Bickersleigh Colliery 00, a north western scene

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Allegheny1600
Posts: 140
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:07 pm

Bickersleigh Colliery 00, a north western scene

Post by Allegheny1600 »

Hi All,
May I introduce my club's (Leigh MRS) layout, Bickersleigh Colliery!?!
This layout was originally started as an EM gauge layout and was progressing nicely, several years ago.
The baseboards had been built and the track built and laid, ballasted even though that was not without it’s problems as at one point, we discovered one section of track was shorting out. After numerous headaches and much testing, a happy accident found it was the ballast itself that was causing the short! There was much fettling of track and wiring when for various reasons (not these incidents!) certain members moved on leaving the society without any members actively modelling in that particular scale/gauge.
It was felt beyond the realms of possibility or reason for some or any of the members to convert from 00 gauge modelling so the decision was taken to rip up the EM gauge and relay everything with 00 using standard Peco components so that all the remaining members could get involved.
While this was going on, the opportunity was taken to extend the scope of the layout’s operation somewhat to make it more realistic in operation and more entertaining for the viewer.
Here are a couple of views;
Overall view of layout
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Long view
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Father & son team shunting
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I shall return in due course with more on the story.
Cheers,
John.
Ex-Pat
Posts: 2201
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:51 pm
Location: Newry Northern Ireland

Re: Bickersleigh Colliery 00, a north western scene

Post by Ex-Pat »

Interesting background and looking forward to more - not often we get a Club Layout.
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Bufferstop
Posts: 13788
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 12:06 pm
Location: Bottom end of N. Warks line

Re: Bickersleigh Colliery 00, a north western scene

Post by Bufferstop »

Are the operators expected to wear those helmets, or do you have a couple of volunteer fire officers in the club? My wife has a similar one from when she had to go to the National Fire service college and asses the teaching skills of their instructors, including when their trainees were practising on the fire ground. She, her helmet and clipboard, appear briefly in one of their promotional videos proving that their trainers are independently tested and certificated.
Tip If you are determined to have to be cut out of a car, make sure it's a Mk1 Escort, or a Citroen AX, they get more can opener exercise on those than other models.
Growing old, can't avoid it. Growing up, forget it!
My Layout, My Workbench Blog and My Opinions
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Allegheny1600
Posts: 140
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:07 pm

Re: Bickersleigh Colliery 00, a north western scene

Post by Allegheny1600 »

Thanks guys!
Yes, the helmets are to be worn by the operators, at least that is the plan! Hopefully, they won't be too cumbersome - they certainly were very necessary when we went underground but when operating, it's to help set the scene.
Cheers,
John.
Dad-1
Posts: 7296
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:05 pm
Location: Dorset - A mile from West Bay.

Re: Bickersleigh Colliery 00, a north western scene

Post by Dad-1 »

Tell that lazy tyke on the right of that second picture to NOT LEAN ON THE LAYOUT !!
Stand up straight ......

Sorry, but I have this 'thing' about not placing anything on layouts other than stock
and buildings. The last people who 'touched' things on my layouts were all adults, how
can they expect children not to touch when they set such a bad habit.

Friendly rant over, welcome aboard. Great looking layout.

Geoff T.
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RailwayRobbo
Posts: 608
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2015 1:32 pm
Location: Deepest, Darkest Northants.

Re: Bickersleigh Colliery 00, a north western scene

Post by RailwayRobbo »

Hi guys.
As an ex- North Derbyshire Coalfield Mine Surveyor (70-92) I'll be following your thread with interest.
Still have my helmet (plus ear defenders) and Flame Lamp as a reminder of the 'Good Old Days'.

Pete (RailwayRobbo)
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Allegheny1600
Posts: 140
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:07 pm

Re: Bickersleigh Colliery 00, a north western scene

Post by Allegheny1600 »

Thanks again Guys!
Dad-1 wrote:Tell that lazy tyke on the right of that second picture to NOT LEAN ON THE LAYOUT !!
Stand up straight ......

Sorry, but I have this 'thing' about not placing anything on layouts other than stock
and buildings. The last people who 'touched' things on my layouts were all adults, how
can they expect children not to touch when they set such a bad habit.

Friendly rant over, welcome aboard. Great looking layout.

Geoff T.
Thanks Geoff, the rest of the membership and myself, agree with you!
There are just some folk who won't be told I'm afraid, we've tried all sorts, even resorting to spike covered barriers. Can you believe this is an ex-army man!??!
When I joined the Manchester club and was given 'the tour', my host was very, very strict about this sort of thing - I got the impression that were I to do this on "Dewsbury", I would have been kicked out! And really, that is how it ought to be as far too many hours have been spent building the thing.
Cheers,
John.
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Allegheny1600
Posts: 140
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:07 pm

Re: Bickersleigh Colliery 00, a north western scene

Post by Allegheny1600 »

Hi All,
A brief continuation of the story;

The layout has been exhibited in an unfinished state at our own exhibition a couple of times but after the last exhibition, we decided to enhance the appearance of the layout even further. By this time several members had made a return to the society and new members had appeared so the society was becoming much healthier than at it’s lowest point. So, with a number of members who knew little about the mining industry, a fact finding trip was undertaken to Caphouse Colliery, the National Mining Museum over in Yorkshire. This was a great day out, many photos were taken and we learned an awful lot about how a colliery was operated, the why’s and wherefores and also, the “feel” of the place.

Photos;
Caphouse Colliery
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The “Hornby” pit head, we decided to build our own!
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This is better,
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We need (at least!) one of these,
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We’re working on something similar to this,
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These are a “must”
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If you wish, you may 'click' any of the above photos which will take you to my Flickr photo album for that day.
Until next time,
John.
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Allegheny1600
Posts: 140
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:07 pm

Re: Bickersleigh Colliery 00, a north western scene

Post by Allegheny1600 »

Now to bring the story almost up to date,
One thing we did discover was that we needed a greater number of buildings of suitable style so some members set to and started scratch building these as well as modifying older models to suit.
The track plan was slightly modified to enhance operations, the fascia was improved by our new electrician, Craig to show the layout in an interesting light, Steve (our chairman) painted up a really nice new backscene, Roy and Darren have built some lovely miners cottages - most members have actively contributed something and that helps bind a club or society together.
The layout will be appearing at our annual exhibition on 2/3 September but it will still need additional features adding. These will feature some things that are rarely seen on a layout so we think you will find the layout has changes of interest each time you see it.

Miners cottages coming along
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A handy pub
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Pit head coming along
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Mine managers office (under construction!)
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More soon!
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