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GWR Platforms


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  • RMweb Gold

I am trying to work out how I am going to build the tops of the platforms for Brent

 

looking at prototype photos the surface is a mix of paving and loose gravel.  The edging is made of brick as per below 

 

however I am struggling with what goes inside the brick.  Looking at prototype photos even on the gravel sections of the platform the width of the edging is a lot thicker than the brick that remains today.  Was there a line of paving slabs between the brick and the gravel?

 

Has anyone been successful in modelling this type of brick platform edging?

 

thanks

 

 

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  • RMweb Gold

If the platform needed to be raised, the builders would lift the edging slabs, and turn them 180 degrees to form a good 'face' edge. This allows a good sub base upon which the edge blocks would be laid out.  If you have localised area subsidence, such as one of the large buried slabs has sunk, it's a very easy repair to re-align the edging setts, and backfill behind with fine gravel. It's relatively non-compactable, and a stable surface. It's major drawback is that it needs to be  non permeable, so you need to provide excellent drainage. Frost & damage to the surface drains will ultimately destroy the platform, as the constant expansion & contraction of the structure will allow weed growth to get inside the face edge.

 

Cheers,

 

Ian. 

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10 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

I am trying to work out how I am going to build the tops of the platforms for Brent

 

looking at prototype photos the surface is a mix of paving and loose gravel.  The edging is made of brick as per below 

 

however I am struggling with what goes inside the brick.  Looking at prototype photos even on the gravel sections of the platform the width of the edging is a lot thicker than the brick that remains today.  Was there a line of paving slabs between the brick and the gravel?

 

Has anyone been successful in modelling this type of brick platform edging?

 

thanks

 

 

There is a line of paving slabs all along the edge apart from by the signal box which had concrete panels to cover the rodding routes. Originally the areas covered by slabs were covered with diamond embossed brick.

 

I made a brick edged platform years ago for Chagford Road and I think I did it by gluing strips of plasticard on the top and cutting vertical slots on the edge. I then radiused the corner with some sandpaper. 

 

Peter Cross used to do some etchings of the edge bricks.

 

Regards

 

Mark Humphrys

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  • RMweb Gold

Not Brent, but GWR platforms in the Birmingham area appear in a lot of photos on the Warwickshire Railways website. 

On older ones with the edging as shown in the OP, many had Diamond Paviors right up to the edge stones in the areas around entrances and buildings. In less used areas and ramps there was compacted gravel fill and sometimes what looked like ash or crushed slag ballast. 

 

Later rebuilds had wide flagstone type edging fully paved with slabs or diamond paviors around the buildings then with or without one or two rows of paving slabs behind up to the ramps. In one or two cases I remember crushed brick being used for the infill, another material locally available in plenty and cheap from brickworks waste. 

 

I think that Small Heath has probably encompassed most styles during its lifetime, although the paving slabs were tarmaced over when the buildings were demolished.  https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/smallheath.htm

Check out other stations on the line such as Acock's Green, Lapworth and Warwick for more pictures especially some old ones before and after quadrupling  or showing evidence of platform extensions.

 

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