Crossing
now has its MacKenzie & Holland gates. To the right of Cherry Cottage, just visible is the concrete
coal bunker behind the half-buried and overgrown Anderson shelter with garden
shed alongside. Washing is being put out whilst a boy plays with his dog.
Flowers fill the greenhouse just visible on the far right. Behind the greenhouse and tree there is an access road between
the two wooden fences that leads to some lock-up garages & alley to the
station. |
Setting the layout’s location can assist in its
design, so what should a railway-modeller consider?
Having ruled out modelling a real station (I admire
those modellers who do) and based on what was wanted from the model versus the
limited space available, the next best thing would appear to be a credible but
fictitious station at a real location. In this respect it becomes quite
difficult finding such a location, for most candidates already have or had a
station. However, one possible location stood out in terms of a potentially
credible location on a proposed but never built railway line.
Furthermore, the name Ewhurst Green ticked all the
right boxes in terms of an appropriately sounding ‘Southern Region’ name!
There are two village locations called Ewhurst
Green – one in Surrey (near Cranleigh), the other in East Sussex (near Bodium);
thus, providing the opportunity to be slightly indistinct with the location if
ever required. Certainly, Ewhurst Green (and nearby Ewhurst) in Surrey could
have fitted in with unfulfilled c.1884 plans to build a railway from Dorking
serving Cranleigh thence down to Midhurst.
There is also a
Ewhurst Park near Basingstoke and a Ewhurst Manor in the parish of Coneyhurst,
West Sussex (along with a Coneyhurst Manor in the parish of Ewhurst, Surrey).
Whilst both Ewhurst Green locations provide
opportunity for Central & South Eastern Division services, Surrey could
additionally link directly to the South Western Division as well as forming an
alternative route to several important locations, thus opening-up the traffic
passing through the station.
It was equally surprising that the website www.EwhurstGreen.com was available!
East Sussex
Ewhurst Green (East Sussex)
The East Sussex village of Ewhurst Green sits not
too far south-west of the Kent & East Sussex Railway, which at this
location passes east – west along the Rother valley at Bodium; this being
already served by a light railway built through relatively a sparsely populated
rural area. The nearest main line to London passed through Robertsbridge
between the sizeable towns of Hastings, St Leonards-on-Sea and Royal Tunbridge
Wells. Accordingly, the scope for credibly modelling a mainline railway through
this Ewhurst Green was sadly virtually nil.
Surrey
Ewhurst Green (Surrey)
The name
‘Ewhurst’ derives from the Old English 'hyrst', meaning 'wooded hill', and 'iw'
meaning 'yew tree'; the first recorded spelling appears to be ‘Iuherst’ from
1179.
Historically Surrey’s Ewhurst and Ewhurst Green may
have come close to being served by the railways. In terms of routes to
Midhurst, 1845 saw consideration to build a line from Guildford through
Godalming, Haslemere and Midhurst to Chichester. However, LSWR’s Midhurst -
Petersfield did open in 1864, LBSCR’s Midhurst - Pulborough (Hardham Junction)
in 1866 and Midhurst – Chichester in 1881 (the first sod of the latter having
been cut back in 1865 – passenger traffic ceasing in 1935). Passengers had to
wait until 1925 for a combined Midhurst station (services to Midhurst were
withdrawn in 1955).
With the SER considering a route from Betchworth to
Portsmouth, Ewhurst Green could have been a junction station on a
thirty-seven-mile LBSCR route between the existing railways at Holmwood and
Westbourne.
Mixing
historical proposals with imagination it is conceivable such a railway line
could have left the Dorking to Horsham Railway at Holmwood passing through a station
at Forest Green to reach Ewhurst Green (due south-southeast of the village). In terms of railway
construction this would have been built ‘late in the day’.
A junction
off the London-end of Ewhurst Green station would have permitted the
line across from Warnham and Horsham (passing through Oakwoodhill station) to
join.
Whilst
there could have been a junction at the Country end of Ewhurst Green taking a double-tracked branch-connection across to
the 1865 Horsham to Guildford railway and into station at Cranleigh (itself having become a passing loop in 1880 as those at
Bramley and Baynards were proving insufficient) it is possible that the 1865
route was not built in favour of Horsham – Ewhurst Green - Cranleigh.
From Ewhurst Green this main line may have
passed through Loxwood thence
Gennets Viaduct across the valley (both Wey & Arun Junction Canal and the
River Arun) to Plaistow station
(actually sited close to Ifold). In order to avoid tunnelling immediately north
of Midhurst the line had to approach
from the north-east so serving the villages of Kirdford and Lodsworth.
Midhurst to Chichester would
have been under construction at this time but with this new line now laid as
double track through Cocking tunnel and Cocking
station to Singleton (with its four
platforms and nearby Goodwood racecourse) to a junction just west of East Dean.
However, Singleton to Chichester was
probably still laid as a single track providing a useful route towards
Worthing, Hove [actually] and Brighton.
West from Singleton the line may have entered two
further tunnels (under Heathbarn Down thence Stoughton Down) necessary to
provide a fast alignment into Havant. This could have given rise two further
stations (Stoughton & Walderton
thence on a falling grade to Westbourne).
The Brighton to Portsmouth Railway was joined just east of Warblington.
The
possible route is described in detail here at the bottom of
this article.
This made Ewhurst Green
(Surrey) a respectable candidate for the model railway.
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Route map shewing the
railway from Dorking through Ewhurst Green with the branch to Guildford via
Cranleigh thence Bramley & Wonersh also the branch to Horsham via
Oakwoodhill and Warnham. |
Local Development due to the Railway
As a junction with a railway through to Cranleigh
(thence onto Guildford and Reading via the SER route) Ewhurst Green could have
grown significantly through being served by (in time) an electrified railway.
So, it eventually became a starting point for suburban services into London
(along with some freight handling).
Nearby Cranleigh doubled in size in the first forty
years after the building of the 1865 Guildford to Horsham railway line and it
is probable that Cranleigh would have grown much further had it been on a
direct railway line /service to London (thus being attractive to commuters).
With rail congestion in Guildford’s southern approach an alternative route from
Cranleigh to London via Dorking might have been an attractive proposition
post-grouping.
However, villages such as Ockley and Capel did not
grow as significantly; perhaps their respective distances from their station
and the slow low-frequency rail service made a significant contribution to this
lack of growth, particularly when the London suburbs were still expanding.
A proposal for a branch to Holmbury St. Mary was
never a credible prospect; even local bus services were not that frequent.
Midhurst could also have grown significantly from
having direct routes to both London and Portsmouth, it is also probably that a
few of the villages with stations along the line would have experienced some
increase in size. However, it must also be noted that it was only in recent
years did many places served by the Mid-Sussex line (a.k.a Arun Valley line)
south of Horsham undertake significant development.
Ewhurst and Ewhurst Green could have similarly
expanded, particularly around a well-served station.
The building of such a route (including its
subsequent early-1925 electrification as part of the Waterloo to Dorking
scheme) could have led to interesting connotations in respect of railway
service patterns although in reality Ewhurst Green (plus Ewhurst and
Walliswood) would probably never have grown to sufficient size to be as busy as
portrayed by the model.
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Route map shewing the
railway from Dorking |
Route Engineering
Imagination could reasonably assume this route was
reasonably well-engineered being intended to provide a faster alternative (to
the Mid-Sussex line) between London and Portsmouth as well as competing with
the LSWR’s ‘Pompey Direct; - a 1858-built and privately constructed curvaceous
and graded line south from Farncombe (that was offered for sale to the LSWR,
LBSCR and SECR).
In determining the route (and with a background in
railway /tramway alignment design) the topography was examined to confirm such
a route would have been reasonably practicable.
In terms of distance this route would have been
around ten miles shorter from Victoria to Havant than via Ford and only around
three miles longer than Waterloo to Havant via Guildford.
In Southern Railway days this imaginary line could
have also provided a potentially viable route to Fareham with trains
terminating at either Southampton Terminus or Southampton Central.
Post-grouping could have also opened-up limited services into Waterloo via
Raynes Park (including as a useful diversionary route). Although quickly DC
electrified, like many places in Sussex its branches were not.
However, with this line having been opened it is
questionable as to how long Midhurst – Pulborough and Midhurst – Petersfield
would have survived; probably closing earlier than they really did. Midhurst –
Chichester would have probably survived having strategic use as an east-facing
connection onto the Havant to Brighton line.
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An unidentified
Birdcage trio ‘C’ nears Gomshall
& Shere behind BR Standard 4MT no. 76054 on the 5.31pm Redhill to Reading South
service (1st June 1957). ©
Ben Brooksbank (Geograph/CC-by-SA) |
Dorking connections
Holmwood to Cranleigh & the coast (proposed)
On more than one occasion, the LBSCR
considered the provision of link between its Portsmouth mainline passing
through the rather isolated district lying to the south of Leith Hill and Pitch
Hill. The SER had similar aspirations of its Redhill – Dorking route.
In 1897, plans were prepared for a
line from Holmwood to Cranleigh; a distance of about 8 miles. A bill was
submitted to Parliament in the ensuing year but was withdrawn in the face of
opposition from landowners in the Holmwood district. The scheme was never
revived.
Ewhurst Green model railway takes much
inspiration from this scheme.
Betchworth to Holmwood (proposed)
Early railway proposals at Dorking appear to have
included a line diverging from the Redhill to Reading railway across to
Cranleigh. However, there was never a connection linking Betchworth to Holmwood
as traffic would have travelled via Three Bridges. The question is would such a
spur been useful to connect to Ewhurst Green (etc) and the answer would have
probably been not unless part of a scheme to give the SER a route right through
to Portsmouth. However, there would have been great difficulty in obtaining a
viable route that would have satisfactorily served the town of Dorking
(including Deepdene station) given the topographical constraints of the area.
From Croydon, LBSCR passenger trains would have
been routed via Sutton /Epsom /Dorking although for the SER the journey time to
Dorking via Redhill wasn’t much different. However, if the SER had built the
line, then this spur may have come into being although come SR days it would
have probably found little favour with Waterloo providing the faster services
to Portsmouth.
Freight from (say) Norwood Yard would just have
easily reached Ewhurst Green via West Croydon. However, had there been direct
connection ‘across the top to Tonbridge’ at Redhill then the situation may have
been very different for traffic to /from Kent into Hampshire.
Deepdene to Holmwood (spur closed)
There was a spur linking Deepdene and Holmwood
(closed 1900 /reconnected 1941-47). This only ever appears to have seen minimal
use very early-on for South Eastern Railway race-trains to Epsom.
However, during 1941-1945 it’s reconnection onto
the Redhill – Reading line (since 1900 it remained as a siding off the Horsham
line) could have provided alternative routings in the event of blockages
(including from enemy action); in particular, enabling the movement of
breakdown cranes.
Was it therefore plausible that this spur may have
been retained in 1900 to create a means of diverting freight traffic to Ewhurst
Green instead of through Cranleigh?
Probably not as there would have been little or no commercial need.
Furthermore, freight use would be restricted by the steep grades away from
Deepdene up to Gomshall thence down to Shalford (each around 1 in 100);
particularly with more practical routes being available.
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LMS-type
Ivatt 2MT No. 41301 runs around down Horsham’s platform 3 having just arrived
on a service from Guildford on 5th June 1965. ©
Ben Brooksbank (Geograph/CC-by-SA) |
Horsham connections
The Guildford – Cranleigh – Horsham railway
provided a cross-country rural railway with onward connections to London (and
other destinations) at both Guildford and Horsham. However, with the building
of and connection to Ewhurst Green would bring changes including potentially
splitting the services from Guildford and Cranleigh between terminating at
Ewhurst Green and Brighton (via Horsham). Such a layout would mean any though
traffic from Reading (and beyond) to Brighton via Horsham & Henfield was
not constrained by the actual need in reality for changing /reversal at Horsham
(else inconveniently changing at Christ’s Hospital) to continue onward to
Brighton via Henfield.
