Contractors track

Model and prototype rolling stock, locos, multiple units etc.
David Bigcheeseplant
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Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:10 pm

Contractors track

Postby David Bigcheeseplant » Sun Jun 30, 2013 8:27 am

You may have seen my contractors tipper wagons on the rear of the latest snooze, as mentioned in the text I plan to build a layout or diorama based on the building of the Great Central, looking at photos by SWA Newton the track is light flat bottom rail, I plan to use code 50 micro engineering rail on copperclad sleepers. now for the questions has anyone built this type of track before? The sleepers look narrower and not as wide as standard sleepers, does anyone know dimentions, I was thinking of using SMP OO sleepers to get an undersize look, would point work timbers be interlaced, can I set up Templot to do this.

The check rails on turnouts seem to have blocks of wood fixed to the rails.

If any one is interested in what I am doing have a wade through the photos on this site

http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/tabl ... =L1&pnum=1

Here is a photo of a turnout http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/geto ... =L1&pnum=9

David

Armchair Modeller

Re: Contractors track

Postby Armchair Modeller » Sun Jun 30, 2013 10:04 am

It sounds like a very interesting project - lots of fun to research and build!

I doubt there were any rules when it came to trackbuilding. Whatever was available might be used, including materials that had been used over and over again as the line progressed. S W Newtons photos are almost unique, as far as I know, in recording these scenes.

The navvies' camps must have been amazing places too.

David Bigcheeseplant
Posts: 337
Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:10 pm

Re: Contractors track

Postby David Bigcheeseplant » Sun Jun 30, 2013 10:25 am

I seem to be the first person to try and model a contractors line, my idea is that the contractors depot would be the most interesting a wooden water tank a few buildings etc.

As well as the SWA Newton photos there are also photos of the building of the Meon Valley that shows the same sort of set up.

David

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Tim V
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Re: Contractors track

Postby Tim V » Sun Jun 30, 2013 12:12 pm

Also the construction of the Camerton branch on the line of the Somerset Coal canal, pictures at
http://www.bathintime.co.uk/category/66 ... n/railways
Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)

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Noel
Posts: 1975
Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2010 1:04 pm

Re: Contractors track

Postby Noel » Sun Jun 30, 2013 3:42 pm

Also in "The Newport Docks and Railway Company" - John Hutton - ISBN 1 85794 163 2 - Silver Link Pub 1996 and 2002. This includes 10 photos relating to the construction of parts of the South Dock circa 1908, plus two close-ups taken from 2 of the 10. One photograph and one close-up show the contractors' engine shed. There are a further three elsewhere in the book relating to a fatal accident in the same area. Although slightly later and a different type of project, I doubt that the methods used had changed very much.

One shows a point in the foreground with a plank spiked against the one visible [straight] check rail. Visible track seems to use a lot of sleepers, very closely spaced, and with sleepers of vaying lengths. The timbers are pale [untreated??] and some look in decidedly poor condition in the close-up of the point.

Noel
Regards
Noel

Armchair Modeller

Re: Contractors track

Postby Armchair Modeller » Sun Jun 30, 2013 4:04 pm

There are certainly interesting photos on t'web

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalra ... s/navvies/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalra ... 515608000/

for example

and not forgetting that railways were used during the construction of other works, including docks, canals and reservoirs

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rpsmithbarney/4007504182/

http://www.canalarchive.org.uk/stories/ ... m=0&maxp=6

Malc in Brum

Re: Contractors track

Postby Malc in Brum » Sun Jul 07, 2013 12:41 pm

Look for a copy of 'The Making of a Railway' by LTC Rolt.

It is a pictorial record of the building of the Great Central Railway and Navvy railworks are extensively shown. Split log sleepers and flat bottom rails, two bolt fishplates. To model it correctly the loco's and wagons will probably fall of the rails at least once a mile!

If you can't find a copy I might lend you mine.

David Bigcheeseplant
Posts: 337
Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:10 pm

Re: Contractors track

Postby David Bigcheeseplant » Sun Jul 07, 2013 12:53 pm

I do have a copy of the Making of a Railway thereare some intersting pictures in it, I just wonder what the rail lenghs would have been cut to.

I plan to use Micro Enginnering code 50 flat bottom rail.

DougN
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Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2010 9:57 am

Re: Contractors track

Postby DougN » Mon Jul 08, 2013 3:01 am

Must admit that it is a fantastic book to flick through. One of the local members has a copy that he lent to me as I was building the Black Hawthorn... though they all seem to be Manning Wardles. None the less a few hours looking at the photos of a time gone by and construction techniques have changed is quite dramatic ways... through portable buildings etc. gives a different view to the "hard working navvies" of old. Are we getting too soft?.... is OHS taken a bit far...? Ummm personally I would not want to go back to the bad old days!
Doug
Still not doing enough modelling

David Bigcheeseplant
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Re: Contractors track

Postby David Bigcheeseplant » Mon Jul 08, 2013 6:45 am

They were not all Manning Wardles here is a photo of a Black Hawthorn, I am ajusting the High Level kit to match the loco in the photo.
David
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DougN
Posts: 1252
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2010 9:57 am

Re: Contractors track

Postby DougN » Mon Jul 08, 2013 7:41 am

Didn't see that photo, David! Nice looking loco though, Pretty clean. I can make out that there is some sign writing on the tank "....& Davis" makes for something more interesting than the big 4 or pre grouping liveries. I have no idea of what the colour would be but there does seem to be lining on the Cab back. There seems to be quite a number of extra mods that need to be done to the standard kit. The cab is different, there is also something about the cab steps which are larger and curved in shape too.
Doug
Still not doing enough modelling

David Bigcheeseplant
Posts: 337
Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:10 pm

Re: Contractors track

Postby David Bigcheeseplant » Mon Jul 08, 2013 12:05 pm

The lettering is McKay & Davis the contractor for the High Wycombe Prices Risborough section.

The cab looks the same to me other than a handrail, other differences between this and the High Level kit seem to be just one sandbox on the footplate rather than two, plus dumb buffers, I have no idea on the colour it is, but I would guess a green or dark red, the tank sides and saddle tank are also lined out

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steve howe
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Re: Contractors track

Postby steve howe » Thu Jul 11, 2013 6:19 pm

I seem to remember, (longer ago than I care to) a layout in Railway Modeller called the Maddwy Valley by Malcolm Cross (I think) where the track was made using code 40 FB rail soldered to P4 rivets as per Brooke-Smith but with the sleepers laid upside down (the underlay being recessed to accommodate the rivet heads) The foot of the rail was tinned, as were the ends of the rivets, and then sweated together. The result was very frail looking track but still with the strength of soldering and (for us Traditionalists) the benefits of a genuine wooden sleeper.

I like the look of those contractor's wagons as I can see a use for them on my projected mine line - any chance of some underneath shots David?

Steve

Malc in Brum

Re: Contractors track

Postby Malc in Brum » Wed Jul 17, 2013 5:02 pm

David Bigcheeseplant wrote:I do have a copy of the Making of a Railway thereare some intersting pictures in it, I just wonder what the rail lenghs would have been cut to.

I plan to use Micro Enginnering code 50 flat bottom rail.


Rail lengths seem to be about 20 foot but many of the turnouts seem to be constructed using only straight rails. I wonder how the temporary way workers cut rails to length on site, hammer and chisel, maybe?


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