Stockers' line: the Pell Wall Agricultural Tramway

[chris stockdale]

I think I should start with

as I have dithered over my 5" line for far too long. However, much as I love (they can't touch you for it) my 5" gauge Maxitrak Ruston it is for sale on other relevant forums. Yes, I am, as the title says, now planning to create the Pell Wall Agricultural Tramway at 12" to the foot.

Pell Wall because that is my location just outside Market Drayton and Agricultural Tramway because it is to serve the veg patch, possibly the kitchen and certainly next door's stables by bringing in the muck to grow ever better veg. Yes, it's the poo line

Not all is lost from the 5" however. The cutting will need widening and the sleepers will be for sale, but the rail itself and chairs that slip onto it are standard PNP products and will fit perfectly with their 7 1/4" sleepers.

Motive power is likely to be something like:

http://www.sevenandaquarter.org/gallery ... w&g_id=771

i.e. a very simple battery electric, sideways sitting so that one does not have to twist one's head off when changing the direction of travel.

A couple of wagons for the ordure and the Tramway will be running. (Now, none of your tart comments Mr Bullock, e.g 'And what year will that be?' or similar)

bestest,

[Gerry Bullock]

I think I should start with

A couple of wagons for the ordure and the Tramway will be running. (Now, none of your tart comments Mr Bullock, e.g 'And what year will that be?' or similar)

bestest,

Gnever said a word Chris.
I do like the Loco, certainly make for an easier ride in this gauge.

[rue_d_etropal]

magic gauge, nicely goes with the 32mm 1/6th scale, then there could be 1.12th scale on 16.5mm, and finally G9 .One railway , 4 scales.

[Steve Bennett]

Hmmmm, thats a bit cute
I'm wondering if it has a battery or a lawn mower engine in that ammunition box. Seems strange to carry a petrol can on a battery loco
Very tempting in Gnine, must try and resist

[chris stockdale]

Hmmmm, thats a bit cute
Seems strange to carry a petrol can on a battery loco

I'm assuming it's to hide the battery as I am pretty sure there isn't enough room to hide even the smallest i.c. engine anywhere.

I wondered if it would set Gnatterboxers thinking about possible scale/combos for a model version, despite being about as simple as one can get (just look at that seat) it has a certain something IMHO.

bestest,

[chris stockdale]

I hope to have some drawings in a few days. I went to visit Phoenix Locomotives:

http://www.phoenixlocos.com

last week and we worked up some ideas using their project loco underpinnings

http://phoenixlocos.com/products/projectloco2/

which should make for a very small loco for me at about 32" long excluding couplers! More info in due course, including a diagram of how the line is likely to end up.

cheers,

[Steve Bennett]

Have often admired their Hesketh which they usually bring to NG North show.
So, are you going for ride-on or having a driving car behind
Or should I wait and see

[chris stockdale]

:
So, are you going for ride-on or having a driving car behind

Ride on with yours truly sitting dead centre as the major chunk of ballast. There will be a dropped footrest so that I can get the centre of gravity as low as possible. A couple of battery boxes, one at each end (it's a 24 volt 1HP motor, so two 12V batteries are essential) and that's about it!

cheers,

[Steve Bennett]

Sounds good and a possible candidate for a miniature version
Wonder if we can get Rob to do a Busy Body version of Stockers for a 1:12 model, or are you ahead of me there

[chris stockdale]

Sounds good and a possible candidate for a miniature version
Wonder if we can get Rob to do a Busy Body version of Stockers for a 1:12 model, or are you ahead of me there

A full size Stockers is, surely, bad enough, without the place being infested with mini versions

cheers,

[Steve Bennett]

[Willow Creek Traction]

Stockers, you are totally nuts in a way cool sort of way

[chris stockdale]

Stockers, you are totally nuts in a way cool sort of way

It's feedback like this that keeps me going

The Gnatterbox is, of course, the coolest spot on the internet.

bestest,

[Voyager]

Inspiration indeed Sir!

Look forward to seeing the photos in due course.

Will there perhaps be a railtour for GnATTERboxers in due course?

All the best with assembling and testing it.

