Highbridge Wharf
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 12:46 pm
Highbridge Wharf report
About 30 years after I should have done it, I am making good progress adding the Wharf sidings.
My best excuse for the long delay is too much time spent playing trains!
Here are two exciting ( for me ) piccy of todays test rig of the second baseboard, done to check it fits the revised woodwork etc and that track alignment at the joint is near enough OK to proceed.
The first board where the train is has been ballasted and has its initial weathering. This was built over last couple of months, which entailed taking the Burnham line ( curving off to the right ) out of service for a month of Engineer's Occupation. Rather a long job for 1913! It was fully tested as a standalone board with servos operating turnouts and was reinstalled last week, levelled and loco tested in situ OK. Point rodding awaited.
The newest board's status is track all laid except for the raised Broad Gauge crane line on the wharf edge to the left. That will eventually receive two lovely little Victorian steam cranes, and appropriate small coastal trading ships, one steam and one sail. Several of these were owned by the S&DJR. Track droppers are in place and ballasting is completed except round the TOUs. Wiring starts now which will take a week at least, including servos, TOUs etc. then weathering, adding ground grot etc once all operations prove OK.
Here are two piccies of this newest board as it is today, awaiting droppers connecting up....boring task !
EditorTim tells me that in the July Snooze you will be able to read "Modernising Highbridge" so hold your breath for the next instalment.
The Wharf was a major source of S&DJR traffic and will give much operating interest especially for those who like shunting. Alex Jacksons predominate on my S&DJR.
Incoming ship loads were mainly Baltic timber which fed the large saw mill on the wharf ( to be modelled in half relief at the end ) together with coal and rail from Ebbw Vale via Newport just across the R. Severn. The coal was just for local consumption but the rails serviced all of the Western part of LSWR and all S&DJR of course. Exports were mainly local farm produce and especially cattle from the large cattle market in the town which was very active before the railways arrived, the Wharf originally being connected with the Glastonbury canal up the tidal R. Brue.
I hope to have the Wharf lines fully operational by the end of July and then need to get lots of cosmetic stuff done. The A38 level crossing gates must be working together with the adjacent signal box, Lamb pub etc.
Then I must get back to working on Dartmouth.....only 13 months to its next Exhibition.
About 30 years after I should have done it, I am making good progress adding the Wharf sidings.
My best excuse for the long delay is too much time spent playing trains!
Here are two exciting ( for me ) piccy of todays test rig of the second baseboard, done to check it fits the revised woodwork etc and that track alignment at the joint is near enough OK to proceed.
The first board where the train is has been ballasted and has its initial weathering. This was built over last couple of months, which entailed taking the Burnham line ( curving off to the right ) out of service for a month of Engineer's Occupation. Rather a long job for 1913! It was fully tested as a standalone board with servos operating turnouts and was reinstalled last week, levelled and loco tested in situ OK. Point rodding awaited.
The newest board's status is track all laid except for the raised Broad Gauge crane line on the wharf edge to the left. That will eventually receive two lovely little Victorian steam cranes, and appropriate small coastal trading ships, one steam and one sail. Several of these were owned by the S&DJR. Track droppers are in place and ballasting is completed except round the TOUs. Wiring starts now which will take a week at least, including servos, TOUs etc. then weathering, adding ground grot etc once all operations prove OK.
Here are two piccies of this newest board as it is today, awaiting droppers connecting up....boring task !
EditorTim tells me that in the July Snooze you will be able to read "Modernising Highbridge" so hold your breath for the next instalment.
The Wharf was a major source of S&DJR traffic and will give much operating interest especially for those who like shunting. Alex Jacksons predominate on my S&DJR.
Incoming ship loads were mainly Baltic timber which fed the large saw mill on the wharf ( to be modelled in half relief at the end ) together with coal and rail from Ebbw Vale via Newport just across the R. Severn. The coal was just for local consumption but the rails serviced all of the Western part of LSWR and all S&DJR of course. Exports were mainly local farm produce and especially cattle from the large cattle market in the town which was very active before the railways arrived, the Wharf originally being connected with the Glastonbury canal up the tidal R. Brue.
I hope to have the Wharf lines fully operational by the end of July and then need to get lots of cosmetic stuff done. The A38 level crossing gates must be working together with the adjacent signal box, Lamb pub etc.
Then I must get back to working on Dartmouth.....only 13 months to its next Exhibition.