The Caradon Branch

[Alec K]

After eighteen months' planning and preparation, work on the Caradon Branch has begun in earnest here. I'm attaching a couple of pictures of the work in progress, by courtesy of Glenn Baker of Bowbrook Gardens who has now completed the 'civil engineering'. The whole exercise has been a first for both of us.

I'll keep you posted as work progresses; bear with me, it could be a while....

Best wishes,

Alec

 

[Alec K]

I should perhaps have taken a backward step when posting the photos above! Setting out of the new Caradon Branch began last year when I refreshed my surveying skills of 'n' years ago to create a scale plan of our garden using a chain-and-tape survey. Actually it was a steel tape and tape survey as retirement means that the opportunity to borrow the appropriate gear- i.e. a chain - is no longer a reality. There are 8 legs to this survey, with additional detailed sets of dimensions.

Once the ground survey was completed and drawn up to scale - it isn't levelled as the track is set at a constant 2' 00" AGL on timber supports, and Glenn Baker's level to check the post tops can be seen in one of the pictures - the route was sketched in as shown, with 3' radius curves drawn accurately for centering purposes. The surveying of tree and bush canopies was particularly useful as this has enabled me to set the railway amidst mature planting effectively.

All the best

Alec

 

[Alec K]

Without wishing to inundate this thread with stage-by-stage pictures, here's the latest progress report from the 'Caradon Branch'.

Platelaying is proceeding well and the recent batch of Peco G45 Streamline has brought the railhead to the junction for the return loop under the Japanese Maple. LGB sectional track is 'on site' to ensure the geometry of the loop itself, with some items awaiting collection from GRC.

Alec

 

[CoggesRailway]

Looking great! Nice work, and like your plan a lot.

 

[Alec K]

Feedback welcome and greatly appreciated, CR!

Just got back in from studying the timberwork of the Y at the entry to the return loop, matching it against the LGB track units, and working out that I'll need to make additional decking 'fillets' here. Didn't construct this section quite right...... (!)

Alec

 

[Alec K]

Progress continues to be made; the junction under the Acer is by far the best place to be working at the moment!

The additional timberwork to correct the geometry of the junction itself has been completed and the pointwork and LGB return loop diode track sections have been installed. A Halt ( a la Plymstock, where the Turnchapel line diverged) will be built in the Y of the junction itself.

Clearance is a bit tight under the tree itself but the track could be slewed if necessary.

All the best

Alec K

 

[tagorton]

I take it that this is a Cornish branch Alec?

 

[Alec K]

It will certainly try to be, Tag! I grew up in Saltash, not too far from the L and CR as you know well, and that line has been a lifelong interest of mine. It is highly unlikely that I will ever have the skills to produce a 1:20 Kilmar, Cheesewring or Caradon as motive power for it and so 'The Caradon Branch' will have to nod in the direction of the L and CR. I've already built a L and C 6t open and one of the L and C passenger brake vans so 'opening day' will have a suitable ceremonial train, at least.

Kind regards,

Alec

 

[Alec K]

Just ahead of the rain, I completed tracklaying this afternoon and 'closed the loop'. According to meter testing there is good electrical conductance throughout and a couple of 4w coaches came to no harm at all on this, the tightest curve on the line. Wiring of point motors and isolating sections commences tomorrow, weather permitting of course.

Alec K

 

[Gizzy]

Nice start Alex.

Looking forward to more....

 

[Artistmike]

Very nice indeed Alec, It's nice to see a line with Westcountry influences.

 

[Alec K]

Many thanks for the encouragement, Gizzy and Mike - this has been in preparation for a couple of years, really, and a fair number of Westcountry lineside features have already been assembled, so progress should be steady from hereon in.

Regards,

Alec K

 

[Alec K]

Work progresses steadily, with the main focus now on wiring in accessories and running feeds for lighting buildings, and so on. With the main station and only yard named after Moorswater on the real Liskeard and Caradon line, tracklaying and the installation of isolating sections here was completed a couple of weeks ago:

With the installation of additional timberwork to ease the curve on the return loop, tracklaying here was completed on 5 July, and first signal on the system was 'planted' on the site of Sandplace Halt (to be modelled on the actual halt on the Liskeard and Looe line). Appropriately it's a fixed distant, here denoting a permanent speed restriction in line with GWR practice. The signal is scratchbuilt and is a copy of the one I found on the L and CR stub in 1964.

