Jump to content
 

Shunting and Turning 1960s Scottish Observation Cars


Recommended Posts

Didn't want to hijack the other thread specifically about more modern observation car workings on the Mallaig line but I was wondering about how the coaches were shunted at the Glasgow termini.  Were the cars taken to Blochairn or Eastfield for turning?  I know there was a tuntable at the Buchanan Street throat but I thought it had been taken out before the observation cars finished up.  Fort William was relatively easy, I have seen a photo of the beavertail car actually being turned, Oban, Mallaig and Kyle would have been similar with Inverness having the option of the triangle at the station.  I was thinking that the whole Fort William train could have been turned on the Cowlairs Triangle.

Having tried shunting the Hornby Observation car on my layout I can see why they were discontinued, what a lot of faffing about!!

 

Jim

Link to post
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, luckymucklebackit said:

Didn't want to hijack the other thread specifically about more modern observation car workings on the Mallaig line but I was wondering about how the coaches were shunted at the Glasgow termini.  Were the cars taken to Blochairn or Eastfield for turning?  I know there was a tuntable at the Buchanan Street throat but I thought it had been taken out before the observation cars finished up.  Fort William was relatively easy, I have seen a photo of the beavertail car actually being turned, Oban, Mallaig and Kyle would have been similar with Inverness having the option of the triangle at the station.  I was thinking that the whole Fort William train could have been turned on the Cowlairs Triangle.

Having tried shunting the Hornby Observation car on my layout I can see why they were discontinued, what a lot of faffing about!!

 

Jim

 

What sort of time period are you looking at? The triangle between Cowlairs south junction and Sighthill postdates the introduction of Class 156's.

Link to post
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Bomag said:

 

What sort of time period are you looking at? The triangle between Cowlairs south junction and Sighthill postdates the introduction of Class 156's.

Yes I am aware of the new spur being built, but there is the Cowlairs West/North/East triangle opposite Eastfield which is as old as the line so would have been available in the 1950s and 60s when the observation cars were in operation.

 

Jim

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

The original Cowlairs triangle was between Cowlairs West, North and East Junctions.

West Jcn was to the south, on the line into Queen St.

North Jcn was to the West, on the line to Helensburgh

East Jcn was on the mainline out of Queen St. (past Eastfield) to Edinburgh

 

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.42178307736868&lat=55.88969&lon=-4.24152&layers=170&b=1

Edited by keefer
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...