The Oak Hill Branch - LBSCR / SECR 1905ish - New layout starts on page 129

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, Regularity said:

Not sure if you need such an extensive coaling facility. As there are two separate companies, they might even have separate coaling facilities.

A platform next to each road outside the shed would probably be enough: a wagon of loco coal would be put next to it in the evening, and the shed labourer/cleaner would spend a few hours shovelling coal from wagon to dock. If they share coaling facilities, then maybe an island coal stage between the shed roads?

 

 

On the other hand, you might be wanting to make a feature of the shed and include the fill range of facilities with standard Brighton (or South Eastern?) structures. The she already occupies nearly half the frontage; there's space to enlarge it so that there's ashpits and coaling stage between the turntable and shed, with two longer shed roads and a small run-round. Then there's the problem of how to fit the coal stage siding (elevated?) in... 

 

EDIT: I've just gone googling for LBSC coal stages - the Sussex ASLEF history site is fascinating - so I've realised that they weren't such sophisticated structures as the Midland ones I'm used to - so Simon's comments now make more sense to me. It's not quite clear where this one is but it reminds me that you'll need some Stephenson Clarke wagons. The water tank over the shed looks to be a characteristic feature, and a space saver. Good if you don'y fancy cutting and sticking individual slates.

 

A place of refreshment is called for just opposite the signing-off point. Here's evidence of Stroudley's experiment with alcohol as an alternative fuel to coal - as much beer was brewed locally perhaps he was being environmentally-conscious?

 

I would assume that one company owns the shed, with the other paying rent, so all the facilities are in the owning company's style. There would be some agreement about coal and water.

Edited February 21, 2020 by Compound2632

[Annie]

2 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

It's not quite clear where this one is but it reminds me that you'll need some Stephenson Clarke wagons. The water tank over the shed looks to be a characteristic feature, and a space saver.

I've got a digital model of that shed complete (or incomplete) with the missing door at one end.  I always wondered what prototype it was based on.

[BlueLightning]

I come back to lots of info and ideas! This is good.

 

I rather like the plan that you have put up Simon, I will have a play with the original after dinner.

 

The idea is that the shed facility is owned by the LBSC and the SECR rent space, and purchase coal from the LBSC, so a single coaling stage, I like putting it in the middle.

 

The water tower will stay as is, I want to reuse buildings as much as possible, and the one I have is based on the LBSC tower from Heathfield, which I think is the same as the one now at Sheffield Park.

 

The larger goods sidings are a good idea, and based on other comments, give me somewhere to store carriages overnight, so no need for a separate road for that, so I can put the shed area as just the 2 roads into the shed, and add more scenic detail, maybe I can even remove the 6" it sticks out the front!

 

The shed building I have is similar, albeit smaller than the one at Three Bridges, and I could place the water tower against it like that arrangement, I suspect the boiler for the sand house is under the water tower, based on the chimney sticking out the side? I could possibly incorporate that as well!

 

I notice that you have shortened the stable as well Simon, again this is an existing building I will use, based on the one from Groombridge, again smaller than the prototype, Mine houses 4 horses and a blacksmith, which I think is OK for a station this size?

 

I will also have to find a prototype goods shed to use, I have plenty of drawings, but at least then I can get an actual size rather than the one I have drawn, which is based on the size of the rather large shed at Hailsham.

 

Thanks for the hep everyone, please do keep it coming, I'll be back with the plan later!

 

Gary

[chuffinghell]

I have to be careful having ideas, I’m told it’s dangerous in my case 

[BlueLightning]

I know that feeling Chris! I find ideas safer when it's someone else's money!!

 

and with that, I return with a plan! (probably time I got rid of the wagons for the inglenook now, pretty sure the sidings are big enough!)

 

[Shed82CB]

looks about the right size for a terminus station. look at little hampton 

Edited February 21, 2020 by Shed82CB

[BlueLightning]

Oh that is great!! Still haven't had a chance to look at my books with these things

[Nick Holliday]

7 hours ago, Annie said:

I've got a digital model of that shed complete (or incomplete) with the missing door at one end.  I always wondered what prototype it was based on.

According to Roger Grifiths in Southern Sheds in Camera, the building is the old water tower adjacent to the original turntable in the triangle between the Guildford and Brighton lines. When the station was reconstructed from 1909 the original shed area, to the west of the station, was cleared and a temporary shed created by extending the road underneath to form a through line. It only acted in this capacity for only a year or two, until the new shed, further south, was brought into use.

