Knuckles Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 (edited) I'm wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction. I have a space in the loft above a 00 layout I am to build that will be 15 foot end to end in P4. I'm thinking of doing a Furness layout as I've been making Furness engines for a while and want somewhere proper for them to womble along. The issue I have is finding a suitable track plan. I have 5 books on the Furnesss that have been a great read and reference for various things but as track plans go there are only a small hand full and most the locations are just too big. Does anyone know what book I need or what website to go to in order to scour various location plans? I have stripped Google and Duckduckgo as best I can with searches such as Furness Railway Track Plans / Signal Diagrams et al and only found a few. It doesn't have to be the Furness Railway, could be one of the joint railways too, just anywhere you would expect a Furness train to be. Whether I go this route or not I still do not know but if I can find suitable ideas maybe. If anyone can help great. Edited April 22, 2018 by Knuckles Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndon Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 Have you tried the NLS maps: http://maps.nls.uk/geo/find/#zoom=5&lat=56.0000&lon=-4.0000&layers=102&b=1&point=0,0 Type in a few place names and see what you get with maps of a high enough resolution that can be imported directly in to Templot if you wish. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcD Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 I would go the the nls website. It's how I produced the track plan for Eskdale Green. Depending on what your after there were a number of light railways that were proposed in the Furness' area but never built. Conston to Ambleside, Ladysike to Ambleside via Hawkshead, Kendal to Hincaster/Arkholme. Marc I would go the the nls website. It's how I produced the track plan for Eskdale Green. Depending on what your after there were a number of light railways that were proposed in the Furness' area but never built. Conston to Ambleside, Ladysike to Ambleside via Hawkshead, Kendal to Hincaster/Arkholme. Marc 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CKPR Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 (edited) "British Railways layout plans of the 1950s Volume 6: West Coast Main line and branches" published by the Signalling Record Society in 1993 has sketch plans for all of the stations on the old Furness Rly and the rest of the Cumbrian coast lines. Edited May 11, 2018 by CKPR Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
clecklewyke Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 Have you contacted (or even joined!) the Cumbrian Railway Society? Their Chairman, Phil Tuer, is a most helpful man Ian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike at C&M Posted April 23, 2018 Share Posted April 23, 2018 Their Chairman, Phil Tuer, is a most helpful man Please be aware that Phil has had some family issues recently, so may take some time to respond to any request. I can vouch for the fact that he is a reliable man to deal with. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold John B Posted April 23, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 23, 2018 Gavin - Have you seen the track plan for Piel Island? Compact, simple, attractive buildings. Would work nicely in P4... I'm Imagineering a branch line from the Ulverston & Carnforth main to Cartmel, but I am tempted by Piel Island. I'm away from my source of plans (by about 2000 miles / 4 days) but I'll look it up for you on Friday. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcD Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 There was also a plan re route the Furness main line the first stage was actually built getting as far as Priory station. The line was to continue to barrow avoiding lindal dalton bank and the mining in the area. There is earth works still in existence running from Priory to Bardsea. Not sure why the project hit the buffers. Marc 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knuckles Posted April 24, 2018 Author Share Posted April 24, 2018 (edited) Many thanks for all your help, that map tool is a boon! I found it just before your post though on Scalefour but I think we should all have a look at it as it is an amazing find. So glad I have found it. http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18&lat=54.2008&lon=-3.0634&layers=168&b=1 That mentioned book, volume 6 I think I might try and buy as it sounds very useful and could be a good read either way. I have contacted the Cumbrian Railway Society but not regarding track plans so if I settle on anything and need more info I'm sure they'll have something. Piel Island isn't something I want to model sadly, it is smaller yet I feel the details are not what I have in mind, then again I have only seen a few pictures of it. If/when I settle on anything I'll update the thread. Might be a year or so though! Edited April 24, 2018 by Knuckles Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poggy1165 Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 Many moons ago the Railway Modeller published a number of FR track plans. The ones I recall were Coniston, Foxfield, Greenodd and Lakeside. However, I have no idea which editions featured these plans. Probably way back in the 1960s or 1970s. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Blandford1969 Posted April 24, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 24, 2018 There are also the OPC track plans which are with the NRM. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CKPR Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Many moons ago the Railway Modeller published a number of FR track plans. The ones I recall were Coniston, Foxfield, Greenodd and Lakeside. However, I have no idea which editions featured these plans. Probably way back in the 1960s or 1970s. I've checked my RMs for 1963 - 1967 and can only find Lakeside (May 1965 p126-127). I recall that the others were in the 1961 & 1962 volumes, which, needless to say, I gave away a few months ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold John B Posted May 8, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 8, 2018 Hey Gavin - Looking for something else entirely I came across this blogsite by one of the chaps who built the 3mm scale Furness-inspired "Lakebank". Track plan by Iain Rice is included in the blog. Lovely layout, too. https://moorestonemodeller.wordpress.com/category/layouts/lakebank Might be about the right size for you.. