Strathmore Route: Auldbar Road

[scottystitch]

I'm looking for photos or track plans for Auldbar Road station near Forfar. I've tried the usual (google etc.) but most images are of the present day rather than in 50s/60s. I do have a couple of images in "Memories of Steam from Glasgow to Aberdeen" by Michael S Welch, but precious little else. 

 

Can anyone recommend any books/sites with further images,particularly of the goods yard and sidings?

 

Scotty

[JohnR]

There are very few published photographs of Auldbar Road. The ones in the Michael Welch book are the best ones I can recall seeing. 

[sulzer27jd]

Try the Angus Railway Group booklet (Vo2 I think covers Angus).

 

http://maps.nls.uk/view/82883760

 

The Caledonian Railway Association is probably your best bet for photographs.

 

John

[Londontram]

As John says the Caledonian railway Association http://www.crassoc.org.uk/forum/is a good bet but even though any one can read it you have to be a paid up member to post but if you want I can put a request on there for you. Let me know Steve

Edited December 7, 2014 by Londontram

[Torper]

There is only one picture of Auldbar Road in the Angus Railway Group booklet Vol 2, and that is of the passenger side of the station in 1938 taken from the overbridge.  If you google "Auldbar Road station" images, it's basically the same as the black and white one on the top row but rather better defined.  The goods yard was on the other side of the bridge and was no doubt considered much less photogenic.  If the station was to modelled at all prototypically it would be a very long model.

 

Although the booklet has track plans of a number of Angus stations, there's not one of Auldbar Road.  The station house (remarkably large for a station of this size) and signal box are still in existence and much photographed.

 

DT

 

P.S.  Since writing the above I have found some further photos of Auldbar Road in Niall Ferguson's "TheArbroath and Forfar Railway" (Oakwood Press). These show the 1938 picture mentioned above together with one of the signal box and stationmaster's house in operational days, one of the down platform shelter, and one of the main platform building on the up side, these latter two in 1960.  Noteworthy is the extremely tall signal on the down platform.  Oh, and there's also a picture of the passenger side of the station in Caledonian days - there's a footbridge over the platforms that was no longer there in 1938, and the shelter on the down side was much smaller.

Edited December 7, 2014 by Torper

[scottystitch]

Thank you everyone for your replies, all very much appreciated. 

 

I am considering trying to model it in N-Gauge, my first prototypical attempt, for exhibition. I have 15ft in total to work with, minus say 30inches for curves at both ends, that leaves about 11' for a scenic section. There may be a bit of compression, but I think it is doable. I have seen no images of the goods yard, so that may have to be speculative at best. 

 

I will have a look at the Caledonian Railway Association.

[scottystitch]

As John says the Caledonian railway Association http://www.crassoc.org.uk/forum/is a good bet but even though any one can read it you have to be a paid up member to post but if you want I can put a request on there for you. Let me know Steve

I'd be very chuffed if you good John, very much appreciated.

[Londontram]

Scotty, I've posted a request on the Caley forum, you'll see it in the Structures and equipment section and even though not a member should be able to read any responses, It may take a while as there not the fastest of responders. Regards Steve

[scottystitch]

Scotty, I've posted a request on the Caley forum, you'll see it in the Structures and equipment section and even though not a member should be able to read any responses, It may take a while as there not the fastest of responders. Regards Steve

A scholar and a gent. Thank you sir!

[sulzer27jd]

Scotty, I've posted a request on the Caley forum, you'll see it in the Structures and equipment section and even though not a member should be able to read any responses, It may take a while as there not the fastest of responders. Regards Steve

 

There was some discussion recently about trap points and there was at least one image of Auldbar used to illustrate.

 

Re the Stationmasters house, it was in fact split, with the upper level (with the road access) being the station Agents home and the lower part being provided as accommodation for the signalman.

 

J

[scottystitch]

There was some discussion recently about trap points and there was at least one image of Auldbar used to illustrate.

 

Re the Stationmasters house, it was in fact split, with the upper level (with the road access) being the station Agents home and the lower part being provided as accommodation for the signalman.

 

J

Thanks J, I found the trap points thread and noted the photo. thanks for the station house info

[sulzer27jd]

I look forward to seeing that trap point modelled. 

[scottystitch]

I look forward to seeing that trap point modelled. 

ermmmmmmm.......

[Graham R]

This 1947 signalling diagram is maybe of interest:

 

 

Good luck with the model

Graham

 

PS there are a few photos listed in the Norrie Forrest collection - see 037/4 and onwards in the list. Available from the Transport Treasury for a modest fee ... haven't seen these particular shots, but usually they are worthwhile.

