Callow Lane Goods was planned to be only be 7 feet in length but I took the decision in 2007 to lengthen it by 2 feet and re-design the scenery. The layout still comprises of two baseboards, both of which are 4' 6" in length, and which bolt together with insides facing each other for transport.

The track plan is quite simple and based on the Iain Rice plan 'Minimal Goods Depot' in his book 'Designs for Urban Layouts' (Atlantic Press). The main difference is that I have two lines coming in under the bridge from the fiddle yard, so that I can 'arrive' the train on the incoming road and then run it round prior to shunting, in view of the exhibition visitor.

I have built two B7 and one A6 turnout kits from the P4 Track Company and cannot praise them highly enough. They were the ideal confidence booster for someone who has never built P4 track before. The trackplan also features a 3-way point, which I scratchbuilt from steel rail and copper clad sleepers, and which will have cosmetic chairs glued on afterwards.

The remains of the gated access to the Callow Lane chocolate factory in 2008

So far I have converted a Bachmann 08 and a number of larger diesels, including a Heljan Hymek, a Bachmann Warship and a Bachmann Class 20. I also have an Alan Gibson Jinty in service. The conversion of the R-T-R diesels is particularly straightforward. The 08 has Ultrascale 'drop in' wheelsets, which come ready quartered and fixed on the axles to the correct gauge.  Although I subsequently eased some clearances around the brake rigging and fitted new pick-ups, I actually had it running in about 10 minutes. It's a quick job to ream out the Bachmann coupling rods, which are secured onto the crankpins by 16BA nuts supplied by Ultrascale, although I have now fitted the Brassmasters replacement rods, which do look better.

A view of Callow Lane taken at CamRail 2008, looking from the goods shed area towards the level crossing.

 

Callow Lane level crossing under construction. Photo taken at CamRail 2008	Callow Lane level crossing under construction. Photo taken at CamRail 2008
Parcels stock on Callow Lane from the 'BR pre-TOPS blue' operating sequence. The ex-SR 'Van C' is the recent Hornby model, resprayed and lightly weathered. It is still awaiting lettering and further weathering.	I have used the new Hornby 'Skaledale' Midland Railway signalbox as a temporary structure at Callow Lane crossing. This is a fine model straight out of the box, but unfortunately the steps are on the wrong side. I have an etched brass kit awaiting construction to replace it.

The Bachmann 08 after conversion to P4. When uploading this photo, I noticed that the crankpin nut on the centre wheel is missing - it's since been replaced. The photos were taken on a section of the local Scalefour Society Area Group test track.

Jinty 47276 was built from an Alan Gibson kit and represents the last steam loco to shunt the 'North British' wagon works at Radstock and Writhlington Colliery on 4th March 1966, just before the majority S&D closed.

Only two of my former OO locos have been converted to P4 so far, and I don't plan to convert any others. The first conversion was the most time-consuming, when I built a new Perseverence chassis for my 14XX 1451. I chose this one for conversion because it was somewhat unlikely to have been seen on the S&D but may have strayed onto the W.R. in South Gloucestershire! The K's whitemetal body did not easily lend itself to the new P4 chassis, and I also spent a lot of time messing around with twin beam compensation, before finally opting for the easier single-beam version. The loco now runs very well and the weight of the whitemetal body is ideal for P4.

The other OO loco to be converted was my green Bachmann Class 25, which was again an unlikely choice even for a 'green diesel' on the S&D, but might just have been seen on the former Midland system in South Gloucestershire. I realise that Hymeks and other W.R. diesel-hydraulics were much more likely, but I'm clutching at straws here, and besides, the Bachmann 25 runs like a dream! 

I have now completed the track work on Callow Lane, the wiring and the control panel. The track in the scenic are has been spray painted, first with red oxide and then with a track colour (mixed from Humbrol enamels). This is not the end of it, though, as I will now be individually painting and weathering each sleeper and varying the hue of the rust on the sides of the rails and chairs. Once this has been completed, I will commence the process of ballasting.

The fiddle yard board on Callow Lane under construction. The cassettes make physical and electrical connection via sections of brass rod soldered in a brass tube, mating with another piece of brass tube, the whole lot soldered to copper clad sleepers 

As far as buildings are concerned, I have also started work on the goods shed, which is a plastercast kit from the excellent 'Townstreet' range and have recently completed a row of four cottages from the Scalescenes range. I have started to build the overbridge across the centre of the layout from plasticard, also using Wills girder parts.

Much time has been spent building wagons and parcels stock for Callow Lane, which has actually distracted from other tasks, such as actually getting on with the layout itself! Having the local Scalefour Area Group test track available to run P4 stock on (D.R.A.G. - Devon Riviera Area Group) has tended to encourage me to be lazy where other aspects of the layout are concerned - building yet another wagon kit is definitely the easy way out, but can be quite theraputic after a hard week at work....

After much badgering and friendly ribaldry on RMWeb, I finally caved in and agreed to take the incomplete layout to CamRail in July 2008, where it seemed to acquit itself fairly well. A couple of 'operating hiccups' will be sorted out in due course.

I will add to this page as the layout progresses.

Page updated on 14/9/08.

 

Please note that all written and photographic material on this website is the intellectual property of and copyright Tim Maddocks 2008 unless otherwise credited.