I am following the messages with interest as I am planning a rebuild of our railway, see http://www.rushworth.co.nz/modelrail.htm to an indoors layout incorporating the ECML and Alnwick Branch at the time of NE and LNER steam.
I am trying to obtain Ken Hoole's book on Eastern Branch Line Termini but no success at the moment, though attempting to obatin other similai (I hope) Ken Hoole books.
Would appreciate any plans or layout information that anyone may have available. Have obtained information from AVRS and Northumbrian Branch Railways.
I trust you have seen the thread on this site about "Modelling a place on the LNER", which was started by Jdtoronto.
I did once find an old O.S. map of Alnwick which showed the track plan of the station. I found it by Googling "Alnwick map", but I have now lost the address as my PC crashed in the summer and I lost all my e-mail.
The station building still exists and is used by Barter Books in one bay, and builders merchant in the other. There is a nice picture of the station entrance as it is today on http://www.barterbooks.co.uk/bb/barters ... pages/shop. I was in there quite recently.
Also have a look at the Aln Valley Railway webs site on http://www.avrs.co.uk/ There are a number of photos of the branch.
Colombo,
Yes I have read the thread "Modelling a place on the LNER" and it has been very useful. I have also obtained several OS maps of both Alnmouth and Alnwick from various sites and obtained copies of most of the Aln Valley Railway news magazines from the AVRS site.
The original suggestion of Alnmouth and Alnwick came from the LNER Yahoogroup to which I also belong. One of the members of this group 'bartoz' has provided several photos and sketch track plans for the staions as at 1936.
I am very interested to see any other modellers approach to modelling these stations and section of the ECML. Even the 18 arch bridge I understand is over the Aln river just north of Alnmouth.
I have a copy of LNER Country Stations by John Brodrib, which is worth looking for. There is also LNER Country Stations by C J Gammel. Both will provide information about the stations in Northumberland.
The line to Ilderton and Wooler closed to passengers in 1930 and to goods to Wooler in 1948 and Ilderton in 1953. However that does not mean that a model of Alnwick should not feature connecting passenger trains and through goods working with lots of shunting in the station. There was a gas works at Alnwick that received coal traffic and a branch to the local coalmine at Shilbottle.
Don't forget that the passenger services were for many years the preserve of the last NER D20s. Many finished off their working lives at Alnmouth shed, where the coaling stage was a very light timber structure without a roof, and coal wagons were pushed up onto it using a string of skeleton wagons.
Many photos show the branch services in the last year being worked by a V2 purloined from Scotland, and on the last day by a 9F 2-10-0. This was not at all typical. Steam locos were in short supply by then.
Be very careful here as there is a lot of confusion around the wagonways and the NER.
Basically there were two wagonways to Alnwick neither had any physical connection with the NER. The earliest wagonway ran from colliery farm(West of Shilbottle) to the staiths at Alnwick down what would later be called Wagonway Road terminating roughly where the NER staiths are.
The second wagonway ran from Longdyke pit (Northwest of Shilbottle) to Alnwick gas works. There was a signal cabin called Shilbottle colliery junction adjacent to the gas works that aids the confusion. This box was later renamed Alnwick East.
Anyone interested in the wagonways please get in touch and i will open a thread in the correct place.
Hi interested in the area served by 52D. also researching colliery wagonways from same area.
We corresponded some time ago. I am now in Nelson NZ and will send Mike Griggs' Route and Branch to you if you will let me have your address.
carried from UK to save postage. Keith
The Alnwick model railway society has just re-formed and meet weekly at a house in Embleton, where they are building a model of the branch. The most spectacular feature is a scale model of the Cawledge Viaduct which has already had a public airing at the Embleton show last week. I will try to get a photo and post it on this site.
A model of A3 Bayardo mentioned above would be appropriate for the layout, as this loco worked over the Alnwick - Cornhill line in 1941.
I live within sight of the line and would be prepared to take photos of it if it would be helpful.
There seems to be some interest being shown in this area from the other side of the world, I recently sent photos off to a man in Australia, who needed information to help him build a model of Acklington Station.
keith byfield wrote:We corresponded some time ago. I am now in Nelson NZ and will send Mike Griggs' Route and Branch to you if you will let me have your address.
carried from UK to save postage. Keith
Keith,
Sorry about the problems replying to your email. The address is
6 Mariners Way
Whitby
Porirua 5024
NZ
Phone 04234 1300
Our mail is being collected so please send the book.
We will be in Turangi from the 19th of Jan through to the 25th. If you are in the NI you are welcome. Address is 107 Puataata Rd Turangi ph 07 386 0264. We will be travelling from Tuesday 15-19th. Otherwise hope to meet you in Wellington/Porirua.
I have had computer problems and only just foen your original December email.
Regards,
Peter
keith byfield wrote:We corresponded some time ago. I am now in Nelson NZ and will send Mike Griggs' Route and Branch to you if you will let me have your address.
carried from UK to save postage. Keith
Keith,
I seem to be having great difficulty posting a reply. This is about my fourth attempt. Anyway the address is 6 Mariners Way, Whitby, Porirua 5024. Home phone number is 04 234 1300 and cellphone 0274423338 and we are currently in Turangi (Lake Taupo) and the phone number is 07 386 0264. If you are still in NZ please send the book to the Porirua address. Someone is at home and will hold it form me.
keith byfield wrote:We corresponded some time ago. I am now in Nelson NZ and will send Mike Griggs' Route and Branch to you if you will let me have your address.
carried from UK to save postage. Keith
The Alnwick Model Railway Society has just launched a website: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/alnwickmrs/
They are building a model based on the Alnwick to Alnmouth branch. I have attached some pictures of the model of the Cawledge Viaduct
