The Bigbee Line

There is a useful picture on Wikipedia, looking from the 'stops' end of the station. It shows the coal stage and the alignment of the tracks towards the stops. I need to try and emulate the arrangement. If interest is that the siding appears to have an end loading dock. I need to check with other pictures. An assumption is that the release road for the run round just had sufficient length for one Terrier....... https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Hayling_Island_railway_station.jpg By Anonymous (Old postcard) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The boxes can be stored flat then be re-assembled for ebay dispatch at a later date.... The bubble wrap has a shock absorbing value when the parcel is entered into the mini shot putt competition during transit. For me the emphasis is on re-use of the packaging. The trendy word is 'up-cycle'

The track gang started early today. I set the rails at 42mm between the Platform Road and the Run Round Road, a handy 18mm piece of wood fitted between the sleeper ends as a gauge. It looks much better now re-laid.. Looking along the 2 parallel tracks the subtle curve at this end is visible. Hopefully it will give the track layout a slightly more interesting look and at the same time not give any coupling problems (I'm going to have Kadees between coaches). Using some ply sleepers I had on stock, I roughed out a representation of the coal stage, It looks the part. Just need to check out the various pictures that show the framing and get a better idea of its dimensions. Need to do a bit more before it becomes too hot.

I was obviously not thinking when I laid the track. To get the coal stage in I had quite a curve on the run round road. Then looking at prototype picture, the coal stage is between the run round and the goods siding...Dooooh... So here's a rough version of how it should look.... Much better...

Most I saw were converted to runners. Here is one running as a ZXA, it had something strapped to the deck. It might have been a lifting beam of some kind, can't remember, it was 17 years ago. ZCA DC 400053 Toton 5th July 2001, note steps fitted on either end. The same wagon on 16th January 2004 Some were converted for carrying containers. here as FPA 400081 at Ely Potters on 22nd September 2003 I have a selection of these on my flickr site, I have no restrictions on downloads..... https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=55938574%40N03&text=4000&view_all=1

Track laying went into the night... Should have had some 7mm tilley lamps. I can remember as a kid watching the glow of the tilley lamps as the track gang worked at night. Like a fairy glow worm dancing, quite magical, I'd forgotten about that until tonight. Anyway, with Linda's help I had drawn some 30' ish curves and was able to use these with the curves in the platform. As mentioned previously the tracks were to cross one of the joins at 90 degrees (The first 2 inches of each track is straight). The platform line then straightened out and headed to a pre-determined position for the points for the loco run round. The curve was very slight, more so than I imagined. This is an overall picture of the 2 x 4 foot boards. the goods line on the left looks wrong being straight. I'm going to move it where it crosses the joint to a minimum 6 foot with the run round road, then to curve very very gently and end up almost parallel with the Loco release. Note the essential modelling aid - The Cup of Tea. I've ordered by Middleton Press 'Branch Line to Hayling', so look forward to the pictures. I have made the platform 12' wide. Maybe I will cut out a card version to see how it looks. The surface looks like gravel with brick faces. The joint should be hidden by the canopy. Let's see what tomorrow brings.

Thanks for the tip. Will need to look on line tonight. Sounds just the ticket

I've been thinking too much about the layout and decided to get on with it. The first picture shows the rough track layout for the platform and run round on 2 x 4' x 2' boards. The tracks from left to right are: Bay Platform, Platform Road, Run Round and Goods Siding. The aim is to have the tracks at the far base board joint at 90 degree's to the join. The bottom of the platform ramp will end at the baseboard joint. I will cheat and have a wooden foot crossing running along the joint to hide it. The run round should take 4 coaches if required. The shunt neck is small as it only has to take a Terrier... As the layout will live in the workshop I might add an additional set of points to lead to future goods sidings. . A point of interest is that pictures of the Bay do not show a loco on the stops, so I assume that the trains would arrive in the main platform road and shunt across to the bay after running round. Mixed trains and freights would arrive in the platform road and shunt after run round. Anyway, that's it for now.

Trevor, am I missing something, I cannot see any coach numbers, so how can they be fictional?

Kevin, Nice picture of Eridge. That reminded me that we stopped off there last year.... Here is an enlargement of the mainline platform. The posters are Double Royal, so a 'fag packet' calculation is 5 boards = 40" so 8 inches per board. That makes the door approx. 80" high. Seems Ok to me. I'll draw it out with 8" boards.. Also had some pictures of the various nice posters etc....

The building must be tounge Kevin, Thanks for the picture. I think it is the board that you show. I've been looking for similar. If you look at this Ian D Nolan picture of Hove, you can see that the signal box privy seems to have the style as in your example https://www.flickr.com/photos/31890193@N08/14414309795/sizes/k/

Martyn Thanks for the link. Nice shed. I think it’s overlapping board, not shiplac. I’m going to rough one out tomorrow Ernie

Brian, Thanks for that. Like you I think it was much wider. I can rough a drawing with various widths and see what looks right. If I can see a suitable wooden building of similar age it would help. The Railway Workshops would have produced all their own timber sections. Typical Ship Lap section shown below: Evergreen do a .040" (1.0mm) thick sheet with 6.3 mm groove spacing, the grooves are .93 mm so the boards are pitched at 7.23 mm, If I read their information sheet correctly. For such a small building I can score some sheet to suit.

The signal cabin at Hayling Island is of wooden construction. I am trying to make a drawing using the door and the boarding as a guide to scale. Is there any wooden structure in existence that has the same style of construction, I think the boarding is 'shiplap'? Any suggestions would be appreciated. https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmightycat/6827642574/ by https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmightycat/ on flickr shows the boarding.

