RMweb Premium JZ Posted April 13, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 13, 2016 (edited) With the arrival of the Kernow/DJM O2, thoughts have turned to building an Isle of Wight layout. This is something I have fancied doing for a long time, perhaps inspired by a summer evening in 1963 when my father to me, aged 7, for a walk over St.Boniface Down and we sat and watched trains in Ventnor station. While Ventnor would make a fine home layout, to my mind the station buildings get in the way for exhibition viewers. With that in mind, I looked for other locations along that stretch of coast where similar conditions could exist. First thought was for Bonchurch. But a line to here would possibly have followed a coastal route from Shanklin, via Luccombe and probably continued to Ventnor. Then I had a look at Niton and hatched a couple of ideas. First was to have the line to Ventnor Town/West turn east at St.Lawrence and run along the Undercliff. Second was for the line to run to Niton from Whitwell and through a short tunnel to Niton Undercliff. The second option is, I feel, better for exhibiting, as it has a convenient scenic break, the station can be at the back with a chalk cliff behind it and the open goods yard at the front. Work will not start until the new Peco bullhead track becomes available and in the meantime I will get some stock built. The full fleet of loco's arrived yesterday and the coach behind is a converted ratio Midland suburban. Edited October 31, 2016 by JZ 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
exmoordave Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Good luck with this, I shall watch with interest! There are far too few IOW layouts around I'm afraid. I've always had an interest in Island railways and can remember seeing a 2mm model of Ventnor station many years ago, so I hope it goes well for you! All the best exmoordave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 I too have long taken an interest in this island, although in my case it was because of a lovely girl I once knew! Seriously, good luck, I'll enjoy following your build. Cheers, John 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted April 13, 2016 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 13, 2016 Finished the first of the Ratio conversions. Also fitted decoders, Lenz Silver Mini+, to the locos. Set the top speed to a modest 20mph, but set the acceleration and braking fairly low for maximum control. I noticed on the O2 topic that a few have complained about haulage capacity, but mine will take three of these coaches up the 1:50 return gradient between the fiddle yards on Gurney Slade and thats more than enough for me. Not going to review them here, as enough has been said already, but I do like the ease to access the cab to put crew in and I like the decoder access arrangement. I don't like having to modify the packaging to put them back in the box with couplings. And that is my only gripe(which I have also had with Bachmann and Hornby models). 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted April 13, 2016 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 13, 2016 (edited) Here are my two little beauties. Still to fit the nameplates. Edited April 13, 2016 by JZ 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Looks good to me Jules, nice pair of Locos as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Bedding Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 With the arrival of the Kernow/DJM O2, thoughts have turned to building an Isle of Wight layout. This is something I have fancied doing for a long time, perhaps inspired by a summer evening in 1963 when my father to me, aged 7, for a walk over St.Boniface Down and we sat and watched trains in Ventnor station. While Ventnor would make a fine home layout, to my mind the station buildings get in the way for exhibition viewers. With that in mind, I looked for other locations along that stretch of coast where similar conditions could exist. First thought was for Bonchurch. But a line to here would possibly have followed a coastal route from Shanklin, via Luccombe and probably continued to Ventnor. Then I had a look at Niton and hatched a couple of ideas. First was to have the line to Ventnor Town/West turn east at St.Lawrence and run along the Undercliff. The_Isle_of_Wight_RJD_135v1a.jpg Second was for the line to run to Niton from Whitwell and through a short tunnel to Niton Undercliff. The second option is, I feel, better for exhibiting, as it has a convenient scenic break, the station can be at the back with a chalk cliff behind it and the open goods yard at the front. The_Isle_of_Wight_RJD_135v2a.jpg Work will not start until the new Peco bullhead track becomes available and in the meantime I will get some stock built. The full fleet of loco's arrived yesterday and the coach behind is a converted ratio Midland suburban. Gurney Undercliff.jpg I am much fascinated to see the resurgence of interest in the Island rail network and its rolling stock. One addition I am able to make to the eye-witness accounts is that, unlike the mainland, a lot of effort was placed following nationalisation in repainting the Island's carriage stock into BR crimson. In summer 1956 I came across a number of grounded coach bodies parked in the field immediately to the North of Newport station. To my untutored eye, all were seemingly in good condition, and all were in crimson. PB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWCR Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Re Carriage bodies: It was the railways practice to paint out all ownership lettering etc when these where being sold on. This often meant a quick all over coat of the current livery colour. This could result in a new livery colour appearing on an already withdrawn vehicle. The bodies you saw may have been ex LCDR bogie vehicles which had been withdrawn around 1949 although I would not expect any of these to have been left by then. Many of these bodies were sold from a field near Cement Mills north of Newport More likely it would have been surplus stock withdrawn following the Sandown line closure (Feb 1956) which would have been in BR Crimson of fairly recent application. These vehicles would have been mainly LBSC with perhaps some SECR Most of these were scrapped at St Helens Quay though it is possible some were at Newport. Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted May 2, 2016 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 2, 2016 Despite the effects of a heavy cold, I put together 3 opens. The 7 & 5 planks are Parkside kits, the 4 plank is a Cooper Craft GWR kit, but it closely resembles some of the wagon seen on the IoW. Still to weather them, but that can wait until I'm not under the weather. