Photos of Bridges at Boscarne Junction (part 2)

These are further photos I took in 2012 of the bridges at Boscarne Junction. This are of the Southern Railway bridge over the river Camel.

Looking from the direction of the GWR bridge

Closer view from same direction as above photo

View along footpath bridge from Dumere end

Looking across at railway bridge from footpath bridge

Looking towards Dunmere from footpath bridge

Looking down from Railway bridge up stream

 

Looking towards Boscarne along trackbed

Looking towards Dunmere along trackbed showing footpath

Looking towards Dunmere along trackbed

Photos of Bridges at Boscarne Junction (part 1)

Boscarne Junction is now probably not a first choice for a future model. However, when I was in Cornwall it was still a serious option that was on the table. The two bridges over the river Camel at Boscarne would be an important part of any layout of this junction (fictitious or accurate) and to record these was one objective while I was there. So for anyone that might be interested, a few photos follow showing the bridge that carries the old GWR line to Bodmin General over the river Camel:

Photo looking back up the line to Bodmin General from Boscarne Junction

Looking down stream on the south bank.

Looking across stream from the previous photo



Looking back up stream on the south bank.

As a guide for scale, my trusty stead is 10.5 hands tall to top of saddle (107cms or 42 inches in old money). I'll publish photos of the bridge on the SR line to Bodmin North in a future post.

Wenford DVD

I recently purchased a DVD produced by Branch Line Video titled 'Memories of the Bodmin & Wadebridge Railway'. I had mulled over the purchase for a while but as the front cover had a picture of a Beattie Well Tank at Dumere Crossing I thought it might contain something of interest on the Wenford Bridge line. Being not sure what to expect I was, after viewing, extremely please with the purchase. I would highly recommend this DVD to anyone interested in this area and the workings of the Wenford Bridge line.

It comes with two DVDs, the first covers the history of the line starting with brief footage of the North Cornwall Line then moving onto the main subject highlighted with many stills and brief cine film. Of more interest to me is the second DVD. It has cine film footage of two trips down the Wenford Bridge branch. One starting with footage of workings at Wadebridge and progressing to an empty clay train working hauled by a Beattie 30585. The second of a Brake Van special hauled by 1369. Both have anecdotal commentary from men who worked the line. Footage is not surprisingly showing its age but still fantastic to see.

Thoughts while decorating

While decorating, my mind is tending to wander a little......

I keep getting thoughts about the amount of stock I have planned to build for Boscarne. The realisation that I have to plan my next purchase due to the extended lead times of some manufacturers means I have to place my next order soon. Also the need to know what I need so I can purchase other items when I come across them (as they might not be in production for long). These thoughts are causing me to ask myself continuous questions. This flipping decorating malarkey is also putting me well behind schedule! How can I get myself back on track?

My original idea was/is to base both layouts in 1961/62. During this period there were many changes to the locos shedded at Wadebridge and seen on this branch. These changes give opportunities for the following locos to be used: 1 x Beattie Well Tank, 1 x 13xx, 1 x N Class 2-6-0s, 1 x O2, 1 or 2 x 45xxs, 1 or 2 x 57xx, 1 or 2 Class 22 Hydraulics, plus an 1 Ivatt 2-6-2T 2MT. This is 8 - 11 locos to convert or build and detail. This is without listing all the coaching and freight stock required.

Hmmmm .... Irrespective of the fact that all the above will also be seen running though Grogley Junction, I'm thinking this may be a little too much to be my first objective for a reasonable timetable to be represented. Granted I would not require it all straight away but Boscarne Wharf Junction layout is only suppose to be, a test P4 layout, a layout on a plank, something I can put together in a reasonably short period of time!!!! Trouble is it is starting to grow arms and legs and becoming more than I originally planned. This might not be a bad idea as ultimately, if it turns out OK, it could be an extension to Grogley Junction. Question is, just for now, do I need to cut down my thoughts for Boscarne's initial stock list? Doing so may enable me reach a state of completion that will allow me to progress onto the main project, Grogley Junction, sooner rather than later. Think I need to put some blinkers on ......

