The Friargate Line

[Rockdoc2174]

Brian's been playing with his magic wand again and has produced a number of great (what else?) assets for the route. We now have the correct design of station house for Awsworth, which was non-standard for the line and not on the platform. He's also produced a running-in board, that really was behind the fence, and a modular system for platform flower-beds, with ends and centre-pieces so they can be any length. I particularly like the texture he's used for the whitewashed bricks as it's uneven. Away from the railway, we also have a typical, hump-backed canal bridge and two versions of narrow-boat that were probably used on the canals when they were operating. Ours are anachronistic since they had all been abandoned before WW2 and were pretty much derelict by the 1950s. As I remember them they were choked with weeds, though they were still "in water" and offered good fishing of you were into that kind of thing.

Awsworth station house and the first flower bed

The Up running-in board

Bridge and Wheatcroft boat

Keith

[Rockdoc2174]

And to complete the set, the Grand Union narrow boat.

Grand Union Canal Co narrow boat

Keith

[AndiS]

The flower bed almost beats the recent engine house. Together they form the signature of this line, for all I could grasp of the prototype.

[Rockdoc2174]

Thanks, Andi. Derby Friargate appears never to have had flower beds. Ilkeston might have done in the very early days but didn't after 1914, when it was substantially rebuilt and the same is probably true for Basford North, which was given a major revamp when the junctions were built to the GCR around 1900. Photos show that Eggington Junction, Mickleover, Breadsall, West Hallam, Awsworth, Kimberley (particularly extensive), Daybrook and Gedling all had them. The impression I have come to is that the platforms were fundamentally made up of earth behind a retaining wall next to the track. Areas for foot traffic were surfaced and the rest was left open for planting.

Keith

[briyeo]

They even put a rudimentary seat on the front of a loco so the judges of the annual competition could get a good view of the station gardens as they toured the lines. There's an idea for a scenario Keith.

[Rockdoc2174]

That's an intriguing photograph, Brian. The loco is an ex-GER E4 2-4-0 and 7490 is the first number it carried under the LNER. Under the later renumbering scheme it became 2785 and, under BR, 62785. It is preserved at Bressingham. What I don't understand is what it was doing a long way from home at Nottingham Victoria!

Keith

[Rockdoc2174]

I'm looking for some advice, please. I really don't know how to fix an issue at Awsworth and I'd welcome any suggestions - well, the clean ones anyway!! The field behind the building on the Down platform had a weird topography. At the Ilkeston end of the platform its level was a good ten feet higher than the platform but at the Kimberley end of the building it was more or less at platform height. There was a walkway, presumably for maintenance, running round the back of the building that was gated to prevent public access. I've used a cutting loft, produced by Chris Baker, to give the effect of the higher ground because the terrain mesh is at completely the wrong angle to do it that way but the nett result is I have a gaping hole at one end! I'm loath to pester Brian for a brick retaining wall to fit the end of the loft but can't really see an alternative.

Unless you clever lot can.

Rear of the Down station building

Awsworth station

Awsworth Down platform looking towards Kimberley

Keith

[brysonman46]

Continue the loft, curving it towards the platform. Works every time! You could always send me the tiles, and I could have a go

[Rockdoc2174]

I've tweaked it, Nick, and Brian is going to add something there to complete that bit. Some photos show a flower bed between the main building and the cast-iron urinal so I've added one and used it to mask any gaps.

Here are the platforms with all of the beds installed and populated.

[brysonman46]

Some photos show a flower bed between the main building and the cast-iron urinal so I've added one and used it to mask any gaps.

And to mask the smell?