While wandering through the depths of my hard drive last night looking for something else (a now quite frequent pastime, unfortunately), I came across this photo:
The place is Lake Grassmere (Marlborough) looking north. Grassmere is famous, of course for Salt....tonnes of it, in fact. And it seems like KiwiRail play their part in railing it out to the Unfit and Obese masses as the yard here (referred to as "Lake Grassmere Siding" on the relevant S&I diagrams) is quite extensive.
So, Once again it was back to every researchers friend, Google Earth....and the realisation that this wee operational nugget would make a great shunting layout.
Personally, I would model it as it is on the aerial photo in an L shape curling around the proud owner and his cohorts. That would place the main loading area to the right of the operator while the main line and sidings went across the shelf in front.
Sure, the hills are on the wrong side, but a well done photo backdrop of the salt pans and distant hills around Cape Campbell (similar to KiwiBonds sterling effort on Moana) would really help to "locate" the layout. I would even curl the main line in behind the salt pile at one end for the hidden fiddle yard, while at the northern end it could quietly meander up into the hills. On a larger layout it would make quite a nice shunting puzzle for someone to take refuge in for an hour or so quietly shuffling wagons around while trains thunder past on the main.
Wagons seem to be a mix of containers and ZH wagons (an IA is shown here, luckily enough), but a detailed study would show exactly what would be needed....and would be a lot of fun as well.
And just for an operational bonus, here is the aforementioned S&I:
Particularly interesting is the use of key locked points in a Track Warrant area, and is a feature that could be simulated for operational interest....an area I'm definitely exploring for my own layout (and somehow I've got the full wiring diagrams for a TWC Loop...now that would be cool to get going!)
So there you have it...a specific heavy industry, in the middle of nowhere yet still instant recognisable with constant traffic, operational interest for both local shunts and pickup/set downs from the main and some stimulating modeling to boot....Very Tempting....
2 comments:
And for extra interest you could include the 2 ft gauge railway they used to have for transporting from the salt ponds to the packing sheds. Locos now at Ferrymead.
there have been a lot of changes since i visited this area as a young lad in the late 60's , while growing up in blenheim. was pretty basic ,from memory ,back then. didn't have use of parents box brownie till a couple of years later. not a very pleasant place to work when the wind is howling through!
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