Although there was a spur at Christ’s Hospital
enabling trains to travel directly from Cranleigh to Ichingfield Junction
thence to Brighton via Henfield, this appears to have been taken out of use
before WW1. In addition, the spur could not serve Horsham or provide any
passenger interchange onto the Horsham to Arundel railway which no-doubt
contributed to its demise.
There were three stations between Cranleigh and
Christ’s Hospital: Baynards, Rudgwick and Slinfold. In terms of Baynards Park
estate this is located equidistant between Baynards and Ewhurst Green stations
and there would probably have been minimal case for Baynards station.
Passengers for Rudgwick could have changed at Ewhurst Green else Alfold.
It is therefore possible that one of five options
that may have occurred:
1. The line
through Cranleigh passed to the north of the town to Ewhurst Green and its main
line. Immediately north
of Ewhurst Green there was another junction for a line heading south-east
passing through a station at Oakwoodhill before joining the Dorking to Horsham
railway line at Warnham. This would provide a cross-country direct route
(without reversal) from Reading - Guildford – Cranleigh via Ewhurst Green
through Horsham and onto Brighton.
That the spur at Christ’s Hospital was taken out
very early on the viability of such a connection without serving Horsham was
probably highly unlikely. Rudgwick and Slinfold would have been served either
from Horsham or Ewhurst Green or did the main line serve Rudgwick instead of
Alford...
2. From Cranleigh the railway would have simply been
constructed to Ewhurst Green instead of reaching Horsham. With Ewhurst Green
being close to Baynards the case for a station there could be much reduced; the
actual need for Rudgwick and Slinfold stations also needing consideration.
3. The Guildford - Cranleigh - Guildford railway (it
was named Cranley up to 1867) was constructed with a spur from Cranleigh to
Ewhurst Green. With Ewhurst Green close to Baynards the case for the latter
station could have been much reduced.
4. The railway would have provided a spur south off the Ewhurst Green –
Alfold railway south-east down to join the Cranleigh – Horsham railway close to
Baynards station. This option would have meant Cranleigh to Horsham trains
could call at Ewhurst Green (albeit with a reversal) thence at Rudgwick and
Slinfold. However, the viability of such a spur was probably questionable both
operationally and in terms of journey times for Guildford /Cranleigh passengers
to /from Horsham.
5. The two railways would have simply crossed.
However, it is unlikely that the potential for a faster Cranleigh to London
connection would have been ignored by the LBSCR.
In respect of the model’s station operation, it is
assumed option 1 had been implemented.
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Hawker Hunters parked outside the final assembly hangers situated on
the northern side of Dunsfold Airfield. |
Dunsfold Airfield
Built in just twenty-weeks during 1942 by the First
Canadian Army (mainly the 2nd Battalion Royal Canadian Engineers), it is
conceivable that Dunsfold Airfield could have served by a lightly-laid
freight-only branch from a well-connected main line (in reality no such facility was ever provided off the nearby Horsham to
Cranleigh branch line).
Accessed from Cranleigh, the branch curved
significantly to follow the land topology (in order to speed construction and
reduce cost) across Cranleigh Road (close to Elmbridge Road) in part following
the route of the Wey & Arun Junction Canal (by 1868 canal traffic had virtually
ceased with an Act of Abandonment passed in 1871) until it turned to cross Horsham Road near the
northern end of the (then new) Alfold by-pass (itself built to accommodate the
airfield) and into the airfield.
RAF - Dunsfold Airfield was used by the
Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force & the Royal Dutch Naval Air
Service. At the end of the war Dunsfold
Airfield was used for the repatriation of PoWs (Operation Exodus) before being
declared as inactive.
Skyways - In August 1946 the airfield was
leased to Skyways Ltd as a 24-hour operations & engineering base. Skyways
Ltd employed some 1200 staff (including 350 aircrew) at Dunsfold; its principal
air-charter work being transportation of Anglo-Iranian Oil Company staff into
and out of Basra and (from June 1948) the Berlin Airlift. Unfortunately, the
end of the Berlin Airlift in May 1949 saw some 400 staff being made redundant
and in March 1950 Skyways Ltd went into liquidation. It was relaunched but this
failed in January 1952. Taken over by the Lancashire Aircraft Company in March
1952, Skyways moved to Bovington (presumably to make more room for the Hawker
Aircraft Company). After further changes the final iteration of the company
ceased in 1962 with the Skyways name disappearing in 1980.
Hawker - In 1951 the Ministry of Supply
offered the Hawker Aircraft Company the lease of Dunsfold Airfield which was
then used for the development of the delta-wing Avro 707B, Hawker Hunter and
Sea Hawk jet fighters. In addition, Sea Furies, North American F-86 Sabres and
Supermarine Attackers were refurbished at the airfield (the latter pair in two
hangars leased to Airwork Ltd from 1953-58). In October 1960, Hawker Siddeley
flight tested its Hawker P.1127 prototype (which led to the Hawker Siddeley
Harrier). In 1961 Folland Gnat test flying, and production moved to Dunsfold
from Chilbolton in Hampshire.
Given the curving nature of this lightly-laid
branch (a consequence of its rapid construction) trainloads were inevitable
small with suitable motive power limited to short-wheelbase locomotives.
As a rail-served facility it could have proven
useful, particularly given its relative accessibility including MoD sites such
as Bicester, Marchwood and Shoeburyness; the latter being via the East London
Line (which saw freight use through to 1966). However, post-war saw a
significant reduction in freight traffic on the Dunsfold branch; essentially
now limited to occasional vans and aviation spirit.
|
Lord Nelson no.30863 ‘Lord Rodney’ on Down express formed strengthened set
247 Formed BTK-TK-FK-BTK set 247 is strengthened with ‘Loose’ TK and TO
coaches plus ‘New Century Bar’ Pullman car (now
replaced with a Maunsell restaurant car). |
3. Ewhurst Green & the
Southern Region
Passenger Journey Times & Possible Services
For any credible train operation (including its
timetable) the journey times to destinations served need to be fully
understood, enabling Ewhurst Green to be considered in terms of the traffic
that could be routed through it including realistic journey times.
Ewhurst Green station
When first built, Ewhurst Green had just two
platforms on the double tracked main line with a junction leading onto the
single-track branch to Cranley and Guildford.
At the request of the United Kingdom’s Postmaster General, Cranley was renamed Cranleigh in 1867 as it was often mistaken for ‘Crawley’ (and vice-versa).
As traffic increased, this route to Cranleigh was
double-tracked and an additional bay platform (now platform 4) provided at
Ewhurst Green, along with the new station (Myres) station building. With the
1925 electrification all the platforms were extended southwards and a new
eight-coach platform 1 (Up Loop) provided for the electric suburban service
that would be starting from there.
Accordingly, the station has its platforms and
freight loop arranged as follows:
|
(a) |
Up freight loop – used by freight traffic, shunting
into the carriage siding and entry into the goods yard. |
|
(b) |
Platform 1 - Up Passenger Loop is used both
for terminating /through traffic off the Cranleigh branch and terminating
suburban electric services from London. There is also direct access into the
8-car electric siding. |
|
(c) |
Platform 2 – Up Main |
|
(d) |
Platform 3 – Down Main |
|
(e) |
Platform 4 – non-electrified bay platform used
to provide a connection from London trains across the main line and onto
Cranleigh branch services. |
|
(f) |
Dock - accessed from the Down Headshunt. |
|
Note |
Platform 1 is Ewhurst Green’s only reversible
platform road whereas platform 4 is for departing services only. |
Route to Portsmouth
Back in the real world, for many years some of
Victoria’s services to Bognor Regis and Portsmouth were routed via Dorking
North (some 2hr 15min to Portsmouth Harbour compared to 1hr 35min on the
‘Pompey-direct’ from Waterloo) until they included the stops at East Croydon
and Gatwick Airport with the May 1978 re-routing of services.
A faster route via Ewhurst Green might have reduced
this 2hr 15min Victoria time by some 10 or even 15 minutes; even more without
many of the Arun Valley /Chichester stops. Certainly, some of the ‘fast’ trains
to Horsham (and beyond) that used to run via Mitcham Junction (non-stop) and
Dorking were around 10 minutes faster than the present services routed via
Gatwick Airport.
It is therefore presumed that this imaginary ‘new
line’ via Ewhurst Green might have just managed Portsmouth Harbour in 1hr
55mins for fast trains either from Victoria or Waterloo; the journey from
Waterloo via the Pompey-direct being some twenty minutes quicker (1hrs 35mins).
Whilst Waterloo to Dorking was 46 minutes for the fastest suburban services,
like Victoria a non-stop journey could be 37 minutes.
The ‘stopping’ journey time to Portsmouth via
Ewhurst Green would have been around 2hr 25mins, this being some 50 minutes
longer than the ‘fast’ train from Waterloo (today’s services via Eastleigh and
Fareham taking around 2hr 10mins). Obviously the ‘stopping’ trains served
different communities.
|
T9 no.30119 hauls Mk1
set 876 on an Up Waterloo service; this set being released new from Eastleigh
Works on 1st June 1952 in Crimson Lake & Cream livery. |
Route to Fareham & Southampton
Modern ‘Victoria’ services to Southampton are more
about intermediate trips (in particular as they include the now-important
interchange at Gatwick Airport) rather than overall end-to-end journey time (today’s trains from Victoria right though to
Southampton being routed via East Croydon, Gatwick Airport and Horsham).
Until the advent of electrification from Farlington
Junction to St Denys (in May 1990), very few trains ran direct from Havant to
Fareham; this line would have provided a regular through service without the
need to travel to Portsmouth & Southsea to change (the Waterloo fasts did
not stop at Fratton). Operating a service via Ewhurst Green would improve this
connection and give Fareham a London service but not at the expense of South
Western main line capacity between Basingstoke and Eastleigh.
In terms of London to Fareham, a route through
Ewhurst Green would have probably been achieved in 2hrs; being far quicker than
changing at Eastleigh and marginally quicker than changing at Portsmouth &
Southsea (today’s direct electric service
via Eastleigh take 1hr 35mins). Accordingly, on this model there are
regular steam services from London direct to Fareham thence onto Southampton;
these also serve the Cosham, Netley and Woolston which were (then)
comparatively large compared to other station-communities along this section of
line.
Would such a service have saved the branch to Fort
Brockhurst and Gosport? - probably not.
Cross-country Services
Ewhurst Green was one of several junctions on the
cross-country route from Brighton through Horsham to Guildford and Reading with
some services through to Alton and beyond.
Local cross-country services ran though Guildford
and Tongham to Bordon.
Race days at Goodwood also saw regional and
interregional services.
London Commuter Traffic & Cranleigh
Dorking North’s suburban services took around 37
minutes from Victoria (limited stops), 46 minutes from Waterloo and 53 minutes
from London Bridge.
From London’s Victoria station, Ewhurst Green would
probably have been around 5 minutes shorter than the 53 minutes to Horsham
(timing for those trains that only stopped at Dorking North); 50 minutes from
Victoria could have been achievable. This could have placed Cranleigh at just
under an hour from London on the through service (50 minutes was just achievable on selected services from Waterloo
changing at Guildford although this was often closer to an hour). Given the
how busy Guildford station was (and still is) it is conceivable that Cranleigh
– London services were routed through Ewhurst Green, including during the
peak-hours.
|
On the Branch reversible, Somer (12mm/1ft black
/white ‘tuxedo’ livery) simply isn’t fazed by Schools class no.30913
‘Christ’s Hospital’ (4mm/1ft BR Green livery) passing by on the Up Line with
visiting Pullman cars. Somer often curls up in a little box just under
the baseboards – sleeping quietly despite all the trains rumbling overhead! |
4. Station Operation of the Model
The larger the layout the more there is to control, and one can only realistically hope to control one or two trains at any given time. The station layout comprises Up and Down Main lines with an Up Loop (for steam services off the branch and the start of suburban electric trains into London) and a Down Bay essentially for starting steam services onto the branch to Cranleigh and beyond.
