Selecting a location along the GWR

[JoeFerrito]

Hi all,

 

This American's been bitten by the British steam bug again. I'm a freelancer in US HO gauge so I'd like to go the opposite direction here and try to accurately reproduce an actual location on the BR network. Something in the late 50s, I think. Someday I'd like to tackle Skipton station since I have a love for the S&C, but for availability of models alone (my local shop has a good deal of GWR power for some reason) I'd like to go with something Western Region.

 

Anyone have any interesting mainline station suggestions? I'm fond of the mainline to Bristol (the Bristolian being a favorite train of mine) but I'm open to any/all ideas.

 

I have about 20x10 to play with, so nothing massive, but I'd like something on which I have a bit of operating interest - branch junction or something maybe.

 

My apologies if this isn't what this section is for, as well as my lack of knowledge - that said I'm in school to become a professional historian so the research side appeals to me. Could just use a prod or two in the right direction!

 

Best,

Joey

[Nick Holliday]

Hi, Joey

I'm surprised there hasn't been any response yet, but I suspect everyone is still stunned by the amount of space you have, and your comment that it won't be massive. Many UK modellers would kill for an area like that! For many individuals a 12 x 8 layout would be thought of as large.

As an LBSCR enthusiast I can't really help you too much on things Great Western, but I suggest you could help by narrowing down what interests you most. Assuming you are modelling in OO, you could have quite an extensive junction station on one side, with perhaps a (slightly Hackneyed) single line branch terminus on the other, still leaving room for some sort of fiddle yard. But do you just want to run mainline trains, or do you want a goods yard that can be shunted, or would generate goods traffic? What sort of scenery would you prefer? The GW mainline to Bristol passes through mainly rural farmland - check the Pendon photos here to see what that could look like, so if you want something a bit more spectacular then Wales, Shropshire or the South West would be better, but no Bristolian! If you want a mainline, would that be two or four lines, or perhaps a station with additional throug lines between the platforms.

How did you intend to go "off-stage"? You have space to just use the curve, but perhaps you wanted somewhere with over-bridges or a tunnel to top and tail your scenery. Would you prefer a station in a cutting, or on an embankment? What about architecture - large fancy buildings or modest timber structures? Any clues as to your preferences would allow the experts a better chance of coming up with something suitable to meet your requirements.

[Fat Controller]

How about Savernake Low Level, with the branch to Marlborough, and the connections to the M&SWJR, which crossed the Berks and Hants line at a high level ? The main line would see examples of most GWR types, whilst the M&SWJR line would see both SR and GWR stock. In peace time, the M&SWJR was a relatively quiet secondary main line, running between Andover and Cheltenham, but during WW2, especially in the period leading up to the Normandy Landings, it was a vital link between the seaports on the western side of the UK and the many military encampments of Hampshire and Dorset.

[The Fatadder]

One location that I keep thinking would make a nice model is Kemble on the Swindon to Cheltenham line, double junction would need some care to organise running lines. I believe there is a convinent road bridge at one end of the station as well.

 

That said, the one station which really stands out as a combination of interest and mainline and branch is South Brent between exeter and plymouth) you can model the area between the two bridges comprising the station and branch in about 10 feet. The mainline sees most of the major classes, with a lot of double heading. Needless to say on this forum alone there is one complete Brent, one complete layout based upon the track plan (stoke cortney), and at least two work in progresses (my own included).

Edited August 12, 2017 by The Fatadder

[JoeFerrito]

Thanks for the responses so far, guys!

 

I guess I never really considered the space thing - two family friends both have layouts that expand well beyond 40 feet in one direction so that's my regard to "massive," anyhow.

 

All those suggestions seem like good places to start research - got a few hours to kill this afternoon so I'll get to work on that.

 

As far as preferences go... hmm. That's a tough one. I can't say i really have anything specific I'm looking for. Perhaps a small goods yard to kick some wagons around in between the mainline traffic. Nothing too complicated - I'd like to hand-lay the track and don't want to drive myself crazy with pointwork, but then again this is a long term project so if it's worth doing it's worth doing right.

 

Another question - where does one go about finding details on this sort of thing? Just google "X station BR track diagram?"

 

Thanks again,

Joey

[figworthy]

Thanks for the responses so far, guys!

 

I guess I never really considered the space thing - two family friends both have layouts that expand well beyond 40 feet in one direction so that's my regard to "massive," anyhow.

 

All those suggestions seem like good places to start research - got a few hours to kill this afternoon so I'll get to work on that.

 

As far as preferences go... hmm. That's a tough one. I can't say i really have anything specific I'm looking for. Perhaps a small goods yard to kick some wagons around in between the mainline traffic. Nothing too complicated - I'd like to hand-lay the track and don't want to drive myself crazy with pointwork, but then again this is a long term project so if it's worth doing it's worth doing right.

 

Another question - where does one go about finding details on this sort of thing? Just google "X station BR track diagram?"

 

Thanks again,

Joey

 

Track plans will evolve with time, usually getting simpler under BR (less traffic usually means less complicated track plans).  So, you'd need to decide what era you are interested in, and then search on that.

 

Can you see http://maps.nls.uk ?  if you can, that will allow you to access old large scale maps of most of the UK, so you should be able to look up the stations of your choice. Follow the links for Ordnance Survey.  Beware, its one of those sites that you can spend hours on.

 

Adrian

[drduncan]

For inspiration look at the 4 volumes of RH Clark's An Historical Survey of Selected Great Western Stations, the link goes to an advert on anazon for volume 2...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Historical-Survey-Selected-Western-Stations-x/dp/0860930157/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502562634&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=gwr+stations+Clark

 

They are full of all types of mainline, secondary main live, branch line, double track or single track stations all with track plans.

