Making things stick: a cement micro...

The Barrington cement works should not need much introduction to you all, but I'll attempt a potted history shortly. As well as a rail connection, it featured both narrow gauge and standard gauge internal systems and I would suggest is an ideal cameo subject for the industrial modeller...

Before I go any further, I'd like to thank Alan Sewell for the permission to use his wonderful photos to illustrate this subject, it is the character he captured in these well framed scenes that drew me into and had me sketching out ideas on paper. Thank you Alan. 

The works, in Cambridgeshire were built in 1918 alongside the quarry as the 'Dreadnought Portland Cement Company'. The light railway was opened in 1927 connecting the works to the London to Cambridge mainline, allowing both coal to be imported and finished goods to be sent by train. Dreadnought was bought by Eastwoods, later Rugby Cement, and finally part of the RMC group in 2000. The internal railway was decommissioned in 2005, and RMC was bought by CEMEX, who operated the works and quarry a further 3 years. I believe this means it was the last industrial railway system in operation in the UK?

The internal system linked with sidings at the mainline, running through the works and out to the quarry. Alan's photos, all taken from a public road that ran through the site I believe, show the works Sentinel shunting both HAA coal wagons and bogie cement wagons. The tightly curved bullhead track with long check rails, home brewed signals and an air of decline in these 1980s photos mean it gets the vote for my chosen time period - absolutely full of character.

Of course, we shouldn't overlook the star of the show, these plucky 230hp 0-4-0 Sentinel locomotives were seen in industrial service across the UK and beyond, and in OO we're treated to both chain and rod driven examples by Hornby as well as their new 0-6-0 model - any of which could be used in this scheme. The Accurascale PCA wagons are superbly detailed and because their so expensive you need only justify perhaps 2 sets of 3 - along with a set of their equally lovely HAA wagons. I'd plump for the 0-6-0 Sentinel I think, as it's a more reliable and slower runner in my experience, and I like the theatre of the outside fly cranks whirring around.

Taking a look at the scheme you'll notice I've sketched out a compressed version of the site, based on Alan's original notes, stealing the main scenic elements from these photos and arranging them in a manner that suits us as railway modellers. This could be both a layout to enjoy operating AND a layout to enjoy watching. I also pondered if it would work in an L format, and I'd suggest this is actually a better shape than the traditional straight shelf - the IKEA Micke desk would again work well here - as if you needed an excuse for a new work bench?

So a second scheme in less than a week - you can tell I've had a few days away from the work bench. I hope you've seen something in my wittering that appeals here. It is this distillation of a prototype that I cover in more detail in my new book, available from all good railway book sellers but especially Titfield or Light Railway Stores. If you haven't done already, please do consider getting a copy - and I hope it encourages you to build your own small layout.

Until next time, more soon...