In terms of signalling, home signals are normally
situated 440yards out from the station; this would place those for Ewhurst
Green in the fiddle yard /storage loops effectively meaning there is only scope
for having one train running on each circuit at a time. With the branch operating from the Up
Passenger Loop there is scope for a further train operating. However, such
complexity would require multiple operators.
In essence, the main line (with its through trains)
provides the ‘window dressing’ for the main operational side to the layout,
steam services off the branch and the suburban services. A modest up-side
freight yard also provides for a diversion of interest.
Furthermore, I anticipate the option of operating
the layout ‘to time’ rather than a sequence necessary to entertain at
exhibitions (neither my cats nor I get bored with the gaps between trains).
|
An unidentified 4 CEP unit undertakes
conductor-rail clearance testing on a newly laid section of con-rail. Soon
after this photograph was taken the section of con-rail was lifted, primed,
painted and re-laid back in place. |
5.
Passenger Service Pattern
In designing a layout, it is important to consider
how it could operate in a reasonably realistic but interesting manner.
Certainly, most of the Southern Region’s electric services operated on a
half-hourly clockface pattern; this in part being down to the economics of DC
third rail operation.
Portsmouth
About 50 minutes from Victoria, Ewhurst Green would
sit upon a basic hourly semi-fast electric service from Portsmouth Harbour to
Victoria; services serving Midhurst, Havant, Fratton and Portsmouth &
Southsea (calling all stations between Ewhurst Green and Westbourne).
Warblington was served by the Chichester to Havant services.
Set atop of this basic hourly electric service was
an hourly fast electric service Victoria – Portsmouth Harbour via Havant,
Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea (which did not stop at Ewhurst Green).
The platforms at Ewhurst Green are configured electrically to enable the
splitting /coupling of electric units should the service pattern alter at some
future date.
Fareham & Southampton
There would have been an hourly steam-hauled
Victoria – Southampton fast service passing through Ewhurst Green running via
Havant to serve Fareham; a significantly-sized town which (following the
opening of the Pompey-direct) did not then enjoy a regular direct service to
London. An additional peak-hour service ran from Waterloo. It is envisaged
these Fareham /Southampton services would (at set times) contain dining
facilities /Pullman car.
London Commuter Traffic
Situated at the end of suburban services, there was
just an hourly off-peak stopping service to London Bridge (the other
half-hourly suburban service terminating at Dorking North). With the exception
of the London Bridge stoppers, rush-hour fast services travelling north would
just call at Dorking, semi-fast additionally at Leatherhead, Sutton and Clapham
Junction.
Forest Green station would only be served by the
hourly London Bridge suburban service; Holmwood by Dorking to Horsham trains.
Cross-Country
Guildford, Reading, Horsham & Brighton
On the Guildford branch there would be a
half-hourly service; one loco-hauled each hour from Brighton (via Horsham)
through to Cranleigh, Guildford and Reading with the other rail motor
(pull-push) from Ewhurst Green terminating at Guildford; prior to 1957 this
having continued to Wanborough, Ash, Tongham, Farnham, Bentley and Bordon.
Additionally, there was a rush-hour service (loco-hauled) from Cranleigh into
London Bridge.
There was also a couple of through services from
both Brighton and Horsham through to Guildford thence onto Alton, Winchester,
Eastleigh and ultimately Southampton Terminus, although not advertised as such
in the public timetable. These were mostly for the carriage of mail and
newspapers, although still carried local passenger traffic.
All this is of course concocted simply to make
interesting railway operations rather than any probable commercially viable
service!
|
Against the backdrop of the single-story
agricultural-based works, E4-class no.32503 hauls BR(S) CLC-liveried Mk1
3-Cor set no.525 on a Down train. |
|
Time |
Up Departures |
Time |
Down Departures |
|
xx.02 |
Victoria calling at: Dorking North Fast train from Southampton Central formed two no. 3-car loco-hauled
sets (Platform 2) Some of these services additionally include a restaurant car or
Pullman dining car. |
xx.03 |
Guildford calling at: Cranleigh Stopping train starting here formed rail motor (pull-push) else 2 LAV
set (Platform 4 Down Bay) In later years this service terminated at
Guildford. |
|
xx.12 |
Arrival from Bordon. Terminating here formed rail motor (pull-push) else 2 LAV set (arr
Platform1 shunts to Platform 4 Down Bay) |
xx.14 |
Portsmouth Harbour calling at: Loxwood Semi-fast train (headcode 50) formed three no. 2-car emus
(Platform3) |
|
xx:22 |
Victoria calling at: Dorking North Semi-fast train (headcode 50) from Portsmouth Harbour formed three no.
2-car emus |
xx.28 |
Arrival from London
Bridge Suburban stopping train (headcode 29) terminating here formed 4-car
emu(s) having detached 4-cars at Dorking North (Platform 1). |
|
xx.34 |
Passing time Dorking North Fast train (headcode 46) from Portsmouth Harbour formed two no. 4-car
emus (Platform 2) |
xx.34 |
Reading (Southern) calling at: Cranleigh From Brighton via Horsham formed 3-car loco-hauled set. |
|
xx.42 |
London Bridge calling at: Forest Green Suburban stopping train (headcode 29) starting here formed 4-car
emu(s) attaching at Dorking North to form 8-car to London Bridge. (Platform
1) |
xx.43 |
Passing time Havant Fast train (headcode 46) formed two no. 4-car emus |
|
xx.47 |
Brighton calling at: Oakwoodhill Warnham Horsham West Grinstead Partridge Green Henfield Steyning Bramber Shoreham-by-Sea Hove Semi-fast train from Reading South via Guildford & Cranleigh
formed of 3-car loco-hauled set (Platform 1). |
xx.54 |
Southampton Central calling at Midhurst Fast train formed two no. 3-car loco-hauled sets. Some of these services additionally include a restaurant car or
Pullman dining car. |
Electric
Train Headcodes
Southern
Electric services carry a two-digit route headcode. Older electric units used
stencils to display their headcodes and as each motorman’s cab only carried one
set of number stencils, headcodes using duplicate numbers (such as 11 or 22)
were not used until roller blind headcodes came into use; even then they were
initially allocated to diesel-operated services.
Ewhurst
Green’s services operated over both Central and South Western Divisions (they
also ran close to South Eastern Division services at Victoria and London
Bridge). Accordingly, the ‘designated’ headcodes needed to take this into
account.
|
Code |
Route |
Notes |
|
2 |
Dorking
to Ewhurst Green |
Morning peak-hour |
|
16 |
Holborn
Viaduct to Ewhurst Green |
Rush hour service |
|
18 |
Victoria
to Portsmouth Harbour (stopping via Mitcham Junction) |
(Victoria – Littlehampton services ‘28’) |
|
27 |
London
Bridge to Ewhurst Green (via West Croydon) |
Code not used on SWD. |
|
29 |
London
Bridge to Ewhurst Green (via Mitcham Junction) |
Code not used on SWD. |
|
46 |
Victoria
to Portsmouth Harbour (fast via Mitcham Junction) |
(Victoria – Bognor Regis |
|
50 |
Victoria
to Portsmouth Harbour (semi-fast via Mitcham Junction) |
(Victoria – Littlehampton services ‘70’) |
|
74 |
Waterloo
to Ewhurst Green |
No conflict with CD or SWD. |
|
In the autumn sunshine
the Crimson Lake liveried pull-push set |
External Passengers & People
For the
more-distant sections of the layout a few of Bachmann’s 4mm figures have been
used as these were simple and straightforward to fit. However, for the
station’s passengers and staff (in both the coal and goods yards) higher a
standard of professionally painted figures were procured from by Pete Goss. Having rapidly exhausted much of Pete’s excellent range of figures
(including differently painted duplicates to swell numbers), a further
preparation and painting order was placed comprising unpainted figures (mainly)
from Dart Castings and the now sadly defunct Aiden Campbell range.
|
|
|
|
Selection of standing passengers |
Express Dairies milkman & crates |
Pete’s work starts with trimming off all those parts not
required (much from the casting process), thence drilling, pinning and
assembling figures prior to placement in wooden holed timber jigs. This enables
the figures to be sprayed with etch primer prior to painting with acrylic
paint. Ultimately Pete provided a large number of figures all with a
significant consistency of appearance.
|
Mk1 CK fitted with Preiser’s seated
people. |
Internal Passengers
Arguably one of the
most import features of a model railway are the passengers and people; these
bringing the scene ‘alive’. Passengers within trains are reasonably
straightforward and even with 4mm scale, Preiser’s 3.5mm seated people (cat.
No.16328 – 120 unpainted figures) are ideal as they sit well within the often
overscale interiors.
Loading Gauge
Although the LBSCR loading gauge was reasonably
generous we will assume this route was out-gauged (along with Three Bridges -
Redhill- Reading) during the Great War to provide the LSWR with an alternative
route to Havant via Raynes Park and Epsom. Accordingly, with fewer curves and
gradients than the Pompey Direct, this route offered a viable route to
Southampton and Bournemouth; particularly for diversionary workings if (say)
Winchester – St. Denys or Woking was blocked.
Diversity of Rolling Stock
Ewhurst Green (Surrey) could also provide a rare
opportunity outside of London for the mixing of rolling stock of the Southern
Region’s three divisions (SED, CED & SWD); some SED services coming down
from Reading.
Accordingly, coaching stock could include SED
Birdcage sets on services from Reading. Before the Second World War ex. LSWR
Gate-Stock operated to Guildford and it is not improbable that other ex. LSWR
coaches would have reached Ewhurst Green (either from Guildford or Waterloo to
Cranleigh via Dorking). During the period modelled, Maunsell and Bulleid 59’
‘multi-door’ 3 COR sets were used in the area along with other Pull-Push stock
including the Maunsell pull-push conversion sets.
The main line would have used electric suburban
units (terminating) and ‘lavatory’ stock down to the coast but needed
locomotive hauled sets to travel west from Farlington Junction to Fareham and
beyond.
The layout easily manages twelve-car non-stop
trains on the main line (for example Portsmouth Harbour twelve-car train of 4
BEP /4 CEP /2 HAP units) – thirteen cars if an MLV is present. However,
visually eight coaches maximum appears to work best whether this be an electric
train or a locomotive hauling (say) two number BR(S) three-car coach sets
(perhaps with vans) or longer sets with a buffet /Pullman car inserted.
In order to achieve these services, the two main
line through platforms (2 & 3) would be able to handle twelve-car trains
although the actual platforms are only ten-coaches long; most trains usually
being eight-car 2 BIL /2 HAL or 4 CEP /2 HAP formations. Used mainly for
departing branch services, the non-electrified Down Bay (platform 4)
comfortably handles six-coach lengths; branch trains being shunter across to
clear platform 1 and provide a convenient interchange between platforms 3 and
4.
Electric Trains
4 SUB (inc. augmented units), 2 NOL, and 2/4 EPB
(BR & SR types) units all operate the four and eight-car stopping services
up to London Bridge and several peak-hour suburban electric services ran into
Waterloo from Ewhurst Green, joining the South Western main line at Raynes
Park.
