Apothecary Street Junction
Apothecary Street Junction was a 4mm
Southern Electric layout set in the late 1950’s /early 1960’s period, the name
coming from the Junction rather than the terminal station, Newgate.
The layout derived its inspiration
from the line into Holborn Viaduct. Apothecary Street Junction having been a
short-lived feature (1st May 1988 to Easter 1989 – effectively
Ludgate Hill Junction moved slightly north) to enable the Thameslink lines to be
rebuilt in advance of Holborn Viaduct’s closure on 26th January
1990.
The basic premise was a terminus to
fiddle-yard arrangement with the ‘Snow Hill’ lines enabling the cross London
freights as well as providing a circular ‘test’ capability. The terminal
station was a four-platform affair enabling operation of up to 8-car electric
units (plus MLV) or the equivalent
steam-hauled lengths. Adjacent to the station was a small goods yard, 8-car
electric siding and beyond the ‘Snow Hill’ lines a two-road 6-car carriage shed.
The size of the 22’ by 8’ layout was determined
by the size of the attic room in which it was contained. This also meant the a
few compromises such as double track approach and retained cutting rather than
on viaduct section; but most models involve compromise. Whilst attic rooms have
restricted headroom towards the eaves, suitably lined it was warm in winter
with air-con provided for the warmest summer days.
Besides the emu offerings from both
Hornby (2 BIL /2
HAL)
and Bachmann (4 CEP /MLV) the layout used electric models
such as augmented 4 SUBs, 2 HALs and 2 NOLs. Steam operation included
C2x, D, E, E2, E4, E4x, E5, H, K, L, L1, N, Q, U, V, W & Z classes as well
as the ‘usual’ BR(S) modified proprietary models such as 00 Works’ Black Motors
(admittedly a little off-area), Bachmann’s C, 4MT (Fairburn and BR versions) classes
and Hornby’s M7 & Q1 classes.
Yard shunting was undertaken by an
E2, A1X or P (unless the Z was called for) with Jintys,
a class 15 and an N2 working the cross-London freights.
Diesel classes 24 and 33 were
starting to make an appearance replacing steam on peak-hour services up from Kent
and the Weald; even Hastings /Hampshire 2H demus made
a rare appearance pending arrival (or rather my building a pair) of East Sussex
3D units.
© BloodandCustard
Scenic track work was Finescale
‘00’ (Marcway /SMP) although the fiddle yard used
proprietary ‘H0’ (Peco code 75) for simplicity; all
turnouts being driven by a total of seventy-five Tortoise motors. These motors
give smooth operation and electrical switching capability; although a Marcway double-slip does require four! Signalling was
colour-light with mechanical shunts. The scenic running lines were built to a minimum
4’ radius with 3’ radius in sidings and the fiddle yard.
The non-scenic fiddle yard comprised three elements:
(1) Freight
- cross inter-regional goods trains were handled on the complete circuit. This
section included both loops and sidings to reform trains;
(2)
Steam passenger - single-ended
sidings feeding into a non-scenic Fleischmann turntable handled the
locomotive-hauled trains and 8-car emus (the turntable was simply used for its
operational reliability);
(3) EMU – two sidings (in and out) leading into a
stub-end which automatically sequentially rotated five number 4-car electric
trains.
Control was conventional DC but fed through the
conditional locking that controlled both station and junction. In other words
if the turnouts weren’t correctly set then the signals couldn’t be pulled off;
the signals feeding power to the tracks.
The fiddle yard used route-setting working as the
‘second’ signalbox with block bells and train
describers being envisaged. All this used nearly two miles of cabling and over
100 relays but gave reliable and realistic operation without the need for
complex cab-control switching. Most circuits operated at 12v with 50v for the
conditional locking relays.
Alas the layout was dismantled in 2013 due to a house
move. However, this enabled a much larger fully-aircon purpose-built modelling
studio for its replacement; construction of which is already well under way.
Finally, I have to pass on thanks to The Hobby Box at
Uckfield (RIP) for supplying my modelling needs across the years along with
Replica in Swindon for their BR(S) Mk1 suburban coaches; in particular agreeing
to produce and supply the correctly numbered Mk1 suburban coaches for Central
Division rush-hour set 904.
By ‘Caiptean’