Branch line terminus track plans

[Joseph_Pestell]

Why have a goods yard at an urban terminus? A low-relief warehouse does the job. In many cases, van trains were loaded at passenger platforms outside peak hours.

[TheGingerTrainspotter]

Would you perhaps know of an online copy of the track plan for Moffat? Also, I am still trying to locate a kit suitable for the Harestone station building. I think as long as I can find a building that can be set at the end of the platform it won't matter to me whether it is above track level or not

[clecklewyke]

Why have a goods yard at an urban terminus? A low-relief warehouse does the job. In many cases, van trains were loaded at passenger platforms outside peak hours.

Because a low relief warehouse could only handle one type of traffic.

 

Admittedly there were some goods depots which were restricted to one type of traffic, e.g. coal yards or oil terminals, but most urban goods yards could deal with just about everything the city needed or produced - coal, oil, livestock, merchandise etc. and as a consequence were very large, with many sidings and facilities such as coal staithes or drops, cranes, loading banks, warehouses, oil tanks etc. A low-relief warehouse would be fine in itself but would only tell a small part of the story and would not allow you to run varied goods stock. I am suggesting a means of justifying long (ish) goods trains with little or no restriction on the types of wagons employed on a very simple layout, to be able to run any kind of goods trains, with nice big freight engines, such as Stanier 8Fs or WDs.

 

Ian

[TheGingerTrainspotter]

Thank you for the advice clecklewyke, while I understand what you're saying, I'm afraid the biggest engines I intend to run are 0-4-4 tank engines! that's why I think a simple arrangement with a coal siding and a small goods shed will suit my needs quite well, and I think I should have no problem modifying Harestone to have a goods shed which will allow me to sightly vary the goods traffic for the timetable I'm writing

[Joseph_Pestell]

Because a low relief warehouse could only handle one type of traffic.

 

Admittedly there were some goods depots which were restricted to one type of traffic, e.g. coal yards or oil terminals, but most urban goods yards could deal with just about everything the city needed or produced - coal, oil, livestock, merchandise etc. and as a consequence were very large, with many sidings and facilities such as coal staithes or drops, cranes, loading banks, warehouses, oil tanks etc. A low-relief warehouse would be fine in itself but would only tell a small part of the story and would not allow you to run varied goods stock. I am suggesting a means of justifying long (ish) goods trains with little or no restriction on the types of wagons employed on a very simple layout, to be able to run any kind of goods trains, with nice big freight engines, such as Stanier 8Fs or WDs.

 

Ian

 

I can see where you are coming from, Ian. But looking at small city termini (Minories/Fenchurch St style), they don't often have the sort of general goods facilities that you are talking of. Good reason for that of course in that land values high - so the less valuable, bulky goods such as coal tended to be handled at depots a little further down the line.

A warehouse allows quite a lot of different types of wagon as many goods transported in open wagons with tarps  rather than in vans (until about 1950). I admit to preferring vans. If the unloading side is away from the viewer, you don't get the problem of wagons being seen to arrive full and depart full without having been unloaded.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Would you perhaps know of an online copy of the track plan for Moffat? Also, I am still trying to locate a kit suitable for the Harestone station building. I think as long as I can find a building that can be set at the end of the platform it won't matter to me whether it is above track level or not

 

I checked out the National Library of Scotland site mentioned further back in the thread. They have 25"/mile map (1:2500) of Moffat. Dates from late 19thC but AFAIK the layout did not change after that (as seems confirmed by Railscot photos). I think it must have had a locoshed early in its existence as the Moffat Railway remained independent for a long time. But shed presumably would have closed when the Caley took over with its largish MPD at Beattock (lovely subject for a layout with quirky trackplan due to turntable being relocated).

[clecklewyke]

I can see where you are coming from, Ian. But looking at small city termini (Minories/Fenchurch St style), they don't often have the sort of general goods facilities that you are talking of. Good reason for that of course in that land values high - so the less valuable, bulky goods such as coal tended to be handled at depots a little further down the line.