My thoughts over the last few days are turning to considering the 1970s as a possible era for Boscarne. The line was freight only by then. I think passenger services ceased in 1967 but Wadebridge was kept open for freight via Bodmin General until 1974. I would only require two locos and a few freight wagons plus clay wagons with or without hoods depending on year. One Class 08 and, depending on when in the 1970s, one of the following, a Class 22 or Class 25 or Class 37. The thought of hearing a Class 25 stood idling in amongst the trees on a hot summers day (it's a shame we can't depict a misty/rainy Cornish day with dripping trees) while waiting for the 08 to bring full clay wagons down from Wenford is attractive.

Operationally this will be limited but would enable me to reach a point where I could say 'finished for now'. I could then move on to the main project, Grogley Junction. Two problems are: I would struggle to justify running these locos through Grogley as its track would probably have been rationalised in the 1970s and I think all wharf sidings on the line were closed or lifted by 1969.

I'll keep stripping and painting ........ and thinking.

A little progress (not a lot)

For those of you trying to follow my meanderings with this project I must apologise for the lack of postings recently. It has not been intentional. A situation has arisen that means any spare time has to be spent stripping ................. wall paper, from six rooms plus hall stairs and landing of a three bedroomed house. Then all I've got to do is redecorate, all in evenings and weekends plus any days holiday I can take at short notice. Oh well I didn't have much else to do in my spare time !!! If anybody wants to buy a house by the sea with a 22' x 13' garage (suitable for a model railway room), give me a shout!

With all that said I've been able to find a few moments here and there to work on the quarter scale model.

It's starting to come together but I still have a little bit to do.

I was hoping to be able to hide all entries/exits by well placed trees but the exit to the Bodmin North line is being difficult to mask. Looking through the trees, up river, it is easy to mask both exits at this end of the layout. As you progress further towards the signal box and level crossing it gets more difficult to mask the Bodmin North exit.

Looking up river.

Looking towards Bodmin North exit from opposite the wharf siding.

Also I have been thinking about adding a provender store on the wharf siding not typical on this stretch of line but thought it might add a little more interest. At the moment I think it unbalances this end of the layout so I am undecided about whether to include it. If I do include the store, the siding will have to move slightly closer to the running line to give a little more room around the store.

With provender store

Without provender store

After trying the cottage in a couple of positions I've decided that it looks best in the position shown on the photograph above, which is roughly its actual location. It seems to balance the signal box in this position and stops the signal box looking like an orphan on that side of the track.

There is a lot more undergrowth to be added. In all the photographs I have seen the bank at the back looks heavily covered with trees and bushes. The level crossing also needs to be represented in some form along with the gates at the entrance to the Wharf siding. I am also going to play around with adding more trees and bushes at the front of the layout as again this edge seemed overgrown in the 1960s. At the front the trick will be adding enough to indicate this overgrown vegetation but still allow good viewing angles between and through the trees.

I could really do with another site visit to get a true feeling for the place and take a few shots of the cottage and road area around the level crossing.

Possible Locomotives

 Class 22

Just discovered Genesis Kits and their Class 22 pilot scheme loco kit (D6300 - D6305). These were all shedded at Laira shed during my chosen period. As yet I haven't turned up any photographic evidence that they would have been used on the Bodmin General to Wadebridge duties but one would be a good addition to my collection.

In stock to build I already have one old MTK kit which is earmarked to be D6339 as seen on the branch in 1962 near Grogley Halt. This will be built with the split headcodes (two roller blind route indicator panels) and finished in green with yellow warning panels and the 25kV warning signs. I also have a Silver Fox Models resin kit which is earmarked to be D6315 as seen at Wadebridge in 1961. This one has the folding head code discs and will be finish in all over green livery (no yellow front ends).

Recently, while scanning though one of the railway magazines in a newsagent (should have bought the mag really), I read that Dapol are going to produce a model of a Class 22. It's like waiting for a bus.

Beattie Well Tank

Kernow Models have come up trumps with their proposed model of a Beattie Well Tank. I've been putting off buying a kit for one of these locos as I'm not sure of my skills at soldering brass kits together. OK the model will be OO but hopefully not too difficult to re-gauge. At the pace I am going, Ultrascale may have a conversion pack ready by the time I need to run a Beattie ..... here's hoping. I've just got to decided which one to order out of the three they are proposing to produce.

Beattie Well Tank 30586

 I've been browsing the web for photos and discovered this little gem.

What an excellent photo of the one that did not survive into preservation.

Taken 17th July 1962 and can be viewed as part of ricsrailpics collection on Flicker. He has published many photos from the 1960's up to the present day.