Barry and Penarth Model Railway Club

Layout 13: Addersleigh Junction

The main entrance to Addersleigh at street level

Addersleigh Junction is the name given to the new large OO-gauge layout, which is currently under construction. The layout features a double track main line tailchaser through an extensive fiddle year. The main feature on the scenic side is a DMU service depot. There is also a single track preservation line in the foreground.

The main DMU servicing shed, with the preservation lines in the foreground

The completed fiddleyard with its control panel

Addersleigh Junction Description

History
Addersleigh Junction was situated on an imaginary GWR route to South Birmingham, joining on to its line from Snow Hill to Lemmington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon at Tysley. The GWR also built a line to serve as a direct route to Stratford. The Midland, whose route to Bristol via Lickey was expensive to operate with the need for banking engines, extended their route from Reddich to rejoin their original route at Cheltenham - Lansdown Road via Addersleigh Junc.

During era modelled on this layout, the only route worked north of Addersleigh is the line to Reddich and is used as an alternative route to avoid the Lickey Incline. The former line to Tysley is being rebuilt by the Addersleigh Junction Preservation Society. The line to Stratford has long since been closed and abandoned.

The area was modernised in the 1960’s after Dr Beeching closed the 2 routes. Modernisation work included, a new station building, track upgrades (welded rail and concrete sleepers), re-signalling, and a new DMU depot on the site of the old goods yard. The old steam shed was to the south and has been lost with the redevelopment of the town centre.

Click here for diagramatic map to show the location of Addersleigh Junction

The Depot currently provides units to work the following services

Suburban Work

Gloucester - Cheltenham - Worcester
Worcester - Kidderminster - Birmingham
Worcester - Bromsgrove - Birmingham
Gloucester - Cheltenham - Birmingham via Bromsgrove
Gloucester - Cheltenham - Birmingham via Reddich

Cross Country Work

Worcester - Hereford extended to Gloucester during peaks
Gloucester - Cardiff via Chepstow
Gloucester - Swindon extended to Worcester during peaks
Worcester - Oxford
Worcester - Bristol Temple Meads

The depot is the only DMU servicing facility in the area, so also services sets that work into the area from depots such as Cardiff Canton, Bristol Bath Road, and Tysley. DMU Classes likely to be seen include Classes 101, 105, 108, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 127, 128

Most Locomotives are dealt with at either Gloucester - Horton Road or Worcester, although Addersleigh Junc. can give A and B exams if needed. There is also a small stabling point here. There is generally a pilot on the depot to shunt DMU cars and store vans.

The DMU stabling point

Passenger Services that pass through are to be found in Table 52, which is the Cross country services SW - NW. These are normally powered by Classes 45/1, 47/4, 50 and HST. There are a very few local locomotive haul services (normally when there is a DMU shortage). These are hauled by Classes 31/4, 33, 37/0, 37/4, 47/0. During the summer there may be relief services run with any locomotive that can be found.

Addersleigh Junction is on the RAIL FREIGHT SPEEDLINK network, so sees a variety of services. These are mainly hauled by Class 47/0 and 47/3

Freight flows from other sectors include:

Coal from South Wales to power stations in the Midlands (Class 37, 56)
Metals from Llanwern to Round Oak and steel terminals around the Midlands (Class 56)
Chemicals from South Wales to various plants (Class 37, 47)
Aggregate traffic from Westbury area (Class 56, 59)
Freightliner uses Gloucester as a staging point for trains going north from Southampton, Bristol, Cardiff and Swansea. (Class 47)
Depot Stores are tripped from Gloucester or Tysley (Class 20, 31, 47)
There is also the occasional Departmental working, which could be anything from ballast, track, to track machines, research trains, or S&T trains.

Addersleigh Junction Preservation Society
This is an enthusiastic preservation railway, whose members have re-opened the first five miles of the line from Addersleigh to Tysley. Most weekends there is live steam in operation, usually involving hired locomotives from other railways, together with preserved coaching stock, mainly Mark 1s, but some older stock is in evidence. Some preserved diesel hydraulics are also in use. There will be, of course, a lunchtime dining car service using a set of preserved Pullman cars. Unfortunately the rail connection to the main line have been severed. The Preservation Society is urgently seeking support from the public to relay the track into the former bay platform at Addersleigh and also to re-establish the main-line connection which would allow through running of excursions and delivery of stock by rail.