The Bishop's Woodland Light Railway (BWLR)
Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2021 10:40 pm
Here is the story of my railway which started 6 years ago and took a couple of years or so to complete the basic construction. Since then, work has gone on to improve and upgrade the railway. It consists of around 140 ft of main line that loops its way around the edge of the garden winding its way through the borders, across a pond, and 3 paths and numerous other obstacles. There is a branch off for the terminus station and there are 3 main stations and 2 small halts.
I think every model railway needs a back story, so I will start with an short explanation of why this little railway came to be built.
The general theme is based on the light railways of the Vale of York. It is one of the many lines built right across the country during the light railway boom that came in the wake of the Light Railways Act of 1896. Most of the light railways in the area such as the Derwent Valley, Easingwold and Cawood, Wistow & Selby were standard gauge railways, so the choice of using 45mm gauge for the line was taken mainly because it felt more appropriate, as it just looks a bit more heavyweight and more in keeping with those lines. The railway was built to serve the various agricultural and industrial concerns
As a fictional line none of the place names are real, however they are all mash-ups of other names in the area, so they sound like they ought to exist!
The railway was built to serve the various agricultural and industrial concerns in the small but busy market town of Bishop's Hutton. Like many places the town had been bypassed during the first railway boom of the mid 19th century. Attempts to join the town with the rail network had failed on a number of occasions but around 1905, the people of the town and other surrounding villages could wait no more and funds were raised for a light railway to be built.
The railway starts at the village of Claxton Percy, a substantial village situated on one of the many lines operated by the North Eastern Railway that fanned out from the great and historic city of York. The original intention of the BWLR management was to share the NER station with a bay platform for its trains along with exchange sidings for transhipment of goods. Unfortunately relations with that company became frosty, so an agreement couldn't be reached. It was also going to require construction of an additional bridge to reach the mainline station, so the directors realised that the money saved by stopping short short of the main line would enable the construction of their own dedicated station. Later on, relations with the NER thawed, and the line was extended to allow transhipment of goods at the main line station. As a result the BWLR Claxton Percy station was no longer technically a terminus and the line curves away after the station before crossing a bridge towards the main line. (well that is way of explaining the line that goes on to form the continuous run!)
Claxton Percy Station
Some of you may recognise the station building as being based on the those of the Derwent Valley Light Railway and is a standard style for the main stations and some other buildings on the line. The BWLR actually slightly pre-dates the construction of the DVLR so I'm assuming that they must have been impressed with the style of the BWLR stations and subsequently engaged the same contractors! The station has a wide range of facilities, including a long loop to run trains around, a siding for carriages, a goods siding and shed along with engine servicing facilities.
Claxton Percy Goods Shed
The next station is the halt at Ginger's Wood, a local beauty spot and popular with walkers.
After a tight curve the lines crosses at path via one of four bridges on the line.
Before reaching Thorpe Underbush, a station which lives up to its name as it resides in the shadow of several large shrubs including a Philadelphus and some Viburnums, wafting wonderful scents for any waiting passengers during the summer months. The track plan here is fairly basic, with a passing loop and a goods siding.
Thorpe Underbush Station:
That covers around one half of the railway, more to come in a further installment!
I think every model railway needs a back story, so I will start with an short explanation of why this little railway came to be built.
The general theme is based on the light railways of the Vale of York. It is one of the many lines built right across the country during the light railway boom that came in the wake of the Light Railways Act of 1896. Most of the light railways in the area such as the Derwent Valley, Easingwold and Cawood, Wistow & Selby were standard gauge railways, so the choice of using 45mm gauge for the line was taken mainly because it felt more appropriate, as it just looks a bit more heavyweight and more in keeping with those lines. The railway was built to serve the various agricultural and industrial concerns
As a fictional line none of the place names are real, however they are all mash-ups of other names in the area, so they sound like they ought to exist!
The railway was built to serve the various agricultural and industrial concerns in the small but busy market town of Bishop's Hutton. Like many places the town had been bypassed during the first railway boom of the mid 19th century. Attempts to join the town with the rail network had failed on a number of occasions but around 1905, the people of the town and other surrounding villages could wait no more and funds were raised for a light railway to be built.
The railway starts at the village of Claxton Percy, a substantial village situated on one of the many lines operated by the North Eastern Railway that fanned out from the great and historic city of York. The original intention of the BWLR management was to share the NER station with a bay platform for its trains along with exchange sidings for transhipment of goods. Unfortunately relations with that company became frosty, so an agreement couldn't be reached. It was also going to require construction of an additional bridge to reach the mainline station, so the directors realised that the money saved by stopping short short of the main line would enable the construction of their own dedicated station. Later on, relations with the NER thawed, and the line was extended to allow transhipment of goods at the main line station. As a result the BWLR Claxton Percy station was no longer technically a terminus and the line curves away after the station before crossing a bridge towards the main line. (well that is way of explaining the line that goes on to form the continuous run!)
Claxton Percy Station
Some of you may recognise the station building as being based on the those of the Derwent Valley Light Railway and is a standard style for the main stations and some other buildings on the line. The BWLR actually slightly pre-dates the construction of the DVLR so I'm assuming that they must have been impressed with the style of the BWLR stations and subsequently engaged the same contractors! The station has a wide range of facilities, including a long loop to run trains around, a siding for carriages, a goods siding and shed along with engine servicing facilities.
Claxton Percy Goods Shed
The next station is the halt at Ginger's Wood, a local beauty spot and popular with walkers.
After a tight curve the lines crosses at path via one of four bridges on the line.
Before reaching Thorpe Underbush, a station which lives up to its name as it resides in the shadow of several large shrubs including a Philadelphus and some Viburnums, wafting wonderful scents for any waiting passengers during the summer months. The track plan here is fairly basic, with a passing loop and a goods siding.
Thorpe Underbush Station:
That covers around one half of the railway, more to come in a further installment!