Hmmmm. Is it 1st of April. Not sure what to make of the post If you really want an authentic Thomas to run on 16.5mm track you need to Scratch build. Use the LBSC E2 tank drawing and modify as per the Reverend Awdrey books.

Brian, Thanks for that, not seen that picture before 32661 is in Southern Black with 'sunshine' lettering. An easy one to do as there is no lining... Thanks. I think I'll make up a matrix..

Looking at various old maps the angle between the approach and the platforms is not that shallow. I think I will lay some paper under my next effort with a 28' radius then if the curve is suitable I can trace around the track to shuffle it into the best position.

Tonight I cut out several curved templates, the largest being approximately 14' radius, I moved the points to a shallower angle and layed in the curve.. I end up with the release road at the end of the run round running off the edge of the board at that angle. I think I need to lay out the platform line first, then swing the curve to the points in the throat. Plus an even large radius curve.... That will be for tomorrow. Most of the pictures of the branch are from 1963. Are there any in early BR days when the terriers were still in Southern paint.

We spent the day yesterday at the coast, North Norfolk Railways Suburban Gala. I was confirming Mk1 suburban measurements and getting detail photographs. Got a few funny looks from some staff, other were helpful and interested. The 4 set that the NNR run are very well turned out, both inside and outside. At some point I'd like a couple of 64 foot 10 compartment thirds. At the same time I was mulling over the track layout for my own version of Hayling Island. The curve on my first version was about 8' radius. I think I need to cut out some card curved for radius much larger and see how they look. Looking at the plan below you will see I am not modelling 2 of the sidings. The other 4 lines all come together in 3 sets of buffer stops. If I move these to one side of the board I get the various tracks away from being parallel with the front edge of the board. I will lay the track out for a second time later today.... I also drew out a 'fag packet' track plan. showing the key items: Platform - Brick edge, gravel top Platform Canopy Platform Signs Platform Seats Signal Box Signals Wooden Hut near signal box P Way Hut Station Building Buffer Stops Coal Stage I think that's about it. Need to finish my cup of tea and get on with it....

Looking at my pictures taken yesterday, I think my 'curve' is too tight Looking at various pictures on the internet I found a useful flickr picture from John Law https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmightycat/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmightycat/6827642574/ by https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmightycat/ on flickr It shows the curve on the open end of the platform. The main platform line looks quite curved, not so on the bay platform track. Not sure if that's the effect of the camera. Tonight I will have another go and ease up on the angles. Other items of interest: The replacement rail built SR style signal. Other pictures show 2 LBSC wooden post starting signals. The small signal box and the other wooden building. The 'must have' coal stage. Brick edged gravel topped platform. The station is shown on the 'side by side' maps web site. They have the 25" to the mile version available. Interestingly the bay line is there but the bit in the platform is not shown?

Ever the one for changing my mind I was sorting out the perennial messy state of the workshop and I noted that I had a stash of 18" - 24" wide boards. I had been looking at KESR based locations and will probably build Bodiam. A 'penny dropping' moment said why not somewhere on the Hayling Island Line, classic Terrier territory. On a couple of lengths of CLS timber sitting on 2 trestles provided a stand for the various boards. Enough waffle, here is the first iteration: Picture 1 - From the stops the lines from left to right are: Bay Platform, Platform Line, Run Round / Goods Line and Goods Siding. Picture 2 - Drivers Eye View - Peco Points Picture 3 - The line on the left needs a trap point. Picture 4 - View from the stops of the Bay Platform. Picture 5 - Close up of the station throat. I have lost a couple of sidings, but kept the bay platform as it was a big feature of the station. 976 14-07 1183 15-07 1537 23-07 2104 13-08 2565 25-08 2710 27-08 2829 28-08 3164 30-08 3386 31-08 3887 19-09 4290 23-09 4508 25-09 4809 28-09 5408 14-10 5686 16-10 6328 20-10 6745 22-10 7305 03-11-2018 8055 10-11-2018 8521 24-11-2018 18945 04-04-2020 20814 01-07-2020 22164 15-7-2020. 23658 31072020

I would echo the praise. I fitted the chip from Paul in a few minutes. In the 1980's as a Yard Supervisor at Dover we had 2 shunting the Ferry Yard, plus tripping to and from the Town Yard. Plus the Town Yard had its own pilot. The sound is perfect and the brake function lets me really drive it. Big thanks to Paul.

John, I used some of the stick on weights under a van and they came unstuck. Not sure if it’s what I was trying to stick them too. But very handy. An open can have a layer on the floor and they hardly show.

After a scorching day I had a couple of hours getting the track pinned down and the filler sections of rail cut on two of my curved boards. The next stage is to solder the feed wires to the filler sections, killing two birds with one stone. Here are the first 2 boards sitting on some Screwfix trestles. I've used three part built Tri-ang Big Train conversions to see how the curve looks. The nearest wagon represents a 10' wheelbase vacuum braked minfit conversion. The buffers at this end have been replaced with sprung buffers from Parkside. I think the buffer faces need to be flattened a bit with a file. The coupling between two wagons doesn't seem too bad, considering the tightness of the curve.. The other end of the rake has an unfitted version. In this case the body has been shortened, a new door fabricated and given some height added. Sitting on a replacement underframe. The feed wires will be added when the filler rails are soldered into position.

The O gauge empire is expanding, due to my self imposed rationalisation of my OO and N gauge stock... A casualty is the circular rendition of the line in North Cornwall. The boards being reused for O gauge. Fortuitously the boards take 2 sections of the O gauge Peco setrack Next a few more boards and some scenery..