Platform Ramps at Terminii?

[Ray Von]

Hello all,

 

Having decided to model a terminus station at the end of a shelf layout, do I need to hack off the ramps at the far end of each platform sectionto make them look "right", or is it ok to have ramps at both ends?? 

[phil_sutters]

Does the track extend beyond the end of the platform? Sometimes the ramp is the way on to the station or one of the platforms. You will get better suggestions if you outline your track plan and general layout of your terminus. I sure that whether you hack the ramp off or leave it there will be a prototype for it!

[Ray Von]

Cheers Phil,

 

I'll try and post some pics later, at the moment my plan is for the platforms to be right up to the layout edge (probably a retaining wall when finished.)

 

I might be able to move them a few mm back... 

[caradoc]

Perhaps the line formerly extended beyond what is now the terminus ? My local station, Neilston, is the end of the line, but has ramps at both ends of both platforms as the route continued to, eventually, Ardrossan (and still goes slightly further than the platforms to a turnback siding). 

[Fat Controller]

12 minutes ago, caradoc said:

Perhaps the line formerly extended beyond what is now the terminus ? My local station, Neilston, is the end of the line, but has ramps at both ends of both platforms as the route continued to, eventually, Ardrossan (and still goes slightly further than the platforms to a turnback siding). 

Carmarthen was a similar case, as the lines for Llandeilo and Aberystwyth used to come into the station from the north.

[Ray Von]

Ok, cool.  I thought about maybe having a walled-up tunnel at the far end of the platforms.  That would fit in with Caradocs idea...

Raises the question, can the ramps butt up against the tunnel mouth or should there be a space between them and it? 

[phil_sutters]

The point of having a ramp is to allow people, whether staff or passengers to get down to track level either to cross the tracks on a foot crossing or to continue along a walking route beside the track. Unless there would have been a foot crossing there would have been nowhere to go at the end of the ramp. I suspect that having a crossing close to a tunnel mouth would have been contrary to regulations. Perhaps a some low-relief trees might be a better option, like Gunnislake if the shrubbery had grown a bit higher.  http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~owend/interests/rail/stnpages/gunnislake.html

Later - I have now in fact found a ramp just before a tunnel, although the tunnel is still in use at St. Leonard's Warrior Square.

Edited August 11, 2020 by phil_sutters

[DCB]

The ramp was to stop people suddenly dropping 3 feet onto the ballast or running straight into a wall.  Running down a ramp and straight in to a wall would probably be against the spirit of the regulations but probably not against the letter thereof.

[Ray Von]

Thanks guys, really useful stuff!

Just taken a couple of quick pics to show the layout and approximate position of platforms...

[Wheatley]

I wouldn't expect to see a ramp unless there was a reason for it to be there, e.g. the line carries on beyond the platforms (or once carried on, or possibly was intended to carry on) either into sidings (Fairford, Stranraer Harbour), a freight only bit (Bishop Auckland)  or onto a bit now closed and lifted (Blackpool South). If it stops there and was always intended to stop there I'd expect to see the platform continued around the end of the platforms, on the simple grounds that the ramp is completely unnecessary and it makes access easier. If you are millimetre tight for space you could always add the terminal wall and put a fence along the top of it to hide the fact that it's practically on the backscene.  

[Ray Von]

Thanks, I think I'm coming down in favour of the "Closed / Abandoned Line" scenario.

Either a walled-up tunnel or a fence, something like that as space is very limited! 

Edited August 12, 2020 by Ray Von

[Wheatley]

Ok, so just to confound me, here's one which ends in a ramp which didn't/doesn't/wasn't intended to go any further (I think !) Prototype for everything, Phil gets the extra slice of cake :-)

 

Barton on Humber.

Edited August 12, 2020 by Wheatley

[RJS1977]

20 hours ago, DavidCBroad said:

The ramp was to stop people suddenly dropping 3 feet onto the ballast or running straight into a wall.  Running down a ramp and straight in to a wall would probably be against the spirit of the regulations but probably not against the letter thereof.

 

"It's against reg-u-lations!"

 

[Edwin_m]

For the last decade or so ramps have been actively discouraged as the risk of people getting onto the track is considered to outweigh the benefits.  So if you're in contemporary era (and your station has been re-built recently) you should just have a short fence across the end, with some deterrent surface in the gap between the fence and the platform edge.  

[Ray Von]

11 hours ago, Wheatley said:

Ok, so just to confound me, here's one which ends in a ramp which didn't/doesn't/wasn't intended to go any further (I think !) Prototype for everything, Phil gets the extra slice of cake :-)

 

Barton on Humber.

 

That's excellent, I might well try and emulate that on my layout! Thanks.

[GlenPudzeoch]

You could carry the platforms to the wall and put a mirror there to make the station look longer too.

[RJS1977]

32 minutes ago, GlenPudzeoch said:

You could carry the platforms to the wall and put a mirror there to make the station look longer too.

 

I've never really been a big fan of that idea - not least because every time a train arrives in the station, it looks as if there's going to be a head-on collision!

[jonny777]

I have a similar problem to this, but not an exact copy. However, I decided to omit the ramps and brick up the ends, put a metal fence/railings across the end with a no trespassing/do not pass this point sign and some steps down to the ballast on one platform for staff to use, with a gate in the railings to enable them to do so. 

 

I have an old footbridge kit which looks as though it would donate a few steps for the purpose. 

 

I doubt there is a real prototype for this; but as my station is fictitious anyway, I decided it would not matter.