Getting going, finding inspiration--Mosney!

[Tractionman]

You know how it is, seeing some prototype and thinking, hmm now that would be good as a source of inspiration...

The dicussion on Sligo elsewhere is a case in point, but I keep coming back to something simpler, less is more, that kind of thing.

And then on Facebook a post on Mosney, piqued my curiosity. 

Partly it was seeing the signal box on the platform, looked just like this one I have

https://www.hattons.co.uk/23342/bachmann_branchline_44_010_hampton_hill_signal_box_scenecraft_range/stockdetail

and then then there is the simplicity of the track plan at Mosney, the double track mainline, the long loop, a bidirectional platform serving a holiday camp, in my mind's eye allows all sorts of interesting excursion traffic possibilities

At the same time the double track just looks great for watching those trains go by, eg

 

So folks, perhaps this is it? 

Finding inspiration as a cue to getting going with the layout, I am sure we all have the same kinds of prompts, the question is, will it become a reality?!

cheers,

Keith

 

 

[Mol_PMB]

A very good mix of passenger and freight trains through there.

In a landscape that is quite flat in the prototype, you would need some creativity to avoid the 'flat earth' often seen on model railway baseboards. I think the key would be to represent the levels dropping away down to the beach in subtle undulating dunes. i.e. allow for scenery below track level by having the track a few inches above the baseboard frame.

Photo from hgricer on Flickr; there are plenty more nice photos on there - search also Jonathan Allen's:

 

[Tractionman]

14 minutes ago, Mol_PMB said:

I think the key would be to represent the levels dropping away down to the beach in subtle undulating dunes.

Thanks yes it'd suit me quite well, I have about twenty feet length and two and a half feet depth for the baseboards, already in place.

I was thinking the viewing side would be from the sea, so the foreground scrubby and gorsey and flat, the trackbed raised above this slightly. I might need to invent a bit of a bank behind the station with a suitable backscene but aerial images of the holiday camp show a large green field, so it could be a fairly empty looking background. I'm eyeing up some dapol bungalow kits which look the part period wise! 

Cheers,

Keith 

[Mol_PMB]

Interestingly it looks like the character of the foreshore has changed over the years. In the 1980s and 1990s it was scrub and gorse (here's another hgricer photo, and one from Jonathan Allen):

042 at Mosney | Butlins established a holiday camp at Mosney… | Flickr

But more recently bigger shrubs and small trees have grown up, as in this photo by Finbarr O'Neill:

Here's a link to the IRRS track diagram:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51569723683_0f65f19910_c.jpg

And a few more interesting workings from hgricer and Roger Joanes:

Note the evolution of the track and signalling too. In this photo the Up (southbound) line has been relaid with flat-bottom CWR on concrete sleepers, but the other two tracks are still jointed bullhead on timber:

 

[Tractionman]

That's a great cross-section of images! Thanks very much

The details here in the photos are very handy, eg the fencing along and behind the platform, the station lamps, the concrete facing of the platform (I was wondering about that as it'll be visible) and also the track arrangement, the crossovers to the loop, and the buffer stops at each end--and as you say the landscape along the line here, it all does look doable.

Plus the scope for running a variety of trains, of different eras, which appeals--blimey I might even be able to run some of my BR stuff too as these Butlin's camps were apparently based on a particular model, reapeated in other locations, flat ones too, in GB, like Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and north Wales coast etc etc!

all the best,

Keith

[Tractionman]

well there's no time like the present!

so here's a mock up of the Mosney track configuration, I have used a single slip at one end to help compress things a bit, it's all track I have had knocking about for years, Peco code 100.

the old BR stock parked in the loop here gives an idea of the scale / size for full size passenger trains, enough for eight coaches plus loco which seems about right.

and my trusty Bachmann signal box may finally have a reason for being, it sits quite well.

all in all the formation needs to be raised by about an inch, to lift it up a bit, and then the foreground can be rough ground with some paths leading to the beach!

at either end of the running lines I'll have to invent some overbridges as scenic breaks, but I reckon this will be ok.

