Bodmin Road(Parkway Station)

[cary hill]

I am considering a layout based on Bodmin Road Station or certainly large elements of it, but would like to plug a few more gaps in the my knowledge of the prototype before developing the idea any further.

 

I should perhaps state that I have various trackplans of the prototype to hand and a reasonable collection of photographs to refer to and I have visted the site a couple of times whilst on holiday in the area in recent years.

 

I would be looking at a 1950's- 1960's scenario re prototype information.

 

Information would be much appreciated on any of the items below:

 

1. Original Main Station Building - would I be correct in assuming that this was a wooden building(it doesn't seem to feature clearly in many of photographs I have) similar in general style to some of the others on the Cornish Mainline and when was it replaced?

 

2. The unusual tower tower and associated equipment - I assume this was removed during the mid late 1960's soon after the cessation of steam workings - is this correct?

 

3. The extended siding the China Clay works - I gather this was opened in 1920 and officially closed in 1966 - probably a "traffic" question rather than infrastructure - when would it have last seen regular traffic, assuming the closure significantly postdates the final traffic movements?

 

4. I assume the second overbridge on the western end of Station accomodated the extended siding referred to in (3) - is this correct?

 

5. What would be the approximate curvature of the Bodmin Branch line? It seems to curve away very sharply and travel through well over 90 degrees over a very short distance?

 

6. How many arches does the branch viaduct have? - I thought it was about four but having "google earthed " it I wonder if it is longer? Also what approximate height would it be and has the view below always been trees with a glimpse of the river?

 

Thanks in anticipation of any light which can shed on any of the above.

 

 

[Karhedron]

3. The extended siding the China Clay works - I gather this was opened in 1920 and officially closed in 1966 - probably a "traffic" question rather than infrastructure - when would it have last seen regular traffic, assuming the closure significantly postdates the final traffic movements?

The kilns ceased to be used for drying clay shortly before the start of WW2. During the war they were used for storage by the royal navy. After the war they were used for drying peat although I do not know if this was carried out by rail or not. The kilns were still standing in the late 80s although I have been unable to identify on recent Googlemaps so I am not sure if they are still there or not.

 

If you want china clay traffic then it would be pre-war (unless of course you invoke Rule1 ). If working in the transition era then it is possible the dried peat was carried by rail. I do not know much about the stuiff but imagine it would have been in sheeted wagons to prevent water-logging.

[cary hill]

The kilns ceased to be used for drying clay shortly before the start of WW2. During the war they were used for storage by the royal navy. After the war they were used for drying peat although I do not know if this was carried out by rail or not. The kilns were still standing in the late 80s although I have been unable to identify on recent Googlemaps so I am not sure if they are still there or not.

 

If you want china clay traffic then it would be pre-war (unless of course you invoke Rule1 ). If working in the transition era then it is possible the dried peat was carried by rail. I do not know much about the stuiff but imagine it would have been in sheeted wagons to prevent water-logging.

 

Thanks for that information. I suppose I don't really need any more china clay traffic with the mainline, branch and exchange sidings providing plenty of scope for that anyway. It would seem that portraying an essentially "disused" siding extension would be historically accurate post WW2. I must admit my own knowledge of peat is limited to knowing that it is useful in the garden in certain circumstances.

[The Stationmaster]

The water tower was a fascinating structure and it survived beyond the end of steam but probably because there wasn't any money to knock it down.

[Karhedron]

It might be worth looking out a copy of Iain Rice's "Mainlines in modest spaces". It has a very good interpretation of Bodmin Road intended to fit in a roundy-roundy in a spare room. Worth looking to see how others have approached the same project.

[edcayton]

There was a model of Bodmin Road in the Modeller a while back. I'll see if I can find it later.

 

Ed

[cary hill]

It might be worth looking out a copy of Iain Rice's "Mainlines in modest spaces". It has a very good interpretation of Bodmin Road intended to fit in a roundy-roundy in a spare room. Worth looking to see how others have approached the same project.

 

Fortunately I already have that book and it is largely to "blame" for considering a possible layout closely based on Bodmin Road. The garage site I am looking at is very similar in size although I might just have slightly more length available.The general setting has a lot going for it as a passenger interchange station which is, relatively speaking, in the "middle of nowhere." and with the Paddington-bound end of the mainline and branch both having convenient curves. The number of trees potentially required to portray it authentically is, however, one factor which might put me off.

[cary hill]

There was a model of Bodmin Road in the Modeller a while back. I'll see if I can find it later.

 

Ed

[/quote

 

Ed, would that model be the one, which was featured a good many years ago, where the layout was designed to pack away very neatly in a convenient alcove? I seem to remember that it was instantly recognisable as Bodmin Road due the station architecture etc., and was executed in a very modest space.

 

If this is the one you are referring to I am sure that I have the article in my RM archive (well, neat (?) piles of mags in the loft).

 

David

[cary hill]

There was a model of Bodmin Road in the Modeller a while back. I'll see if I can find it later.

 

Ed

 

Ed,

 

I have found the the one I was thinking of in RM May 87, although it is only a two page spread. The layout fits an area 10 ft by 6 ft 6 inches with some compromises re the exchange sidings(only 2) to keep the width right down. Of course if the model you are referring is not this one a pointer would still be very much appreciated.

