A trip along the line

It's a while since I provided you with a tour of the line showing how all the bits fit together. In this virtual tour we shall follow the Down Afternoon Mixed Train as it traverses the line from Beeston Market to Bickerton.

 This plan hopefully shows how everything fits together and how it has evolved over the past five years from the original looped figure of eight (see the first blog posting) to today's representation of the hypothetical railway (see A tour of the hypothetical line).

The Down Afternoon mixed is waiting on the main platform at Beeston Market (see A typical running session). On the right are the goods sidings and in the foreground the sidings which will serve the engine shed. On the extreme left is the siding which leads to the interchange siding with the Chester to Crewe mainline railway.

This photo taken from the other end of the station shows more clearly how the sidings and platform are arranged. As you can see, there is still much work to be done ballasting the track (see Adding more sidings to Beeston Market), adding more detail, constructing the engine shed and adding buffer-stops to the sidings.

The train has departed and is approaching the copper mine. The hidden link from Beeston Market to the Copper Mine is seen on the right. This allows the train of full tippler wagons to be exchanged for empties, giving the impression that the tipplers have discharged their loads (see A typical running session).

Moving on a little further, the train of full ore wagons has just arrived at the copper mine. The diesel will leave these and pick up the train of empties. In 'reality', the copper mine is not situated here (just outside Beeston Market). It has been placed here for convenience. Still much work to be done here. The mine buildings (to be modelled in relief - ie just frontages) will be constructed and placed on the right and loading hoppers will be placed over the hidden link track.

A little futher on and the train negotiates a couple of rather severe reverse curves (LGB R1). Eventually I would like to replace these and all the R1 points with alternatives. But this will have to be postponed until funds and time permits. On the lawn is one of the stock boxes used to transfer and store the rolling stock between running sessions (see How I made some stock boxes).

The line then curves towards the fence, past the compost bin lurking behind the fig tree on the left.

 The track then runs parallel to the fence behind a line of leylandii. I have thinned these out a little to allow better access and to give the impression that the trains are passing through woodland.

 On emerging from behind the hedge, the train crosses the junction which leads towards Bulkeley Station. Again, this is another exercise of "modellers' licence" as this junction would not exist in 'reality'.

The line then disappears behind the sheds. The blue plastic on the right covers a stack of timber - I tend to accumulate off-cuts - just in case!

 

 An acute right turn, where the line shifts from being mounted on timber to breeze-block foundations. To this point the line has been level, but the ground rises towards the back of the garden. (see Extending the line and  How I laid the track).

 Then parallel to the fence behind the sheds. Once more, those two window frames have been stored there for at least ten years - you never know!!

 The train passes over the copper mine branch link (more modellers' licence) (see Progress Report 24) ........

 ......before emerging from behind the sheds, passing under a conveniently placed road bridge (see How I cast road bridges in concrete).

 The train crosses the reverse loop link (modellers' licence again).......................

 The train then runs beneath the hedge at the back of the garden rising up a slight gradient.......

 ....passing behind some heather and a conifer................

 .........to emerge into Beeston Castle Station (see How I assembled the station buildings).

 The cast concrete platform (see How I cast curved platforms in concrete) needs to be adjusted slightly here as some of the stock catches on it. Beeston Castle is on the hill on the right (see Progress Report 15). At present, it is a rather ruined representation - eventually a more realistic segment of the castle will be modelled. The rather unscale drunken lampost is a temporary measure. This will be replaced with something more in keeping when the station becomes more detailed.

On leaving Beeston Castle Station, the line crosses over itself (see How I skewed an LGB truss bridge) ............

  

......taking a sweeping right turn..................

 ...........before passing the stream (supposedly the River Gowy).

 The line then crosses the stream which becomes more of a river as another feed from the pump joins it (see How I made the stream).

 After crossing the river, the line takes another right turn......

...... and then a sweeping left turn.

 Before reaching Peckforton Station. From Beeston to Peckforton, the line descends on a 1 in 40 gradient (see How I laid the track).

Peckforton Station is actually on a gradient. It would have been better for the station to have been constructed on the level, but this would have steepened the gradient to Beeston Castle (see Progress Report 17).

  

 The train waits at the station platform.....

 ..... while the loco shunts whichever wagons have been identified for movement by the computerised freight management program which I have devised (see Progress Report 16).

 The train then departs Peckforton across the viaduct which can be swung aside to allow access to the patio (see Bridging the gaps and Laying the patio). This viaduct was very much an experiment. Constructed from plywood it was plastered with exterior Polyfilla and some left-over tile adhesive when I revamped the bathroom. It has not been entirely successful as some of the cladding has fallen off and some remains. Another job on the todo list.

 The line then runs alongside the river again........

 .... as it threads its way .......

....... along the sandstone clad wall of a raised bed (see How I made the raised beds)

.... back towards the flyover bridge ...............