A warehouse allows quite a lot of different types of wagon as many goods transported in open wagons with tarps  rather than in vans (until about 1950). I admit to preferring vans. If the unloading side is away from the viewer, you don't get the problem of wagons being seen to arrive full and depart full without having been unloaded.

Indeed.

 

I suppose my problem is that I want to run long mixed goods trains and haven;t the room for more than a passenger terminus, whereas you (and TheGingerTrainspotter) are happy with a mainly passenger terminus, goods traffic not being such a priority.

 

Also, I detect a London/Provinces split. I am thinking of places like Bolton Great Moor St, Oldham, Windermere and Salford where there are sizable goods yards adjacent to passenger stations whereas that might not be true in the centre of London. As always, there is variety - horses for courses. But beware of using models as paradigms. What pertains at "Minories" might not be representative of reality.

 

Ian

[Joseph_Pestell]

Indeed.

 

I suppose my problem is that I want to run long mixed goods trains and haven;t the room for more than a passenger terminus, whereas you (and TheGingerTrainspotter) are happy with a mainly passenger terminus, goods traffic not being such a priority.

 

Also, I detect a London/Provinces split. I am thinking of places like Bolton Great Moor St, Oldham, Windermere and Salford where there are sizable goods yards adjacent to passenger stations whereas that might not be true in the centre of London. As always, there is variety - horses for courses. But beware of using models as paradigms. What pertains at "Minories" might not be representative of reality.

 

Ian

 

I think that we are in danger of going OT. All the stations you mention are on quite generous sites (lower land values again) so not suitable for the sort of minimum space layout that the OP is looking for.

Of course, Minories, is only partially representative of reality - not least because in original form it only takes 3 carriage trains. But its name implies that CJF was indeed baseing it on Fenchurch St style traffic. True that there is not much in other UK cities that is directly comparable: Liverpool Central, Edinburgh Princes St, Birkenhead Woodside, etc. all rather larger. 

Nothing wrong with putting an 8F/WD at the head of a train of vans but I take your point about the charms of long trains of mixed freight.

[Karhedron]

I think I should have no problem modifying Harestone to have a goods shed which will allow me to sightly vary the goods traffic for the timetable I'm writing

Certainly, an extra set of points is all that is required to add a modest goods shed to the track plan. In fact if you read the text in Iain Rice's book that accompanies Harestone, he explains that part of the design brief was to use the same baseboard as Minories as it is (in part) his homage to it. If you have room to expand the layout a little, a goods shed is a great addition. Rice himself also states in his book that he regards his plans as starting points for inspiring others rather than templates to be followed slavishly.

Of course, Minories, is only partially representative of reality - not least because in original form it only takes 3 carriage trains. But its name implies that CJF was indeed baseing it on Fenchurch St style traffic. True that there is not much in other UK cities that is directly comparable:

Minories was definitely a "bitsa" track plan. I believe the arrangement with the kinked throat and stabling point was actually inspired by the Metropolitan Line at Liverpool Street. The goods shed which CJF added for the enlarged Minories Mk2 resembles the one at Birmingham Moor Street. Moor Street is probably fairly close to Minories in concept although even that had traversers to release incoming locos.

[backofanenvelope]

{snipped} 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:

 

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.

 

Oooo, now thats nice, and very tempting..

[Guest stuartp]

TGT - While tyou're on the NLS site looking at Moffat, have a look at the following:

 

Bankfoot, Blairgowrie, Alyth, Kirriemuir. All these are CR terminii in the 'classic BLT' mould , i.e. platform, loop, goods yard. One or two had loco sheds but you'd have to check the details of when they were in operation. There's also Ballachullish, Brechin and Wemyss Bay but I suspect they're a lot bigger than you're looking for.

 

Loch Tay was very compact but probably a bit too minimalist - short platform, run round loop, loco shed literally on the branch end. It served a steamer pier, the goods traffic was dealt with at Killin, which itself became the terminus when Loch Tay closed at the outbreak of war (the loco shed remained in use). Another minimalist layout was Coalburn. The station consisted of a single platform, signal box and level crossing. The run round loop was a couple of hundred yards back towards Lesmahagow, the single goods siding (at least I think that's what it was) was over the level crossing in the other direction. The line continued a mile or so beyond the teminus to a colliery.