The 16 vac feed to the LGB point motor at the 'y' of the return loop was completed today and tested OK. The 4.4 vdc feed to the site of 'Sandplace' has been commenced using speaker wire and should be complete tomorrow.

Regards,

Alec K

 

[Alec K]

Work continues although I've retreated inside due to the rain over the last 24 hours! No photos I'm afraid but:

[UL][*]Test trains run round the complete system (except for isolated sections at 'Moorswater') with no problems, electrical or mechanical[*]4.5vdc feeder completed[*]Cover for 3 ganged LGB switch banks designed and built from a length of spare uPVC soffit board left by Everest. Disguised as LCR goods shed/works building using whatever I had in the spares drawer. Picture will follow.[*]Collected LGB power feed clamps from GRC and these are being wired up for installation with the necessary switching on the isolated sections, when the rain ceases.... [/UL] Best wishes,

Alec

 

[Alec K]

Quick pictures between the showers today of wiring progress:

This freelance building is constructed from a spare length of uPVC soffit board, Jacksons Miniatures slate, stone and woodplank textured sheet, and modified Jacksons windows. It is weatherproof, having only dummy windows and doors, and heavy but lift-off roof, complete with model, functional, windvane. It is finished in spray acrylics and Humbrol enamels with two coats of acrylic varnish. As can be seen, it houses three LGB control boxes, including a timer control. The paint colours selected reflect those used traditionally on Cornish mine engine houses.

This small hut is constructed in much the same way to provide protection for a bank of Peco isolation switches controlling the runround loop and siding. The rear wall is removable as can be seen, and is fixed in place after use by nuts threaded on two captive bolts in the uPVC end walls. As yet it has not been painted or secured in place.

Alec K

 

[Alec K]

Further progress, much of it unseen beneath the trackbeds, with the L and CR C and W building (aka LGB switch/timer housing) and the smaller trackside hut (aka Peco isolation switches housing) fixed down and connected up. Other structures- water tower and signal box from L and CR photos and my own archive - prepared a couple of years ago have been sited using a home made clearance template.

Alec K

 

[C&S]

That's looking really good, Alec. The shot with the signal box makes one really curious to know what's round the corner, down the line. When does the next train leave?

 

[Alec K]

Great to have some feedback, C&S, and thank you for the encouragement! I think the wet weather and my 'OO' experience has me wishing I was creating an atmospheric indoor version like your own..

Yes, the evenings and the 'view blockers' like the buildings on the 'Caradon' line had me wishing the Kilmar would appear round the bend, but we'll have to settle for a very elderly Stainz hauling replica stock. Close enough, I hope!

Thanks again,

Alec K

 

[Alec K]

A good afternoon's work in the sun with at least the surface water dried off.

A nearby joinery firm allowed me yesterday to gather a few lengths of hardwood and 11-ply remnants from their scrap pile so that I could start work on 'Sandplace' Halt in the Y of the return loop. I made a small donation to the local hospice to mark this generosity and I returned with some high quality offcuts. The results of today's session are shown below - the waiting shelter is made of coffee stirrers and is a scale model of the real thing but awaits the construction of the platform, again from joinery offcuts.

Regards,

Alec K

 

[Alec K]

A few more steps forward today, and although rain threatened, there were no real disruptions. I seem to be spending a lot of time waiting for sealer/primer to dry on the platforms at 'Moorswater' and 'Sandplace', but I was able to locate and wire in my fogman's hut and brazier on the first curve out of 'Moorswater'. Like most of the structures, this has been ready for a couple of years, but it's good to see it in position at last. The brazier is lit by a flicker unit remaining from my former OO layout. The temporary 10mph limit signs are home-made but the poor camera work does them no justice.

I bought two much-abused LGB manual semaphore signals a while ago, and these are being converted to LQ Stevens-pattern home signals as used on the real L and CR. I've created a couple of Stevens ball-type finials from four half-round buttons discovered in my wife's sewing box. More on this later...

Again, please forgive the poor photographs throughout this thread- investment here has been in the railway rather than a digital Nikon replacement!

All the best

Alec K