7mm Aneurin Bridge ( St Stephen’s General station )

[Compton castle]

Hi all, I would like to introduce my current long term plan to model Ranelagh Bridge in 7mm around 1960 give or take a few years.
I havent made a start on Boards yet as Im still trying to find a suitable home for the layout. I do plan to build it so eventually it could be exhibited.
The layout will be controlled using DCC.
At the moment Im building up my loco fleet, I have a Metal Smith GWR 65 foot pattern turntable that was built for me by metal smith that I was going to use on another project, My loco builder is currently in the process of converting it from the curved type to a flat Topper as is prototypical for Ranelagh Bridge.



The above shows the turntable in its original form and the second shows the progress thats been made.
I will re size some pictures of my locos and post up soon
All the Best
Steve

 

[Buckjumper]

Hi Steve, welcome to the forum. Paul's making a lovely job of the conversion.

 

[Compton castle]

Hi thanks for the welcome, Ive been a member for quite along time now but only just decided to start a thread.



I recently commissioned Guilplates to make the cast plates for the yard and the signal box plate for Westbourne Bridge Signal box.

 

[28ten]

Love those plates, you can almost smell the oil and smoke.

 

[Compton castle]

Locos,




DJH Brittania 70019 Lightning, JLTRT king 6023 King Edward II, JLTRT 5099 Compton Castle.
DJH built the Brittania for me although Fred Lewis had to re do the lining on the running plate as it had shattered, He is also responsible for the Weathering on both Brit & King.

 

[Compton castle]

Ive just had an update from Paul and here is a picture showing the locking gear taking shape on the side of the turn table and a comparison of the size of the parts.

 

[Phill Dyson]

What a wonderful project

Ranelagh Bridge has to be one of the most evocative locations on the Western mainline & I'm sure many of us will be watching with great interest

Cheers Phill

 

[28ten]

I have a couple of shots of D1011 at Ranleigh Bridge in the early 60's somewhere. I remember it from the early 70's so no steam unfortunately

 

[Jordan]

Hi all, I would like to introduce my current long term plan to model Ranelagh Bridge in 7mm around 1960 give or take a few years.

Give a few more years and it could just as easily host Blue Hydraulics....

Love the etch plates for the turntable!

 

[Compton castle]

I would love to see the pics of D1011.
This is an ariel view of Ranelagh Bridge and it just shows how compact the site was. I have scaled it using the coaches as a guide and the model will be about 15 foot long by 18" to around 5 foot at the widest point.

And a taster of the future.

The circular brick walk way was laser cut by Laser Craft Devon. They have been commissioned to do a kit of the Water tower, Westbourne Bridge signal box and the triangular stores building directly behind the signal box as seen from the ariel shot.

 

[Compton castle]

Give a few more years and it could just as easily host Blue Hydraulics....

Love the etch plates for the turntable!

Hydraulics yes but not in blue

 

[Jordan]

Hydraulics yes but not in blue

Ah, well... one out of two ain't bad.... ...and we'll settle for Green kettles without argument!!

 

[28ten]

Ill see if i can dig the shots out over the weekend

 

[lancer1027]

Hi Steve, a very warm welcome to the forum..

I will be watching this thread with a great deal of interest..

Before i finally decided to go with Penzance i was toying with the idea of doing Ranleigh Bridge but during the 70's with LOTS of blue hydraulics so this project of yours has a special view for me.

Shame its not going to be a tad later but nevertheless a great project..

I look forward to the next installment.

Rob

 

[Compton castle]

Hi Rob
hopefully in time we will have a few hydraulics knocking around, Im looking forward to seeing how Heljan get on with there Western I really want D1000 Western Enterprise in scruffy patchy desert sand. With JLTRTs D63XX and warships coming out it could get quite exciting.
any way you will have to make do with steam for now;



This shows to good effect the superb Weathering done for me by Fred Lewis.
The last picture is of 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, This was my first loco in 7mm its a JLTRT kit built by Paul Hanna painted by Conrad Cooper. Unfortunatley being involved in the building industry the financial crisis took its toll on me and with having a new daughter on the way I had to part company with it. Now two years later Im luckily able to get her back, So she will be the next loco to rejoin the Ranelagh fleet.

 

[mickoo]

I'm glad this has made it over here, been trying to follow it over 'there' but the forum issues (now seem to have settled down) took much of the pleasure of trying to read through all the pages.

The DJH Britannia does look nice, it keeps drawing me in when ever I see one on the web or at shows. Despite their shortcomings in the chassis area DJH do offer some nice looking locos.

Re Ranelagh Bridge, came across this view whilst researching other projects.

http://railphotoprints.zenfolio.com/p274090425/h156cb5d4#h156cb5d4

Regards

 

[alcazar]

Looking forward to seeing progress.

As a matter of interest, why did you need new plates for the turntable? Are they different from the ones Metalsmith supply?

 

[Compton castle]

Looking forward to seeing progress.

As a matter of interest, why did you need new plates for the turntable? Are they different from the ones Metalsmith supply?

There was not any plates supplied with the metal smith turn table. Im not sure if the curved top table had any makers plates.

 

[alcazar]

Ah, right, I've seen the underslung type and it had plates similar to yours.

 

[Compton castle]

Ransoms And Rapiers and Cowans and Sheldon installed makers plates on there turntables. I think Swindon might have been responsible for the curved top type and did not bother with plates.
I only need one of the plates as studying many pics of Ranelagh Bridge there was a plate on just one side. Guilplates have done a good job of these plates as I always use Severnmill plates for my engines.