The 'Research & Development' Department is where reference photo's are kept for various projects.

This is simply a collection of real photo's, in no particular order, that I have taken and would like to make available to all.........

New Year / New Start - Battersea Stewarts Lane

In the same way that a certain well known rail freight company has decided to take a new path for the future, it seems an appropriate time to ring in the changes here also, for 2009 onwards.

'Manor Lane TMD' will cease to operate from later this year and is to be replaced with a completely new project.

'Battersea Stewarts Lane' is to be the name of the successor and the aim of the project is quite a simple one, to provide a new home for our 4mm / 'OO' fleet, based on Stewarts Lane Depot in South East London.

'Stewarts Lane Depot' is by no means the dormant looking 'has been' of a bygone era, in fact, it is a secret hive of activity.

The sad looking exterior of the 'Electric Shed' building, does in fact hide from view an historic treasure trove of history and it is this building which is to be recreated in model form as our new home.

'Battersea Stewarts Lane' is to be a working photographic diorama, rather than an operating layout and this will suit the nature of what we do - making detailed models and then taking pictures of them, or providing a base for others to do so.

Some pictures are provided here of recent activity, however, it is not our intention to reveal any details about this, we are simply interested in the building and the surrounding area from which we will make our new model during the course of 2009, Happy New Year !

The layout period is to be set at 1994 onwards, during the early transitional years from Trainload Freight South East to Mainline Freight.

BSL Fleet Control

Pullman Brake '9502'

Electric Shed Ventilation

Ventilation Control Panels

Pullman Bogie Refurb

Electric Shed Overhead Gantry Crane

The Treasure Trove of History......it's there if you know where to look

'Electric Shed' general interior shots

Did somebody say 'whitewash' ?........must have been talking about something else......

Tradesman's Entrance

'Mona'.......Forgotten but not gone......

Better keep this......might have a use for it in May 2010 ?

Has anybody seen the film ? I didn't think it was a REAL train....and based here in London too, although I've not seen it yet.............( grin )

'Those famous doors and their control panels

Pullman Car 'Zena' bogies on wagon

'Dropping The Fire'.......2009 style !

'Phoenix'......with super detailed buffer beam still to be added !!!

Mmm......'Hornby' Pullman bogies ?

The Stewarts Lane Wheel Lathe.......gone but not forgotten......

Internal user 'Well' wagon

BR Load Bank Wagon

Finally, one I used to drive many moons ago when we used to service them at HG

London Cannon Street Turntable @ Hither Green

For general information, here are some pictures of the London Cannon Street turntable, that still exists today and is actually still in use, although not located at Cannon Street anymore !

This relic dates from 1926 and is currently used for turning on track plant and machinery.

The last time I had to move this myself was in connection with Class 37 Loco. hauled weed killer trains, where the Loco. had to be released for servicing / changeover. ( I should add, with the help of at least four other men ).

Because the weight was always unevenly spread, it was all about positioning the Loco / vehicle in the right place to enable us all to swing the thing manually, using nothing but simple, brute strength !

( Sorry, very large files again.... )