Mark

[chris stockdale]

Look forward to seeing the photos in due course.

Will there perhaps be a railtour for GnATTERboxers in due course?

Hi Mark,

There have been a number of false dawns with the 5" gauge with ideas of having visitors but I have a better feeling about this latest venture, so I'll stick my neck out and suggest that even if it is just to visit a test track, there'll still be a bit of a get together pretty much the minute I have my loco.

And the nice man from Phoenix indicated that could be in the order of six weeks

For those not so close then the regulation photos of Stockers making a fool of himself will follow....

bestest,

[chris stockdale]

Having had a visit and a few discussions with Phoenix Locomotives we have come up with a final draft of what my loco should be.

The loco has grown to some 40" x 20" with a steel chassis but ply footplate and bodywork (for lightness). There will be a touch of the Lister with holes in the front end to provide a grill, although in fact the two boxes at either end will be for batteries, this being a leckie loco.

There are two wheelbase options at 500mm and 400mm. Wheels will be Phoenix's standard for everything at 5 3/4".

Here's a side view sketch



cheers

[chris stockdale]

Ok, so the words 'Final Draft' on the drawing were a mite over optimistic...

Mind you, the change has been small. I am now able to drop the rear battery box as both batteries are small enough to fit into the front box.

In the previous post I should perhaps have mentioned that's a handrail at the back, but i expect it is reasonably obvious.

I like to think we (Keith at Phoenix and I) have designed quite a pleasing little industrial jobbie.

cheers,

[chris stockdale]

...and on to rolling stock.

A couple of flat waggons (I have always liked the double G, it somehow makes it seem more ancient/rustic) give all sorts of options.

Here's a pic of one



with luck both will be in my possession next week, along with some track and a couple of points.

bestest,

[Gerry Bullock]

Ok, so the words 'Final Draft' on the drawing were mite over optimistic..

I like to think we (Keith at Phoenix and I) have designed quite a pleasing little industrial jobbie.

cheers,

Its just 3 boxes Chris, Oh and plus the "obvious"
Can't wait to see the 3D version.

[Steve Bennett]

Definitely looking forward to see what you have come up with.
It will probably look nothing like the mental picture in my head, so had better be patient and wait before planning a miniature version

[chris stockdale]

Can't wait to see the 3D version.

Here's a 3/4 view (Keith's sketches) so imagine it as something like this without the rear box.



but with a hand brake like this




cheers,

[Gerry Bullock]

Ah, yes, boxes with holes in.
However the built Loco will look great Chris.

[Voyager]

Great to follow the continuing progress Stockers.

Apologies if this is a bit of a diversion from the direction of your thread, but I happened to dip back into my copy of Smithers at the weekend whie trying to date an Eaton Hall photo and was reminded of Eaton's Simplex which made me wonder ... whether a Hesketh could provide the running gear and motive power for a half scale model of one?

Anyway, back to your thread.

All the best,

Mark

[chris stockdale]

Mark,

It just so happen that when I first went to visit Keith at Phoenix another customer had sent him a photo of....

... a half (might actually have been a third) scale Simplex

I'll see what I can do to get hold of the photos.

cheers,

[chris stockdale]

I was glad that this thread

http://forum.gn15.info/viewtopic.php?t=8650


on Operation came up recently because I had been pondering Phase 1 of the Pell Wall Agricultural Tramway - all fifteen yards of it (so that's less than two foot in G scale if you fancy modelling it...), plus an eight foot siding.

As of yesterday a bunch of 7 1/4" track, including two points came into my clutches, along with two waggons. The loco is still a few weeks off.

Note the track is simply laid out at present and not yet connected together.

Never the less, I think there is the opportunity for some fun pretty soon


Here's a 7 1/4" waggon (36" x 21", since you ask) with my 5" gauge Ruston on board and a 7/8ths scale Hunslet on 45mm track.




Imaginings for the future: modern top waggons i.e. a way of transporting manure once we get to the final Phase, probably next year




Why push a wheel barrow when it can ride?





A view of the Tramway from the kitchen end looking towards the veg patch




cheers,