Minimum-space BR rationalised branch terminus in N/2mm

[Lacathedrale]

Good afternoon all,

 

I've been mulling over a space I've got in my house for a small layout, and thought I'd sketch some ideas. This is what I've come up with - an ex- double track branch terminus (channelling Bromley North and Caterham as is my wont) that has been rationalised to a single track. It is shown using Finetrax B6 (dock) and B8 (rest of the layout) turnouts. In my mind this plan is early NSE era worked by multiple units, with an occasional parcels/newspaper van or loco hauled diversion (now that's stretching it!).

 

 

To properly set up a double track throat, one would need to build a double scissors with a slip on one corner - which is quite a bit of work! Sutton St. Annes which was a direct inspiration for this idea simply added half of a crossover on-scene, the other half presumed off-scene. This cheat visually works great and the layout looks authentic, but would involve wrong way running on anything leaving the bottom platform - fine for exhibiting where the visual subterfuge is sufficient, but a bit tougher to allow at home.

 

The bottom of the layout takes a leaf from Caterham, with the loop crossovers pulled and an old goods line running up against the original station platforms, then used as a loading dock - a turntable pit and wide signal gantry and some suitably overgrown trackbed may help the illusion of a station on the down-and-out.

 

The main part of the layout lives ontop of a cabinet, the fiddle yard is a drop leaf connection, the middle road of which is reserved for shunting. I can't really see much use for additional length - it would be useful to increase the platform length, but then stock requirements become more onerous.

 

Anyway, I thought this was worth sharing, and I hope you like it.

Edited May 12, 2021 by Lacathedrale

[DCB]

Looks interesting but the back story is a bit iffy.  The platform run rounds started to disappear in the 1950s and a run round in the old goods yard in a sea of weeds was often left.  There were / are some rationalised terminus's left post 2010,  Oban, Wick, Mallaig, Thurso, Kyle, Stranraer, but the dreaded Emu and its diesel cousin killed the platform run round loop in much of England in the 1950s/60s

[Flying Pig]

I do like a rationalised scheme and there are rather too few about.  A regular freight flow to a siding further up the line would justify the loop.  More probable in the mid-1980s than a loco-hauled parcels or passenger on an electrified branch IMO.

 

The loop does look a little short on the plan but perhaps that won't be so obvious in the flesh.  It could if necessary be extended offscene to connect with the front road of the fiddle yard, which then becomes your reserved shunting line. 

[Lacathedrale]

Obviously for us, it's there only to provide some interest to run around trains - Selsdon had a facing connection with a tiny oil depot, Caterham had the same with both a gas works and a factory - so I'm happy to fudge that a little .

 

 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Lacathedrale

[Lacathedrale]

Another option for the same space but with a more steam-era feel is as follows:

 

 

 Operaionally, the layout is a Minories variant with a small goods and parcels facility hanging off the down line.

 

Each platform can take four coaches and a tender loco, the bay reserved for push-pull shuttles or DMU's.  There is no runaround in the platforms, but one could easily be provided for if required. There is direct access to all relevant sidings and platforms from botht he down and up line, the only S-curve occurs from the arrivals line into the bay, which has a carriage-length straight inserted and is specifically used for short trains anyway.

 

There is a small goods facility with a carriage dock, goods shed and road for loading coal into drays/lorries. The goods loop has its own headshunt and runaround, so goods operation (apart from an initial runaround of the loco to get on the right side of the train for shunting) is entirely independent of passenger ops and can be operated as an inglenook.

 

I must admit, I'm really quite pleased with this one! The scenic section is designed to fit atop a large, glass fronted cabinet in my office - and the drop leaf fiddle yard is the correct length to lay down the side of the cabinet without touching the floor, to be hinged up as a cantilever and diagonal brace when in use.

 

 

 

Edited May 13, 2021 by Lacathedrale

[Zomboid]

I think Weymouth might be worth a look. It's got a single lead approach (the single to double can be off scene), 3 platforms, a release crossover, and you could repurpose the Quay tramway for something - the last revenue earning train down there was fuel, so that might offer something.

 

It's also Southern (or at least served by the LSWR and it's successors, and since electrification at least is primarily a Southern destination).

[Chimer]

A Minories pedant would be bound to note that in fact you do get S-curves when a train arrives into the upper platform or departs from the lower one ........ 

[fezza]

On 12/05/2021 at 14:36, DavidCBroad said:

Looks interesting but the back story is a bit iffy.  The platform run rounds started to disappear in the 1950s and a run round in the old goods yard in a sea of weeds was often left.  There were / are some rationalised terminus's left post 2010,  Oban, Wick, Mallaig, Thurso, Kyle, Stranraer, but the dreaded Emu and its diesel cousin killed the platform run round loop in much of England in the 1950s/60s

 

Newquay and Barnstaple both retained loops and more extensive track layouts into the late 1980s.  Barnstaple kept its platform loop and goods yard until 1989 and even now retains a loop at the end of its platforms. Barnstaple even had 50s and 47s on two coach trains in 1989 and 1990. You be hard pressed to make that up if it hadn't actually happened....