 

Another site worth exploring is Scotlands Places - another RCAHMS/NLS site for non-map records. There are plans and photos on line, although not the whole collection.    

[TheGingerTrainspotter]

Certainly, an extra set of points is all that is required to add a modest goods shed to the track plan. In fact if you read the text in Iain Rice's book that accompanies Harestone, he explains that part of the design brief was to use the same baseboard as Minories as it is (in part) his homage to it. If you have room to expand the layout a little, a goods shed is a great addition. Rice himself also states in his book that he regards his plans as starting points for inspiring others rather than templates to be followed slavishly.Minories was definitely a "bitsa" track plan. I believe the arrangement with the kinked throat and stabling point was actually inspired by the Metropolitan Line at Liverpool Street. The goods shed which CJF added for the enlarged Minories Mk2 resembles the one at Birmingham Moor Street. Moor Street is probably fairly close to Minories in concept although even that had traversers to release incoming locos.

Rather than adding another siding, my idea was to simply have the goods shed occupy the loco spur closest to the front of the layout. There looks to be room for it there, and I think the upper siding will be able to hold two of the small engines I intend to run. Just have to find a station building kit, and I'll be ready to order track!

EDIT: I've been looking recently at metcalfe's new wayside station building kit. I really like the way that this particular building looks, and was wondering how accurate it would be for me to place it at the end of a platform perpendicular to the track, as per the arrangement seen in Harestone. My only real problems with the kit are the fact that it's a GWR protoype, and a card kit. I was thinking I could use the metcalfe kit as a template to make my own walls and parts from texture sheets to create a more three dimensional building. If I did this I'd more than likely build it as a brick structure, taking away some of it's GWR look and making look similar to the buildings seen in the part of Scotland I wish to model. Thoughts?

[Easterner]

I can see where you are coming from, Ian. But looking at small city termini (Minories/Fenchurch St style), they don't often have the sort of general goods facilities that you are talking of. Good reason for that of course in that land values high - so the less valuable, bulky goods such as coal tended to be handled at depots a little further down the line.

A warehouse allows quite a lot of different types of wagon as many goods transported in open wagons with tarps  rather than in vans (until about 1950). I admit to preferring vans. If the unloading side is away from the viewer, you don't get the problem of wagons being seen to arrive full and depart full without having been unloaded.

 

Yes and no. Fenchurch St had five separate goods facilities (of four different companies) within about half-a-mile of the station. The nearest (Goodman's Yard) began virtually at the platform ends and wasn't the same company as the passenger operator. So although it's legitimate to assume "goods facilities along the line" there's also interesting scope for including goods working of a slightly unexpected type right next to an inner-city station.

 

Edit to say: that doesn't take away your point about warehouse traffic. But the MR depot, still with a stone's throw of FC, had a range of sidings and wagon turntables, not just an unloading point.

[TheGingerTrainspotter]

Thank you for the information guys! I think I know how I want to lay out the track and structures on the layout, it's just a matter of finding the structures that can best suit the design. I'm still on the hunt for a station building. Anyone have any ideas? I'd even be interested in scratchbuilding provided I had something to go on.

[maunsel]

Your search for a typical rural branch terminus may be helped by looking to the Mid West Wales coast, south of Aberystwyth and in the heart of Dylan Thomas' land - think of Under Milk Wood.

 

A typical GWR rural terminus of Mid West Wales was found at Aberayron / Aberaeron.

 

 

 

This station is on the coast and also had an engine shed. More views can be found here:-

 http://www.aberaeron-westwales.co.uk/railway.htm

 

A sketch of the station layout based on the plans from The Lampeter, Aberayron & New Quay Light Railway by M R C Price published by Oakwood Press (Locomotion Papers 191)

 

 

 

Main exports - pit ponies, cattle and dairy produce.

 

This may redress the Caledonian balance!

