Branch line terminus track plans

[TheGingerTrainspotter]

While I plan for that dream layout that is probably years down the line, I was thinking of building a small layout in order to keep myself entertained and keep myself busy modelling. I was thinking of building a small layout based around a country branch line terminus in the steam era, and was wondering what plans were out there that I may be able to use. I'd like to find something with a timetable or other means detailing how it may be operated. Any help will be appreciated!

[Kris]

If you know what area you are wanting to model and the era then a TT might be available either online or in a book.

 

Something to remember is that branchline termini were not always small, often they were larger in terms of area than stations in built up areas as the land was cheaper.

[Happy Hippo]

You can trawl through the SRS website, which has signal box diagrams of most GW locations and an increasing number of other railway company diagrams as well.

 

A copy of Bodmin is shown here:

 

http://www.s-r-s.org.uk/html/srq/S3585.htm

 

(As a GWR/BR(W) man myself, you do not know how hard it was to have the graciousness to show the product of another railway company as an example)

 

 

Although a WTT would give you traffic levels and timings, you might find you'd have a morning train, a lunch time train, and an evening train, to coincide with the rural rush hour.

 

Interspersed with that might be some form of daily freight. (I'm generalising)

 

Few branches had the intensity of traffic we like to think they should have had.

 

Regards

 

Richard

[switcher 1]

How about a 'shunting plank'. You could always enlarge from that, by using it as your fiddle yard later, going into your station halt, & onwards to your empire.

[maunsel]

I know it's a bit old fashioned, but if you go to model railway exhibitions try browsing a few of the Oakwood Press book for your favourite areas. They often include station track diagrams and copies of timetables. It may also be worth looking at the second hand book stalls for OPC's books on station plans - I seem to recall they covered both GWR and Southern locations.

 

One general rule to bear in mind is that rural land was relatively cheap so country termini tend to be bigger than one imagines. It may be worth considering an urban setting if one is strapped for space.

 

Good luck

 

Eric

[TheGingerTrainspotter]

Thank you all for your reply's! my biggest problem is that I live in america, and books on british layouts and prototypes are hard to come by. I'd consider an urban setting, my biggest requirement is to find something that is small and fits my operating requirements. I only really want to have 2 or 3 engines running with a few passenger and goods trains. as I said I'm looking for a layout based on a small terminus with a goods yard and engine shed if possible.

[meil]

Thank you all for your reply's! my biggest problem is that I live in america, and books on british layouts and prototypes are hard to come by. I'd consider an urban setting, my biggest requirement is to find something that is small and fits my operating requirements. I only really want to have 2 or 3 engines running with a few passenger and goods trains. as I said I'm looking for a layout based on a small terminus with a goods yard and engine shed if possible.

 

Go straight to Ashburton do not pass go, do not collect £200.

[kevinlms]

Go straight to Ashburton do not pass go, do not collect £200.

Why restrict yourself to the GWR? Plenty of good sources around on a range of railways.

 

Passenger Train Operation for the Railway Modeller RJ Essery ISBN 0711031576

Freight Train Operation for the Railway Modeller RJ Essery ISBN 9780711031425

 

Are but 2 books which give a good grounding on WHY railways operated the way they did.

[TheGingerTrainspotter]

I've seen Ashburton, and honestly it's not a bad plan, but I'm not really sure how to go about creating a timetable for such a layout. If I'm honest, I'm becoming increasingly interested in the Caledonian Railway, and if I can find a plan that is small in size based on a location on that railway, I will be a very happy camper!

[cary hill]

If it's a Caledonian Railway Branch Line Terminus Plan you're after, then this site and map, which is very clickable/zoomable, may help to fire your imagination:

 

http://maps.nls.uk/geo/find/#zoom=7&lat=56.61911&lon=-3.10099&layers=B000000FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFTFFFFFFFFT

 

Make sure that the 25 inch to the mile map (1890-1960) option is checked on the left - although hours of free fun are available for other scales and date periods.

 

Example of what can eventually be obtained:

 

 

Scottish but not Caledonian Railway - too far North I think - but has some of the features you mentioned.

 

My thoughts would be select/design a track layout first, as the presence or not certain features e.g. Engine shed or a private siding etc., might determine certain elements of the likely WTT.

 

Hope this helps.

