Model and Miniature
TRACKWORKER (incorporating the Signal)
This is the one that nearly got away - Now finally available via the Web!
MRC eld
from the members of Uck
Articles
and
Features
News,
The journal of Uckeld Model Railway Club. Published on an occasional2008 basis / 2009 Winter 2001 / 2002
Dec2008TWCover.indd 1 10/01/2009, 07:03 Model and Miniature TrackWorker Winter 2008/2009
Editor: John Pollington. e-mail: [email protected]
CONTENTS Next Issue: Summer 2009
CLUB DIARY Deadline for the next issue will be determined by the Meetings and other events: 2 amount of material submitted to the Editor.
FEATURE Submission of any item which may be of interest Adventures of K.C. the Engineer: 3 to our readers would be welcome, including good quality colour or monochrome photos or diagrams for inclusion on the front and rear cover, or to EXHIBITION REPORTS complement written articles. Publication cannot be Club Show 2001 - First Impressions: 7 guaranteed and material may have to be edited, split or held over for future issues. Bentley Miniature Railway since 2000: 8 Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those LAYOUT REPORTS of the Editor, the Management Council or the Board Leysdown (P4): 10 of Directors. Buckham Hill (0): 10 Test Track “Polo Mint” (N, TT, 00, EM &P4: 10 Netherhall and Fletching (00): 10 Cover photograph Oak Valley (N): 10 Cranbrook (P4): 10 Laurie’s Wren “Bill Powell” arriving at Glyndebourne Wood station back in 2005, during BMR’s 10th Anniversary cavalcade weekend. Editorial
Time flies yet again, and it’s more than a few years since the last issue, so here I go burning the midnight oil again. Although I’m “retired” now, I still don’t seem to have nearly enough free time on my hands to do everything I want to; strange, isn’t it?
This issue features the last episode in the series “Adventures of K.C. the Engineer”, which had been held over from the last TrackWorker (Winter 2000). Certainly worth waiting for.
Hopefully (now, where have I said that before?) the next issue will not bee too long in gestation. From this issue onwards the TrackWorker will be available online via the club website members area. A very limited number of copies will be available at both of our club locations on a first-come-first-served basis for those who still do not have access to the World Wide Web. The next issue publication date will depend on material supplied by YOU, so please send your submissions to me at the email address above as soon as you can.
Happy modelling.
John Pollington
Uckfield Model Railway Club Limited is a Company Limited by Guarantee, incorporated on 13 August1999. Registered Company No.3824818. Registered Office: c/o Richard Place Dobson, 5 High Street, Edenbridge, Kent TN85AB Company Officers and Board of Directors - 2008/9 Company Secretary: Company Treasurer: Directors: Alex Tombling David Clifford Barry Miller, Geoff Billington, Alex Tombling, Keith Nock, Martin Marrison
Management Council - 2008/9
President: Chairman: Secretary: Treasurer: Management Council Members:
Keith Nock Martin Marrison Alan Morris David Clifford Barry Miller, David Kiernan, Derek Barlow, John Pollington, Geoff Billington
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CLUB DIARY 2009
CLUB MEETINGS are held in our rented HQ building north of Uckfield, every Monday evening. Open from 7:30pm. Details of Club model railway activities and layouts are also available on Adrian Colenutt’s web site: www.uckfieldmrc.co.uk. Members also meet at weekends for the maintenance of our miniature railway in the grounds of Bentley Wildfowl & Motor Museum, on Thursday evenings during the summer months, and every Saturday outside the main operating season. During the operating season, from mid-March to October, members operate the Bentley Miniature Railway on Saturday afternoons, Sundays and Bank Holidays, plus daily during local school holiday times. Details of Bentley Miniature Railway, its operating days and features on the locomotives are also available on the club’s web site: www.bentleyrailway.co.uk (there are links from our web site to Adrian’s, but be aware that there may not be any to bring you back, so you may need to use the ‘back’ button)
Club Diary items are normally detailed in the Club Newsletter which is published separately. However, a short list of some of the key events are listed here for your information.
February 13-15
Brighton ModelWorld at the Brighton Centre - setting-up day is Thursday 12th. Extra hands needed on Thursday and Sunday (particularly the evening pack-up and transport back to HQ) - Contact Alex Tombling if you are able to assist.