I have just bought some Dapol bungalow kits, they look about right to me for a 1950s holiday camp scenario:

https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/dapol-c021-kitmaster-detached-bungalow-kit.html

especially with those massive TV aerials!

the backdrop will need some thought, a lowish raised bank should do it, and some trees to screen, and a distant open looking landscape perhaps, the camp buildings at Mosney were set some distance away from the railway--this is where my bungalows will probably go, to give some interest/cover.

so this is the space (excuse the dust!):

 

onwards and upwards...

 

cheers,

Keith

 

 

 

 

[Anders112]

Hi Kieth, 

looks like a great layout and great idea with plenty of character.
 Here is a couple of videos of mosney in the 1990s. At the 10:40 minute mark 

you have a great variety between liner trains,Tara’s,cements and passenger

I’m doing my current layout on Drogheda station in the 1990s and have done hours of research of movement on the line, that I would be more than happy to share with you. 
wishing you all the best with the layout and more important to enjoy the process of it.

all the best 

Dave 

 

[Tractionman]

7 minutes ago, Anders112 said:

great layout and great idea with plenty of character.

Very many thanks @Anders112 it's been a long journey of much dithering! 

If I can keep things quite simple hopefully I'll have a chance to make progress and start running some trains

Cheers,

Keith 

[Auto-Train Original]

Scenery wise, I would exaggerate the embankment leading down to the beach. It would make the flat viewing perspective more interesting. 

[Colonel]

Looks like there are just enough trees and scrub at the left hand end to hide a hole in the sky. Real contrast between the lush green and the landward side and the dull scrub beside the sea.

[Galteemore]

Should be a great ‘watching the trains go by’ layout, especially if set in 1970s-80s period when so much was loco-hauled. Mosney was also the site of a potential ‘might have been’, if that’s not a tautology. Billy Butlin went through a phase of putting old steam locos in his camps as an attraction and  a number of UK locos were so saved, subsequently entering mainstream preservation. Butlin was apparently interested in acquiring a VS for Mosney. Just think what might have been….

[Mol_PMB]

Also worth noting that quite a few suburban trains terminated at Mosney, even into the 121+Mk3PP era. So not all the trains have to just go by - some of them can terminate and run round (if needed).

[Tractionman]

42 minutes ago, Galteemore said:

especially if set in 1970s-80s period when so much was loco-hauled

many thanks, yes spot on--I have been building up a small collection of stock for c.1974-1978, I need more coaches but I am sure they will be acquired in due course!

I have my eye on the Enterprise stock...

7 minutes ago, Mol_PMB said:

quite a few suburban trains terminated at Mosney,

ooh brilliant, some shorter passenger services would work well for me

I appreciate everyone's inputs and enthusiasm on all this, it'll help spur me on through the 'sticking point' I have met with so far on my many unbuilt mooted layouts, actually finally deciding on something and trying to get track down and scenery installed!

all best wsihes,

Keith

[Mol_PMB]

 

From Jonathan Allen, a terminating loco-hauled train running round, and then waiting for the Enterprise to pass before heading south again:

042 at Mosney | Butlins established a holiday camp at Mosney… | Flickr

087 passing Mosney | As 042 waits, 087 passes Mosney with th… | Flickr

From hgricer, a Mk3P-P:

6103 & 123 on the rear. | A nice new push/pull 6103 123 at t… | Flickr

Also from hgricer, a loco-hauled set with details of one of the trains that terminated at Mosney (read the comments):

121+124 Malahide | 121+124 at Malahide with 16.12 Mosney / C… | Flickr

And another suburban train leaving the loop. With only one platform on the down side they had to cross over to the up line:

055 departng Mosney loop. | 055 departing Mosney loop with 1… | Flickr

From Neil Smith and from the era when the C class were still around, here's a train that terminated at Mosney, seen both northbound and southbound:

Plenty of options!

