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There is something interesting (to me at least) about the traditional carriage sidings.  They used to hold an interesting array of coaches, of differing types, and perhaps even some non-passenger parcels stock.  The only trouble in modelling such a prototype is its size, even in ‘N’. Operation is not especially varied, but like modelling a loco shed, there is a constant flow of stock in and out, for cleaning and maintenance, and to the terminus for the next train out.

Following the lines of South London around the wonderful National Library of Scotland mapping, I came across an interesting site – Peckham Rye maintenance sheds.

These were built originally for the maintenance of the LBSCR overhead electric trains for the South London Line (of which this is a part.)  They are relatively compact, as the large shed is only about 2ft long in ‘N’ and the small one shorter still.  Compression would be needed to make a reasonably size layout, but the sheds themselves would have to keep their length to hold a full EMU.

There’s little on the internet about them.  But I did find that the Peckham Rye EMU maintenance sheds closed around 1965, and the work on PUL/PAN/COR/BUF and RES units being transferred to new maintenance sheds at Selhurst Depot.  Units were still stored here until April 1967.  The site was demolished in 1969.  Here are photographs of the two main structures – again they don’t seem to be well photographed.  No doubt access was difficult, and discouraged with live rails about.

Immediately to the east, and if you had the room, the station at Peckham Rye is an interesting one, with a two-level goods yard and diverging lines at different levels. The station building was, and still is, a most impressive structure, and drawings can be found on the internet.

A final worry – so many of the layouts I am finding from the wonderful London mapping from the National Library of Scotland are four track prototypes.  Am I experiencing an N-mod renaissance?  This may be a topic to think about in some layout planning posts next month.

Urban layouts seem to be everywhere at the moment!  Here are a few more, including a couple of ‘almost Minories’.

First, Graham Bridge’s ‘Southwark Bridge’, currently under construction….

An almost exact Minories, but with an extra couple of platforms or sidings at the front, with a third relief road entering the station.  This looks an excellent design, although Graham recently mailed me, saying…

“I’ll tell you now that building a urban layout on arches is much harder than I thought it would be.”

I suppose things like point motors are difficult to fit in, and maintain access if you have built on a solid board below.

Having a free read in WH Smiths, I spotted the cover of the March Hornby Magazine that said, “Modelling central London steam and electric operations in ‘OO'”.  Well, I don’t usually buy this magazine, but this was an easy way to relieve me of £4.50.  Inside is a detailed description of Stephen Grant’s ‘Mansion House’ an imagined extension of the LSWR across the Thames into the City of London.  This excellent layout has taken bits from the other London Termini that crossed the Thames, and has through goods roads like Holborn Viaduct.  Here’s the track plan, taken from the magazine.

The layout is 30ft x 8ft, that would actually be a very manageable 15 x 4 in ‘N’.  The layout is also written up in detail on the Helston & Falmouth MRC website, including a number of photographs.  I’ve taken the liberty of including two below, one being the lovely model of the Thames crossing.  Stephen Grant describes the layout as…

Back in the 1960s I was inspired by CJ Freezer’s classic layout plans ‘Minories’ and ‘A Thoroughgoing Terminus’ As he pointed out, it is easier to justify a cramped layout in a city environment where space is at a premium; furthermore I find it easier to model brick and concrete than to create a convincing rural scene of fields, trees and hedges.

I have always been fascinated by railways in a city landscape, by glimpses of London’s railways emerging in canyons between tall buildings or diving under other lines to lead…who knows where? With his particular fondness for the smaller, less well known corners of the capital’s rail network John Betjeman evoked these atmospheres better than anybody; the old Liverpool Street station on a foggy evening, snow falling on the abandoned Aldersgate station, Cannon Street (before its ghastly 1960s rebuilding) “so echoing, so lofty and so sad”…..

Retirement and a move to Cornwall yielded, among other things, a block-built shed that had previously housed a goat. Eviction of the goat, a new roof, internal dry-lining and installation of a power supply has given me a 9.6m x 2.4m internal space in which to realise my long term vision. As I do not intend to exhibit the layout I have been able to plan it as a fixed installation without the constraints of portability.

A twin track route links the five-platform terminus to a return loop and a set of storage sidings, with the ‘Aldgate Lines’ bypassing the terminus to complete a circular route as an alternative to ‘out and back’ operation. Steam locomotives are turned and watered at a servicing point on the Southwark side of the river, based on the GWR’s Ranelagh Bridge and the LNER’s Kings Cross Yard, so as to minimise light engine movements to Nine Elms shed.

I wonder what happened to the goat?  Curry????

Finally today, two more Minories variations from RMweb, the second being CJ Freezer’s own update of the design.