February 16-20
Half-Term: Daily operations at Bentley Miniature Railway
April 10-13
Easter weekend at Bentley Miniature Railway
May
June
July 20 - September 4
School Holidays: Daily operations at Bentley Miniature Railway
September 18-20
Woodfair at Bentley - 3-days of intensive operations at BMR
October 17-18
Club Annual Exhibition at Uckfield Civic Centre
October 26-30
Half-Term: Daily operations at Bentley Miniature Railway
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The Adventures of K.C. the Engineer ...... (continued from Dec. 2000 issue) Ukraine part 3
Prikliochenie roman sochineniya K.C. mashinistii - chasti tre.
Thiss iss mi sekonnd eneleesh leson, I thingk I r getinng qwite god. - Allo it is Kyril Clavootich, K.C. the Ingineer, from Kiev. Privetstvie, Welcome.
As the plane taxied towards the terminal, past rows of As we lifted the blinds during the night yet another train Tupolov tri motors, (like a 727 only no motors, they had rolled through and freights clumped by on both sides all been removed for repair), the level of excitement was of the sleeper. At day break we found that we had rising. I know you can get pills for that but I have been been parked all night next to the Moscow up line on a interested in the railways of the Soviet Union for many house track probably used to stable officer’s inspection years. Now my first visit was beginning. saloons. The station was a long way away in the distance and we didn’t go anywhere near it all the time Not much sign of the railway on the drive to Kiev, which we were there. The station access road crossed the line is 20km from Borispol airport. The roadside direction just by our sleeper and there seemed to be a public signs measured the distance to any where in hundreds path across the Moscow line as well. Those crossing the of kilometers! The bus pulled up outside Kiev Passenger line just hitched up their skirts (if they were women!), put Voxsal, the main town railway station. (Yes, you’ve their bikes on their shoulders and crossed the four main guessed it, the name for a station in Russian is taken tracks only waiting when the trains were in the way!. from the south London terminus of the old London and We had about an hour to wait whist the light improved Southampton. Apparently the Russians were on a fact and breakfast was made before our steam loco arrived. finding visit and were taken there. Seeing the station Today a class TE 2-10-0 ex DR Kriegslok. Whilst waiting name on big boards everywhere they thought it was the three freight trains headed for Kiev arrived and pulled English word for station. We know it isn’t, but it’s a good up for inspection, and two passed through the station story and all true!) The station, like a huge Scandinavian headed for Moscow, with at least one light engine on barn rose up in front of us. The square in front of the the branch line. station was packed with people, but very few cars. Our train was at platform one, next to the main building. At Kiev there are twenty six platforms, 19 through roads, 5 stub end tracks at the west end for suburban terminating trains as well as platforms on a double track avoiding line that runs below the station square. It’s very big and very busy. Behind a ChS4 25,000 volt AC electric our train trundeled along to Bakmatch, our first overnight stop on this trip. The distance from Kiev to Bakmatch is about 195km and three hours later we arrived and were trying to sleep. The train was stabled next to the Kiev to Moscow main line. This was big time railroading right outside the window and it gives me the opportunity to tell you about the train services found in the Ukraine, (and the ex Soviet Union). The freight trains, hauled by class VL80 electrics, Bakmatch is a junction between the Kiev to Moscow contained loads of all descriptions, mixed general main