[Karhedron]

Thank you all for your reply's! my biggest problem is that I live in america, and books on british layouts and prototypes are hard to come by. I'd consider an urban setting, my biggest requirement is to find something that is small and fits my operating requirements. I only really want to have 2 or 3 engines running with a few passenger and goods trains. as I said I'm looking for a layout based on a small terminus with a goods yard and engine shed if possible.

If you are looking for a modest suburban layout then Iain Rice came up with a great layout plan called "Harestone" in his book on Urban layouts. It is a twin-track terminus with a central island platform, a run around loop for the goods and a siding for coal/coke wagons. There is no engine shed but there are 2 loco spurs where engines can be coaled and watered.

 

The 2 platform faces can each handle 4-coach trains. The idea is to use tank engines to run an intensive service. Instead of running around, a loco from the spur backs onto the arrived train and hauls it straight back out as the next service. The loco that is released is then free to go to the spur for a refuel.

 

The layout is loosely based on Caterham (with some adjustments) but could suit other regions. The basic layout is not too disimilar to Uxbridge Vine Street (GWR) although the proposed operation is probably more intensive. The whole scenic section is only 6'6" long.

[TheGingerTrainspotter]

Ah Ian Rice! How could I forget him, I'm surprised I overlooked his designs while searching for a plan. I've seen the one you mentioned and I quite like it. Is there anything else you could tell me regarding operating details? Also, are there any other plans he has drawn using the same subject matter, as I would be interested in anything his designs have to offer

[gwrman]

Hi heres the original plan we chose:-

 

[Admin edit: image removed as such a scan from a publication is a breach of copyright rules]

 

for our club layout

Nigel

[riddler]

If it's a Caledonian Railway Branch Line Terminus Plan you're after, then this site and map, which is very clickable/zoomable, may help to fire your imagination:

 

http://maps.nls.uk/geo/find/#zoom=7&lat=56.61911&lon=-3.10099&layers=B000000FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFTFFFFFFFFT

 

Make sure that the 25 inch to the mile map (1890-1960) option is checked on the left - although hours of free fun are available for other scales and date periods.

 

Example of what can eventually be obtained:

 

md.jpg

 

Scottish but not Caledonian Railway - too far North I think - but has some of the features you mentioned.

 

My thoughts would be select/design a track layout first, as the presence or not certain features e.g. Engine shed or a private siding etc., might determine certain elements of the likely WTT.

 

Hope this helps.

What a fantastic resource site, I haven't stopped looking on here, what a shame there isn't a site that does the same for England.

[TheGingerTrainspotter]

Thank you all for the advice, It's really appreciated. As for Ashburton, I think unless I can find a superior plan, I may end up deciding between that or Ian Rice's Harestone. Researching prototype locations for me is particularly hard due to the fact that I live in the states and books and information are hard to come by. I'm really just looking for a rather simple plan that has been published and can be adapted to just about any location, hence why Ian Rice's plans appeal to me so much. I still am not quite sure what all would be involved when it comes to operations of the aforementioned plans, and I really want to make sure that I'm getting all the operation I can out of whatever plan I choose. 

[Karhedron]

As for Ashburton, I think unless I can find a superior plan, I may end up deciding between that or Ian Rice's Harestone. Researching prototype locations for me is particularly hard due to the fact that I live in the states and books and information are hard to come by. I'm really just looking for a rather simple plan that has been published and can be adapted to just about any location, hence why Ian Rice's plans appeal to me so much. I still am not quite sure what all would be involved when it comes to operations of the aforementioned plans, and I really want to make sure that I'm getting all the operation I can out of whatever plan I choose. 

Operation for Harestone is fairly straight forward. 3 or 4 tank engines of your chosen period, 2 or 3 rakes of coaches (each rake up to 4 coaches long) and a rake of coal/coke wagons. The idea is to keep the layout fairly busy.

 

Tank engines A and B occupy each of the loco spurs. A train comes into one of the free platforms hauled by loco C. Loco A from the nearest spur then backs down on the train and hauls it away as the next outbound service. The next train arrives at the opposite platform hauled by Loco D. Loco C then moves into the free spur for coal and water. Loco B releases loco D etc.

 

Repeat this and intersperse with coal for the yard as appropriate. You can add some early EMUs or DMUs if you feel like it. The run-around loop is mainly for the goods traffic with passenger workings handled intensively as described above.