The Portsmouth Harbour services utilise 4 COR /4
CEP /2 HAP units on the fast (non-stop) services with 2 BIL /2 HAL combinations
on the semi-fasts with 4 BEP units providing peak-hour catering facilities.
|
N-class no.31848 in its mid-fifties |
Locomotive-hauled Trains
Fareham and Southampton services variously use
Maunsell sets, Bulleid 59’ ‘multidoor’ stock, Bulleid 64’ stock and BR Mk1
corridor stock; a few of these services included dining facilities.
Locomotive-hauled set no.904 was redeployed from
the Oxted lines to operate one of the two peak-hour services into London Bridge
(routed via Dorking North and Peckham Rye). Weekdays this set would be kept
overnight at Ewhurst Green (along with an eight-car suburban emu formation)
running ecs to Guildford (reverse) to provide both Bramley & Wonersh and
Cranleigh with a semi-fast peak-hour train into London Bridge. After the
Saturday morning Up peak-hour train the set was kept at Eardley sidings before
arriving back ecs on the Sunday afternoon. Originally six-coaches, set no.904
had its SECR TL replaced by two green Bulleid CK coaches so then comprising
BS-S-S-C-CK-CK-BS in Crimson Lake (these Mk1 coaches were repainted BR(S) Green
in 1958).
Reading Services
In terms of Reading services ex.SECR Birdcage and
ex.SR Maunsell sets were used along with Mk1 non-corridor 3-coach sets
displaced from Exmouth Junction services. Both the Reading and Guildford
services also used 2-coach rail motor (pull-push) sets; some augmented with an
additional Maunsell SO from withdrawn /disbanded sets.
However, all were now under threat from the new 2H
Hastings and 2H /3H Hampshire units on services through to Reading. By the time
the full Reading – Tonbridge’ ‘3R’ service was implemented in on 6th
September 1965 the Reading – Ewhurst Green services had significantly reduced
to mostly Guildford – Ewhurst Green.
Goodwood Race Days
Race days at Goodwood (served by Singleton station)
would see special trains down from London to Singleton with strengthened
connecting services from /to Reading. Often a ‘spare’ Dover boat train set out
of Stewart’s Lane was employed (as happened on the Newhaven services); often
with the MLV still attached to reduce time detaching /attaching (ironically
the MLV was sometimes detached at Newhaven and used as a ‘taxi’ to the driver’s
depot at Seaford). Perhaps these boat-train sets also operated several special-day
services to Portsmouth or a specific daytime service?
I am still looking for a robust reason for
including a TLV – yes, I know the MLVs
& TLVs essentially operated on SED and the latter is outside my era, but in
1968 number S68203 did enter service in maroon livery.
Similarly looking for a
reason to operate a 10 BEL formation,
perhaps on a Race-special to Goodwood else a Special to Portsmouth Harbour?
|
Ronuk of Portslade produced polish and had a
fleet of two tanker wagons, these were expertly weathered by TMC from an original
photograph. Ronuk appeared to
have two 3,500 gallons railway tankers numbered 34 & 38; these carried
white spirit between Esso at Fawley and Portslade. Producing polish,
Portslade’s Ronuk factory was established in 1902 & rail-served from
c.1920; the name Ronuk being an Anglicised form of ronak (Kurdish ‘clear’) /ronaq (Urdu
‘lustre’) /raunaq (Persian). In the late 1950’s Newton, Chambers & Co. acquired Ronuk, the
Portslade factory was closed and production moved to Sheffield. However,
the Ronuk-company brand-names ‘Colton’ & ‘Ronseal’ still survive. |
I’ve never worked out why Ewhurst Green was a
useful location for freight although is saw a degree of goods and container
traffic. This line could also have remained useful route for through freight
between places such as Temple Mills (ER) and Holloway Yards (ER), Hoo Junction
(SED), Norwood Yard (CED) and Southampton (SWD) as well as North Camp,
Chichester and Shoreham (CED) along the West Coastway (via Lavant). Local
freight facilities are provided at Ewhurst Green, although their use is on the
decline.
|
Z-class no.30951 on shunting duty. |
Dunsfold’s Airfield
Limited traffic is envisaged to service Dunsfold’s
wartime-built airfield (in particular delivering aviation spirit). Little is
written about the line serving Dunsfold airfield (from near to Cranleigh). From
this siding the curving line crossed the wartime-built Alfold by-pass and into
the airfield. Given the nature of the spur and the reduction in post-war
freight traffic, trainloads were inevitable short with suitable motive power
limited to short-wheelbase locomotives (my excuse for locomotives such as a USA
/B4 tank engines).
Accordingly, (on the days freight services ran)
there were at most two trips down to the airfield; the early mornings saw
locomotive and tank wagon with the locomotive returning hauling vans. In the
evening loaded vans were taken down and the locomotive returned with the empty
tank wagon.
|
Visiting S15
no.30842 hauls a fitted freight through Ewhurst Green during the 4th
September 2021 running session. |
Engineering Trains
Engineer’s wagons (mainly Grampus, Whales and
Dogfish but also a few Mermaids) will also be kept overnight at Ewhurst Green.
Whilst Bachmann’s super Wickhams inspection trolley might appeal, these only
normally ran during engineering possessions, so I’ve passed on one of these
otherwise delightful models.
|
Two chemical
tanker wagons as weathered by TMC. Sheffield
Chemical Co. Ltd (Attercliffe) |
Facilities
Apart from the needs of the yard’s shunting
locomotives (coal stage), facilities were basic with just several water columns
at the station. Any locomotives that would need turning would have to trip
through to either Guildford or Horsham shed. It isn’t really plausible that the
Deepdene – Holmwood spur (closed 1900 /reopened 1941-47) may have been retained
to create a loop for freight traffic in order to reduce the need for (say)
locomotive turning upon termination (from the Guildford direction).
Lowfits
Several decades ago, I formed two trains of Lowfit
wagons carrying a section of VW T1 (type 1) ‘Beetle’ cars and T2 (type 2)
split-screen commercials /microbuses. The idea being these could be run at
exhibitions to see if the eagled-eyed could spot there were actually two trains
(only one contained a red T1 ‘Beetle’ car) else as one impressive forty-wagon
train.
A 1963 beetle no.53 ‘Herbie’ was also acquired lest
this appealed to younger exhibition audiences; this being from the 1968 film
‘The Love Bug’ (which was based on the 1961 novel ‘Car, Boy, Girl’ by Gordon Buford).
With Oxford Diecast having brought out the BMW
Isetta (which were exported by rail from
Brighton’s former railway locomotive works) a trainload of these ‘bubble cars’
on weathered Lowfit wagons is in preparation.
|
Visiting stock
regularly gets to run on Ewhurst Green and here a pair of Blue /Grey 2 COM
units lead a plain Blue 2 EPB on the Up Main. The 2 COM units
nos.6213 & 6259 were the last pair to survive in service on 13th June
1995 with 6259 being the one chosen for preservation (reverting back to
5759). Although Bachmann made unit no.6238 in this livery it did not carry a
‘2 COM’ red cantrail band as its compartments had previously been opened out
into a saloon at Slade Green in April 1984. On the rear is
Blue 2 EPB unit 5764 which was facelifted to 6264 on 19th December 1994.
No.5764 ran in blue livery from 25th July 1969 and was outshopped in Blue
/Grey livery in February 1984. MLV no.68009 quietly sits between turns in the
Down headshunt. |
9.
Ewhurst Green after my Modelling Period
In just a few years the route was reduced to a basic half-hourly service to Portsmouth Harbour; stations such as Cocking and Stoughton & Walderton being closed with others (for example) Singleton being reduced to rush-hour and race days only.
The line through Ewhurst Green would have probably
hastened the 1955 closures of Midhurst to Petersfield and Pulborough (serving
only Petworth) to pre-war (WW1), the route to Guildford closed in 1965 along
with the Midhurst to Chichester passenger services (which had survived because the sturdier embankment near Cocking hadn’t
collapsed).
The through Fareham /Southampton services were
gone; even the London Bridge service was reduced to just two trains each
morning /evening peak-hour as an extension from Dorking North (these now being
the only services to call at Forest Green). The only freight traffic left was
through trains; this still being a useful route to Portsmouth and Southampton
taking the pressure of the curving steeply graded Pompey-direct and the SW main
line.
Did this electrified line succumb to closure or is
it simply difficult to find in timetables?
|
London end of the layout after construction |
Layout sizes can sometimes be physical too small in terms of the station being modelled and a degree of compression is (usually) inevitable. So, I’d considered basing my model on stations such as Groombridge /Barnham /Ford /Horsted Keynes /Lingfield /Dorking North (etc). That is two through platforms (2 & 3) and an Up Passenger Loop (platform 1). Alongside the Up Passenger Loop would be freight loop similar to Redhill plus a shunting road. On the Down side (country-end) was a short bay (platform 4) and adjacent dock served from a headshunt.
Barnham, Ford, Groombridge and Horsted Keynes
stations had a similar layout located on or close to junctions (which can lead
to much operational interest). Essentially the mainline will operate as Up and
Down circuits (with the possible splitting /joining of electric trains in the
through platforms). However, it is the branch (with its through and terminating
services) that will see the core operational interest on the layout.
Basically platforms 2 & 3 would see the through
services (both Branch and Main) with suburban services from London and Branch
services terminating in platform 1. Also arriving in platform 1, local Branch
services would then shunt across to platform 4 to restart their journey (similar operational moves took place at
locations such as Eridge).
It was decided to place the main station building
towards the rear of the baseboards on the Down side. Besides placing the
platform-side of the building on view, this also left uninterrupted space along
the front of the baseboards for the Up Passenger (platform) Loop (where branch
trains would be terminating) and the goods sidings (i.e. all within easy
reach). Accordingly, the model’s operator looks south-east towards the station.
This station concept provided the basis of the
baseboard design.
Enlargement of the Station
However, it doesn’t end there as the ‘history’ of
the station can be seen in the model; many stations undergoing change across
the decades. When the railway was originally, built Ewhurst Green station was
double-tracked with two four-coach-long brick-built platforms, a Down-side dock
along with a larger Up-side goods yard.
Electrification would have led to enlargement of
the station to accommodate the terminating of 8-car suburban electric services
plus now a greater need for interchange facilities onto the Cranleigh branch.
This would have needed an Up Passenger Platform Loop and Down Bay (for
departing Cranleigh branch trains).
So, the mainline platforms were lengthened and a
6-coach Down Bay created at the expense of most of the Down good’s yard.
Without a costly rebuild (plus additional /difficult land-take beyond)
Somersbury Lane overbridge created a limitation in respect of the headshunt for
shunting back into the remaining goods siding and dock. With the factory
standing atop the cutting, in order to enable a headshunt to be taken up to
Somersbury Lane overbridge, this cutting had to be dug out and replaced with a
retaining wall.
The Up Platform was widened to meet a new Up
Passenger (platform) Loop capable of holding an 8-car electric train and the
London-end yard entry amended accordingly. The Up Passenger (platform) Loop
stopped short of the Up-side subway buildings as only an 8-car length was
required. South of the new Platform Loop an 8-car electric siding was created
along with an equivalent length carriage siding.
These new works was undertaken using concrete ‘harp
& slab’ construction technique as supplied by the Southern’s Exmouth
Junction concrete plant. Re-signalling took place and a few years later the
main signal-box was replaced; the ex. LBSCR London-end box remaining as it
oversaw the level-crossing.
|
Ivatt no.41250 passes pull-push set 610 (being
propelled by no.31518) |
11. Storage Loops & Fiddle Yard Layout
Storage loops and fiddle yards can be a significant
part of a model railway for these represent the ‘rest of the UK network’
enabling trains to leave Ewhurst Green returning later in the day.