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knuckles Posted May 9, 2018 Author Share Posted May 9, 2018 Looks good. It's sort of the thing I'm after. I really would like to model a Furness prototype that I like if it can be squeezed in though. I've been finding those interactive OS maps a super boon so far. Awesome tool. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Piel would be an excuse to run your E1! Both the place and the loco are on my list! The Furness Railway, A Recollection by K J Norman has several of station track plans, reproduced small, but with a scale. You might curve and compress, say, Foxfield into your space, if you want a mainline location. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knuckles Posted May 9, 2018 Author Share Posted May 9, 2018 A small through location is what I'd mostly like yet a small terminus would be more realistic in only 15' overall length yet the Furness seems to lack small terminus locations so far! I'll look at Foxfield again. Thanks for the book tip off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guius Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 I'd agree with the suggestion of Foxfield, main line and Coniston branch plus the prospect of some out-of-the-ordinary goods workings, Kirkby-in-Furness slate, hematite hoppers or Coniston copper ore comes to mind. Guy 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knuckles Posted May 10, 2018 Author Share Posted May 10, 2018 (edited) Just had a other look at Foxfield. I can't see how it could realistically be squeezed into a 2' x 15' P4 layout. That's the overall length not just scenic bit. The junction is what makes it difficult too unless it could provide a good scenic break at what looks to be a bridge. Even if so, as a through station there would need to be two fiddle yards 4' long minimum each, that'd give 7' for the actual scene, and it just wouldn't fit in. Especially with P4 points. Looks an interesting plan though. :-/ Edited May 10, 2018 by Knuckles 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted May 10, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 10, 2018 The 2' width may be almost as much of a constraint as the 15' length. But with a bit of compromise, I think that Coniston and Lakeside should both be possible. Or how about a branch line up to Kendal instead of joining the LNW at Hincaster? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 (edited) I assume that the 15' has to include return curves if it's a through station? If you could use the whole 15' as straight as you needed it, you'd probably be OK. You might also manage Haverthwaite. I don't have a scale plan, but how long was Furness Abbey? An attractive location, that takes you back to a mainline, and always smart as the sort of unofficial HQ! As it's on a curve, that could help. Fun to model the hotel! Again, I don't have a plan of Grange-over-Sands, but suspect it would prove far too long, or Arnside?. You can use your J1 for the Kendal branch. EDIT, if the 2' single board width is absolute, and there is no room for return curves round the room, you may be limited to Piel. I've always wanted to model it, but, to be frank, even with the odd Sunday school special, it wouldn't allow you to run much of a collection of stock. Still, that in itself might make it sympathetic to the rigours of P4. Edited May 10, 2018 by Edwardian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 There's a few links on John Hinson's site that might be of interest? https://signalbox.org/diagrams.php?selectpg=Furness&viewpg=Go%21 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guius Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 I assume that the 15' has to include return curves if it's a through station? If you could use the whole 15' as straight as you needed it, you'd probably be OK. You might also manage Haverthwaite. I don't have a scale plan, but how long was Furness Abbey? An attractive location, that takes you back to a mainline, and always smart as the sort of unofficial HQ! As it's on a curve, that could help. Fun to model the hotel! Again, I don't have a plan of Grange-over-Sands, but suspect it would prove far too long, or Arnside?. You can use your J1 for the Kendal branch. EDIT, if the 2' single board width is absolute, and there is no room for return curves round the room, you may be limited to Piel. I've always wanted to model it, but, to be frank, even with the odd Sunday school special, it wouldn't allow you to run much of a collection of stock. Still, that in itself might make it sympathetic to the rigours of P4. The Luftwaffe made a few 'alterations' to the Furness Abbey Hotel in 1941 as they did to Barrow Central, both buildings being, for the most part demolished after the war ended. The ruins of Furness Abbey only tens of yards away from the hotel bearing testament to Thomas Cromwells disillusion policies would certainly 'make a statement' on any such model interpretation. Anyone familiar with the Furness coat of arms will recognise the magnificent Sedilla which has survived despite the years of iconoclasm and general looting of stone for inclusion into local houses. Guy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knuckles Posted May 11, 2018 Author Share Posted May 11, 2018 (edited) There's a few links on John Hinson's site that might be of interest? https://signalbox.org/diagrams.php?selectpg=Furness&viewpg=Go! Hmmm, Meathop 1886 with that dates looks a possibility. Fairly simply yet plenty of operational possibilities. Will keep looking, Thanks. This website is another boon! Edited May 11, 2018 by Knuckles Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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