Bay platforms on GWR stations 1930/40s

[caradoc]

The Woodstock branch ran into a bay at Kidlington via a third line from the point of divergence; Subsequently this line also served as a Down Loop.

 

From the interesting and informative responses here there were probably enough variations to justify most if not all track layouts !

[Andy W]

Then there was Taunton, where the Minehead and Barnstaple branches joined the main line at Norton Fitzwarren, which was 4 tracked from there to and through Taunton. Branch passenger trains used a pair of bays at the west end of Taunton station, and I've certainly been on branch trains that ran directly into a bay or directly out of one. What I can't remember is whether there were any runround facilities or whether another loco was required. As Taunton had a significant loco depot on site, this wouldn't have been too much of a problem.

 

But Taunton was remodelled in the 1930s, I believe, by which time facing points were much less feared.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Andy W

[tomparryharry]

Slightly off-region, but up to date, would be Weybridge.  Up & down fast & slow, with a bay on the up side (facing towards Waterloo). Back on the Western might be Didcot, with the DN&S bay on the down side.  It is worth remembering that platforms were basically non-productive, using only a limited time during the day. a lot of the time would take the train out of the platform faces, to allow run rounds out of the main flows of the railway.  

 

Cheers,

 

Ian.

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, Andy W said:

Then there was Taunton, where the Minehead and Barnstaple branches joined the main line at Norton Fitzwarren, which was 4 tracked from there to and through Taunton. Branch passenger trains used a pair of bays at the west end of Taunton station, and I've certainly been on branch trains that ran directly into a bay or directly out of one. What I can't remember is whether there were any runround facilities or whether another loco was required. As Taunton had a significant loco depot on site, this wouldn't have been too much of a problem.

 

But Taunton was remodelled in the 1930s, I believe, by which time facing points were much less feared.

Taunton's bay platforms were only connected directly to the relief lines not the mains, which no doubt was less of a problem.

Interestingly the north side bays were designated arrival and the south side departure!

[The Stationmaster]

15 hours ago, tomparryharry said:

Slightly off-region, but up to date, would be Weybridge.  Up & down fast & slow, with a bay on the up side (facing towards Waterloo). Back on the Western might be Didcot, with the DN&S bay on the down side.  It is worth remembering that platforms were basically non-productive, using only a limited time during the day. a lot of the time would take the train out of the platform faces, to allow run rounds out of the main flows of the railway.  

 

Cheers,

 

Ian.

The DN&S bay had Didcot only had a connection to the DN&S (obviously both facing and trailing) and no connection to the Main Lines.  It might have been different prior to the 1930s rebuildings but I doubt it.

 

Various of Taunton's bays were of course accessible from the Main Lines via the facing crossovers between those lines and the Relief Lines but the direct connections to them were from the Reliefs (which were probably more heavily used than the Mains for most of the year.