[BlueLightning]

It's the weekend again! So we are back to YouTube promotion mode! (10% of all my views come from RMWeb link clicks, so it must work!!)

 

This week we have some minor repairs to do to the SE&CR C Class, and then it's time to get some paint on it!! So I will also have a couple of other projects to play with!! Make sure you are there tomorrow at 9pm (UK)

 

I will return tomorrow with the link, in the meantime please enjoy the review of last weeks livestream!

 

Gary

 

 

[Compound2632]

What that plan of Littlehampton emphasises is that, unfortunately for us space-restricted modellers, real termini are long - to approach realism one needs at least three times the platform length... 

[BlueLightning]

Indeed. Hailsham (albeit a through station) at 13ft scenic has platforms about a quarter of scale length, and they are still longer than the official maximum train length!

[BlueLightning]

It's stream day!!

 

Make sure you join us tonight at 9pm (UK) as we do some minor repairs, and start putting paint on the Wills SE&CR D Class!! We will have some other projects to look at as well!!

 

See you there!!

 

 

[BlueLightning]

We are LIVE!!

 

https://youtu.be/my4riv_uEOU

 

[Regularity]

On 21/02/2020 at 18:48, BlueLightning said:

I know that feeling Chris! I find ideas safer when it's someone else's money!!

 

and with that, I return with a plan! (probably time I got rid of the wagons for the inglenook now, pretty sure the sidings are big enough!)

 

Nice. Much less crowded.

[jamespetts]

Are we missing the signal box again...? The turntable is a happy addition, however.

[BlueLightning]

So it is........

 

Oh look it's come back!

 

[jamespetts]

I approve of reappearing signalboxes. Where else would the cat live?

[Regularity]

1 hour ago, jamespetts said:

Are we missing the signal box again...? The turntable is a happy addition, however.

 

1 hour ago, BlueLightning said:

So it is........

 

Oh look it's come back!

 

 

Alternative locations, so that shunting doesn’t obscure the signalman’s view.

A allows easier communication with the station master. 
C helps disguise the exit, and gives you an excuse for a window at the rear, so that the signalman is aware of loco movements.

[jamespetts]

B and C seem to be good locations.

[Compound2632]

A box on the platform at A might reflect an early arrangement where the block instruments were in the station office and the levers were separate - on an impoverished line such an arrangement might not be eliminated, even once interlocking had been implemented. Certainly this was the case at Abermule on the Cambrian as late as 1921, contributing to the single line head-on collision there. 

 

I assume that all shunting is done using the main line within station limits - up to the off-stage (advance) starter signal - and not using the access line to the shed as a headshunt. If that is felt to be limiting (preventing passenger arrivals while shunting is in progress) another point needs to be added opposite B to separate headshunt and shed access.

 

A shed detail - there should be a ringing-off post roundabout C where enginemen signal to the box that they are coming off/on shed - or maybe a toot on the whistle is enough - the signalman needs to log these times as they have an essential accounting purpose in attributing delays to the locomotive or traffic departments.

[BlueLightning]

I had considered B as an option, but now you have me thinking about platform mounted boxes, I do have a drawing of LBSC platform mounted boxes.

 

Hailsham had 2 boxes, one (south) free standing of the same design as the one on the current Oak Hill, and one (north) platform mounted.

 

I shall to have a think on that one.

 

Stephen, I had never heard of a ringing-off post, I shall have to look these up!

Edited February 24, 2020 by BlueLightning

[Annie]

I know this is a lot easier to do with digital railway modelling, but before I finally place a new signal box I check the lines of sight up and down the running lines.  Often I found a placement that might seem scenically nice had terrible sight lines so I'd cross that site off the list and keep looking until I found the ideal spot.

[Titanius Anglesmith]

Position C would be a convenient location for exchanging the single-line staff/token/tablet. 

[Compound2632]

8 minutes ago, Titanius Anglesmith said:

Position C would be a convenient location for exchanging the single-line staff/token/tablet. 

 

A has its advantages: an arriving train will have slowed to a walking pace; a departing train will have the loco at a stand about here; and the platform makes the hand-over rather more comfortable.

[Titanius Anglesmith]

^^^^ all very good points!