Croft Sidings and works.

The shunter at work. There are two lines going into the works
where the empty wagons can be loaded with granite
and shunted back out onto the sidings next the mainline.

The progress so far on the actual layout.

 The baseboard is 8x4 6mm ply and woodstained

This is just a rough idea of the layout, I still have more track to purchase before I can start anything else. The buidings are mocked up in there exact final position, the track obviously needs more adding ( ignore the points on the left.)

 I just wanted to get the scale right and see what track I still need to purchase.
 The lighter coloured plywood is for the raised level of the mainline which is curved and rising from bottom to the top, the buildings and shunter sidings into the works are on a lower level.
There is also a river running through the works that's at an even lower level ,so this will mean cutting sections out of the main baseboard., rusuling in 4 levels!
But that's all way in the futere.

The track layout of Croft sidings has recently been changed, however I will be modelling the earlier version with a single slip starting from the near corner of the signal box. This photo shows the new layout of the track. All that has changed is the removal of the single slip near the signal box and a ladder crossing installed starting further up the line.

Croft Sidings oo gauge model layout.

Introduction.
 I am building a 1970s to present model layout of Croft sidings in oo gauge
 using DCC control .

I grew up in Croft ,Leicestershire in the early 1970s and late 80s respectivly
 The Quarry was owned by English China Clay when I worked there in my late
 teens, becoming CAMAS and now Bardon Aggregates.
 
A brief history of the line, including the Diesel  loco's that use(d) the line.

Mainline Leicester Wigston Junction (up) to Nuneaton section (down)
Built and completed 1864 operated by South leicester Railway (SLR)
Taken over in 1867 by London and North West Railway. (LNWR)
Then later becoming London Midland and Scottish (LMS)

Signal box
Built in 1901 to LNWR type 4 specifications, 30 lever tumbler frame.
It remained unchanged until 2006 when the Westclad system was installed along the line.
The signal box closed on New Years Eve 2011 to be replaced by new signalling EMCC operated
at Kettering.
Andrew .T .signalled the last train out of Croft sidings from the signal box.Croft
Station
Croft station was situated next to the road bridge on Coventry road (Bridge 21)
It closed on 3rd March 1968 as part of Beechings cut backs.
 I have yet to locate a photo of the station.

Croft works
Croft Brick Works formed in 1865, becoming Croft Stone and Brick in 1872
English China clay during the 80s, Camas 90s and Bardon Aggregates in the 2000's
Quarry products include granite from the quarry and precast products such as Kerbs, Flags, and Filterbeds.

Shunter (works)
Rolls Royce Sentinal 0-6-0 in 1980s -2000s Pale Blue and White
Replaced by a Thomas Hill Vanguard in the late 2000s White

Locomotives on the mainline (modern)
Class 20 -DRS (Direct Rail services)
Class 37 DRS,
Class 57-Virgin Trains,
Class 43 HST Cross Country Trains (Diverted).
Class 66 DRS - EWS (English Welsh Scottish) now DBSchenker ,-Frieghtliner.
Class 67
Class 70 Freightliner,
Class 60 EWS
Class 47 DRS-WCR (West Coast Rail) -Large BR Blue.
Freight carried includes Cars, Coal, Ballast, Granite from the quarry and containers. 1970s to date.
Passenger services include DMUs, 1970s to date
Class 37 mk2 coaches in BR Blue (1970s)　
 
Signals　
 Upper quadrant style signals were removed when the Westclad
system was installed.
The home signals were located next to the bridge and the other
near Marions way.
 A  signal was also located on the shunter
 sidings near thevehicle crossing.
 Groung signal also used for shunting work.


　

This blog will hopefully chart my progress!