 

 ....... passing on the way, the junction to Bickerton Station (again modellers' licence).........

 ...... before emerging to start the climb (1 in 40)..........

 ..... beneath Beeston Castle Station ................

 ..... winding around the foliage .................

 ...... past the 'cat controller' .....................

 ............. before taking the reverse loop link ............

to pass (in the opposite direction) once more beneath the road bridge and disappearing behind the sheds.

 

The train emerges from behind the sheds to take line leading towards Bulkeley Station....................

 ...........across the swing bridge. In 'reality' there is no need for a swing bridge on the Peckforton Railway but I had to find a way of taking the railway across the front of the sheds, leaving sufficient access for the trailer tent. The swing bridge is constructed from uPVC trim and based on the original swing bridge on the Southwold Railway before it was replaced (see How I constructed the swing bridge).

 Immediately following the swing bridge, the train reaches Bulkeley Station. Once more, there is a need for some detailing here. The station building, just behind the loco, was converted from a children's toy bought on eBay for £5.50 (see How I converted a toy into a station building).

 After a brief stop, the train continues past the siding and loading bay (see How I cast loading docks in concrete) ................

 .......... and passes the branch line to the Copper Mine. If you look at the plan you can see how this branch enables the ore trains to and from the copper mine to appear to join the main railway at the appropriate point (ie between Bulkeley and Bickerton) albeit on the wrong side.

 The line then continues past the cottage on the hill (see Progress Report 27) between the two road bridges before encountering the link for the reverse loop once more.................

 ......... and descending back towards Bickerton.

 Passing under the flyover bridge, the train takes the junction................

 ........ to roll into Bickerton Station.

Bickerton Station is built on two paving slabs which have been mounted on brick piers providing a store underneath for fuel for the multifuel stove. The line actually continues, through a hole in the wall on into the lean to (see Progress Report 2). The sidings in the lean to are used to store any trains which are 'in transit' at the end of a running session. They can be quickly rolled out to resume play at the start of the next running session. During the winter, however, the stock is stored in the storage boxes in the leanto (with the locos stored in the house).

As you can see, there is still much to do on the railway. A lot more detailing is needed on the stations and some of the foliage is beginning to outgrow its original purpose. However, the line is functional and I can run services much as I assume they would have been run if the line had existed.

A typical running session

If it has been a while since I have run the railway, the track is cleaned and the foliage is trimmed back (See How I clean the track). This can take between thirty minutes and an hour and a half dependent on how long it has been since the previous running session.

I then print out the computer generated goods schedule which tells which wagons are required to be moved for the goods train and the mixed train in that running session (see Computerised freight management).

The rolling stock is then transported out into the garden from the outhouse where it has been stacked in stock boxes constructed from plywood (See How I made some stock boxes). Each box is labelled and assigned to a specific siding on the line and at the end of each session the stock is run into the relevant stock box to ensure that each wagon can be restored to its previous location.

The stock is rolled out of the boxes into each siding......

 ... and then the boxes are then stored beneath or beside each station. The locos, which are stored separately inside the house for security, are brought out and also positioned wherever they were previously located.

 This stage usually takes ten to fifteen minutes. The timetable resumes from wherever it had reached previously. In this example however, the timetable is restarting - hence all the locos are stabled on the two sidings which will eventually become the engine shed at Beeston Market.

The first manoeuvre is for the loco assigned for passenger work to move to the coaches for the first Down Passenger train of the day.

This train then departs stopping at intermediate stations  .......................

........ before arriving at Bickerton

In the meantime (ie usually while the passenger train is stopped at one of the stations), the diesel loco collects the train of empty tipplers from the interchange siding (in reality this siding secretly links with the Copper Mine  - see How the line will be developed)

The wagons are taken to the loop, where the loco runs round them and, if necessary, shunts the guards van to the opposite end of the train.

The empty ore train then departs.......................

 In the meantime, the passenger loco has run around the coaches at Bickerton and started the return journey. The two trains pass each other at Peckforton...............

The ore train takes the branch to the Copper Mine just outside Bulkeley Station (see A trip along the line)  ...............

....... and reaches the Copper Mine sidings where the loco detaches the guards van and takes it via the loop to the other end of the sidings.

In the meantime (well afterwards in reality), the passenger arrives at Beeston Market Station and the loco runs round the coaches.

The loco assigned for goods duties shunts the wagons needed for the morning goods train ..........

Then the passenger train departs from Beeston Market ..........................................

 ........... and the full ore train departs from the Copper Mine sidings ........................

 The two trains pass each other at Peckforton .....................

 Meanwhile, the goods train has departed from Beeston Market.

The ore train passes the goods train at Beeston Castle, where the goods train shunts any wagons which need to be exchanged.

The ore train arrives at Beeston Market Station and reverses into the transfer siding (which as we now know, actually links back to the Copper Mine).