line and a secondary single track line running freight, bulk freight, Red Army tanks converted for use between Riga, Minsk, Kaliningrad, Vilnius and Gomel as fire fighters, forklift trucks, tank cars including that in the north west and Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk and the Soviet specialty, the eight axle tank car, as well as Caucasus to the south east. The main line to the north obvious empties and covered vans. One of the trains passes through Briansk on the way to Moscow. Trains was the Ukrainian equivalent of a merry go round to the south from Moscow go to Odessa, Kishiniv, and train, called a “carousel” train, all bogie hoppers. As for most areas of South East Europe such as Budapest, passenger trains Bakmatch is a twenty four hour a day Sofia and Prague. Trains to Odessa can travel through place. The train service shown in the table is taken from Kiev or via a secondary route through Yevtushenko. the 1985 All Soviet Union passenger timetable. It is Bakmatch is really just a simple country junction typical probably the peak service ever offered in the USSR. of any number of places on a main line in the Ukraine or By 1994 it may have diminished slightly, but you get an Russia. The train service, however, almost defies belief. idea of the service. - 3 -
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Departures from Bakmatch Voxal, Southern Railway, Ukraine Tables 7, 22, 31 and 266 in 1986 USSR National Passenger Timetable
From Time Train No To and “Train Name” Kovel 0:50 78 Moscow “Volin” Dnepropetrovsk 10:03 135/136 Leningrad Moscow 1:15 375 Odessa Voronesh 10:08 131 Kiev Khemlinitsky 1:20 191 Moscow Lvov 10:37 558 Archangel Zhmerinka 1:32 634 Moscow Minsk 10:48 94/93 Simferopol Minsk 1:38 512/511 Simferopol Riga 12:40 58/57 Sochi Volgograd 1:50 1981 Kiev Kiev 12:57 174 Volgograd Adler 1:50 37/38 Minsk Odessa 13:28 36 Moscow Moscow 2:14 77 Kovel “Volin” Sumi 13:44 607 Kiev Kiev 2:31 81 Novosibirsk Moscow 14:35 193 Odessa Kharkov 2:50 613 Kiev Novosibirsk 14:40 82 Kiev Kiev 2:55 614 Kharkov Odessa 14:55 310/309 Sverdlovsk Moscow 3:15 191/192 Khemlinitsky Bakmatch 15:05 670/669 Kremenchug Kiev 3:20 608 Sumi Moscow 15:05 595 Grebenka Zhnamenka 4:44 150 Moscow Archangel 16:40 557/558 Lvov Simferopol 4:45 93/94 Minsk Kiev 17:30 552 Moscow Moscow 4:51 23 Odessa “Odessa” Odessa 17:53 574/573 Gorki Truskavets 5:37 34 Moscow “Truskavets” Odessa 18:03 572/571 Archangel Kaliningrad 6:22 112/111 Kharkov “Arzhni” Ivanovo Frankovsk 18:05 102 Moscow Odessa 6:30 194 Moscow Moscow 18:15 377 Kishinev Moscow 6:47 3 Kiev “Kiev” Murmansk 18:25 369/370 Odessa Moscow 6:54 1 Kiev “Ukraina”, (does not stop) Odessa 18:30 376 Moscow Kishiniv 7:19 48 Moscow “Moldova” Sverdlovsk 19:35 358 Kiev Moscow 7:21 73 Lvov “Verkhovina” Moscow 20:05 35 Odessa Kremenchug 7:46 669/670 Bakmatch Moscow 20:15 13 Sofia “Dunai Express” Minsk 8:17 200/199 Kharkov Kiev 20:15 132 Voronesh Moscow 8:20 149 Zhnamenka Leningrad 20:46 136/135 Dnepropetrovsk Kishiniv 8:35 142 Moscow Kiev 20:48 42 Moscow “Yiobileini” Moscow 8:40 41 Kiev “Yiobilini” Moscow 21:15 923 Kiev (post and baggage train) Kishiniv 8:43 372/371 Murmansk Minsk 21:28 352/351 Novorossisk Kiev 8:50 924 Moscow (postal and baggage) Moscow 21:57 101 Ivanovo Frankovsk Moscow 8:54 47 Kishiniv “Moldova” Moscow 22:00 551 Kiev Odessa 9:00 330/329 Moscow Gomel 22:12 634 Kharkov Minsk 9:04 605/606 Kiev Sverdlovsk 22:27 309 Odessa Kharkov 9:15 111/112 Kaliningrad “Arzhni” Archangel 22:33 571 Odessa Odessa 9:16 370/369 Murmansk Kiev 22:36 4 Moscow “Kiev” Odessa 9:24 330/329 Moscow Moscow 22:43 33 Truskavets “Truskavets” Sverdlovsk 9:28 357 Kiev Sumi 22:45 185 Moscow Minsk 9:41 38/37 Adler Lvov 23:06 74 Moscow “Verkhovina” Kiev 23:35 2 Moscow “Ukraina”, (does not stop) In addition 15 International trains in each direction pass Bakmatch without stopping.