 

Regards

 

Eric

[TheGingerTrainspotter]

Thank you for the info, I must say that's quite a nice looking station, and would make a good subject for a layout. However, I'm afraid I've decided that my layout will be based on Ian Rice's plan Harestone. I am currently looking for buildings to suit the plan, and, to be honest, I'm trying to avoid GWR prototypes. Not that I don't like the GWR, but with the sheer number of people that already model it, I want to do something a little different. I think at this point I won't be concerned whether or not the buildings I use are Caley prototypes, after all the plan itself is freelanced. I just need to find some non-GWR buildings that will suit the plan.

[Intercity125]

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

Plenty of operational potential then..........................

 

Tongue firmly pressed inside cheek.

[Charles125]

If you can get of a copy of the book "The Great Days of the Country Railway" by David St John Thomas & Patrick Whitehouse, it's absolute gold mine on branch line operation, even including a chapter on a typical day's workings, and includes some prototype track plans. Many UK booksellers will accept online orders for US delivery and a good secondhand copy can be quite cheap! They can be sent by sea and though taking a few weeks to arrive will be much less costly on carriage charges.

 

There's a great list of commodities for devising goods traffic at http://comtrade.un.org/db/mr/rfCommoditiesList.aspx

 

I'm working on a branch line timetable for a busy branch and when complete, I'll post it here, hopefully in a few days or so for you. 

[Charles125]

Fictional small but busy Branch Line Terminus Timetable (Long branch line)

 

06.30 Early freight departs.

 

07.00  Early milk/parcels arrives unloads, shunts empty milk tank, loads churns/parcels  and full milk tank departs 7.15. Limited passenger accommodation in brake third coach. Extra vans at busy times of the year, eg Christmas.

 

07.30 Quarry works train for workmen. Quarry engine on train.

 

07.45 Schools train arrives/ departs (loco runs around train). Term-time only. May be passenger luggage in advance at the start and end of term for local boarding school.

 

08.00 Early passenger train arrives/ departs (loco runs around train). This is the main outward train for commuters working in nearby towns.

 

08.45  Auto train arrives / departs for early shoppers.

 

10.00 Main pick up goods arrives. Wagons shunted. Engine watered.

 

11.00  Mid morning passenger train - often the main train for shoppers, those going visiting

 

12.15  Autotrain arrives/departs

 

1.15  Livestock train arrives, shunt, departs.

 

2.00 Autotrain arrives departs

 

2.20 Through train coaches arrive/ depart - these are coaches off train to major city that are detached for the branch and re-attached to a major train of the day at the branch junction.

 

3.10  Afternoon freight arrives, including coal/mineral traffic. Shunts, departs with empties

 

3.20 Autotrain arrives, departs.

 

4.15 Schools train arrives, may include early returnee passengers from large town

 

6.15  ‘Late’ milk/parcels train with limited passenger accommodation, may include ‘last minute van’ or freight wagon.

 

6.40 Passenger train arrives with commuters, picks up evening passengers eg for cinema, theatre etc. May have extra coach at week-ends.

 

7.00  Workmen’s train returns from quarry. Quarry engine.

 

7.30 Autotrain arrives, departs.

 

8.30 Passenger train arrives with returning visitors or those working later on in large town.

 

9.30 Autotrain arrives departs.

 

9.50 weekdays 10.40 Saturdays  Passenger train arrives with passengers from evening out.

 

(Sunday service even on a busy line like this one would be minimal and very restricted)

 

 

Additional workings   Pigeon Special  10.40 or 2.40 depending on distance travelled.

 

Market/Country Fair/Agricultural Show Special 10.30

 

Seasonal goods 11.30, 3.30, 5.30  eg Broccoli, cauliflower, flowers etc.

 

08.20 or 11.20  Seaside/Outing  Excursion (usually Saturdays or Sundays, but weekdays during holidays, outings might be half or full day) returning at 6.20 or 10.30pm. A long distance excursion might arrive back at 11.30pm or into the early hours of the morning.

 

Notes following!

[Charles125]

Notes for sample timetable

 

In practice much of this traffic especially passengers was lost by later in the 1950s, sometimes earlier on. Some of this goods traffic survived until the 1960s. Newspaper and Letter

Mail were delivered from larger towns in vans/lorries by later in the 1930s.