 

Well worth the time and money to get your hands on them.

 

Duncan

[brianusa]

Hi Joey, where are you located; you are lucky to have a model shop that sells anything British, let alone GWR. We have just lost our last train shop, not that he sold any foreign trains! There is so much to interest you on this site alone that you won't need to travel far but if there is anything specific, just ask and someone will have an answer. I currently have an 20x16 O tinplate layout so am not much use but a lot here certainly are so keep in touch.

 

Brian.

[JoeFerrito]

I'm in the northern midwest - I think the gent who owns the shop likes all kinds of foreign stuff as there's a good deal of Marklin and Rocco in there too.

 

The more I look at Brent the more I like it.

 

That said I'm not entirely wedded to Western motive power. The other thought that keeps circulating in my head is Bromsgrove since there's a good deal to model there and banking adds some operating interest, plus the station footbridge allows a good way to hide the running lines as the climb starts.

 

This whole prototype business is hard. Though I have to say I like the research.

[Clearwater]

I think it rather depends on what stock you want to run. If you want mainline GWR with Kings, then your choices are more limited. Bromsgrove was predominantly Midland Railway until a late WR takeover... very few mainline GWR running as far as I can tell.

 

David

[JoeFerrito]

Yeah that was sort of my dilemma.

 

At this point I'm less concerned with the stock (I can always buy different stuff online that my shop doesn't have) and more with making a model that looks real and is interesting to operate. The only real "given" that I have is a mainline station with a decent amount of traffic, with engines at least as big as 4-6-0s (be they Jubilees, Castles, B1s, what have you) on the passenger services.

 

I'd like *some* form of operational interest - goods yard, junction, banking, something like that.

 

I guess my main issue is that I know British engines fairly well but I'm not so great on knowing routes and stations.

 

Thanks for continuing to indulge me,

Joey

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Joey,

If "The Bristolian" is a train you want to model, then we're talking of two routes as the train ran via Bath in the morning and returned

to London via Badminton late afternoon.

 

You say you want a junction station. There are/were plenty on the 4-track section between Paddington and Didcot, but that would be a large project soI'd plump for somewhere west of Didcot.

 

Possibilities (depending on the period you want to model) are:

 

Uffington (junction for Faringdon)

Little Somerford (junction for Malmesbury)

 

A larger town station would be Chippenham (junction for Calne)

 

Regards,

Peter

Edited August 12, 2017 by Peter Kazmierczak

[JoeFerrito]

Track plans will evolve with time, usually getting simpler under BR (less traffic usually means less complicated track plans).  So, you'd need to decide what era you are interested in, and then search on that.

 

Can you see http://maps.nls.uk ?  if you can, that will allow you to access old large scale maps of most of the UK, so you should be able to look up the stations of your choice. Follow the links for Ordnance Survey.  Beware, its one of those sites that you can spend hours on.

 

Adrian

 

Adrian,

 

That website's brilliant! You're right, easy way to lose a few hours.

 

Thanks for pointing it out!

[Siberian Snooper]

For a GW, LMS mix Bristol to Gloucester or Craven Arms to Whitchurch (Shropshire). For GW, LNER mix Banbury to South Ruislip. GW, Southern mix, Reading to Oxford.

[TheQ]

Should you choose to model Savernake stations as previously mentioned then  http://swindonsotherrailway.co.uk/ is a huge mine of useful information about the MSWJR line.

[Joseph_Pestell]

I'm with Peter K on this one. Uffington is about the only GW junction station that is going to meet the OP requirements (Bristol main line) in that sort of space.

 

An alternative would be to create a junction station at one of the other locations, e.g. Grove (Wantage Road) with a converted Wantage Tramway, Shrivenham with a branch to Highworth or Faringdon.

 

Going much further west (and so restricting the motive power choices), Bodmin Parkway is quite compact and an interesting trackplan although, like most, one can not run a train from the mainline directly on to the branch. Operationally, that could perversely be seen as a bonus for a model.

 

Other possibilities, but not on the Bristol main line: Frome, Witham Friary.

[Western Star]

1950s and GWR rings so many bells...

 

Look at the line between Swindon and South Wales, the part to the east of Patchway.  Badminton is a good opportunity to have the named expresses of the period and possibly the Britannias on Cardiff-London workings.

 

Or, look at the Great Western & Great Central Joint from Northolt Junction to Ashendon Junction.  Good opportunities here with Ruislip and Ickenham for stupendous trackwork... High Wycombe for the swinging 4-track station and tall retaining wall...  Princes Risborough with junctions for two branches and a secondary route (Oxford - with some services worked by Castles).

 

Maybe Aynho Junction...  sweeping fly-over laid for high-speed in 1910 period.

 

Please help us to help you with a more detailed description of what rings your bells.

 

regards, Graham

[Joseph_Pestell]

OP said he wants fairly simple trackwork. Princes Risborough not compatible with that and would need a lot more space.

 

On the Paddington-Birmingham route, Hatton is surprisingly compact and would give scope for banking.

[Clearwater]

One of the magazines, Hornby I think, had a plan for Aynho Junction this month

 

David

[Joseph_Pestell]

One of the magazines, Hornby I think, had a plan for Aynho Junction this month

 

David

Not one of their better ones!

[Jonnya]

Hi,

 

I'm about to start modelling a version of Chippenham with a branch to Calne.  I choose that location as my parents were born in Calne and used the line so it was a natural choice for me but does give me what I want which is a mixture of mainline trains and expresses plus lots of shunting.  The advice about the RH Clarke books is excellent, my volume is well used.  The other books that might be useful are a number by a local Bristol author Colin Maggs, all available on a well known on line store.

 

Jon