RMweb Premium Northmoor Posted August 16, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 16, 2020 On 14/08/2020 at 18:28, Gibbo675 said: The tightest mainline railway curve in Britain is that of the 17 chain curve at Morpeth on the ECML, in 4mm scale 17 chains works out at 176.69" (14' 9") a considerably greater radius than most toy train sets. At the risk of "out-pedanting" you, is that the tightest outside of stations? Bristol Temple Meads and Newcastle Central are two I can think of with sharper curves. While it's not the ECML any more, I assume the curves outside Selby were also pretty sharp. On 14/08/2020 at 22:11, Dagworth said: There’s also very little visible straight track So just like the real railway then. No model railway that purports (that's a great word, I should use it more) to represent the real railway, should use a significant amount straight track. Unless they're modelling somewhere on the SW Main Line between Clapham and Worting Junctions (and there's curves on that too). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted August 16, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2020 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Northmoor said: So just like the real railway then. No model railway that purports (that's a great word, I should use it more) to represent the real railway, should use a significant amount straight track. Unless they're modelling somewhere on the SW Main Line between Clapham and Worting Junctions (and there's curves on that too). What about Tonbridge to Ashford, that’s pretty much arrow-straight. (and a b*gg*r in the fog!) Andi Edited August 16, 2020 by Dagworth Defeat the auto censor 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted August 16, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2020 12 minutes ago, Northmoor said: At the risk of "out-pedanting" you, is that the tightest outside of stations? Bristol Temple Meads and Newcastle Central are two I can think of with sharper curves. While it's not the ECML any more, I assume the curves outside Selby were also pretty sharp. What’s the radius of the curve when you leave Dover Priory and pass the site of the junction that used to serve Western Docks? And then there’s the ridiculous curve on the way to Skegness. Andi 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo675 Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 12 minutes ago, Northmoor said: At the risk of "out-pedanting" you, is that the tightest outside of stations? Bristol Temple Meads and Newcastle Central are two I can think of with sharper curves. While it's not the ECML any more, I assume the curves outside Selby were also pretty sharp. Hi Nothmoor, Ha ! Ha ! Takes one to know one !!! You are quite correct although I would qualify that the curves at Morpeth are plain running lines rather than forming the station approaches and associated junctions between other routes as is the case at Bristol and Newcastle. Gibbo. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northmoor Posted August 16, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 16, 2020 2 minutes ago, Dagworth said: What’s the radius of the curve when you leave Dover Priory and pass the site of the junction that used to serve Western Docks? And then there’s the ridiculous curve on the way to Skegness. Andi I'm not sure I'd describe the Skegness branch as "main line". Perhaps that also exempts the Ely avoiding line. What radius is the curve from the swing bridge into Norwich station? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted August 16, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2020 (edited) The curve at Dover looks around 200yds radius on Google Earth, a fraction over 9 chains. I don’t know if I have a note of the actual in any of my route learning stuff. Andi Edited August 16, 2020 by Dagworth 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted August 16, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2020 8 minutes ago, Northmoor said: What radius is the curve from the swing bridge into Norwich station? Google Earth’s measuring tool shows that as around 180 yds! Andi 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted August 17, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2020 On 15/08/2020 at 14:00, simontaylor484 said: I remember when Wakefield railport opened all you would see were Bell containers No end of Bells then? Mike 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 (edited) 8 hours ago, Dagworth said: What’s the radius of the curve when you leave Dover Priory and pass the site of the junction that used to serve Western Docks? And then there’s the ridiculous curve on the way to Skegness. Andi You mean this one, what used to be Firsby junction south curve, which follows the totally unprototypical arrow straight section almost all the way from Boston! Don't see why it shouldn't count as a main line, regular service throughout the year with HSTs supplementing in summer. And to make it even more unprototypical the line goes under a bridge as soon as it comes off the curve I mean could you find a more unprototypical curve than this Edited August 17, 2020 by great central Add last paragraph 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 More on tight curves in this old thread, notably a mention of the "10 chain curve" at Dover, and others mapped: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/124690-sharpest-main-line-curve/page/3/ 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simontaylor484 Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 6 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said: No end of Bells then? Mike 2 on every container 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted August 17, 2020 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 17, 2020 I like this band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWvrW9HJr2Q 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted August 17, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 17, 2020 15 hours ago, Dagworth said: What about Tonbridge to Ashford, that’s pretty much arrow-straight. (and a b*gg*r in the fog!) Andi Lickey Route has many long straights between Cheltenham and Worcester 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said: I like this band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWvrW9HJr2Q Is it Greek or Russian mate? Edited August 17, 2020 by Andrew P 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 3 hours ago, MJI said: Lickey Route has many long straights between Cheltenham and Worcester And a big Hill somewhere. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted August 17, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2020 8 minutes ago, Andrew P said: And a big Hill somewhere. Only if you're going up it! Mike. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 2 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said: Only if you're going up it! Mike. Or down with no brakes. 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo675 Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 17 minutes ago, Andrew P said: Is it Greek or Russian mate? Pусский 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 1 minute ago, Gibbo675 said: Pусский 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted August 17, 2020 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 17, 2020 1 hour ago, Andrew P said: Is it Greek or Russian mate? Russian, comrade. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 Just now, Clive Mortimore said: Russian, comrade. No, not in a hurry mate. 2 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenser Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 20 hours ago, Northmoor said: I'm not sure I'd describe the Skegness branch as "main line". Perhaps that also exempts the Ely avoiding line. What radius is the curve from the swing bridge into Norwich station? It certainly used to be main line, and I think Firsby S curve is double track 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted August 18, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 18, 2020 Bredon is not that big, and the railway doen't go up it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 19 hours ago, Ravenser said: It certainly used to be main line, and I think Firsby S curve is double track Only bits of single track are Sleaford to Heckington and either end of Boston, almost like it was done deliberately to create bottlenecks. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterfield Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 On 17/08/2020 at 23:30, Clive Mortimore said: I like this band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWvrW9HJr2Q complete with bagpipes - bliss 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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