Every day over 90 trains pass through Bakmatch, westbound. Khabravosk is not the end of the line, it is a some traveling many hundreds or even thousands of further 766km and about 24 hours to Vladivostok and kilometers to reach their destinations. This total does one or two of the cars from the train go on to here! This not include any suburban trains to or from Kiev. Trains train travels over the lines of 10 of the 32 railways in the include those such as 81 and 82 traveling deep into CIS. The car allocations and routings for trains 939/940 Siberia to Novosibirsk, or trains 557/558 and 369/370 are such that the train grow and shrinks in size as it heading beyond the Arctic circle to Murmansk and stops at the various stations. Eastbound there are 27 car Archangel. numbers allocated and westbound 36, although not all cars travel every day. The general pattern of services in the Soviet Union was for each city of any importance to have its own train Named trains are shown in the timetable and also in the to and from Moscow each day. As these trains join the table with this report. Generally train numbers indicate main lines, at junctions like Bakmatch, the frequency of the quality of the service, the lower the number the trains serving any particular town or city increases. As better and faster the train. A train will cover between you would expect the length of journey is, in some cases 800 and 1400km per 24 hours of the journey. Trains considerable, ranging over thousands of kilometers. Kiev can have both odd and even number depending upon is 872 km from Moscow and Odessa is 650km beyond their direction on each Railway used. The times in the Kiev via Vinnitsa on the direct line. In Ukraine in the Russian timetable are all Moscow time, so you have to 1997 national working timetable the longest train journey know your time zone ahead or behind Moscow before shown is that of train 939/940 from Kharkov. This train you set off for the station and have your wits about you!. is a post and baggage service that runs to Khabravosk, In Ukraine the timetable today recognizes Ukraine time a distance of 9,115km. The trip takes 214 hours within the national borders but Moscow or any one else’s 17 minutes eastbound and 223 hours 50 minutes time outside.
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Another example of the level of passenger service few minutes getting the fire right, open the regulator and comes from the Rostov on Don line now almost entirely hey presto you have your very own smoke and sound within Russia. This line runs from Kursk Station in effects as the train blasts past, pulls up and sets back. Moscow. There are at least 51 trains each day each Do you want to do it again and just watch? - no problem way over the 929km of the line to Lozovaya. Overall - and back goes the train. Again please, Valenten - “OK! the journey time is about 20 hrs for the 1346km to but no more after this we’re starting to hold up the Rostov. The trains are not small, between 16 and 24 service trains!”. cars weighing in at 1300t including two restaurant cars as well as post and baggage cars. These trains could be following each other at 5 or 10 minute intervals over the entire distance to Lozovaya. As you can readily appreciate the facilities needed to support this kind of service level are huge. Coach yards are enormous, as are most town stations. Medium sized or larger stations are generally very wide island platforms containing all the buildings and other facilities as well as a road access. Goods bypass lines run outside the passenger roads.
Once you get away from the main lines things calm down a bit. The special tour trains use all kind’s of lines during the week but run pasts and steam haulage tend to be only on lighter used secondary lines. After Bakmatch our special train headed for Krivoi Rog, a major steel center at one end of what was said, in Soviet After a run past is a good time to ride with the crew. propaganda in the 1930’s, to be the busiest railway in So just climb up, settle into a corner of the cab or sit the world. As the line leads to the Donetsk coalfields on the fireman’s seat box and enjoy the fun. You’ve no and thus links iron, steel and coal there may be some idea how rough a freight steam engine can be. Every small justification for the claim. These three traffics were wheel revolution crashes up through the cab floor, the always a fertile combination in Soviet days for massive engine twists from side to side with each piston thrust traffic flows over very long distances. Having observed and the stoker engine makes the whole thing deafening. the line I think there must be some doubt over the The draft from the fire can pull the coal off the shovel claim. It is very scenic, mostly single track and passes and god help you if the 5 chime whistle sticks open! (The through the village of Toc (or Tic if you are Russian), it’s driver closes it with a lump hammer by giving it a clout only a small place so you have to “watch” out for it. It’s - but he’s got to climb up right next to it to get a good certainly not the busiest line now otherwise we couldn’t swing at it!!) have done the photo run past with a triple headed diesel combination of 2TE3 and TE10L in the middle of the On one trip the crew were busy with a problem on our afternoon. TE class. We were running on the second track of a section of double line between Bakmatch and Tschors. A typical day on the tour might begin with breakfast at The tour train had