 

Passenger traffic might include local trains/commuter trains travelling for some distance on the main line before returning to the branch. Not all branch passenger trains terminated at the branch junction, though the most ‘frequent’ eg Autotrain might do so. In some cases, the junction station, might in any case be further along the main line.

 

To allow a more intensive passenger service, there might be a branch off the branch, allowing for connecting services!

 

Milk/Parcels Both staple traffic at any country branch. They might be dispatched/empties accepted twice daily to allow for more distant customers to reach the branch terminus station.The second train is likely to be early evening to allow the goods staff to clock off in time for tea/evening meal!

 

Livestock as well as normal traffic may include prize cattle vans for agricultural shows and normal horse traffic. Cattle and sheep for most traffic, pigs occasionally. Hens and

suchlike would be crated and carried in vans/ parcels vans.

 

Seasonal produce as required, often as special workings - to arrive at main line in time for overnight freights.

 

Pigeons These are released at some distance from their homes sometimes up to 200 miles away but often 40 to 50 miles away depending on the importance of the pigeon race event!

 

Sports special eg soccer, cricket, rugby, horse race meets; may be horse vans attached for race meets.

 

Farm equipment train - farmers buy in machinery to be collected at the railhead, also if a farmer moves, he might book a special train for moving all his livestock and equipment.

 

Coal -required for local industry and home heating! Even a small branch might have one coal train daily and empties to return. Coke for local blacksmith (bagged)

 

General goods traffic - As common carriers, anything and everything was moved by rail. Larger items would be crated, smaller items wrapped/packed and carried loose.

Agricultural produce and fertilizers (bagged), eg flowers, hay, meat, fruit, fish, eggs, dairy produce - perishables in refrigerated vans run at passenger train speed! Potatoes, greens,root crops (eg turnips, Swedes, sugar beet, beetroot, carrots).

 

Local necessities eg tea, wheat/flour for bread, butter, cheese, sugar etc paint, clothes, bikes, shoes, motorbikes, scooters, prams, hand tools, wire, cable, fencing, calor gas bottles, acetylene/oxygen bottles. Books, Transformers (rarely!). Telegraph poles. Jars, cans, bottles, tobacco, salt, cereals, rope, earth, manure, Furniture, carpets. Confectionary.

Jewellery. Baskets, tubs, pots. Musical instruments. Paintings. Wine, vases, cart wheels, tyres.

 

Railway goods - rail, ballast, sleepers, Telegraph poles, loco coal, ash for disposal. Rolling stock parts.

 

Special workings eg clay for local brickworks, stone, gravel for building, sand and cement, lime, slates and tiles, corrugated iron and corrugated asbestos sheeting, glass, plaster (bagged), wood for/from sawmills, new car delivery, brewery hops/apples and outgoing beer and spirits. Leather bales. Explosives. Pipes and other ceramic products. Roofing felt. Lampposts. Ornamental trees and bushes.

 

Tank loads, petrol, diesel, lubricating and heating oil, paraffin, tar, Other chemicals. Paraffin was the main secondary heating fuel until well on in the 1960s.

 

There is plenty of scope for variety and though such intensive branch traffic was unlikely in reality, as modellers we usually want plenty of trains even on branch lines!

[howardb]

If you want to look at track plans of real locations a good starting place is http://www.old-maps.co.uk/index.html which allows you to preview areas of interest at different scales - the 1:2500 maps show the track plans quite well & if you want to accurately follow a particular station they will sell you a high resolution .pdf file. I have used this as the basis for the model I am building of Lyminge station.

 

A few other SR stations to consider - New Romney, Kent - not very large but would give you an excuse to also run a smaller 15" gauge RHDR line as well. My maths suggest that this could be based on Z gauge stock and since Marklin make some steam engines that would be a good starting point I addition to the the 044, you could also run C class tender engines.

 

Cheers

 

Howard

[Martingchapman]

Fictional small but busy Branch Line Terminus Timetable (Long branch line)

 

06.30 Early freight departs.

 

07.00  Early milk/parcels arrives unloads, shunts empty milk tank, loads churns/parcels  and full milk tank departs 7.15. Limited passenger accommodation in brake third coach. Extra vans at busy times of the year, eg Christmas.

