Hydraulics on Highbridge

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Tim V
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Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby Tim V » Wed Nov 20, 2013 5:06 pm

Last night we changed the period of Highbridge from it's usual 1913 to 1965. Paul's usual wimpy steam engines were replaced with raw Hydraulic power, the 10 coach set of Mark 1s had its coupling pulled out. We had to revert to 7 coaches behind the North British. Meanwhile, my Hymek was romping round on an Up goods.

There was a grin on Paul's face as full length trains easily went round Highbridge, but I don't know if he will be changing the period permanently....

We also had a visitor from deepest Surrey - Mark Tatlow.

Pictures to follow.
Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)

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Paul Townsend
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby Paul Townsend » Thu Nov 21, 2013 7:23 pm

Tim V wrote:Last night we changed the period of Highbridge from it's usual 1913 to 1965. Paul's usual wimpy steam engines


Whoa, can't let that go unremarked even from Tuscany......
Only our Manor's are wimps, others cope Ok within the limits of trains set by the fiddle yard, so we normally have consistency.

Tim V wrote:There was a grin on Paul's face as full length trains easily went round Highbridge, but I don't know if he will be changing the period permanently....


Definitely good to see longer trains running at speed as we weren't bothered by trying to use multiple fiddle yard roads so overhangs not a problem.

Period will not change permanently, unless I am granted a 10 year reversion of the aging process in which case the track will be relaid in 7'01/4" mixed :evil:

However, if Tim will build the necessary concrete footbridge that replaced my lovely wooden one ( can't check the date in time available: while Costanza sleeps in Borgo San Lorenzo ) but it was between Nov 1914 and early 1920s, then we can do a temporary swap of footbridges thus making Highbridge pretty much as in 1960s :)

John Palmer
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby John Palmer » Fri Nov 22, 2013 12:30 am

If anyone wants to reference that concrete footbridge in order to model it they had better look sharp. Its replacement is in situ and its days are clearly numbered.

I shall be sorry to see it gone. It's the only surviving structure giving character to the station that's been my point of departure for more than fifty years of railway journeys.

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Tim V
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby Tim V » Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:08 am

Some pictures.
Western on a down train passing a goods train going up.
IMG_5552.JPG

Looks like a SPAD on that down train.
IMG_5553.JPG

The "incorrect" footbridge
IMG_5555.JPG

Hymek by "that" crossing.
IMG_5556.JPG

And our guest, sporting a Movember!
IMG_5559.JPG
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Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)

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Noel
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby Noel » Fri Nov 22, 2013 11:40 am

paultownsend wrote:
However, if Tim will build the necessary concrete footbridge that replaced my lovely wooden one ( can't check the date in time available: while Costanza sleeps in Borgo San Lorenzo ) but it was between Nov 1914 and early 1920s, then we can do a temporary swap of footbridges thus making Highbridge pretty much as in 1960s :)


I promise not to mention all those milk churns :D ...

Noel
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steamraiser
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby steamraiser » Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:42 pm

Churns.jpg

You meen these churns.
How about the green (Wrong shade) tank engine?
HR tank.jpg

And the approach to the station.
Station copy.jpg

Gordon A
Bristol
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David B
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby David B » Fri Nov 22, 2013 11:00 pm

There are a lot of holes in the tops of those churns, Gordon. The blue tits must be girt strong uns at Highbridge
.

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steamraiser
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby steamraiser » Sat Nov 23, 2013 6:28 am

davidb wrote:There are a lot of holes in the tops of those churns, Gordon. The blue tits must be girt strong uns at Highbridge
.

Hadnt noticed the holes David.
What can I say - its the Somerset levels.

Gordon A
Bristol

martin goodall
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby martin goodall » Tue Nov 26, 2013 7:10 pm

steamraiser wrote:
davidb wrote:There are a lot of holes in the tops of those churns, Gordon. The blue tits must be girt strong uns at Highbridge
.

Hadnt noticed the holes David.
What can I say - its the Somerset levels.

Gordon A
Bristol




Yur. Zee, uz az to stop 'em floatin' away on the 'igh tide. Gets a bit wet round these paarts zumtoimes. Zo we puts oles in they lids, and they juz zinks when the danged water gets too 'igh. ('Ere, pass the zider over 'ere, then!)

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Tim V
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby Tim V » Tue Nov 26, 2013 7:14 pm

Was it four years in college/university Martin?
Tim V
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David B
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby David B » Tue Nov 26, 2013 8:11 pm

Tim V wrote:Was it four years in college/university Martin?

No minimum entry requirements in those days!!

John Palmer
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby John Palmer » Wed Nov 27, 2013 2:04 am

martin goodall wrote:Yur. Zee, uz az to stop 'em floatin' away on the 'igh tide. Gets a bit wet round these paarts zumtoimes. Zo we puts oles in they lids, and they juz zinks when the danged water gets too 'igh. ('Ere, pass the zider over 'ere, then!)

Close, but it didn't quite happen like that. When tides were high the outfall sluice gates for the River Brue at Highbridge (known as 'the Clyce') would be kept closed, and obviously this would lead to the river backing up behind the gates. At times of heavy rainfall the river could rise rapidly and this would lead to inundation of the calf market located close to Highbridge station - access to this market was off the station approach road. As with the East Anglian fenlands, drainage arrangements are a big issue for the Levels.

