From http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gansg/2-track/02track1.htm - "Rail is supplied to the railway company in straight lengths and is transported in this form through the system. The standard rail length stabilised at about thirty foot (9.1m) until after the First World War when forty foot (12.2m) and forty-five foot (13.7m) rails appeared as steel rolling technology improved. By the 1930's sixty foot (18.3m) rail lengths were standard on main lines and rails of up to a hundred and fifty or so feet were supplied to the LNER and LMS companies. With Nationalisation the sixty foot rail was adopted as the standard. Longer rails required longer wagons to transport them and bogie designs were introduced by several companies as rail lengths increased."

According to lectures given by F.T.Bowler on GWR Permanent Way Practice in 1923, GWR rails had been mostly 44 ft 6 in in length from 1897.

I think that 44 ft 6 in for GWR and 60 ft for LMS would be appropriate for your era, but the above description allows a variety of other possibilities for the LMS.

David

I think that 44 ft 6 in for GWR and 60 ft for LMS would be appropriate for your era, but the above description allows a variety of other possibilities for the LMS. David

Bear in mind that although the lengths were increased at the dates quoted, this would only have applied to new track laid after that date. Rails in existing lines would have remained as per the earlier dimensions unless there was a need for them to be changed (eg. maintenance or track layout alterations). Rails on lightly used branchlines would last decades.

I would agree with Jerry though - lay the tracks using rail lengths that suit you (allowing for expansion, etc) and 'nick' the head of the rail and add fishplates to simulate rail joints.

Good to hear of progress on your layout though - some photos would be nice!

Andy

Many thanks folks it gives me a lil more idea

Andy pics will be uploaded soon . but once again beer token stuff has interjected. when i went self employed it was on the understanding i would have more me time ...... yeah like that has happened lol

Scalefour Society has templates for LNWR track in 30ft and 60ft lengths dated 1914. I don't know if that means they were laying both types at the time, or that those were the lengths in existence. I don't know what lengths other LMS constituents were using either. 45 ft lengths seem to have been fairly common in the 1900 to 1910 period and would likely still have been in use 20 to 30 years later. I hope that helps.

Alan

I'd lay the GWR track in 44'6" lengths (or longer and then nick the tops). That is unless in the yard there was any baulk road still hanging about from broad gauge days, or inside keyed track... (sorry).