Trains entering the storage loops are kept there
until needed again; some will set back to Ewhurst Green whilst others will move
along the storage loop until it is their time to reappear. Some loop-lines each
store just two long trains whilst others can store six shorter trains.
For the Cranleigh branch the fiddle yard comprises
four tracks nearest the operator, and these involve reassembly of formations
including a simple changing end of locomotives. The Cranleigh branch also has
two dedicated storage loops capable of holding ten trains on each.
The storage loops and fiddle yard have six distinct
sections:
|
(1) |
Down Main storage loops (total 5 no. + 4
additional loops), |
|
(2) |
Up Main storage loops (total 5 no. + 4 additional
loops), |
|
(3) |
Up and Down Branch storage loops (one each), |
|
(4) |
Branch Terminating (two 6-car tracks), |
|
(5) |
Branch Terminating (two 5-car tracks) & |
|
(6) |
Locomotive ‘depot’. |
These are all designed to permit realistic
operation of the station with a combination of through and terminating
services.
|
(1) |
Down Main |
The Down Main storage loops comprise total nine
loops; five loops numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 to start with then two further
loops each off roads 1 and 5 (numbered 1a, 1b, 5a & 5b). These are capable of taking full-length trains
although some are electrically subdivided to accommodate eight and six-car
(equivalent) lengths (say eight-car emu formation or locomotive plus two
three-sets and luggage van or buffet car. |
|
(2) |
Up Main |
The Up Main storage loops (6, 7, 8, 9 & 10
plus 6a, 6b, 10a & 10b) replicates the Down Main albeit for travel in the
opposite (anti-clockwise) direction. |
|
(3) |
Up and Down Branch storage loops |
The Up and Down Branch storage loops (11 &
12) are just double track split into sections each being five-car
(equivalent) lengths (say locomotive, three-car set and luggage van). Alternatively, two loops together could
accommodate a train of ten-car lengths. |
|
(4) |
Branch Terminating |
Branch Terminating loops 13 & 14 (6-car fiddle yard) accommodate five
number trains up to six-car (equivalent) lengths. Although intended to
terminate /return stock into the south end of Ewhurst Green it is capable of
terminating trains from the north end of Ewhurst Green. It also includes a four-car length loop for
electric trains terminating from the north end of Ewhurst Green. |
|
(5) |
Branch Terminating |
Branch Terminating loops 15 & 16 (5-car fiddle yard) accommodate six
number trains up to five-car (equivalent) lengths terminating /returning
stock into the south end of Ewhurst Green. It also has two storage sidings (16a & 16b)
of three-car (equivalent) lengths for the storage of Pull-Push formations or
diesel electric multiple units. |
|
(6) |
Locomotive Depot |
Accessed off roads 13 to 16, the Locomotive Depot
comprises a non-scenic turntable
serving both of the Branch Terminating fiddle yards with storage for
locomotives. |
More on this later.
|
With ‘HA’ E5001 on the test circuit, USA tank
no.30069 tries the (then) |
The layout is housed in a dedicated purpose-built
and well-insulated studio; the temperature running at a constant temperature
from an inverter proving air-con /heating (well worth the investment and
surprisingly cheap to run).
Baseboard Height
The layout’s baseboard was built at a height of 52”
using 3” by 2” timber with the top made from 12mm high-quality exterior plywood
(as supplied by an excellent local timber merchant). In other words, strong
enough to rest or even sit on!
After much musing with good friend and ESF member
Ian, this figure of 52” high had been derived from a number of factors; the
main one being able to look at the railway from a more realistic sideways
viewpoint rather than looking down from a great height onto train roofs. Ian
uses a similar height on both his Oxted and Redhill P4 layouts. It is also a
convenient height to duck-under when the drop-down door flap is up in use and
trains are being run.
|
Prior to fitting of the layout’s green facias,
the fold-down flap in front of one pair of external doors. The end board is to protect rolling stock when
the flap is folded down out-of-use. The hardwood cill underneath the cats’ water bowl protects two 37-way
cables below. |
The height of 52” still places the rear of the
layout within practical reach whilst enabling tasks such as wiring and the
fitting of turnout motors (etc) to be undertaken from the relative comfort of a
swivel chair (until such time that I can
obtain a chaise-longue on raised legs with castors).
Furthermore, this height provides sufficient
clearance when leaving the trackroom with the flap closed (trains running).
|
Terry undertaking construction |
Baseboard Width
Nominally 30” wide (the furthest one can
realistically reach and work), each corner has a triangular pop-up hole where
one can stand up to gain access.
Baseboard construction was undertaken by good
friend and fellow ESF member Terry (a.k.a. the Rigger) who flew in from his
mountain retreat in the Algarve to construct the baseboards – the lure of tea,
biscuits and Cornflakes being simply too irresistible!
Having constructed the boards for his own layout
thence Ian Sneyd’s P4 Redhill 1938, Terry has since gone on to construct close
friend’s Rod Stewart’s baseboards for his 4mm take on the interesting
arrangements at Inverness.
Ewhurst Green’s fiddle yard boards were built in
March 2015 and the station boards completed October 2015. During the latter
visit the simple test circuit was also installed.
|
As part of his inspection, Moser patiently
undertook the first static load test of the baseboard |
|
Not to be outdone by Moser, Terry undertook the
same static load test |
However, on the station side the 30” baseboards
widen to around 50” at each end, which would ordinarily leave the rear of the
layout out of reach. The solution was simple in the form of two drop-down
sections being provided (similar to the entrance door flap) to provide
access-reach; it is this flap that is demonstrated in the static load testing
photographs rather than just the permanent (fixed) baseboard!
In order to
protect the scenery on these flaps their design enables them to be swung
through 180o and secured upside down out of the way by means of a
fixed cord operated on pulleys. Track only passes onto the boards at the
‘inner’ ends and at 90o so there wasn’t to be any skewed rail
joints.
Once
secured up into place by a simple sprung (brass window) latch at the far end
the inner end is drawn tightly into alignment by use of a brass sash window
screw latch; this system also being utilised on the drop-down entrance flap.
A credit to Terry’s engineering skill; the
baseboard top-framing is shimmed to provide a maximum deviation of less than
2mm between opposite ends of the layout. This top framing was also designed so
as not to interfere with the future positioning of turnout motors and the
positioning of the legs to optimise storage; the legs being screwed to the
(insulated) floor.
|
After the static load tests were completed, Terry
demonstrates how this section of baseboard folds right back underneath in
order to provide access to the rear of the baseboards. |
|
Country end of the layout’s boards with its own
(identical) folding section; pulley & cord are just visible between
baseboard and floor. |
In 2017 end-protection boards were built for the
drop-down entrance flap (using 9mm plywood recovered from my former layout).
Not only do these boards protect the rail ends at the doorway, but they also
prevent rolling stock from inadvertently descending into the abyss!
Across Easter 2018 further baseboard work took
place in the form of the green painted baseboard edging; besides providing a
neat appearance it also prevents anything falling off!
|
With 3mm cork and centreline pins in place on the
Up Line the |
Modelling in 4mm, I have always used 00 although
have thought long and hard about EM or P4. With so much available in P4 these
days I could see little reason to change to EM even though for the majority of
my rolling stock it would have been relatively simple to ease out the
back-to-backs of their finescale wheels. P4 looks superb except the tolerances
are so fine much precision is required and this could prove tricky on a large,
fixed layout (even the 00 track has needed adjustment in-situ).
However, the change to either gauge would
necessitate a significant amount of additional work including starting again
with all the trackwork instead of component-recovery from my previous layout.
Now with failing eyesight, this was the correct decision.
Even with 00 the tolerances at the wheel /rail
interface are still fine and both track and wheels need adjustment. Certainly,
using old-style copper-clad turnouts means this can be undertaken with a
soldering-iron!
Storage loops & Fiddle yard Trackwork
The minimum radius used on non-scenic sections is
36” and for the fiddle yard Peco® code 75 ‘HO’ track is employed
being cheap, practical, of standard dimensions and simply laid onto 1.5mm cork.
Unfortunately, the 36” minimum precluded the use of Peco® single
/double slips in the fiddle yard which appear to be only 30” radius.
The mainline storage loops are set for differing
train lengths - some can hold six-number 4-car electric units; other hold a
thirteen-car boat-train set.
The branch fiddle yard is designed for five and
six-car equivalent lengths. For example, a five-car length provides for
locomotive, van and three-car coaching set. Longer trains can be accommodated
through the doubling up on bays. It comprises Up and Down Branch (through lines
for trains undertaking a circuit) thence four sets of roads for terminating
services.
Scenic Trackwork
Both Exactoscale® (C&L Finescale
Modelling Ltd) and SMP® track is employed in the scenic sections
being laid on 3mm cork and paired to Marcway® turnouts. However,
although I had a small existing stock of SMP® track left over from
‘Apothecary Street’ I decided to move forward using Exactoscale® as
the track has a considerable edge including crisper sleeper mouldings.
Accordingly, the remaining stock of SMP® track was used up on the
less visible sections of the layout.
The new Peco® 4mm bullhead track was
examined and whilst its sleeper sizes /spacing look good the overall rail
/sleeper height differs from Exactoscale® / SMP® /Marcway®
track (it also differs from Peco® code 75 track)/ With limited
availability it was not considered for use.
There is a small transition in height between the
scenic track (Exactoscale®) and fiddle yard (Peco® code
75 track); this being achieved through the use of graduated shims made from
card.
The choice of Marcway® turnouts was a
relatively simple one; for although they are of copper-clad construction (which
many would suggest is dated, even crude by today’s standards) from a distance
they still look reasonable and all of Apothecary Street’s Marcway®
turnouts were recovered for possible reuse; these being stripped, cleaned and
repainted. In addition, Marcway® turnouts are simple to repair and
adjust in-situ. On an operational model railway (on fixed boards) sheer
practicality in terms of ongoing maintenance has to be a significant (if not an
over-riding) consideration.
|
With the S&C now laid, part ballasted,
switches motored and wired it is tested with an HA (71 012). |
The track centrelines of Ewhurst Green were set out
by means of both chalk-line and laser technology with the centrelines marked
then delineated using track pins. Mounted on 3mm cork the scenic track is held
in place before light gluing (if needed), painting thence ballasting the
four-foot to fully secure it. The paint (Railmatch® Sleeper Grime)
actually makes an excellent adhesive.
Rather than the 50mm used by (say) Peco®
the track centres are set at 45mm in order to give a scale six-foot (although
the distance measured between adjacent running rails is actually slightly wider
due to the 16.5mm 00 track gauge). However, to enable sufficient clearance
between passing trains on curves tighter than five feet radius, the ‘six-foot’
dimension is increased up to 50mm; this being used on the layout’s three-foot
minimum radius curves. The storage loops and fiddle yard simply use the
‘standard’ 50mm spacing throughout.
|
Looking north towards ‘London’ from above the
Branch to Main Line double junction. In the distance Goods /Passenger Loops (left), Up
and Down Main (centre), test track (right - now removed). |
Switches and Crossings
Where needed, a number of the scenic turnouts were
carefully rebuilt to incorporate the required long timbers therein;
particularly required as a scale six-foot dimension had been adopted. This
means 45mm centres instead of the standard 50mm more usually adopted by many
modellers and Peco® (a necessary compromise by manufacturers to
accommodate the sharp radii without varying this distance).
Turnout Motors
Tortoise® turnout motors were used
throughout, albeit with 0.9mm wire drive for the mechanically stiffer Marcway®
turnouts. Even then this wire size is only just strong enough for the short
switches on the double slips; each double slip requiring four motors – one
motor per pair of switchblades!