been given the second track to 07:30 whilst a 2-10-0 class SO couples up to the train. keep out of the way and it meant we could stop as Off we’d go. For the next 6 or 8 hours the engine was often as we liked whilst the other services went by ours. There might be 6 or 10 photo stops and run pasts on the line beside us. The loco was only doing about scheduled for the day. The train crew know from other 35kmh and the three crew were busy fiddling about with trips the best places and will watch out for them and the the injector. Eventually someone looked up and ahead. sun so that we can get the light just right. If we don’t like “Krasni signal!” (Red signal!). They really jumped to it the chosen place we say so and we move the train. If then and we pulled up safely at the end of this section of you want to stop tell Misha or Valenten and they’ll pull second track and waited to pull onto the single main. It up for you. Three long whistles - grab the camera and was an interesting “operating” experience. bundle out. The provodniks (car attedants) will open the door on the safe side of the train, you swing down onto You will find that it is possible to work out most of what is the ballast (3 or 4 feet below the step!) and make a going on even if you don’t speak Russian (or Ukrainian line for photos. One crow on the whisle and the train which is very similar). The crew will not speak English backs up. If it’s not far enough away, (and this is a video but may know some German, for the last tourist that problem, you want empty line as the sequence starts) came the way the tour train was going were the German just tell Misha or Valenten to radio the driver - and the Army. A packet of cigarettes works wonders. Take for train goes back further!. With about 20 people on the trip instance a trip one afternoon in the cab of a 2M62 getting a good place is not a problem. The crew, after a class diesel. The radio cackled into life and the second
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Dec2008TWContents.indd 4-5 11/01/2009, 09:04 Winter 2008/2009 Model and Miniature TrackWorker
man began writing down a list of distances and speeds. KGB did not really cause problems. I have permission The crew were being reminded of the list of speed to tell you about class AA. (You remember I talk about restrictions on the line by Control. After the list was it in chasti dva before I was arrested by that dreadful finished the driver grabbed the radio. Whilst not every Knock Knock joke!) word was understandable the sentiment of what was In 1930 mainline standard axle load was 20t. An said was quite clear - “Don’t bother me with restrictions exercise was undertaken to establish what was biggest at kilometer 55 (the first number written down by the freight locomotive that could be built at 20t load limit. second man), we’re at kilometer 60 (which we were) - Prototype 4-14-4 was built by Voroshilovgrad in 1934. this is an International Express” he said as our tour train Named after its designer, Andrei Andreyev, class AA-20 trundled along at about 40kmh. was largest non articulated locomotive ever built in Europe, as well as one with most coupled axles in Lunch is called any one frame ever built in world, no doubt thanks to the time between 1130 glorious Soviet Union workers. As might be expected and 1430 depending it was prone to derailments. Damage to switches and upon the schedule crossings was major problem. The Russians put it in for the day. Depot store. It was then scrapped. Pity, but it would look good visits or sometimes in any gauge as a model! works visits are also made. Servicing and One last point, the Russian penchant for rebuilding watering of the tour locomotives resulted in the class Shch 2-8-0 becoming train and locomotives the Shchch class during the 1920’s. is often done whilst waiting for service trains. These stops Dosvidanyia my English chums. I hope that you have often give the chance enjoyed this story of the railways in Ukraine. Tours run to see something of two or three times a year from England, I’m sure you village life beyond would have a wonderful time. the station. The time See you again soon. machine cranks up a gear and takes you K.C. the Engineer to another age once you leave the railway. The villages are often very quite with pot holed roads, no cars, no obvious shops and if seen just after winter, not a trace of anything green, just an expanse of brown mud right up to the roadside. The record for the number of cars held up at a level crossing in the three trips I have done is 11!!
Dinner, perhaps with the train stabled, or sometimes on the move to the next days starting point, is followed by beer, vodka or champanski in the saloon car with a folk group on hand to sing and play through the evening. A few quick choruses of “Stenka Reisen” which is a national favorite made famous by the Seekers breaks the ice.
After a week and about 1700 kilometers the train trundles back into Kiev Passenger Voxsal usually in the middle of the rush hour and it’s off to the airport and home. Theres plenty of other stories so watch out for further adventures of K.C. the Engineer!!
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Dec2008TWContents.indd 6-7 11/01/2009, 09:04 Model and Miniature TrackWorker Winter 2008/2009 Club Exhibition 2001 - impressions
Here’s another bit of our history which has been held over for TrackWorker publication. For comparison, a full report of our 2008 exhibition will appear in the next TrackWorker.
