New member - ballasting advice req

[Andrew W]

Hi
i am new to the forum,my interests are all railways,but mainly
NER/LNER NE Region,model railways,and collecting old B&W
railway books,in particular Ken Hoole books.
i am building a LNER 00 gauge layout in my loft.
Ive laid about 80% of my peco sl100 track and now want to start
the dreaded ballasting job.i am planning to use Woodlands Scenic
Fine cinders for a engine shed /sidings area which i believe is
correct for this area,but my layout then travels into a scenic/ECML
area, could anyone advise if the Fine cinders idea is correct and
what they would advise for ecml/scenic section, grey/light grey
or a mixture ? ive checked a lot of fantastic LNER layouts in my
modelling magazines,and all tend to be slightly different ?

Thanks in advance
Andrew W

[Colombo]

Andrew,

What period are you modelling and what area? Different areas used different quarries to supply the ballast. They may be using any hard stone, like limestone or granite. Also brake block dust has an effect. They changed from wooden brake blocks to cast iron and with the change, the ballast became stained with rust.

Cinders is right for sidings and branch lines although it did not stay in lumps for long as cinders are friable.

There are plenty of colour photos from BR days to copy, but LNER days are different.

Before ballasting, I suggest that you paint your sleepers. They were rarely black. Different shades of grey , with odd new one inserted here and there, freshly creosoted.

Colombo

Colombo

[Andrew W]

Hi Colombo
many thanks for replying
The period i am modelling is 1937-1939
i have a A4 mallard and am planning to buy/model the coopercraft/
mailcoach coronation coaches,area would be north of York-Northallerton-Darlington area,if this helps to narrow it down.
Would the Esk Valley Line,Middlesbrough to Whitby have been
Black cinder for its entire length ?

regards
Andrew w

[Colombo]

[quoteThe period I am modelling is 1937-1939
i have a A4 mallard and am planning to buy/model the coopercraft/
mailcoach coronation coaches,area would be north of York-Northallerton-Darlington area,if this helps to narrow it down.
Would the Esk Valley Line,Middlesbrough to Whitby have been
Black cinder for its entire length ?

[/quote]

Andrew,

The local hard stone for the area north of York is Limestone, so you want to go for a grey ballast on the main line, preferably mid to dark grey as light grey looks too fresh.

In the 1950s the line from Whitby to Pickering that is now the NYMR was still ash ballasted so I doubt if the Esk Valley line was any different in 1939. I would add that the ash ballast is smooth on top, no lumps are visible in my photos.

Happy ballasting,

Colombo

[Andrew W]

Hi Colombo
Thank you very much for the help and advice youve given
i can make a start now.

I wanted to get this right,it would be a bit tricky changeing it later !?
going to practice on a small piece of scrap track firstly though .

Regards

Andrew W