Operating the Caledonian
I have been reading “Operating the Caledonian Railway”, volume one, by Jim Summers. It is an excellent book, explaining many of the technical, economic and social reasons that led the railway to operate in the way that it did, and I have learned a lot from it.
Let me give you an example. Here is a picture of a goods train passing through Kelvinbank. It might be argued that it is a bit on the short side and that there should be a few more sheeted opens, but generally the stock and the layout are all in period and modelled to a reasonable degree of accuracy.
But let’s have a closer look at the rear of the train.
You see that is completely wrong. CR brake vans did not have duckets and so it was considered bad practice to marshal a van or similar high vehicle close the the brake, thus obscuring the view forward for the guard. Indeed written instructions to the effect that a few lower vehicles should be in front of the brake were issued.
Now thats a lot better.
Just looking at the train as a whole it makes obvious sense once you see it.
I am slowly looking at timetables and the actual makeup of trains. I want to present as far as possible an accurate working picture of the Caledonian. Limitations of modelling mean that in some ways I will never get it totally right but I would like to move towards a working schedule in which the vast majority of the trains run are close to how they would have actually been.
As I said I have learned a lot about how things should be done (and how they should not be done) from Jims book. Volume two should be illuminating.
Edited by Dave John
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