Edited December 7, 2014 by Graham R

[keefer]

http://goo.gl/maps/IbXSN

 

Google streetview of buildings - don't know if it helps at all, but I always find it very interesting when anything remains of long-gone routes. Driving past, you wouldn't know there was a railway station here!

[scottystitch]

This 1947 signalling diagram is maybe of interest:

 

Auldbar Road 1947.jpg

 

Good luck with the model

Graham

 

PS there are a few photos listed in the Norrie Forrest collection - see 037/4 and onwards in the list. Available from the Transport Treasury for a modest fee ... haven't seen these particular shots, but usually they are worthwhile.

Outstanding, thank you sir. Thank you all.

[JohnR]

I'll second the Norrie Forrest collection. I dont have any of Auldbar Road, but having ordered others of his from the Transport Treasury they are usually pretty useful. My only concern is that there may not have been much left at Auldbar by the time Norrie was taking pictures (1960s), the station having closed before then.

[scottystitch]

I'll second the Norrie Forrest collection. I dont have any of Auldbar Road, but having ordered others of his from the Transport Treasury they are usually pretty useful. My only concern is that there may not have been much left at Auldbar by the time Norrie was taking pictures (1960s), the station having closed before then.

I have ordered the seven images from them today. The station was pretty much intact still, when the A-4s returned again, the images in Michael Welch's book showing it pretty clean tidy and presentable. Unfortunately, I still have no images of the goods yard, and I don't think the Forrest photos will help (going by the descriptions), but we never know. I'm hoping to do a site visit early in the new year.

 

I'm intrigued by the siding at the bottom of the above signal diagram. It is on the other side of the mainline from the goods yard, and is relatively short. From what I can tell of the modern day site photos, it is just a wall on one side and the mainline on the other. Anyone any ideas of it's possible use? With the point almost in the middle, it doesn't look like it could hold much........

Edited December 8, 2014 by scottystitch

[sulzer27jd]

I'm intrigued by the siding at the bottom of the above signal diagram. It is on the other side of the mainline from the goods yard, and is relatively short. From what I can tell of the modern day site photos, it is just a wall on one side and the mainline on the other. Anyone any ideas of it's possible use? With the point almost in the middle, it doesn't look like it could hold much........

 

That arrangement was actually very common and would generally be worked by hand rather than shunted with an engine. A wagon dropped off could be rolled, using either a horse or a pinch bar to the far side of the point, where it could be loaded/unloaded, before being repositioned ready for collection. I suspect the wall you refer to is the loading bank, which would had merged into the surrounding land.

It is interesting to note in the earlier 1859 mapping that wagon turntables are included at the end of this siding to allow access to end loading. A similar arrangement also gave access to the rear of the goods shed. The structure in front of the goods shed had at that time its own siding, subsequently removed. Also worth noting is that the main building is marked as the school. Perhaps this previous use explains why the future station agents got such a substantial dwelling.

[Londontram]

Some one on the Caley forum noted that there's a picture of the platforms taken from the bridge in the book "Through Scotland with the Caledonian" I've dug my copy out and will try and get it copied (my copier is broken but I'll get my brother in law to do it on his so might take a few days) It's a nice early view taken before WW1 I think.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Londontram

[Londontram]

Here's the scan hope its of some use

[sulzer27jd]

Its interesting that the postcards makes the note, "Near Letham". Letham was the largest village in Angus to remain without rail connections, despite numerous attempts to reach that location.

[scottystitch]

Using the 25inch map as posted above, I've used anyrail to draw up a track plan. Distance from the aquaduct at the Forfar end to a little beyond the last siding at the Guthrie end is about 1500feet, if my ruler skills are up to scratch. Divided by 148, gives us a scale length of 10ft or there abouts. So assuming I've not made a huge error in calculations, that whole length can be modelled without compression on a 11ft layout. Add in another 3ft to allow for curves round the back to a fiddle yard, it can be achieved in 14ft by 3ft. Make three base boards at 5ft by 3ft and we have a nice round 15ft length.

 

Anyrail track plan to be posted soon for peer review.........

Edited December 18, 2014 by scottystitch

[sulzer27jd]

I have attached the 1958 WTT as that will give an indication to the level of traffic and might help you design a suitable fiddleyard. 

 

J

PERTH - FORFAR - KINNABER JCN (1958).pdf

[scottystitch]

I have attached the 1958 WTT as that will give an indication to the level of traffic and might help you design a suitable fiddleyard. 

 

J

That's a great help, thank you! Are you able to help me out with deciphering the classes of train? Or point me to a resource to do the same? Also some of the times have a / between the hour and minute, what does that denote?