13 replies to this topic

[Captain Kernow]

I visited the NR training centre at Bristol Parkway the other day for work purposes, and whilst looking round the outside of the facility, I noticed the newly-installed set of 'training sidings', which have a connection to the main line (not commissioned yet). It looks for all the world like a full-size model shunting plank to me!

The main line connection is behind the gate in the distance to the left of the two distant buffer stops:




There was also this rather chunky and robust modern buffer stop there:

[ewsjo]

Very interesting Tim! So who'll be the first to model it then?
Out of interest, how long are teh headshunts - room to play with anything bigger than an 08?

cheers

jo

[Edwin_m]

Doesn't look like anything more than an 08 would be able to shunt around. Do they plan to derail it on those traps then practice putting it back on again?

I'm not convinced that buffer stop is set up correctly. Shouldn't the running rails should continue back alongside the two inner rails, because the stop slides along all four if hit by a train. Otherwise the retardation will reduce as it falls off the end of the running rails, the opposite of what is wanted.

[lankyphil]

Notice the RRAP on the siding furthest away from the NR connection.

Could it be something to do with Road/Rail training?

[Shedmaster]

I would'nt mind betting an RMWebber/Railway Modeller designed that, taken from the shunting plank idea itself.....wouldn't it have been fantastic if they had gone for say the 'Dyserth Road' trackplan ?

Come on then......who was it.......show yourself.......?

Dave

[sulzer27jd]

There is a similar facility at the NR training centre at Larbert

john

[Captain Kernow]

sulzer27jd, on 04 November 2009 - 08:44 , said:

There is a similar facility at the NR training centre at Larbert

john

Interesting - I wonder if the track plan is the same. I'll try to find out if there is a standard design...

[26power]

Anyone know what are they used for? ? (Apart from "training"!)

Cheers,

26power

[The Stationmaster]

26power, on 08 November 2009 - 00:59 , said:

Anyone know what are they used for? ? (Apart from "training"!)

Cheers,

26power

They are used for training, and probably aren't much use for anything else to be honest Presumably the decent stop block is there on the road on which a road-railer can be operated, the points have different kit (one has an HW machine, another has clamp locks) for training techs etc and so on.

[Kenton]

Captain Kernow, on 03 November 2009 - 20:05 , said:

There was also this rather chunky and robust modern buffer stop there:

It needs to be chunky and robust - if they are for training.
.... 10ft ... 5ft ... 1ft .... STOP!!!!!!

[Western Sunset]

There's also something similiar at the back of The Railway Engineering School in Derby.

[PaulRhB]

The headshunts need to be big enough for at least a CoCo as NR only has 31's, and 37's, (HST NMT on a plank???), NR's building them in various spots around the country now that training has gone back in-house. They even have some inside industrial units with track and reduced height signals for the techs to play on. The idea is to have a series of centres that they can get staff to easily for training.

This sort of thing
http://www.eyerevolu...iltech_tour.jpg

[Lambton58]

Here's another real-life shunting plank idea. An industrial one this time - and they used 12 inch: 1 foot Set-track!
Ralph
Lambton58

[pudzyp]

There defiantely is one at Larbert passed it on way to Glasgow at the weekend,

id be interested to actually see someone using it!