 

07.30 Quarry works train for workmen. Quarry engine on train.

 

07.45 Schools train arrives/ departs (loco runs around train). Term-time only. May be passenger luggage in advance at the start and end of term for local boarding school.

 

08.00 Early passenger train arrives/ departs (loco runs around train). This is the main outward train for commuters working in nearby towns.

 

08.45  Auto train arrives / departs for early shoppers.

 

10.00 Main pick up goods arrives. Wagons shunted. Engine watered.

 

11.00  Mid morning passenger train - often the main train for shoppers, those going visiting

 

12.15  Autotrain arrives/departs

 

1.15  Livestock train arrives, shunt, departs.

 

2.00 Autotrain arrives departs

 

2.20 Through train coaches arrive/ depart - these are coaches off train to major city that are detached for the branch and re-attached to a major train of the day at the branch junction.

 

3.10  Afternoon freight arrives, including coal/mineral traffic. Shunts, departs with empties

 

3.20 Autotrain arrives, departs.

 

4.15 Schools train arrives, may include early returnee passengers from large town

 

6.15  ‘Late’ milk/parcels train with limited passenger accommodation, may include ‘last minute van’ or freight wagon.

 

6.40 Passenger train arrives with commuters, picks up evening passengers eg for cinema, theatre etc. May have extra coach at week-ends.

 

7.00  Workmen’s train returns from quarry. Quarry engine.

 

7.30 Autotrain arrives, departs.

 

8.30 Passenger train arrives with returning visitors or those working later on in large town.

 

9.30 Autotrain arrives departs.

 

9.50 weekdays 10.40 Saturdays  Passenger train arrives with passengers from evening out.

 

(Sunday service even on a busy line like this one would be minimal and very restricted)

 

 

Additional workings   Pigeon Special  10.40 or 2.40 depending on distance travelled.

 

Market/Country Fair/Agricultural Show Special 10.30

 

Seasonal goods 11.30, 3.30, 5.30  eg Broccoli, cauliflower, flowers etc.

 

08.20 or 11.20  Seaside/Outing  Excursion (usually Saturdays or Sundays, but weekdays during holidays, outings might be half or full day) returning at 6.20 or 10.30pm. A long distance excursion might arrive back at 11.30pm or into the early hours of the morning.

 

Notes following!

 

Charles 125,

Just discovered this post after searching for info on Branch Line Operation.

Thanks so much for taking the trouble to post this, it is very, very helpful.

 

Martin.

[Ed Winterbury]

TGT - While tyou're on the NLS site looking at Moffat, have a look at the following:

 

Bankfoot, Blairgowrie, Alyth, Kirriemuir. All these are CR terminii in the 'classic BLT' mould , i.e. platform, loop, goods yard. One or two had loco sheds but you'd have to check the details of when they were in operation. There's also Ballachullish, Brechin and Wemyss Bay but I suspect they're a lot bigger than you're looking for.

 

Loch Tay was very compact but probably a bit too minimalist - short platform, run round loop, loco shed literally on the branch end. It served a steamer pier, the goods traffic was dealt with at Killin, which itself became the terminus when Loch Tay closed at the outbreak of war (the loco shed remained in use). Another minimalist layout was Coalburn. The station consisted of a single platform, signal box and level crossing. The run round loop was a couple of hundred yards back towards Lesmahagow, the single goods siding (at least I think that's what it was) was over the level crossing in the other direction. The line continued a mile or so beyond the teminus to a colliery.

 

Another site worth exploring is Scotlands Places - another RCAHMS/NLS site for non-map records. There are plans and photos on line, although not the whole collection.

 

[DCB]

As the thread has been revived I thought  it might be worth making a few observations.

 

Very few branch lines were built by major Railway Companies such as the GWR or LSWR.  Most were built by smaller companies most of whom only owned the one line and who employed their own architects and designed their own track plans based on projected traffic levels and constrained by available funds. Many termini were intended to become through stations when extensions were added at a later date.

 

Early branches such as the GW Kemble to Cirencester line, built circa 1840 had very impressive station buildings, Dressed stone, two or three story with big canopies over the platforms rivalling the local Manor House in scale and second only to the Church in the heirarchy of village architecture with similarly impressive goods sheds, Tetbury's still stands..

