Greetings one and all.

I have just returned to railway modelling after a 60 year break.

So much has changed and yet so much seems much as it was when I first dabbled with flexitrack and Peco wonderful wagons all those years ago after having a Hornby three rail set as a nipper.

Moving to a bungalow with a decent sized, good headroom, well insulated loft with easy access got me in to it again. A place to go and tinker when it's too cold to fettle old motorcycles in the garage.

So I have some baseboards erected and am going to go for an OO scale code 75 track representation of Wombourn station, which is not far from my place. Fiddle yards each end, at least to begin with.

I have a .jpg of the original station plans drawn up in 1913 (from the National Archives)  which is a great starting point and slightly more interesting than how it actually was in the 30's when passengers were still being carried or the goods only 60's. The plan shows the goods yard with two sidings rarher than just the one shown in the photos I have tracked down. The scenario will be made more realistic by Kernow Models launching a model of a GWR steam railmotor, as most passenger services used one. I'm happy to do some 'what if' running too though.

I'm avidly reading forum threads to get hints and tips, but I may have some newbie questions!



 

Hi and welcome 72degrees (you haven't told us your name).

Looking forward to seeing your plans.




Ed

Ed said

Hi and welcome 72degrees (you haven't told us your name).

Looking forward to seeing your plans.




Ed

From “Post #288,983”, 16th November 2023, 9:06 AM

Thanks for the welcome Ed.
I'm Pete.
By the way, 72 degrees is the angle between the cylinders of a Moto Morini 350 V twin motorcycle my other 'obsession'.

Hi Pete.

Interesting subject you've picked for your layout, just looked it up and the station was only open to passenger traffic for seven years.


Ed

Yes, a bit of a late starter and not really got the demand expected I think. Wombourn station is rather grandiose considering. The main building and one platform are still there and the line is now a traffic free cycling and walking path. The Station  building houses a cafe.

I have a plan from  a Ned Williams (local historian) book (By Rail to Wombourn) as well as the GWR 1913 design. I'll perhaps start a thread in a suitable area once things are more underway. Aiming for something along these schematic lines but  with an extra goods siding and may need to 'compress' the platforms and goods loop lengths a bit to fit it all in. Got to do more printing out from the Narional Archives jpg to 00 scale and get measuring on the baseboards I have up. Two more 1200x400 kits arrived to today with a view to fiddle yards. I don't forsee me running long trains - even if a 60's goods scenario.

Following along  



Ed

Welcome to the club Pete.

Welcome to the club Pete - you're not the only one whose desire to model trains was interupted by other, less important things in life but as they say, everything come to he who waits.  My lay-off was only around 45 years but it's good to be back.

I like your track plan - a small sleepy station with the odd suitcase or cow to be delivered sounds ideal - I take it you do like scenic modelling being a GWR man ...................

Enjoy yourself and keep us up to speed as Wombourn develops.

Petermac said

I like your track plan - a small sleepy station with the odd suitcase or cow to be delivered sounds ideal - I take it you do like scenic modelling being a GWR man ...................

Enjoy yourself and keep us up to speed as Wombourn develops.

From “Post #288,998”, 16th November 2023, 10:50 PM

Yes, fair to say I'm more in to trying to replicate the past than lots of train movement. Not a GWR man as such. I would have modelled the same station whichever one of the Big Four used to operate it. I'm old enough to remember travelling behind steam trains (though not on this line) so will concentrate on the period when passenger services were still running. Not averse to running some BR 60's goods scenarios though to justify getting a loco or two  other than an 0-6-0-PT.

Will do. Trying to persuade SWMBO that I can have a greater length of baseboards up in the loft than originally envisaged  

Following along.  After modelling LMS in 00 for around 30 years, I made a switch to 0 gauge (best thing I ever did btw).  For that, I decided to model BR in the early 1960's.  This means I can run pre-nationalization and BR locos and stock without worrying much about whether it's wrong.

John