Jim Scott

I remember, many years ago, seeing a similar arrangement on the exit from a bay platform at the north end of Crewe station, but both directions were running lines. So, like a Y-turnout, where the blades could be held "open" as above (sorry, P-way engineers, I don't know the technical term!) to act as a trap-point, until the exit route to left or right was set, and the exit signal was cleared.

Thank you, Gentlemen, one-and-all, for your replies and comments. I think I shall have to review my life insurance before I next travel on "that" preserved railway! Despite my many years with the Big Railway, I never did find a BR definition that differentiated between Trap Point and Catch Point. Perhaps I didn't look in the right places, but my employment was largely in traction and rolling-stock design and procurement, not P-way or signalling. A discussion on a different website suggests that "Trap points stop unauthorised right direction movements, catch points stop unauthorised wrong direction movements. That was the BR operating definition; as far as the engineers were concerned they were all trap points." So it looks like the "funny little points that don't lead anywhere" at the end of the siding which I saw a few weeks ago are Trap Points ... or are they Catch Points!!??!!

I thought so too, Peter, but was told additionally that the point rodding to the catch / trap point had been disconnected, and that it was clamped in the open position! It was all a bit worrying and bizarre! (I speak as an ex-BR engineer).

On a visit to a standard-gauge preserved railway recently, I was surprised to see the catch or trap points at the end of a siding where it joined the (single) main line were not set to deflect any runaway vehicles away from the main line. i queried this with a member of staff (a volunteer station master) and he told me that the Railway Inspector had assured him the catch or trap points were not necessary, as the gradient on the siding was towards the buffer-stop. This struck me as a bit strange. Does anyone out there know if this really is the Railway Inspectorate view please, or was I being politely told to mind my own business?

That's really interesting, Paul, as "Kington" will be the fiddle yard for my New Radnor! However, as it will not be an accurate scale model of New Radnor, it will have a different name, derived from a street in my locality. I believe that the museum in Kington has a model of the station and its environs, but I have yet to visit. I don't live too far away, and should schedule a visit, and onwards to New Radnor, when the pandemic permits. Perhaps I will find the definitive answer to my original question at the caravan park - although I suspect you and Jeremy C have already confirmed the position of the goods shed relative to the track!

Many thanks, Paul, lots of useful visual information here for me to trawl through. Regards, Jim

As far as I know, Paul, the goods shed still stands in what used to be The Old Station Caravan Park, but which has been re-named Presteigne Holiday Park (https://presteigneholidaypark.co.uk/). I'm not sure if the goods shed forms any part of the caravan park, nor whether the crane (inside?) still exists. The website, when it was The Old Station Caravan Park, used to have some photos of it as the original station, but these seem to have disappeared from the site since re-naming.

Thank you, Jeremy. I had seen this map (in the wild Swan book, I think) but wasn't sure of its accuracy, as it doesn't show the run-round loop at the platform. However, I suppose it is as good as I will get, given that so little exists today. I believe the station site is now a caravan park. Jim

Evening all, I'm planning a model based on New Radnor (GWR) station, and have a question that I hope someone (or ones) will be able to answer. I would normally have access to the WIld Swan book on the line, in my local library, but can't get to it at the moment! The question is: Did the track serving the goods shed go through the end doors to the shed, or alongside the much bigger doors in the side wall? My guess is the latter, as the end doors don't seem high enough, but the drawings I have and the photos I remember don't seem to show that track. All comments, ideas or photographic evidence to answer this would be much appreciated. Thanks, in advance, Jim

Thank you, Miss Prism, I should have realised you would have the answer as I have read the GWR Goods Brake Vans - GWR Modelling (www.gwr.org.uk › nobrakes), and you appear (from another thread) to be the author! Information from other contributors in the post you have quoted fill out the picture to my satisfaction. And thanks, too, to The Stationmaster for clarifying where this vehicle ran. I can now get on happily butchering a Toad's body to make a representation of 17600. Interesting that it ran on the Golden Valley line, as my (fictitious) branch is inspired by the GVR and the New Radnor branch.

Hello all, Can anyone shed any light on the Diagram AA3 Toad Road Van from Lot 327, running number 17600, which, according to an entry in the website GWR Goods Brake Vans - GWR Modelling (www.gwr.org.uk › nobrakes) was used on the "Pontycyllio Branch, with side doors, screw couplings and vac brake." Googlr searches have thrown up no pictures or other information, and even the location on Google Maps has drawn a blank. Any help would be much appreciated, to complete a small modelling project. Thanks, in anticipation of tapping a profound well of detailed knowledge! JimS