The 2001 exhibition was the largest the Club has held with 21 layouts, including 2 provided by the trade, attending the show. Many of the major scale/gauge combinations were present including those in 0, 0n16.5, 0n14, 0n9, P4, EM, 00, 00n3, 00n9, H0, TT, N and 2mm finescale. Layouts traveled from as far away as Birmingham, Norfolk, Suffolk and Dorset to be at the show, portraying British, American and European standard and narrow gauge prototypes. 13 members of the trade, including specialist manufacturers, were there. We had a display by the model engineers within the Club as well as the popular demonstration stand. The show was very successful, with many comments being recieved as to the high quality of the exhibits, the variety of trade goods on offer and the general friendliness of those taking part. Throughout the weekend the visiting public was asked what layout they thought was the “Best in Show”. Every layout at the exhibition polled votes with Arthur Budd’s “The Brickworks” coming out as the well deserved winner.
Here are just some of the comments we received from visiting exhibitors and public alike:
Firstly, from the exhibitors: .. and from the public:
David Medhurst from Ashford, Kent - The Beckley “... Very good, I always look forward to the Uckfield Tramway, Stand 23 - Exhibition each year. Always a good variety and high “... it really was a top class show and I will add it too my standard of layouts ...” (Lewes) diary next year ... Picked up a couple of invites, including “... All excellent layouts. Very high standard ...” (East a long awaited one for Chatham, thankfully back in the Grinstead) dockyard for 2002 ...” “... A very good show ...” (Basildon, Essex) “... After several years it is still an interesting and very Arthur Budd from Verwood, Dorset - The Brickworks, worthwhile exhibition to come to. Very enjoyable and the Stand 20 - best in the south! ...” (Newick) “... We had a great time at the exhibition and thoroughly “... A good & varied selection of layouts and gauges. enjoyed ourselves so thanks to the members of the Perhaps more specialist traders might be of interest i.e. Uckfield club for inviting us in the first place and also C&L etc ...”(Maidstone) for making us feel so welcome over the course of the “... Very interesting and enjoyable - more stands than weekend ...” last year? ...” (Crowborough) “... Well done, yet again! You never cease to surprise me Donald Leeper from Esher, Surrey - Hepton Wharf, how you are able to attract a greater variety of layouts Stand 10 - than many other shows. ...” (Shoreham by Sea) “... we enjoyed the exhibition ourselves and thank you “... First time visitor having just moved to Uckfield - also for all the courtesy and consideration you showed exhibition excellent. I liked the demonstration stations ...” to us - it is quite the best treatment we have ever (Uckfield) received as exhibitors ...” “... Gets better each year ...” (Horam) “... A very enjoyable day out ...” (Slough, Berkshire) John Cox from Birmingham - Bucks Green, Stand 6 - “... The scenic part of ALL layouts was of a very high “... a wonderful show, a tremendous standard was standard! Variety of contents excellent ...” (Burgess Hill) achieved & it was a real pleasure to participate yet “... Excellent!! ...” (Haywards Heath) again. Thanks also for arranging the B & B. It really “... Better & better! Delightful layouts and good trade makes the weekend if you have some where to return stands ...” (Nutley) to after the show. My brother & I had a great time ... my “... I can’t believe the attention to detail in all the exhibits thanks to the Club & especially to the refreshment crew ...” (Uckfield) for their efforts ...” “... Very good - and very good exhibition guide - especially at the price ...” (Sale, Cheshire) Brian Taylor from Shoreham - Belstowe, Stand 16 “... Excellent Venue, nice for accompanying families - “... Just a note to thank the Uckfield club for a very with food etc. Very good models & layouts ...” (Hastings) enjoyable exhibition. We were all very impressed by your “... A good well rounded exhibition, good variety of hospitality too. The photo you sent showing us behind layouts and trade stands ...” (Tonbridge) the layout was a nice touch ...” “... As always - enjoyable ...” (Forest Row) “... I consider this to be the best club railway exhibition I have seen in 40 years of railway modelling ...” (Brighton) “.. Excellent - The best ever. Congratulations to all concerned ...” (Uckfield)
Looks like we had a lot to live up to. Compare these comments with those from our most recent show, held in October 2008, next issue!
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Dec2008TWContents.indd 6-7 11/01/2009, 09:04 Winter 2008/2009 Model and Miniature TrackWorker Bentley Miniature Railway
For those of you who don’t normally come along to assist, here is a brief summary of the developments at BMR over the last few years, and a quick look forward to 2009 and beyond.