Not only did this choice of turnout motor enable
standardisation across the layout (I fitted each motor with a lead and plug of
standard configuration) the two sets of contacts thereon enabled switching: one
set being used for the polarity of each turnout’s common crossings.
|
London-end - Up Line (plat. 2) is complete with the Down Line (plat.
3) awaiting removal of the test
circuit. In the foreground is the Up Loop No.1, Up Passenger Loop (platform
1) thence the Up and Down Main lines. Note the use of
staggered baseboard joints to reduce the amount of bracing required underneath. |
|
Country-end S&C with entry into five goods sidings (middle
foreground), two carriage sidings, Up reversible, Up and Down Main thence the
entry into the Down Bay /headshunt (rear). |
Some of the Marcway® trackwork does need
fine adjustment to enable fault-free running; particularly a few tight-to-gauge
areas in the middle of the slips /double slips. This included tightening of the
checkrails. With copper-clad track this is a relatively straightforward
exercise using a Vernier gauge, fine soldering iron and patience. It is well
worth spending time on doing this as the results are very effective.
|
Buffer stops at Horsham - left BR type &
right LBSCR (three-bolt with LSWR beam but laid on two-bolt track) |
Buffer Stops
Lanarkshire Model Supplies produce an excellent LBSCR buffer stop kit and one of these was the first buffer stop to be
installed on the Down Headshunt. Peco produce an equivalent BR buffer stop kit and whilst arguably rarer on the Southern Region
in the ‘Ewhurst Green’ period, were assessed to be used in vulnerable location
as they clip onto the railhead and are potentially simpler to replace if
damaged. However, they were found to be far too delicate and flimsy.
|
Third rail electrified track (towards
London) at Balcombe station on 12th March 1961 (Up direction). © Ben Brooksbank
(CC-by-SA/2.0) |
Conductor Rails
Getting the conductor rails right is important
although there are certain practicalities that need to be considered,
particularly with regard to clearances to trains and maintenance.
Peco® produce conductor rail pots for use with code 60 rail. Whilst their code 60 rail isn’t quite the right profile for (say 100lb/yd) conductor rail on a
large working layout it is much easier to use these products that opt for
something that it more authentic. Ultimately when standing back at a distance,
the visual effect is achieved.
With 4mm /OO SMP® /Exactoscale®
track the sleeper lengths are shortened to 8’ instead of 8’6” which can lead to
issues with placement of the conductor rail. Yes, it can be positioned at a
scaled 5.2mm from the running edge except some models use the correct bogie widths
for (say) axle boxes (etc) on their models and these can foul the ‘5.2mm’
conductor rail. So, on Ewhurst Green the centreline of the conductor rail is just
under 6.5mm from the running edge (the reasonably correct distance from the
track centreline). Even then the shoes on Bachmann Mk1 4 BEP /4CEP /2 HAP /2
EPB stock sit inside the conductor rail whilst those on Hornby’s 2 BIL /2 HAL
stock on its outside. In terms of the latter units, gentle filing of the inside
of the shoes is required.
The Peco® conductor rail pots enable the conductor rail to be removable (for
maintenance) through being an interference fit into the holes drilled in the
sleeper ends. With my failing eyesight, a friend has spent many hours hunched
over my baseboard drilling out holes in the sleeper-ends and fitting sections
of con-rail whilst I frantically struggle to catch up on replacing the 0.75mm
drills that frequently get broken in the process.
Once fitted, the conductor rail is eased out and
(without moving the conductor rail pots), spray-painted in primer before
painting in sleeper grime. On railways of this period, the conductor rail pots
became dirty relatively quickly, turning brown in the process.
|
Side-ramp in Horsham station’s sidings. |
Side-ramps
Side-ramps are modelled (albeit few in number);
these being used where the conductor rail is present adjacent to a turnout’s
switches to enable the train’s collector shoes to join or (smoothly) leave the
conductor rail at turnouts albeit with a 20mph speed restriction onto a
side-ramp. Located adjacent to the switch-tips, side-ramps were employed where
non-electrified lines joined electrified lines lest an electric multiple unit
was being hauled dead with its shoes hanging down.
|
Two side-ramps in front of Lewes signal box. |
Most of the Southern Region was shoe-cleared for
hauling an electric multiple unit (even the Weymouth Tramway was assessed – but
not cleared – for possible class 442 haulage). However, side-ramps are
frequently omitted by modellers. In terms of the UK’s two standard-gauge
fourth-rail electrified systems, LUL has a limited number of side-ramps; the
MoD has none.
|
Protection-boarded conductor rails including
adjacent to the carriage walkways at Horsham station. |
Conductor Rail Protection Boards
At a number of locations conductor rail protection
boards would have been used and these are produced by several manufacturers.
However, their supports are fit under the Peco™ conductor rail insulator
(‘pots’) and so lift the conductor a fraction too high, sometimes leading to
fouling with the shoegear of Hornby’s electric multiple unit stock.
Furthermore, with the potential for some thirty-feet of protection boarded
conductor rail, maintaining adjustment would also be tricky and a potential a
nightmare.
Conductor rail protection boarding can also be
created using rail soldered in 1/8” brass channel and at a distance it looks
the part; as a solution it is robust. However, again the shoegear of Hornby
electric multiple unit stock can foul this (Bachmann is absolutely fine).
Ultimately a decision was made to omit this protection boarding.
However, I was fortunate to have enough KS181 brass
channel left over from Apothecary Street to create boarded conductor rail in
the carriage siding where the protection boarded conductor rail noticeably sat
alongside the carriage walkway; possibly to give assess to the undersides of
each car. In recent years safety standards seek the placement of the con-rail
away from the walkway else restrictions on the use of the walkway.
In the middle of the station platform there is a
boarded foot-crossing for staff; today these having long been closed at
stations as they are dangerous with a significant risk of staff being struck by
trains (staff should use the alternative route via subway or footbridge).
|
Protection-boarded conductor rails used to run
through many of the walkways at Horsham station. |
However, for the period of Ewhurst Green not only
was there a boarded foot-crossing between the platforms the live conductor rail
often passed straight through this with staff required to step over two
adjacent conductor rails in the six-foot.
|
|
|
|
Gatwick © |
Redhill © |
|
On the former Southern Region, the last of such
staff foot-crossings were probably those at Horsham carriage sidings, Gatwick
Airport (platform 1) and Redhill (platform 1); fortunately, all were
abolished c.2009. |
|
|
Using the test circuit is Terry’s ‘The Rigger’
Metro-Vick no.D5714 hauling 14 bogies with ease; this is believed to be the
only Co-Bo to operate on the BR(S) doing so from 4th to 7th
April 1960. Ewhurst Green has its own
weathered D5714 (fitted with Ultrascale wheels) for this rare visit! Unfortunately, although superb to model with, the studio’s daylight simulation lighting isn’t particularly conducive
to photography. Late in 2019 the fluorescent lamps were replaced with
daylight simulation LED units. |
(2015-2017)
Starting in 2015 a simple test track utilised the storage loop /fiddle yard area before entering the station side as a circuit (still on Peco® track) albeit laid well out of the way, initially at the rear of the baseboards. Providing a circular run just over one scale mile, it had been a useful addition as well as the centre of a number of social gatherings with East Sussex Finescale (ESF) members.
The storage loops were all laid first before scenic
‘station’ tracklaying commenced. With the scenic Up Main connected in June 2017
the test circuit was disconnected in August 2017 to allow the Country-end Down
Main to be laid; it was lifted early September 2017 to enable the London-end
Down Main to be connected.
The test circuit introduced a variety of rolling
stock onto the layout ranging from models of elderly external framed
copper-topped green kettles (of dubious parentage) through Hampshire units (an
eight-car DEMU formation has been run) to modern diesels in post-privatisation
livery. It has also seen ESF member Kevin’s pre-First World War Prussian steam
(very impressive) along with a modern German articulated multiple unit!
This has given other ESF members (who are still
building their own substantial layouts) the opportunity to let their models
‘stretch their legs’ including several that haven’t been out of their boxes for
several decades (leading to several ad-hoc overhauls) including some whose
wheelsets were incompatible with the scenic-side scale track.
For the majority of this period there was a
steadily growing rake of East Sussex Finescale (ESF) group member Rod’s
Metro-Cammell Pullmans providing the load for numerous locomotives; most of the
TOPs diesel classes having now been run including double-heading and
top-and-tails.
The use of Rod’s DCC controller brought sound to
the layout, although limited by speaker size /technology the most realistic
versions being the Rail Exclusive /Sutton Locomotive Works (SLW) Sulzer type-2
(class 24). Fitted with two speakers these are a long way ahead of all other
offerings; Charley Petty’s (DC Kits) class 26 /33 /3H sound units follow with
other makes further behind. However, DC Kits are now developing high quality
stereo sound units so it may be a case of watch this space!
The SLW Sulzer type-2 (class 24) set a new standard
for ready-to-run and (in my opinion) were well worth the outlay; these being a
significant advance on Bachmann’s Sulzer type-2 (class 24) model particularly
in respect of the underframe detailing; Ewhurst Green having two Southern
Region-allocated examples. Bachmann’s Sulzer type-2 (class 24) remains a nice
model; SLW have simply taken ready-to-run locomotives to a new level and like
Hornby with its Railroad range there is space in the marketplace for both
versions.
Kernow’s Beattie Well tanks and O2 classes run very
nicely as does Model Rail’s USA tanks and Hornby’s Radial tanks. In terms of
emu stock 2 BIL /2 HAL units (including a 12-car formation) have been run
alongside visiting MLV /4 CEP stock and a blue /grey 5 BEL. Interestingly
Hornby have not sought to provide any fittings to enable a pair of 5 BEL units
to be coupled together (a small job for winter with my unit nos.3052 &
3053). Now, if only somebody would produce a 4 LAV in r-t-r!
Ironically up to 2021 I had run very little of my
own stock!
|
Dapol JA no.E6003 hauling a freight around the
test circuit. Pictured straight out of the box this is a nice model although there
is one glaring error in the form of the incorrectly parked secondman’s wiper! |
As an old-school modeller I have not sought to
‘embrace’ DCC. However, there is no ‘luddite’ here – the current choice is out
of practicalities and the desire to achieve realistic railway operation in a
simple cost-effective manner; DCC only offering limited benefits in this area.
As on Apothecary Street, the control of the station will be undertaken by means
of an electric lever frame with conditional locking; I considered this would be
best achieved through the straightforward use of switches and relays.
It is regularly
stated that DCC makes layout wiring simpler. In some ways that statement is
true as it makes the modeller’s wiring much simpler; the hugely complex wiring
of the DCC controller (and possibly an operating computer) has already been
undertaken for the modeller. In other words, the starting point of ‘your’
layout construction is relative. To mis-quote Carl Sagan “If you wish to make a model railway from
scratch, you must first invent the universe”.
However, DCC also
introduces other complexities both in wiring and physical control.
Fault-finding with such technology can be difficult. Furthermore, you can be
tied into one manufacturer’s product for some components and their prices.
Ewhurst Green uses
a number of essentially repetitive but simple electrical circuits, each wired
the same way; it must be acknowledged that (particularly given the layout’s
length of just over a scale mile) cabling is ordered in 1.1km lengths at a
time.
Some will find this chapter complex (others may
risk falling asleep) so you can skip to next chapter.
Controlling the Layout
Apothecary Street was controlled through the
signalling by means of an electric lever frame (with conditional locking) for
the scenic section, route setting for the fiddle yard. As this obviated the
need for ‘traditional’ cab-control switches and proved to be very effective I
decided to operate Ewhurst Green in the same way.
The lever frame is quite straightforward employing
high-quality former Ministry of Defence (MoD) DPDT switches mounted on robust
plastic industrial cable trunking (those switches recovered from Apothecary
Street were augmented by the lucky purchase of some more on the internet).