In the meantime, the goods train has reached Peckforton, where it shunts the next batch of wagons ..............

NOTE: at this point the running session was abandoned owing to deteriorating weather. It was resumed three days later when the weather improved

............ and passes the passenger train, on its way back from Bickerton.

The passenger train ultimately arrives at Beeston Market, the loco runs round the train and readies itself for departure.

The goods train reaches Bickerton .....................

......and the ore tippler empties emerge from the interchange siding having discharged their loads (in reality of course the full train has been swapped with the empty train).

The passenger departs ..................

............. allowing the diesel to run round the ore train.

The goods train has finished shunting the wagons at Bickerton and waits in the loop as the passenger train arrives.

The goods train departs Bickerton as the empty ore train departs Beeston Market:

The loco runs round its train at Bickerton.................

......... and the goods train passess the ore train at  Peckforton. Sometimes these trains pass at Bulkeley if the goods train has to do some shunting, but it's seldom there is any goods stock from Bickerton to Bulkeley (they are about a mile and a half distant in reality and the weightings for these movements reflect this in the freight management program).

The ore train takes the Copper Mine branch ...........................

.............. as the passenger train departs Bickerton.

The empty ore train reaches  the Copper Mine ........................

.............. as the passenger overtakes the goods at Peckforton or Beeston Castle (dependent on how much shunting has been required).

The passenger arrives at Beeston Market ..................

..........the diesel runs round and couples up to the full ore train and the guards van ....................

..........the passenger loco runs round the coaches at Beeston Market ..............

.................... the goods train arrives at Beeston Market .....................

........... and the full ore train departs the Copper Mine.

 The passenger train departs Beeston Market,  passing the ore train at Peckforton.

 Once the goods train has finished its shunting at Beeston Market, the loco is stabled.

When the passenger train next arrives at Beeston Market, one (or sometimes two) of the coaches is detached and one or two goods wagons are attached to form a mixed train (dependent on what the computer program has generated).

The Mixed Train shunts whatever goods stock is required on its way to and from Bickerton Station, passing the ore train at whichever station is most convenient.

There are two more passenger trains and one more ore train, to which is attached the four wheeled workman's coach.

This marks the end of a day's running in the life of the Peckforton Railway. The locos return to the 'shed' (yet to be built) at Beeston Market and the timetable resumes.

If the freight program indicates the movement of an oil tanker to or from the Copper Mine, then this is usually attached to one of the ore trains.

Youtube video taken during the session

Video made more recently showing the progress of the pick-up goods

Future developments
Eventually, I intend to construct another siding to serve the timber mill beside the river near Peckforton Station. This will add a little more interest to freight handling. If I have time I will also make a few more cattle and/or sheep wagons and may institute a couple of livestock trains at the start and end of the day assuming it is market day at Beeston. I also need to construct at least eight more open wagons. If I do accumulate more coaching stock, I may add an excursion train into the schedule, maybe taking trippers to Beeston Castle and then on to take the waters and the air at Peckforton spa (a halt will have to be added for the Peckforton spa hotel - yet to be built).

As you can see from the photos, there's still quite a lot to do. More detailing of the stations, weathering of the stock, Angliscising some of the locos and ironing out some of my shoddy tracklaying. I also need to wire in the point decoders which I have already bought for some of the more inaccessible pointwork. However, I do enjoy following the trains around, changing the points in situ and coupling and uncoupling the wagons by hand. One day I will change the LGB couplers for more realistic chopper couplings - but for now, they suffice.

Musing and reflection
One of the things which I really love about this form of hypothetical railway modelling is the opportunity it affords for creativity. I create my own form of reality which is informed by the real world but which is my own interpretation of a possible series of events. In my world for example, the copper mine has become commercially productive, but the local landowner has insisted that all the spoil is transported off site to avoid despoiling the local scenery. Furthermore, the ore is processed at sister mines at Alderley Edge, though it is crushed at the Bulkeley mine. This accounts for continuous running of ore trains through the day.

In my world, the canny landowner has exploited tourist potential of the health-giving properties of the local spa water, and built a plush hotel to cater for well-heeled (and well-healed(?)) guests. Beeston Castle acts as a tourist attraction for the hoypolloy and there is also a healthy trade in local Cheshire Cheese and fruit growing - this is founded in reality but traffic was actually carried by the Chester-Whitchurch Railway. The timber traffic is invented, though there is evidence of some foresty on the Peckforton estates today. This would not, in reality, generate the level of freight traffic found on my railway - but in my world trees grow incredibly quickly.

I am considering adding a sand and gravel business somewhere on the line (in reality (ie the real reality) there was a sand quarry adjacent to Beeston Cattle Market), which would also be served by the ore trains - however I'm not sure yet where this will be sited, though I do have my eyes on my wife's vegetable beds which have recently been constructed (see How I built the raised beds). I'm sure another branch line would not take up too much growing space....................