[Galteemore]

Now that WAS a railway. So glad I can remember it - so sorry I didn’t enjoy it even more than I did. This will be a great project to see developing.

[Mol_PMB]

14 minutes ago, Galteemore said:

Now that WAS a railway. So glad I can remember it - so sorry I didn’t enjoy it even more than I did. This will be a great project to see developing.

This is perhaps more your era? GNR 85 when it was still in front line service on the Enterprise, passing a GNR AEC set calling at Mosney:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53507047875

And I do hope there will be space for this in the background:

 

[mfjoc]

I really think you are on the right track here (forgive the pun) Get some track down and run some trains. You don't need much scenery just a few buildings and maybe a platform. For years I didn't have even a basic layout.  I have had so much fun running trains on the bare baseboards of my own layout in the last few months. 

[Mol_PMB]

In the 1980s the Dublin suburban services were in a separate WTT to the main line services, and I only have one example of the suburban WTT which is summer 1983 (a year before the DART began, but perhaps affected by DART infrastructure works).

At that time, only some of the outer suburban services called at Mosney, others went past without stopping. But in season, one Enterprise called there. Here are the southbound weekday services that called:

0720 Drogheda - Bray (Mosney 0733)

0806 Drogheda - Bray (Mosney 0816)

0810 Dundalk - Pearse (Mosney 0851)

0950 Mosney - Pearse

0850 Belfast - Connolly (Mosney 1058 during Butlins holiday season only)

1035 Dundalk - Pearse (Mosney 1119)

1141 Drogheda - Pearse (Mosney 1154)

1256 Mosney - Pearse

1328 Mosney - Pearse

1340 Dundalk - Connolly (Mosney 1424)

1506 Drogheda - Dalkey (Mosney 1519)

1611 Mosney - Bray 

1645 Dundalk - Connolly (Mosney 1727)

1813 Drogheda - Connolly (Mosney 1826)

1944 Drogheda - Pearse (Mosney 1957)

[Tractionman]

5 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

Plenty of options!

excellent, thanks very much, great, some nice short train possibilities for me

5 hours ago, Galteemore said:

This will be a great project to see developing.

much appreciated, many thanks 

5 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

I do hope there will be space for this in the background

now I was thinking, wouldn't it be great to have a miniature railway! I'll have to get some Z-gauge track...

4 hours ago, mfjoc said:

Get some track down and run some trains

exactly that's what I like, yes! very theraputic, I had a layout in our last house in the attic, and never got to the scenery stage, but really enjoyed just watching the trains go by, especially on double track.

2 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

only some of the outer suburban services called at Mosney, others went past without stopping. But in season, one Enterprise called there

thanks very much for the workings and inf here, very interesting, looks like I need to save some beans for those lovely IRM 'Enterprise' coaches!

cheers,

Keith

[west_clare_wanderer]

12 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

From Neil Smith and from the era when the C class were still around, here's a train that terminated at Mosney, seen both northbound and southbound:

 

They are wonderful photos!  

@Tractionman - this has the markings of a fantastic project. It's lovely to read of your enthusiasm. You've got a great space for it too by the looks of it. Like others, I'd suggest you get some track down whilst the inspiration is burning bright, just so you can run some trains! I'm really going to enjoy following this.

[Tractionman]

8 hours ago, west_clare_wanderer said:

You've got a great space for it too by the looks of it.

thanks yes, tbh the space I have available has been the issue causing so much procrastination I think (as well as time!) as it offers too many options for locations, eras, track-plans, etc, and because I like industrial steam, narrow gauge, 1930s LMS and LNER, 1970-80s BR, etc etc as well as 1970s CIE / NIR, nailing down a layout period and location has proved challenging! 

I think with Mosney there is scope to include (without too much compromise and sufficiently realistically) some of the range of railway/modelling interests I have--plus of course the ability for running full-length trains through a landscape, with trackwork not overly complex and so hopefully not too much of a challenge for my wiring-up skills  

cheers,

Keith