Model Railways On-Line - Hamworthy Old Poole
Hamworthy Old Poole David Lord describes his 00 gauge Southern Railway branch line layout Photographed by Paul Plowman Top: SR 02 Class 0-4-4T No.182 passes the loco servicing depot with a 2-coach push-pull set for Hamworthy Old Poole. Hamworthy Old Poole is a 4mm OO gauge model using code 70 rail and hand-built track throughout. Modelled on the likely (or unlikely) layout of the original Hamworthy terminus of the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway. Hamworthy represents what the S&DJR Southern terminus might have been if it had not been transferred to Bournemouth in 1896. Originally constructed by Phil Knife in 1977 as Abbotsbury Southern Mk 111, and acquired by me around 1985 the layout is now becoming rather old, however, the techniques used by Phil and I over the years have stood the test of time with the exception of some plastic items such as fencing and signals that will require replacement before/or as they self destruct. The age of the layout has never been a problem with operating because the original track layout conceived by Phil and subsequently modified and extended by me, has always provided a myriad of operational possibilities. I have always been able to immerse myself into operating Hamworthy because of the challenges that present themselves whenever adlib operating is carried out as against timetabled operations. Operation has to resemble basic full size practice because of the need to turn locomotives, run around and deal with either an empty station (easy) or a full station (can be really difficult) when things get busy. An example is, who forgot to move the pilot locomotive from platform 1 buffer stops before the express arrived. Schools Class 4-4-0 No.928 ‘Stowe’ passes the goods shed with a train for Waterloo. The model is an out and back Branch Line to fiddle yard measuring 11 feet by 6 feet. Starting from the Hamworthy terminus station to the 4-road fiddle yard, the railway runs through varied countryside including a viaduct and small branch station and goods sidings called Lychet Minster. The fiddle yard originally constructed by Ken Gray is provided with a hand crank using Meccano gears to move the tray back and forth and accurately line up the tracks. The removable tray holds a total of four full-length trains or three full and two smaller trains such as a local passenger and a slow pickup goods using one of the fiddle yard roads. SR Schools Class ‘Stowe’ departs from Hamworthy Old Poole with a train for London. Trackwork The original track laid by Phil Knife consists of code 70 flat-bottom rail hand spiked to balsa wood sleepers. This seemingly quite unsafe fixing of the rails to the sleepers has stood the test of time and track remains in gauge and has not required maintenance over the years. Extensions and point work built by me use PC board sleepers and code 70 rails. All points are hand made with the exception of the (I think it is a Formaway) code 100 double slip that has provided excellent service and despite being of a larger rail size than the main rails, does not look like code 100, due to a little bit of weathering and painting of the rails. A lesson here I think. Period The period is roughly pre WW2, but as I have a lot of different stock, there is ample scope for having a preserved line aspect where anything from a Duchess to a model of the LNWR “Cornwall” coupled to Webb’s Directors Saloon will make an appearance. In addition, my son Chris has a number of Southern EMU’s that despite the lack of a third rail manage an appearance when no one is looking. I might add that turning a Duchess on the turntable is not really on, although the Lord Nelson’s can just about be turned with very careful positioning of the loco and tender wheels on the turntable extremities. Former SE&CR D Class 4-4-0 No.1577 drifts across the viaduct. D Class 4-4-0 No.1577 shunts utility vans past the goods shed. A parcels train arrives at Hamworthy Old Poole. Former SE&CR D Class 4-4-0 No.1577 approaches the buffer stops with a train of utility vans. The push-pull train formed of LSWR ‘Gate’ stock waits in the bay platform. Rolling stock Train stock is a veritable mixture of scratch built vans and flats (many from Phil Knife) to the very well detailed models from current manufacturers. Coaches are PC models, while the attractive gated auto train is scratch built from balsa wood by Phil Knife. Locomotives are again a variety, mostly of white metal (Wills) and even plastikard. The RTR models of today are also making an appearance, and they run better than most as well. Did the Q1 ever reach the S&DJR? There is even the odd interloper from the GWR in the form of a Metro Tank and Clestory Auto train that visits from time to time. Layout Diagram Each square represents 1 foot Operation Operated by up to three people at a time working as 1, Driver Hamworthy, 2, Shunter Hamworthy, 3, Driver/Shunter Lychet Minster/Fiddle yard, the model is totally portable and breaks down into two boxes measuring 3x3x2feet high for the viaduct/loco depot section and 4x2x3.5 feet high for the rest, plus stock boxes and trestles, which seem to take up more room than anything else. Exhibited many times during the 80’s and 90’s, using audio cassette tapes to provide background commentary and locomotive sounds to the running trains, (developed in conjunction with Peter Betts and also used on his model of Lulworth Cove) the like of which have not been seen since these two layouts stopped exhibiting, means the model these days, resides at home for personal enjoyment. I have a number of times considered selling the model, but the enjoyment factor has ensured that I have had second thoughts over and over again.
