'O' Gauge Model of Heaton Lodge Junction

[simonspider]

Rather than talk about my usual subject of supercars I thought a few may be interested in this epic project I've been working on for a while now. (Yes I love trains too).

Heaton Lodge Junction is a real location just West of Mirfield, West Yorks and as a kid I spent much of my school holidays there in the early to mid 1980's watching Class 40's & 56's thundering by with MGR coal trains etc.
I decided 4 years ago to start researching the location with a view to spearheading a project to re-create the location exactly as it was in 1982-5 - in 7mm 'O' gauge.
In a nutshell the model when complete will be 180ft (55m) long in 45 odd 4' sections that will be carried by a 40ft artic to exhibitions. Currently 9 of the 4' boards are complete with production running at 4 boards a month. The track is handbuilt by a chap in Swindon from components to reflect the flat bottom concrete sleepered track, the boards are laser cut by a firm in Bedale and the gradient of 1:137 on the prototype is even built in which in 7mm scale the lines rise about a foot over the 180ft distance of the model. All the structures are being re-created by Allan Downes an iconic model builder if ever there was one..however the scenery is all being done by moi - I enjoy it although I'm sick of being covered in static grass.
All the diesel loco's (about 25 of them) were seen on the prototype at the time and are being built mainly from kits as we speak. All will be fitted with fan assisted smoke units to mimic the black exhaust plumes, lights and sound decoders so they sound like the real thing.
The model covers the prototype's 1.3miles from Woodend Bridge in the East (just West of Mirfield station), to the two huge bridges crossing the Calder near the sewerage works. The girder bridge (sadly disused from the mid 1960's) has thousands of rivets all of which will be replicated.
Interestingly when I was researching Heaton Lodge (lots of photo's of it on Flickr in the 1980's) I flagged up one photo which believe it or not the photographer captured me in with two friends there as a 12 year old! I tracked the photographer down and now have the original.
If anyone's interested I'll post pics here of progress and the build is featured in BRM magazine's forthcoming May edition.
Anyway a few pics of the real thing and the build..bear in mind not much detailing as yet but the grass and first of the (handbuilt) trees are in..

[simonspider]

Banks going into 4 boards

[simonspider]

Another view of about 4 x 4' boards - there are 40 something in total when completed

[simonspider]

First of the (handbuilt) trees..

[simonspider]

Start of the model- the real Woodend Bridge just West of Mirfield taken recently. 3 tracks now but 4 up until the mid 1980's..

[simonspider]

And the model one - cobbled together for this pic..

[simonspider]

The pic that really started it..Photographer Bill Jamieson snaps a '56 passing with a coal train plus inadvertently gets me at 12 years old with two mates at the same time..

[simonspider]

Here's a 1980's shot from Woodend Bridge as the 4 tracks head up towards the junction itself..

[simonspider]

Close up of the track..

[simonspider]

Thanks for the comments, to answer the questions Warley at the NEC and Doncaster at the race course are a couple it'll fit into.
As for boards they are aligned using engineers dowels and attach together by four snap catches. The electrics then use audio type connectors. I'm glad I'm not doing any of this woodwork isn't my strong point

[simonspider]

slybynight said:

Thats the thing about modelling isnt it. you get stuck in your own world.. time and money loses all meaning..and then, for some totally unrelated reason you take a step back from it all.... and then the introspection starts. You take a look at what you have been doing with fresh, normalised eyesight. And you start to think what have I been doing with my life? Why have I invested so much of myself in this and to what end.... you start to go cold on the whole idea... you start to peruse other interest, other forums, other threads... and then you find a post like this. As I have just done and you (I) start to realise that your (my) little project was small potatos. A mere weekend frippery in comparisson to what others are doing. All the time you thought you were big time... and actually you're just a fairweather tinkerer!!

I feel very small and unimportant.

The only consolation I have is that one day it will happen to you Mr OP.

Edited by slybynight on Thursday 18th February 00:28

Very true, I hope I don't come across as the big 'I am' ref this project as this isn't about impressing anyone, it's just something I've wanted to do for years to 'take me back' to those happy years.
Wacky Racer - I'm hoping it'll be completed by late next year but it has to operate like a production line which it has so far!
DIW - pm sent nice to hear from you.
One more thing, Heaton Lodge will be set on a frosty December morning hence no foliage on trees, the light frost yet to be completed. I spent many hours freezing my nu*s off there during the Christmas holidays in the 1980's.
I'll update every week or so.
Simon

[simonspider]

As it happens I'm having a scale model of a child on a fence built! I will upload more pictures this weekend..

[simonspider]

Few more detail pics here..
Woodend Bridge is now in position, this is the extreme East end of the model and the 'scenic break' where the trains will appear..

[simonspider]

[simonspider]

[simonspider]

[simonspider]

Frosty Morning at Heaton Lodge..fair bit more to do on these 5 x 4ft boards as you can see. Then only another 39 boards to go

[simonspider]

[simonspider]

Thanks for the kind comment - I'm a bit of a fine detail freak, I really enjoy it.
I just photo the real thing and copy it. It is 'O' gauge finescale - (not S7)to answer your question but the track is hand built using Peco flat bottom rail and their own concrete sleepers. The track is built and ballasted by a chap whose been doing it for years, he's not cheap but you can see the result..
There's a double junction on board 14 (we aren't there yet) which is also to scale and 12ft long

[simonspider]

W124Bob said:

As a former Manchester Victoria driver I will be looking forward to seeing the Heaton Redbank vans, Cawoods and numerous tank trains. Even a sneaky Deltic on the Liverpool Newcastle service. But please no 142's, I have stood at that signal numerous times ,you're model is superb.

Praise indeed! Thank you. You will defo be seeing a couple of Class 40's double-heading the Newcastle (Heaton) - Manchester (Red Bank) newspaper empties. This will be one of the show stopping trains I'm hoping. With 20 odd GUV bogie parcel vans and the 2 x CL 40's it'll be over 30 foot long
You will be glad to know I'll only be running the first generation DMU's - Class 110/104 etc