 

As time passed the station buildings became cheaper until some of the last branches Circa 1890 had wooden structures looking like a high end product of "Sheds R us" a smaller version of ones sold for chicken sheds.

 

If your branch is fictitious you can legitimately use almost any architecture inspired by any railway as the architect not the railway company would have created the design.  The Metcalfe screams South Devon to me but Rev Awdry kit bashed a convincing station building from an Airfix / Dapol Church.

 

Branch service frequency often depended on the length of the branch, short branches 3 miles, a train may well run out and back to meet every main line arrival at the Junction, long 20 mile branches might be lucky to see 4 trains per day plus a goods.  Workmans trains were generally an industrial area phenomenon, working class country folk couldn't (still can't) afford to commute by train.

 

Quite often one loco hauled every train on any given day, sometimes (Scotland) it was washed out every other Sunday when no trains ran and ran the entire service (Thinking Dornoch here) equally Cirencester had a Swindon based changed at mid day so any one of twenty plus locos could have turned up, but generally only one at a time.   Ashburton, frequently quoted had no signal box so only one loco should have been there at a time, No goods shunting as the Auto Train arrives.    Quite often only one brake van worked on each branch.

 

Personally I have wondered about operating a simple GW branch with stock from different eras, 1947/9/51/57, Different liveried 48/14XX, Metros, 517, 2021, 64XX (74XX) 2021 or 850 panniers, as long as there are no cars or lorries to date the scene it should look convincing as long as the lined green 14XX and the Metro are not on view together (I double head Saints and 92XXX so a bit hypocritical here!)

 

Caley Clyde Coast sounds like a good premise.

[spiket4]

I

 

As the thread has been revived I thought  it might be worth making a few observations.

 

Very few branch lines were built by major Railway Companies such as the GWR or LSWR.  Most were built by smaller companies most of whom only owned the one line and who employed their own architects and designed their own track plans based on projected traffic levels and constrained by available funds. Many termini were intended to become through stations when extensions were added at a later date.

 

Early branches such as the GW Kemble to Cirencester line, built circa 1840 had very impressive station buildings, Dressed stone, two or three story with big canopies over the platforms rivalling the local Manor House in scale and second only to the Church in the heirarchy of village architecture with similarly impressive goods sheds, Tetbury's still stands..

 

As time passed the station buildings became cheaper until some of the last branches Circa 1890 had wooden structures looking like a high end product of "Sheds R us" a smaller version of ones sold for chicken sheds.

 

If your branch is fictitious you can legitimately use almost any architecture inspired by any railway as the architect not the railway company would have created the design.  The Metcalfe screams South Devon to me but Rev Awdry kit bashed a convincing station building from an Airfix / Dapol Church.

 

Branch service frequency often depended on the length of the branch, short branches 3 miles, a train may well run out and back to meet every main line arrival at the Junction, long 20 mile branches might be lucky to see 4 trains per day plus a goods.  Workmans trains were generally an industrial area phenomenon, working class country folk couldn't (still can't) afford to commute by train.

 

Quite often one loco hauled every train on any given day, sometimes (Scotland) it was washed out every other Sunday when no trains ran and ran the entire service (Thinking Dornoch here) equally Cirencester had a Swindon based changed at mid day so any one of twenty plus locos could have turned up, but generally only one at a time.   Ashburton, frequently quoted had no signal box so only one loco should have been there at a time, No goods shunting as the Auto Train arrives.    Quite often only one brake van worked on each branch.

 

Personally I have wondered about operating a simple GW branch with stock from different eras, 1947/9/51/57, Different liveried 48/14XX, Metros, 517, 2021, 64XX (74XX) 2021 or 850 panniers, as long as there are no cars or lorries to date the scene it should look convincing as long as the lined green 14XX and the Metro are not on view together (I double head Saints and 92XXX so a bit hypocritical here!)

 

Caley Clyde Coast sounds like a good premise.

 I was thinking this way too as you could paint the buildings GWR light and dark stone and just add and change vehicles of different time periods.