Apparently, each switch cost the equivalent of around £64 each new some
sixty-years ago!
In general (but not always) signal boxes have one
lever per each signal arm. However, as many of Ewhurst Green’s multi-armed
signals (such as the three home signals) are located off scene the decision was
made to use one lever per signal location; the actuating of the correct arm
(where applicable) being determined by the route set.
There is a lever for each of the three home signals
on the Up Main, Down Main and Up Branch (but not the distant signals) as
operation of these provides the track feeds. Similarly, the three equivalent
advanced starting signals enable the feeds into the storage loops /fiddle yard.
The shunting signals are non-operational. However,
the levers still need to be present; when actuated they prove the route and
provide the track feeds. Turnouts are activated is the usual way with ends
paired as per prototypical practice.
With few exceptions, each signal has its own relay
(including non-operating shunting signals). This being an electrical necessity
to electrically control the layout.
Hand points are not of course on the main lever
frame and here simple route setting switches are quietly employed at each end
of the station’s goods yard in order to switch entry into the sidings.
Storage loops and fiddle yard
In the Up & Down storage loops and Branch
storage loops and Branch fiddle yard simple route setting is used; this being
undertaken through ex.GPO type 600 relays.
As there are few instances of (say) a train
entering on the Down Line (perhaps crossing into platform 1) whilst another
departs (say from bay platform 4) it was decided that two trains would not be
running on the same circuit: apart from shunting-forward in the fiddle yards.
Every storage loop /fiddle yard track is capable of
storing more than one train on each; this being dependent upon the train length
and loops is designed to accommodate multiples of different length trains. For
example, one loop will accommodate four number 4-car emu stock (or two number
8-car units) plus an additional four units in the add-on loops (whereas another
is designed for two 10-coach trains). The long loop with add-on loops is
configured to accommodate the ‘suburban electric services’ which shuttle around
the London-end of the layout between the fiddle yard and station.
The operation of the loops is simple for when the
first train out of a loop is travelling round through the station the second
train parked in the loop can be shunted-forward to create space for the arrival
of the returning first train at the rear of the loop.
The detailed operation of this is described under
the heading of ‘Storage loops and fiddle yard Controls’.
|
Country-end S&C with the main crossover
(mainly single & double slips) Left: the double junction is just visible in the
distance with locomotives on the Up Main Right: a green BSK marks the non-electrified
carriage siding; just beyond a 2 BIL DTC sits |
Conditional Locking (Signalling)
It would have been nice to have employed full
interlocking. However, I accepted that this would be unnecessarily complex for
a model railway and that conditional locking would suffice. This still requires
the correct turnouts to be set to allow the signals to be pulled off (thus
enabling the required electrical track feeds). However, instead of preventing a
conflicting route from being set conditional locking simply cuts the electrical
track feed which in turn halts the trains.
I shall not attempt to describe the circuitry
involved in detail at this stage (a basic wiring diagram is needed), save to
say that with a basic knowledge of relays the underlying principle is
ridiculously simple and highly effective; coming up with such circuitry just
needed a degree of lateral thinking. However, I am open to discussion on the
topic.
|
Much has changed since the previous photographs.
The substation has to be completed, and the carriage sidings taken to their
full eight-coach length. The track feeds and Tortoise motors are all wired in
place – now awaiting the production of the relay board (underneath the
layout) to control the platform entry turnouts, trailing crossover and double
junction beyond. This section
of the layout measures some 12’. |
Track Feeds & Relays
As stated, for many years I’ve no longer employ
cab-control on my layouts; instead arranging track feeds through the signalling
with a smattering of isolating sections in the scenic sections. Route setting
is employed in the storage loops /fiddle yard with just a handful of isolating
/move-up switches controlling all tracks. Essentially it is a case of just set
the road and drive the train!
Notwithstanding, the layout is being wired with the
potential to use DCC at a later date; certainly, I recognise the are benefits
from a constant 16v around the track rather than the slow starting voltages
associated with DC.
Some can find the use of relays complex. However,
whilst it requires a significant amount of wiring design and copious amounts of
relays (mostly ex. GPO aluminium-cased type 600) the circuitry involved is
essentially simplistic in terms of its repetitive design. Some might view the
task as Herculean, but really it just needs time and patience!
I like to use ex.GPO relay carriers as it gets
quite tedious if you have to build your own mounts. However, many of these
carriers (from GPO relay stations) contain ten relays: each with two pairs of
changeover contacts along with two pairs of coil feeds resulting in ten
wire-terminations per relay (eighty in total). These two pairs of coil feeds
get really useful when two separate circuits need to activate a relay - this
can be achieved without the need for selection switching.
Other relays are contained within ex.GPO metal
cases – up to 30 number type 600 relays at a time. So these have to be mounted
on a frame alongside a plywood panel covered in 3amp terminal blocks (wired to
each relay terminal) ready for mounting under the layout. Thirty relays each
with eight contact termination (plus two or four coils) means 320 separate
wires to be soldered and terminated. The whole unit is then installed under the
layout ready for connecting into the layout’s circuitry!
GPO relays rarely fail but any design does need to
have a means to enable replacement without behaving like a contortionist with a
hot soldering iron in hand! Accordingly, their mounting has to provide
reasonable means of access, and this can prove challenging.
Telephone relay circuitry usually runs on 50v (I
believe some providers now use lower voltages). Whilst many of the
lower-resistance former GPO relays work well on 12v, most are run at 24v
although a number of 50v circuits using higher-resistance relays are employed;
the 50v circuits being separated isolated from the others and are clearly
identifiable. However, I would not advocate the use of 50v circuits unless you
have sufficient knowledge and experience to design and undertake this safely.
Turnout Motors
All of the ninety-nine Tortoise® turnout
motors are powered from two-transformer sources; one side of all the turnout
motors are connected to each other. The other side goes back to the operating
lever switch (relay contacts in the storage loops /fiddle yard); this either
connects to transformer 1 (positive) or transformer 2 (negative).
At the end of its movement the Tortoise®
turnout motor simply enters a (designed) stall with power still present. Until
the new PSUs were put in place, I used old Hammant & Morgan
transformer-controllers (etc) for this purpose as the voltage can be simply
adjusted to an appropriate speed. In reality the need to run the motors at a
reduced voltage wasn’t necessary.
Marcway® double slips each require four
Tortoise® motors. It is physically possible to install all four
motors on a double slip between the two pairs of stretcher bars (motors mounted
side-by-side in pairs placed back-to-back) although this can be fiddly.
|
Tortoise® motors and
wiring on the underside of the drop-down entrance flap. With hinges to the
left, on the right are the brass lift handles, holding latch thence four
screw catches used to pull the flap up into alignment. |
Turnout motors have been installed including those
on the London-end goods yard; just a couple on the south end of the goods yard
and the branch fiddle yard awaiting fitment. Standard designs of wiring
circuits are used to make work easier on both the turnout motors and associated
relays.
One pair of contacts on each Tortoise®
motor switches the polarity of the common crossing on both Marcway® and Peco®
turnouts; this provides reliable electrical switching. On crossovers the second
pair of contacts on one of the motors makes the electrical connection between
the two tracks. Spare Tortoise® motor switches are used in the conditional
locking circuitry.
Although each turnout or crossover is numbered the
Tortoise® motors also carry a simple colour code using coloured
cable ties (tags). A single motor has one coloured tag, a simple two-motor
crossover has two and where three motors are employed three tags are used.
Working underneath the baseboard can be disorientating and these tags provide a
rapid but simple means of identifying motors.
Furthermore, each motor is placed in the ‘normal’
position and a bright yellow tag added to one of the made contact wires (either
yellow or blue) as a useful reminder when installing wiring. This is
particularly useful on crossovers where motors may be reversed so one end
normal is ‘yellow wire’ the other end it is blue.
Each turnout number is fed through their own relay.
For example, a crossover has one number on the signal-box lever frame although
uses two motors. It is powered through one relay.
At the country-end of the station several double
slips are adjacent to a single slip. On the lever frame each have one number,
but each also have three ends with each end powered by a motor (three in total)
– these being wired together to work in unison. Again, this is all powered
through one relay.
Relay panels
Where route setting is employed, the turnouts are
switched through relays. A total of four of these panels are required for the
storage loops and fiddle yard. Each relay panel comprises twenty relays
/three-amp termination blocks and two-hundred eyelets to secure the wiring!
The 12mm boards are from an 8’x4’ sheet accurately
cut into nine by the timber supplier. Fixed to the board with 2BA bolts, each
relay rack can be detached lest relay replacement is required. However, each
relay was cleaned and tested before fitting and wiring; the circuits were
tested again before mounting under the layout.
These relays are former GPO type 600 dating back to
the 1950s; today it is unusual to find them with their protective aluminium
cases. Each relay has two pairs of changeover contacts and two (rather than
one) coil; this second coil proving vulnerable for switching the automated
turnouts in the middle of the storage loops.
One set of changeover contacts is used to switch
the Tortoise motors: these motors being powered from a centre-tap +12v /0v
/-12v supply from a pair of transformers. However, the GPO type 600 relay
obtain 24v of power from across the +12v /-12v connections of the paired
transformers.
|
Relay bank (nos.01-20) prior to installation. Controlling the Up and Down south-end storage
loops, these Type 600 relays are seen mounted and wired (two relays to a
column) prior to installation. The wires are secured by cable ties to brass
eyelets (just visible). Once in place the layout’s free-wring will drop
down the currently vacant columns to the connector blocks |
This relay bank is now in-situ, wired and fully
operational controlling the Up and Down Country-end main-line storage loops
along with the Up and Down Branch storage loops and fiddle yard. All the
switching contacts on all these relays are used.
In 2020 the second (identical) relay bank was
fabricated and installed to control the mainline turnouts at the London-end of
Ewhurst Green; a third was also installed for the fiddle yard’s London-end
branch turnouts. The third relay bank is in operation.
Storage Loops & Fiddle Yard Controls
Personal preference is for controls to be simple,
intuitive and quick to operate. In addition, the risk of operating failures
including train collisions should be designed-out as far as possible.
There are eighteen main-line storage loops into
total, arranged in a staggered formation. At the Country-end this comprises
five Up and five Down loops. However, the staggered arrangement provides four
up and four down additional loops that can only be accessed off each of the Up
and Down outside loop lines nos.1, 5 6 & 10. In other words, the Down Line
has loops numbered 1 to 5; from loop 1 the staggered additional loops nos.1a
& 1b can be accessed. Similarly, from loop 5 the staggered additional loops
nos.5a & 5b can be accessed. Loops nos. 2, 3 & 4 cannot access these
additional loops, and stock uses centre-road 3 (an extension of storage road
3).
Diagrammatic Arrangement of Down Line Storage Loops
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5-way Rotary Switch |
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Automated turnouts |
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5-way Rotary switch |
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Loop 1 |
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Loop 1a |
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Entry |
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Loop 2 |
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Loop 1b |
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Exit |
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London-end |
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Loop 3 |
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Centre 3 |
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Country-end |
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Loop 4 |
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Loop 5a |
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Loop 5 |
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Loop 5b |
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On /Off Section Switches |
1 |
2 |
3 |
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4 |
5 |
6 |
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||
[I know, a
better diagram is needed but the webpage wouldn’t recognise diagonal lines].
In summation:
Loop 1 has three isolating sections; loops 1a and
1b also have three isolating sections each (else exit via centre 3).
Loops 2 and 3 have two isolating sections (plus
centre 3).
Loop 4 has three isolating sections (plus centre
3).
Loop 5 has three isolating sections; loops 5a and
5b also have two isolating sections each (else exit via centre 3).