Hamworthy Old Poole is a 4mm OO gauge model using code 70 rail and hand-built track throughout. Modelled on the likely (or unlikely) layout of the original Hamworthy terminus of the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway. Hamworthy represents what the S&DJR Southern terminus might have been if it had not been transferred to Bournemouth in 1896.
Originally constructed by Phil Knife in 1977 as Abbotsbury Southern Mk 111, and acquired by me around 1985 the layout is now becoming rather old, however, the techniques used by Phil and I over the years have stood the test of time with the exception of some plastic items such as fencing and signals that will require replacement before/or as they self destruct.
The age of the layout has never been a problem with operating because the original track layout conceived by Phil and subsequently modified and extended by me, has always provided a myriad of operational possibilities. I have always been able to immerse myself into operating Hamworthy because of the challenges that present themselves whenever adlib operating is carried out as against timetabled operations. Operation has to resemble basic full size practice because of the need to turn locomotives, run around and deal with either an empty station (easy) or a full station (can be really difficult) when things get busy. An example is, who forgot to move the pilot locomotive from platform 1 buffer stops before the express arrived.
The model is an out and back Branch Line to fiddle yard measuring 11 feet by 6 feet.
Starting from the Hamworthy terminus station to the 4-road fiddle yard, the railway runs through varied countryside including a viaduct and small branch station and goods sidings called Lychet Minster. The fiddle yard originally constructed by Ken Gray is provided with a hand crank using Meccano gears to move the tray back and forth and accurately line up the tracks. The removable tray holds a total of four full-length trains or three full and two smaller trains such as a local passenger and a slow pickup goods using one of the fiddle yard roads.
The original track laid by Phil Knife consists of code 70 flat-bottom rail hand spiked to balsa wood sleepers. This seemingly quite unsafe fixing of the rails to the sleepers has stood the test of time and track remains in gauge and has not required maintenance over the years. Extensions and point work built by me use PC board sleepers and code 70 rails.
All points are hand made with the exception of the (I think it is a Formaway) code 100 double slip that has provided excellent service and despite being of a larger rail size than the main rails, does not look like code 100, due to a little bit of weathering and painting of the rails. A lesson here I think.
The period is roughly pre WW2, but as I have a lot of different stock, there is ample scope for having a preserved line aspect where anything from a Duchess to a model of the LNWR “Cornwall” coupled to Webb’s Directors Saloon will make an appearance. In addition, my son Chris has a number of Southern EMU’s that despite the lack of a third rail manage an appearance when no one is looking. I might add that turning a Duchess on the turntable is not really on, although the Lord Nelson’s can just about be turned with very careful positioning of the loco and tender wheels on the turntable extremities.
Former SE&CR D Class 4-4-0 No.1577 approaches the buffer stops with a train of utility vans. The push-pull train formed of LSWR ‘Gate’ stock waits in the bay platform.
Train stock is a veritable mixture of scratch built vans and flats (many from Phil Knife) to the very well detailed models from current manufacturers. Coaches are PC models, while the attractive gated auto train is scratch built from balsa wood by Phil Knife. Locomotives are again a variety, mostly of white metal (Wills) and even plastikard. The RTR models of today are also making an appearance, and they run better than most as well. Did the Q1 ever reach the S&DJR? There is even the odd interloper from the GWR in the form of a Metro Tank and Clestory Auto train that visits from time to time.
Operated by up to three people at a time working as 1, Driver Hamworthy, 2, Shunter Hamworthy, 3, Driver/Shunter Lychet Minster/Fiddle yard, the model is totally portable and breaks down into two boxes measuring 3x3x2feet high for the viaduct/loco depot section and 4x2x3.5 feet high for the rest, plus stock boxes and trestles, which seem to take up more room than anything else.
Exhibited many times during the 80’s and 90’s, using audio cassette tapes to provide background commentary and locomotive sounds to the running trains, (developed in conjunction with Peter Betts and also used on his model of Lulworth Cove) the like of which have not been seen since these two layouts stopped exhibiting, means the model these days, resides at home for personal enjoyment. I have a number of times considered selling the model, but the enjoyment factor has ensured that I have had second thoughts over and over again.