No doubt Paul will already be aware of this, but Highbridge was for many years a major centre for agriculture-related activity, and, for example, boasted the largest fatstock market in the West of England (as well as the largest cheese market). Although there was a cattle dock for S&D lines adjacent to Highbridge Wharf, the bulk of the cattle traffic consigned by rail would be driven from the cattle market adjacent to the A38 along Market Street to the dock behind the GW goods shed - visible in one of the photographs immediately in front of 'Mr Movember' Tatlow. Rail movement of cattle from the market warranted at least one dedicated cattle train on market days (Mondays) and would frequently convey 50-60 head of cattle, but on occasion more - up to 100. Many went to S. Wales for slaughter, some to London or destinations south of Highbridge.

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Paul Townsend
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby Paul Townsend » Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:01 am

steamraiser wrote:How about the green (Wrong shade) tank engine?


Thats a very welcome foreigner from Paul Bannerman's stable. Its chassis was virtually brand new and it came for a second running in turn and behaved very well within the limitations of the controller. Its on DC so needed the BIG SWITCH throwing to revert electrics from DCC.
Embarrassingly my brand new PicTroller bought for such occasions didn't want to play and my other 33 yr old DiY controllers have been dying like flies ...one of several triggers to convert to DCC. I had to resurrect my first boyhood controller of 1955 ish vintage!! Being resistance mat it meant dc locos jack-rabbited etc.

However, I liked this loco much more than all those horrid big things with cabs at both ends, even if they can pull long trains.

steamraiser wrote:And the approach to the station.
Gordon A
Bristol


The bloke with sandwich board leaning against the timetables has a message that you can just read with an eyeglass. It is especially for Tim V " The end of the world is nigh" :twisted:

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Paul Townsend
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby Paul Townsend » Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:08 am

John Palmer wrote:
martin goodall wrote:
No doubt Paul will already be aware of this, but Highbridge was for many years a major centre for agriculture-related activity, and, for example, boasted the largest fatstock market in the West of England (as well as the largest cheese market). Although there was a cattle dock for S&D lines adjacent to Highbridge Wharf, the bulk of the cattle traffic consigned by rail would be driven from the cattle market adjacent to the A38 along Market Street to the dock behind the GW goods shed - visible in one of the photographs immediately in front of 'Mr Movember' Tatlow. Rail movement of cattle from the market warranted at least one dedicated cattle train on market days (Mondays) and would frequently convey 50-60 head of cattle, but on occasion more - up to 100. Many went to S. Wales for slaughter, some to London or destinations south of Highbridge.


Certainly I knew that cattle traffic was important to both railway companies and the necessary facilities are installed for GW and built but not yet installed in wharf area for S&DJR. Its good to have some extra details from a local, TVM

PS Wharf area baseboards are built and in use but only temporary tracks laid in....its a whole modelling project on its own, so no pix allowed yet!

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Paul Townsend
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby Paul Townsend » Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:15 am

davidb wrote:There are a lot of holes in the tops of those churns, Gordon. The blue tits must be girt strong uns at Highbridge
.


My reaction to this (delayed by visit to brand new grand-daughter in Firenze) is "good grief what are those holes? "

A trip downstairs to see if Hitchcock's birds have visited revealed all!

NO Holes.

The piccy seems to have artifacts generated by reflected spotlights off top of churns.
After last nights showing of pix from a Firenze Model Railway I wouldn't dare criticize Gordon's camera or skill :(

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Paul Townsend
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby Paul Townsend » Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:29 am

I have been asked recently why my Highbridge model has been invisible for so long.

Planning started in 1978 in our previous home, destined for a loft conversion.
House move in 1980 provided the bigger basement so construction started then.

I was employed by BBC and we were subject to terrorist attacks from both IRA and Welsh Nationalists in those years. I had a narrow escape from a bomb. Hence home addresses and hobbies etc were kept very quiet.

There was a hiatus of 5 to 10 years post 1990 when a paralysing illness b*(&% ed my hand co-ordination so modelling was at a low ebb....just ran trains for those years.
The secrecy habit stuck post BBC for no very good reason until I joined those sociable guys in BS4 Area Group about three years ago so I have recently "come out".

The big question now is do I have another 5 to 10 years of modelling time in which to finish Highbridge?
Answers on a postcard.......

martin goodall
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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby martin goodall » Wed Nov 27, 2013 10:03 am

Although I was only joking about milk churns floating away on the tide at Highbridge, I worked for a time near Ruishton, a couple of miles east of Taunton, and so I became aware of the extensive flooding that can occur on the Somerset Levels during a wet winter. It really is amazing how widespread this flooding can be.

As regards the Zummerzet accent, I once acted for clients who really did speak like that. One of them said to me - "Juz cos we spakes loike this, volks think we be thick, bu' uz bain', yer know." He was absolutely right - anyone who underestimates the nouse of a Somerset farmer is seriously mistaken.

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Re: Hydraulics on Highbridge

Postby Paulhb » Wed Nov 27, 2013 11:14 pm

[quote]Thats a very welcome foreigner from Paul Bannerman's stable. Its chassis was virtually brand new and it came for a second running in turn and behaved very well within the limitations of the controller.[quote]

Thanks for your kind comment Paul. The chassis is not quite brand new but about 20 years old!. Both body and chassis were started about the same time shortly after joining the Society. It remained in an unfinished state while I tried desperately tried to find a ‘roundtoit’ . Other projects always seemed to get in the way! Finally finished and decorated this year. It did manage to stretch it’s legs on Rolvenden at Warley last weekend while Robin Gay wasn’t looking and went for a quick photo opportunity on Portchullin.


Paul Bannerman


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