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted May 31, 2016 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 31, 2016 While I really should be getting on and finishing Gurney Slade, I have mostly been running trains. But I have continued work with rolling stock for this IoW project. Firstly I have finished my Ratio Midland suburban conversions. I have built one of each type. Roof fittings have been left off, as some of the IoW coaches had plain roofs, they run on Bachmann Bulleid bogies, which meant the pivot points needed to be moved towards the ends. The brakes have also had windows cut into the guard's end, each one slightly different. I've tried to get a bit of variation in the shade of green by using different primers, white, red and grey, and also using satin or matt varnish on them. Fairly happy with the result, though it barely shows in photos. The O2s struggle a bit with this load on Gurney Slade's steepest gradients, but as NU will be level, no problem. Also continued knocking together some freight. Still waiting for my Mousa Models brake van, but Bill Bedford has said that the rest of the parts should be in this week. The van. views of vans on the Island are few and far between, but is about as close as I can get from out of focus, half hidden behind God knows what views. Yes, I know it's not the right number, but from three feet, who's going to know. Since this photo it has been weathered. I have three more wagons and the brake to build and that will probably be it on that front. Carriage wise, I have a set of Hornby exLSWR coaches on order and may get one or two Bachmann birdcage ones, if and when they appear, just to add some variety. The great thing is that most of the stock can be legitimately run on Gurney Slade. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Miles Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 So where is the Buddle Inn? It's the best thing in Niton. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted June 1, 2016 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 1, 2016 So where is the Buddle Inn? It's the best thing in Niton. Last went into the Buddle Inn way back in 1980 or 81. Burts Beers and a very attractive barmaid. What happened to The Royal Sandrock? Their petanque evenings were alway fun, with music and free food. I am imagining the station to be on St.Catherine's Rd, so it could indeed be next to the Buddle. Maybe a sign on the station approach. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted June 22, 2016 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 22, 2016 (edited) Had a Mousa Models LSWR 18T Goods Brake arrive 10 days ago. I'd love to get on and build it, but there are no instructions. Has anyone built one? Any tips? Edited June 22, 2016 by JZ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWCR Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 The Royal Sandrock burnt down years ago, its been replaced by housing. Would have been still there during steam days though. Any line along the undercliff would have been a nightmare to maintain, its one of the largest coastal landslip zones in europe. The Ventnor to Niton road has been closed for some years now due to slippage. In "What If" land however anything is possible. Pete 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted July 29, 2016 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 29, 2016 My Legacy track arrived at East Somerset Models today and was duly collected. The absence of points yet may be overcome by using SMP plastic point kit bases. Picked up a bargain Peco N turntable for £3.99 on eBay which will be for the sector plate. I will use C&L chairs on this to hold the rails. Also collected a set of xLSWR coaches which can also see service on both layouts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted August 2, 2016 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 2, 2016 Just a quick posed shot of the O2s with the new Hornby xLSWR coaches on Gurney Slade viaduct. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HymekBoy Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Looking forward to this, something a bit different. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted August 3, 2016 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 3, 2016 (edited) With the Legacy track and some rail here, I will be building a point or two on my next week of rest days. Main building will start after my US trip in September. Will contact Marcway next week to see if the SMP plastic point bases are available on their own. I have 4 unmade and need 2 more, plus a catchpoint base. But first I must see what hand-built ones I have made up. The main reason for choosing SMP though is consistency in looks. Goods sheds seem to be a bit thin on the ground on the IoW, so NU will just use a Ratio Provender store, or perhaps a Wills timber shed. The station building itself will be of timber, maybe bash the Peco one and add some canopies. I can see no water tower/tank in photo's of Ventnor. Was it remote from the station? Edited August 3, 2016 by JZ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted October 29, 2016 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 29, 2016 (edited) Not much done with this due to holiday and illness, but at least I have made a start on the station building. For this I am using a Peco LK-200 Wooden station building, canopy uses a couple of Wills SS54 plus the one from the Peco kit. More to come. Edit: The layout will now be called Undercliff. Signs from Station Signs have been procured. Going to use a mix of BR and Southern. Edited October 31, 2016 by JZ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 Just found this thread. Has there been any further progress? I love the posed shot of the two O2's with the maroon coaches. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted June 5, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 5, 2017 Just found this thread. Has there been any further progress? Not yet. Just pottering around getting stock together. Really waiting for Peco or DCC Concepts to bring out some BH pointwork. In the meantime I have been doing some repaints for a work colleague. Research for that is taking time. Also I have been working a few extra rest-days and that takes a chunk out of modelling time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GloryDays Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 So nice to see another Isle of Wight modeller! I am building a 00 layout based around Ventnor. I agree that the station building can get in the way very easily, so I've turned the plan around so that the viewer is sat on top of St. Boniface down, looking over the yard towards the station. Of course, I am happy to see you model a different bit but in the same sort of time frame. I will be following you! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted October 18, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 18, 2017 After this project stalling for the last few months, I hope that some progress can be made over the winter. Picking up a new car tomorrow, actually it's 7 years old, but a with low mileage, and can measure up to see how the boards will fit in. Still waiting on points, but it looks like it could be to use SMP plastic points bases. I'm still getting together a few suitable rolling stock kits, the hardest to find being the ex Midland brake kit from Slater's. At the moment they are fetching stupid money on eBay. So, maybe around Christmas, you may get another update. But first, off to the Arctic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 Just had a catch up Jules, and looking forward to more pics over the coming Months. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted November 22, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 22, 2017 I did pick up one of Peco's new Bullhead points in East Somerset Models today and I must say it looks good, however for the rest of the pointwork I will want 36" radius to save space. Probably going to Warley at the weekend and will speak to both Peco and DCC Concepts about timescale for the rest of the pointwork. So it may still be SMP plastic point kits. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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