2000 was only 5 years after the Glyndebourne Wood Motive Power changes extension was opened, 3 years after we hosted the 71⁄4” Gauge Society’s AGM and Rally, and a few months after Many new locomotives and items of rolling stock have we held the international SEQLEC locomotive efficiency arrived, some have departed and some but not all of trials (two of which were reported in previous issues of these will return. Notable departures have been the Trackworker). What has happened since then? See the LMS Royal Scot 4-6-0 “Sanspareil” which has gone up website archive for full details of all the works updates to the west midlands and has been seen at the new [http://www.bentleyrailway.co.uk/works_old.html], or read Echills Wood Railway; The Quarry Hunslet “Lady Joy” on for a brief summary. left BMR metals for pastures new and a new boiler. Those returning are the class 12 0-6-0 shunter which The following selection of key events and passenger has been in works for major chassis rectification with statistics may be of interest and are worth recording a possible reappearance late in 2009; the Class 31 here, in a year-by-year listing:- A1A-A1A has returned under new ownership fitted with additional detailing; Quarry Hunslet “Jasmine” now has 2001 - 14,326 passengers carried new driving wheels and a new steel boiler and is slated (excuse the pun) for a return to service at Easter 2009; 2002 - 16,513 passengers carried Tinkerbell “Emma” suffered superheater failure late in 2008 but should be fit to return in 2010; and the 2003 - 15,740 passengers carried club’s own steam loco “Hercules” will return once a new boiler has been commissioned, possibly in 2010. 2004 - 12,367 passengers carried Another Quarry Hunslet “Elaine” returned to BMR under new ownership. The final year of Bentley Wildfowl being owned and run Arrivals since 2000 include our largest steamer on site, by East Sussex County Council. ESCC in their wisdom “Black Swan”, which is an 0-4-2 to a design known as considered that “tourism and tourist facilities were not ‘Thomas II’ with a large bogie tender; another Romulus part of their remit”, and so amid much negative publicity 0-4-0 design, “Rhian”; and of course our club-owned it sought to close the site. Mary Askew, who owned the class 35 Bo-Bo ‘Hymek’. Finally the little tram “Lady surrounding estate and who originally bequeathed the Helen”, which made an appearence at the original site “to the people of Sussex”, had to buy it back in order opening day back in 1985, is back with us now to safeguard it for the future. under BMR ownership and a conversion from petrol- mechanical to battery-electric propulsion. More recently, Lady Helen has been joined by another tramcar “Lord 2005 - 15,097 passengers carried Barry”, built by BMR to make a 2-car unit. There are plans return Lady Helen to single-car mode once Lord Our 20th Anniversary at Bentley was celebrated with Barry forms part of a 4-car tram unit (centre-cars of a locomotive cavalcade and cake-cutting (and eating) which are currently being delivered to site for motorising event. This year also saw the start of ‘private-sector’ and commissioning trials). ownership of Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum operations, and our railway rose to the occasion by S&T Engineering Summary adding school holiday and half-term daily services to our calendar. We have since become one of the key Notable improvements since 2000 have been the attractions on site. introduction of a few CCTV cameras and the use of PMR 2-way radios to assist the signallers’ 2006 - 14,653 passengers carried communication with train crews; the addition of 4-aspect colour-light signals in a couple of locations; the 2007 - 17,169 passengers carried replacement of incandescent lamps with high-brightness LED arrays in signal heads; new and enhanced control 2008 - 16,712 passengers carried panels in both signal boxes; and semi-automatic signal operations for use when staff numbers are at a premium. Rolling stock accommodation was improved in 2008 by the creation of Horsted Yard III, with 4x40foot sidings all continued ... under cover. - 8 -
Dec2008TWContents.indd 8-9 11/01/2009, 09:04 Model and Miniature TrackWorker Winter 2008/2009 Bentley Miniature Railway (cont’d)
Permanent Way Summary formed “train sets” which can be coupled to locomotives with relative ease and minmal shunting. Over the past 3 years the main line track has been 2008 saw the ‘recycling’ of 3 of our old sit-astride chassis upgraded to heavier-section steel rail throughout, and to make a track-maintenance train. The leading car a regular maintenance schedule to further upgrade is now a mobile workbench and tools/materials store, the sleepers and ballast is progressing. The original with an articulated 2-car flat-bed unit coupled behind chord between the Bentley Central passing loop and the it capable of carrying either preformed track panels or returning line has been removed following little use, so wheelbarrows full of ballast. This maintenance train has that the turnouts could be re-deployed