The automatic turnouts /crossings in the middle of
the storage loops are mounted on the drop-down door-entry flap which could not
be used for the storage of rolling stock without mass-shunting every time the
flap needed to be opened. Furthermore, this arrangement permits the
rearrangement of trains on (say) loop no.1 as the train on section 3 can be
released by via centre track 3 instead of having to let that on 1a section 6 go
first.
|
Down Main Storage Loops - Route Controls The two black rotary
switches select the routes (currently set for loop 3 /centre loop 3) into a
total of nine storage
loops. There is an identical set controls for the Up Main storage loops,
thence a similar of non-illuminated pair for the two Up and Down Branch
storage loops. |
Selection of Loops
Entry into each set of loops is switched by two
rotary switches controlling the turnouts at either end of each set of loops
(i.e. Entry into and Exit out of the loops).
Along the length of the two sets of five Up and
Down storage loops there is a maximum of six isolating sections with a
‘five’-way rotary switches (at the entry and exit) route-selecting the each of
five sets of loops. The Down line is loop nos.1 to 5 (plus 1a, 1b, 5a & 5b)
and the Up line loop nos. 6 to 10 (plus 6a, 6b, 10a & 10b) tracks.
There are turnouts /crossovers mid-way down each of
the storage loop sections where (say) Down loops nos.1 to 5 all converge onto
an extension of storage road 3. However, these turnouts /crossovers also give
entry into four additional loops 1a /1b (from loops 1) and 5a /5b (from loop
5). These turnouts /crossovers operate automatically relative to the position
of the two sets of rotary switches.
On the Down Line whilst one switch (left) selects
tracks 1 to 5, the position of the other (right) can select either 1a, 1b, 5a
or 5b (else out via centre track no.3) with the intermediate pointwork
operating automatically to achieve this. However, if (say) track 2 is selected
(with no route into 1a (etc.) then the pointwork will automatically default to
departure via the centre track no.3.
The Up Line as a similar arrangement save to say
the centre track no.8 and additional loops are approached first. Rotary
switches are used in a similar way to control the Branch line storage loops (11
& 12) and fiddle yard tracks (13 to 16).
Finally, some of the Up and Down storage loop’s
‘five’-way rotary switches have a sixth position which activate the trailing
crossovers at each end enabling reversal of pull-push /multiple unit trains.
Storage loops 10a or 10b being intended for the reversal of the London Bridge
to Ewhurst Green 8-car electric peak-hour terminating service.
The white operating panel is simple and robust,
being made from 50mm square section UPVC electrical trunking; the front removes
for maintenance access.
|
Down Main Storage Loops – Section Switches Between the rotary
switches the six On /Off switches energise individual track sections; their
offset LEDs indicate which track sections are in use for any given route (not
all routes use all six isolating switches). There is an identical set controls for the Up Main storage loops,
thence a similar of non-illuminated pair for the two Up and Down Branch
storage loops. |
Isolating Sections
Each storage loop is split into isolating sections;
these sections differ in length, so some loops have six isolating sections (for
short trains); others just two (for longer trains). Rather than have large
banks of switches there is just one row of isolating switches which relates to
the storage loop selected by the rotary switches. LED lights illuminate in
order to identify which isolating switches apply to the selected storage loop.
For example, all six LEDs will illuminate for the
six (short-length) isolating-sections in storage loop no.1 and additional loop
1a /1b combined. However, just two LEDs will illuminate for the switches which
control the two (long-length) isolating-sections in (say) storage loop no.2.
Although sections 1, 2 & 6 are always needed they too are illuminated for
visual consistency.
Not only does this arrangement provide for simple
route-setting operation (reducing the margin of error) it both reduces the size
of control panel required along with the number of switches needed from 28 to 8
for (say) the Down fiddle yard tracks when compared to ‘traditional’ switching
arrangements!
Two of the Up and Down storage roads (outer pairs –
1 & 5 /6 & 10) can each access two additional storage roads (Down 1a
& 1b - 5a & 5b /Up 6a & 6b - 10a & 10b) so both an ‘IN’ and
‘OUT’ rotary switch is needed; the relative position of each automatically sets
crossovers midway along the main line fiddle yard loops. There is a trailing
crossover at each end of the mainline storage loops and two of the four black
rotary switches have a 6th position to control these.
Operation of Isolating Loops
Along the length of the storage loops there is a
maximum of six isolating sections with a ‘five’-way rotary switches (at the
entry and exit) route-selecting the five loops. The six on-off isolating
switches (to be technically correct switching-off) activate the sections in the
selected storage lops with all other loops automatically switched-out.
|
Storage Loop |
Number |
Additional |
Equiv. Coach Lengths |
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Down Line |
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1 |
3 |
(1a & 1b) |
5 |
|
1a |
(from 1) |
3 |
5 |
|
1b |
(from 1) |
3 |
5 |
|
2 |
2 |
None |
9 |
|
3 |
2 |
None |
8 |
|
4 |
3 |
None |
8 |
|
5 |
3 |
(5a & 5b) |
4 |
|
5a |
(from 5) |
2 |
4 |
|
5b |
(from 5) |
2 |
4 |
|
|
Up Line |
|
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|
6 |
3 |
(6a & 6b) |
6 |
|
6a |
(from 6) |
2 |
6 |
|
6b |
(from 6) |
2 |
6 |
|
7 |
2 |
None |
9 |
|
8 |
2 |
None |
8 |
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9 |
3 |
None |
8 |
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10 |
4 |
(10a & 10b) |
4 |
|
10a |
(from 10) |
2 |
4 |
|
10b |
(from 10) |
2 |
4 |
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Down Branch |
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11 |
5 |
None |
5 |
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Up Branch |
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12 |
5 |
None |
5 |
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|
Isolation of the storage loop /fiddle yard tracks
is undertaken through the route setting in order to do away with the vast
arrays of switches so often seen on layouts. Instead, each of the isolating
switches only refer to the tracks upon which each route is set (this is
covered later). The wiring is simple and straightforward if not
time-consuming (particularly as fishplates are not relied upon for
conductivity).
There is no common return in these loops; for by
using one set of the turnout motor’s switch-contacts only the return rail of
the selected track is connected to the layout’s common return. This means power
can provided through each isolating section on /off switch across five roads;
but a train can only move on the storage loop selected and connected to the
layout’s common return. Simple but effective.
Ultimately some storage loops may be fully
automated using infrared detectors.
Relay Operation
Visiting sound locomotives and multiple units
identified some voltage drops in the storage loops, in part due to the length
of some cable runs. Whilst not a huge issue the decision was made to eradicate
these commencing with the layout’s ‘London’ end storage loops.
A termination board for thirty type 600 relays
(mounted in a large GPO ‘can’ to one side) was prepared. This is not easy for
access to both front and rear of the relays is required for future maintenance.
There is one 24-volt relay for each isolating
section with the relay wired in parallel with the turnout relay. Up to five
relays are operated from the existing (but reused) on-off switch on the panel.
However, only of these five relays can be energised (with the selection of the
designed loop).
As a consequence, all the voltage drops were
eliminated. However, I do need to prepare a diagram to visually express all
this as the reality is quite straightforward!
Power Supplies
On my previous layout (Apothecary Street) old
H&M /Triang /GPO 12v power units were utilised along with 50v GPO power
supply units (PSUs); the latter being purpose-built by the GPO and metal
encased. As a temporary measure these old 12v power units are being reused on
Ewhurst Green. However, going forward six-number modern PSUs with a higher smoothed
output (10 amp each) were always envisaged; these are mounted in protected
enclosures because of the exposed mains inputs.
Ewhurst Green uses five voltages with 12-14v DC
being the most common. However, the signals run at 9v DC, the turntable
operates at 16v AC, the storage loops /fiddle yard type 600 relays at 24v DC
and the type 3000 GPO relays in the station’s conditional locking use 50v DC.
The 50v supply comes from the purpose-made ex-GPO metal-cased power supply
units previously mentioned.
Excluding some of the controllers which have an
internal power supply unit (PSU), the six number DIN-rail mounted PSUs are
employed in pairs; each with a smoothed ten-amp DC output. Four of these are
linked to provide +12v /0v /-12v for the ninety-nine relay-operated Tortoise
turnout motors.
Each Tortoise motor is operated through a 24v
relay, so power is taken from across the +12v /-12v transformer taps to give
24v for the type 600 relays used in the turnout-motor controls. Although the
type 600 relays will operate on 12v, their operation is much improved with 24v.
|
One of the 12v /24v twin 10A locking power supply
cabinets. |
Each PSU draws 2.6 amps from the mains, these
transformers are fed through a surge protected supply taken off one of the
‘isolating’ ring mains in the track room. In other words, these ring mains can
be powered down when leaving the track room.
Mercury Displacement Relays
All these transformers are plugged into the
track-room’s lower ring main in pairs; the total current draw of all six main
10-amp transformers alone being 15.6-amp (then there are all
the controllers and secondary transformers) so these are supplied through three
separate 13-amp plugs.
To avoid the tedium of switching off each plug
individually (including forgetting to do so), a single master switch for the
layout has been installed which powers up two Michigan-built MDI Mercury
Displacement Relays in the far side of the track-room. These Mercury
Displacement Relays now energise two of the 13-amp supplies to four of the main
power supply units (balanced with other transformers and controller loads).
|
Mercury Displacement Relays being bench-prepared
in a locking cabinet. |
Photographed
on the bench (but now mounted, wired and commissioned into use), the power feed
to the Mercury Displacement Relays will enter (in trunking) the underside of
the cabinet to the Blue /Earth Live terminals up on the left. The 2.5-amp
switched circuits will enter in the top from a control cabined immediately
above; brown for LH relay – blue for RH relay. As these Mercury Displacement
Relays operate at 120v they are wired in series – you can just hear the slight deep
hum when energised!
I wonder how many other model railways use these?
|
The test track was pulled away from the back wall
to enable the painted sky-boards to be fixed in place; their top edge
slipping under the beading. Country end S&C. Six sidings can be seen starting to curve away
to the right; beyond is the junction where the non-electrified double-track
branch will curve away to the right from the electrified main line. |
Painted Sky
After much consideration, a simple painted sky back
scene was opted for; this being very effective on fellow ESF member P4 layouts
of Oxted and Redhill. It also enables the future use of trompe-l'œil
behind the trees in order to provide the effect of depth. Furthermore, Ian’s
adept and creative wife Wendy had offered to paint it – her work was excellent!
Each scenic board was numbered and painted
matt-white ready for Wendy to undertake her magic with sponges and various
acrylic paints; the sky effect being carried across each board joint (completed
March 2017).
Unfortunately, the room’s daylight simulation
lighting means the photographs simply do not do the final sky-effect justice.
However, they look excellent in-person and I’m extremely grateful for Wendy’s
creative time and work.
|
London direction - D6580 is sitting on the Down
Main. Left to right - Up Loop no.1, Up Passenger Loop, Up Main, Down Main (with the realigned temporary test circuit
alongside) |
Backscene & Access to Lighting
Along the length of the scenic side of the layout
is a continuous support-bead originally intended to provide a firm rest if any
of the fluorescent strip light’s high-frequency electronic ballasts needed to
be replaced. Essentially leaning over a scenic layout could present
logistical-reach issues; the support-bead (a beam with a lip) could enable a
flat board to be placed and supported above the layout reducing any potential
damage to the layout.
However, the use of LED replacement tubes left the
electronic ballasts redundant reducing the potential need for maintenance
access (the LED tubes are easily reached). It does highlight the benefit of
using LED replacement tubes instead of integral LED light fitting which require
complete replacement when they fail – a small stock of LED replacement tubes is
kept to one side.