[TheGingerTrainspotter]

Thank you very much for the information Karhedron! Harestone is looking more and more like the plan for me. It's a shame more varied goods operations and shunting aren't available, but I'm sure the passenger operations will keep me busy! I think the next step for me is to find a suitable station building kit that will suit the arrangement shown in the plan. As for time period, I'm thinking probably at the turn of the 20th century from about 1899-1910 on a fictional branch of the Caledonian Railway

[Coombe Barton]

Ashburton Operation in not too simplified summary

 

• Auto train leaves, Auto train returns
• Auto train leaves, Auto train returns
• ditto
• Auto train leaves
• Goods arrives and shunts
• Auto train returns
• Auto train leaves
• Goods complete shunting and returns
• Auto train leaves, Auto train returns
• ditto
• ditto
• ditto
• (some dittos may vary in quantity and one ditto has two coaches on the train)

Except on cattle fair days (four times a year) when livestock moovements (intentional) become the priority. The goods does not run and many auto are replaced by buses - at least in the 1950s.

 

This said, I'm building a version of Ashbutrton. With an extra daily freight movement based, in my fiction, on that occurring at Bodmin

[Coombe Barton]

PM to TheGingerTrainspotter

[TheGingerTrainspotter]

Thank you for the information on Ashburton, but I think Harestone is the plan for me. My only real issue now is to find a station building that will suit such an arrangement. Does anyone out there know of a kit that could work? If this is a question better asked in the structures thread I will gladly move it

[Donw]

Ian's Harestone is a nice plan and slightly unusual in that the station building is across the end.  Most small terminii can be classified as yard in front or yard behind. Yard behind is when the sidings are behind the platform ( usually to one side as well) there is normally an access area behind the station building  which also gives access to the goods yard. With yard in front the goods sidings are opposite the platform and will have a different access from the station building.

 Wallingford is an example of Yard behind Minehead was yard in front.

 

Don

[alastairq]

with regards to Harestone?

 

The plan, with station buildings above platform end, also make future  additions viable, ie converting into a through station? Simply have the station building placed up on an overbridge instead of a retaining wall, with tracks passing beneath.....?

 

 

Whilst on the topic [of Harestone] can anybody tell me whether the slip located in front of the signal box is meant to be a single or double slip? [in my book, the plan is a bit unclear in that respect]

 

Also, was the main line intended to be double, or single track? [Again, in the artwork, the alignment is unclear]...[mind, on reflection, it could easily be either?}

[Jub45565]

The following site has a good selection of options:

 

http://www.signalbox.org/diagrams.php

[Joseph_Pestell]

I've seen Ashburton, and honestly it's not a bad plan, but I'm not really sure how to go about creating a timetable for such a layout. If I'm honest, I'm becoming increasingly interested in the Caledonian Railway, and if I can find a plan that is small in size based on a location on that railway, I will be a very happy camper!

 

In one of the early Peco plans books is a plan (not by CJF) of Moffat. Can't get much more Caley than that.

 

A bit limited on loco types if one follows prototype too closely, but does have the interest of through daily train to Glasgow for the business folk.

 

And, as ever, we need to mention old-maps.co.uk

[clecklewyke]

Unless you are a scratch builder and simply love it and want to recreate it in all its beauty, I would not recommend Ashburton as a plan. CJF promoted the idea of modelling simple branch termini at a time when most modellers aiming at fine scale could not afford either the time to build or the money to buy more than a couple of engines and a few coaches and wagons. Times are very different and I think it is more likely that one can afford to buy lots of rolling stock but might well be starved for space for a big enough layout to run it on. 

 

As others have said, a tightly-packed urban terminus offers far more traffic potential and variety than a rural branch and can be condensed into a smaller space without obvious compromise, hence Minories or Harestone.

 

The one problem with this approach is that the goods yards for such stations can take up too much room to be modelled without obvious compression: goods yards were usually much bigger than passenger stations. CJF solved this by adding a double track goods warehouse to the basic passenger terminal plan; Iain Rice by having just a single coal siding, in both cases the remainder of the goods yard being imagined to be off-stage.

 

A development of this idea would be to extend the headshunt under the bridge as a third fiddle yard siding which would represent the rest of the goods yard. Thus one has a reason for an entire goods train to arrive in the station and be divided into portions for the various bits of the goods yard, whether on or off-stage. I will probably be doing that with Bradford North Western as I will not have room to model a city goods yard in anything like its entirety but I do like goods trains.

 

Good luck with your planning.

 

Ian