in the Horsted made our track ballast upgrading easier, and will prove Yard III facilities. its worth when we finally get on with the extension to the wildfowl park station. Carriage & Wagon Summary 2009 and the future More new items of passenger carriage stock arrived The coming year will see our planning application to over the past few years. The most notable of which are extend the railway even further, to a third BMR station 2 3-car rakes of bogie coaches, one set owned by BMR which will be sited adjacent to the footpath used by and the other by a consortium of 3 members. These every visitor to the Wildfowl reserve (more passengers!). are all of heavy-duty, commercial miniature railway design and manufacture, and come into their own during 2010 will be the 25th or Silver Jubilee year since the the extremely busy Woodfair and holiday weekends. permanent miniature railway was first opened. More of Additional bogie carriages to a lighter weight design these and other events at BMR in future Trackworker have also been purchased by BMR to augment the issues. ones which Barry Miller brought along for evaluation - they have also remained here since then, and following If any of this has whetted your appetite for the outdoor feedback from passengers we have moved from sit- railway life, and you would like to help the small but astride to sit-in passenger cars as standard. New dedicated and hardworking team that has made BMR Guards vans have been built by BMR members to match what it is today, you are welcome to come and join us. the sit-in cars, and vacuum braking has been installed Just contact us via the web site or just turn up on a with the guard as well as the driver having control. Most running day - our calendar for 2009 is as below:- of these items of rolling stock are now coupled in pre-
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Layout Reports
Leysdown (P4) Netherhall and Fletching (00) This scale model of the Isle of Sheppey branch Originally an en-to-end configuration with fiddle-yards terminus has been successfully exhibited at a variety at each end, this model of a fictitious Ouse Valley line of shows, including ScaleForum and Expo-EM (the station has been fitted with new baseboards to permit finescale expositions of national and international continuous operation at HQ and exhibitions. Exhibited status). Currently not slated for forthcoming exhititions, earlier in 2008 at Crawley, and featured in September’s it remains in “warm storage” ready for use when next Hornby Magazine, its next outings will be at our own required. show in October 2009 followed by Brighton MRC’s show in November. More detailed work is scheduled for the Buckham Hill (0) scenic boards, and members’ locos/stock needs to be Re-built from the basics of a layout originally bought assessed on the layout for reliability, so bring yours from Bexhill (although to see it you would have along for test runs please, before submitting them for trouble finding any of the original components, including use at the show. baseboard parts), this was our first model of a fictitious station on the abandoned Ouse Vally line. The layout Oak Valley (N) is at present undergoing a further upgrade and rebuild Under the meticulous stewardship of Peter Graydon, this of the station area pointwork, to improve reliability and layout finally saw trains running all-round the main line added sidings, under the careful management of Colin circuit at our recent Christmas bash at HQ. More work is Stephens. The next part of the process is to re-wire the still to be done to get the various sidings etc wired-up, amended trackwork, and revise some of the scenery then it’s over to the scenery, building & civil engineering signalling and buildings. stage!
Polo Mint (N, TT, 00, EM & P4) Cranbrook (P4) The electrical wiring for this test track has undergone This new model will eventually replace Leysdown, and a major revamp recently, thanks to Peter Graydon, will be based on a design published by Barry Norman in including better baseboard connectors and more one of his recent books. Baseboard materials have been connection sockets for each track. A perimeter safety sourced, and one or two of us cajoled or volunteered board is due to be fitted soon, to minimise the risk of to produce things for it. Construction will get under way speeding trains falling to the floor! sometime in 2009.
Tail Lamp
Well ....
That’s all for this issue. I hope you found it both entertaining and informative. It’s good to be back.
Now, if you want more issues you know what to do!
It’s all very easy - all you need to do is write up something using your favourite wordprocessor or text editor on your computer and email it to me [[email protected]]. You can include photos and drawings if you think it helps put your message across. I can cope with almost any file format, so what are you waiting for? Once I have enough articles I’ll put it all together and publish the next TrackWorker.
Over to you!
John Pollington
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