Andoversford Junction

[Toddington Ted]

Over the last 3 years I have finally "bitten the bullet" and constructed a model railway layout (00 Gauge) at home (albeit in the garage loft which is not ideal). I am aware that I have probably done things the hard way by going for a prototypical layout theme but it was always going to be a bit of a compromise anyway as the actual length covered would be about 30 feet to scale and the garage is 16 feet wide, so I have had to be a little accommodating. I wanted something from my home area but not just another GWR country line; the junction with the M&SWJR giving a Midland flavour until after the grouping and then a Southern after Nationalisation when SR U Class locos were a common sight. There was also a tunnel at one end which was ideal for a break into a fiddle yard. The main problem (for me) is that the bulk of the station and junction is on an embankment so quite a lot of extra woodworking and bodging was needed to make it look "right". There were 2 signal boxes, one built before the M&SWJR connection and the second built at the M&SWJR's expense to control the Jct. In fact there were 3 as the original station box was replaced by a GWR "Standard" wooden box in Nov 1935, so I have modelled that as well so as to cover the period between both WWI and WWII (the line was busy during both wars with traffic from Salisbury Plain etc going north and vice versa). I soon found of course that it was impossible to replicate exactly the layout in minature as it was in the 1st 40 years of the 20th century as I don't have a 30 foot garage! I also found that some things work out really well whilst others, like ballasting etc, are a real pain - but that's the fun of railway modelling I guess. I'm no good at kit building locos or coaches really so the 72xx in the photo was built for me from a kit professionally back in the 1980s. Lots still to do like the backdrop (should have done that first I guess!) and the station cattle dock but its a great deal of fun nevertheless. I'm a keen supporter of GWR loco 2807 so one does feature on the layout. Several 28xxs have been logged on the line including some involved on demolition trains after the line closed in 1962, but no firm evidence yet that 2807 ran over this line, but I'm sure it did. I do have photographic evidence that 72xxs did and the lovely M&SWJR 4-4-0s. Regarding the latter, I believe a whitemetal kit is available so I'll have to save up to get one made - unfortunately patience and excellent eyesight not so much in abundance these days! I'd welcome any comments and will try and post a few more updated images maybe.

[swisstrains]

Nice looking layout Ted. You must be really pleased with what you've achieved. I look forward to seing some more photos.

[48111]

Well Ted, congratulations on all your hard work. I am not good at giving advice on layouts because although I have one myself I am a relative novice so it is usually me that wants advice. I never had time to do a layout when I was at work on the railway, but when I retired I started putting together all the "bits" I had collected over the years and now have what I think is a "fair" layout, but it does give me pleasure because since I retired my health has gone downhill rapidly, so I enjoy my layout and there is a certain member on here who has helped me a lot and I appreciate that.
So nice one Ted, keep "at it " mate.

48111

[Gandalf]

As I see it unless your layout is for exhibition purposes it becomes a personal thing for you to enjoy. Maybe you will want to expand later or model some place to the most minute detail but it is personal so enjoy it however you make it.
If that makes sense.
John (G)
Need to weed mine and fit Worm Catchers to the front of locos.

[Toddington Ted]

Thanks for your responses folks. Although the layout is built in 4 feet sections, they are not designed to fit together quickly and so I won't be exhibiting it. The layout is designed as a square "C" with the provision of extending it right round to the fiddle yard using the M&SWR line as the extension. So, I might just do that one day! I have a busy week at work this week but I'll try and get some more recent photos uploaded together with comparisons of the "actual" location (not as it is today as its a small housing estate!) but here's another few to be going on with. Two photos show the Sandywell Tunnel mouth and Sandywell Park bridge being built and then the almost finished result (the 2 structures were further apart than this but space dictates as ever). I must get another lamp post as the Station entrance had one between the pedestrian and vehicle gates. The MSWJR embankment can be seen in the distance.

[swisstrains]

The area of the bridge and tunnel mouth makes for a particularly nice looking scene Ted. I know that it's not always possible when modelling an actual location but I tend to think of a layout as a series of interesting scenes joined together.
I assume that you will be weathering the track at some stage?

[DSY011]

I like the station area Ted, only hope I can do as well when I start my layout. Any chance of a track plan, even if it is just a sketch drawing?

[Toddington Ted]

I will try and upload a trackplan soon. Hopefully I can provide some more recent shots too. I would appreciate any hints on how to weather the track, especially the ballast, which is all too fresh for my liking!

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by Toddington Ted

......................I would appreciate any hints on how to weather the track, especially the ballast, which is all too fresh for my liking!

Hi Ted,
Many modellers use an airbrush but I prefer to do it by hand and concentrate initially on the sides of the rails. I then go over the ballast and sleepers with a very dry brush to give the effect of rust and brake dust staining whilst still allowing some of the original ballast colour to show through.
The colour I use is Humbrol Enamel no.98 which is the closest I can find to the now discontinued "Track Colour" I find that most of the paints sold as "rust colour" are far too red for trackwork.

DSCF0056.jpg

[Toddington Ted]

John, thanks for the tip regarding the weathering; the layout represents the steam era and no doubt the ballast would be quite grubby so that is something for me to be getting on with this autumn and winter. I attach a few more recent photos. The Stn entrance is beginning to look more like the prototype now but I will need to invest in many more Scots Pine trees! I will also need to plant 2 very large telegraph poles (which carried the lines over the railway line) and replace the bridge cappings as I'm not happy with these. The post 1935 signal box is quite new and took me quite a while to do (not long enough really as I'm impatient and didn't detail the inside!) and it now awaits its nameboard. the 2 GWR "brown era" coaches need their roofs weathering too. GWR 5322 (a Mainline model) was a regular performer over the line in both GWR and BR days so is ideal for this layout. In fact 53xxs also commonly pulled the "Ports to Ports Express" from Newcastle to Swansea (only over this section!) until replaced by "Manors". I still have a lot to do and there's much I've done that I need to improve but that's the great thing about railway modelling I guess!