 

David

[Yan]

Hi

 

Bodmin Road was a station that a Model Railway Club that I was involved with considered as a layout but was never completed. In the process the club had a survey done of the station. This was in the 1980s (approximately 1984) and was undertaken by a group of guys from the Bodmin Model Railway Club one behalf of the club. The photos can be found here. A second survey was taken by myself when I was considering the station as a personal project in a large garage I had at the time. Much to the amusement of the family I took a piece of 2 x 1 marked in 1 foot increments as a measurement guide. This can be seen in the photographs here

 

Some books that I know contain some info and photographs of Bodmin Road are; Branch Lines Around Bodmin, Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith, Middleton Press, ISBN 1 873793839; Wenford Bridge to Fowey, Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith, Middleton Press, ISBN 1 901706095 (which has two very nice photos of the water crane on the up platform); More Great Western Steam in Cornwall, Bradford Barton, ISBN 0 851532039 (though these photos don't show much in the way of buildings).

 

Hope this helps and good luck with the project.

 

Ian

[cary hill]

Hi

 

Bodmin Road was a station that a Model Railway Club that I was involved with considered as a layout but was never completed. In the process the club had a survey done of the station. This was in the 1980s (approximately 1984) and was undertaken by a group of guys from the Bodmin Model Railway Club one behalf of the club. The photos can be found here. A second survey was taken by myself when I was considering the station as a personal project in a large garage I had at the time. Much to the amusement of the family I took a piece of 2 x 1 marked in 1 foot increments as a measurement guide. This can be seen in the photographs here

 

Some books that I know contain some info and photographs of Bodmin Road are; Branch Lines Around Bodmin, Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith, Middleton Press, ISBN 1 873793839; Wenford Bridge to Fowey, Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith, Middleton Press, ISBN 1 901706095 (which has two very nice photos of the water crane on the up platform); More Great Western Steam in Cornwall, Bradford Barton, ISBN 0 851532039 (though these photos don't show much in the way of buildings).

 

Hope this helps and good luck with the project.

 

Ian

 

Thanks for the pointer to your photographs - they do illustrate very clearly the nature and height of the bridges at both ends of the station and it appears that they would not have altered much, if at all, over the years. I need to get more understanding of several other features as they were pre-modernisation. I fear I may need to make some potentially uncomfortable assumptions to progress any further or play my Joker and call the station "Lanhydrock Road' and accept that some degree of compromise is unavoidable. I think the current Parkway Station signage makes reference to the "House" and seem to recall walking the path under the railway at the western end does eventually lead to the 'House'.

 

David

[Oldddudders]

I fear I may need to make some potentially uncomfortable assumptions to progress any further or play my Joker and call the station "Lanhydrock Road' and accept that some degree of compromise is unavoidable. I think the current Parkway Station signage makes reference to the "House" and seem to recall walking the path under the railway at the western end does eventually lead to the 'House'.

Not a Joker! Renaming to a plausible alternative is the first line of defence against the nitpicker who criticises your platforms for being a mite short, or your yard a road or two deficient. It just frees you up to address the compromises in your site and, for many of us, modelling abilities. Lanhydrock is gorgeous, and clearly identifies the locale, but Cardinham Road is another thought. Must admit "Road" stations do tend to be named after a major settlement, though. I used to spend time at what had been called Farningham Road & Sutton-at-Hone, but immediately outside the station entrance was the village sign for Horton Kirby!

[Kris]

On a previous incarnation of RMweb there was a member building an N gauge version of Bodmin Parkway, unfortunately having despite having searched I am unable to find the original postings on this.

 

As to a different name, if you still wanted Bodmin in it then you could call it Bodmin Junction.

[Ramblin Rich]

On a previous incarnation of RMweb there was a member building an N gauge version of Bodmin Parkway, unfortunately having despite having searched I am unable to find the original postings on this.

 

As to a different name, if you still wanted Bodmin in it then you could call it Bodmin Junction.

 

I managed to find that layout on old RMweb here - difficult to find as the name is in brackets!

It's a shame there's nothing further on this layout as it looked to have real potential - I don't think the builder is on new RMweb now (unless with a different name?)

[Kris]

Well found Rich. It is a shame that the thread on this has not continued.

[Chris M]

Reviving an old thread here.

 

Just wondering if anyone knows of photos of Bodmin Road goods shed? I have found a couple in books but they only show the front; it would be useful to see the sides and rear. I'm toying with the idea of making a model in N gauge. I have a plan which gives me a  scale length station with cut down sidings in 12ft by 3ft 3ins. This would be a much better model than my previous effort which I think was referred to above. I posted a few pictures of that old layout in another thread - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/125171-bodmin-road-built-and-disposed-of-back-in-the-1980s/?hl=%22bodmin+road%22 .

 

My current thoughts on a track plan for the N gauge version:-

 

 

It would be on 3 4ft boards. The scenery would go to just under half the depth of the boards. This forces me to shorten the transfer sidings but I reckon its the only way I can make it package small enough to go into my car. The points all seem to fall right for this. The main line would drop away at about 1 in 100 to the left of the station and the branch line would rise at about 1 in 33. This enables the branch to cross over the main line in the storage sidings. This is so empty clay trains can arrive from St Blazey area, reverse, and go up the branch and full ones down and reverse to go towards St Blazey on the main line. I understand this is the direction they would have gone in. Once in the storage siding they will be ready to go round again without handling the stock. It seems that they often had a brake van at each end which would have made changing direction easier. The red blobs would be electro magnetic uncouplers. 

 

I might try making a few of the buildings first to see how they turn out. If they are OK I might then proceed with the layout.

I've got the stock to run this layout already as either late fifties or sixties. Maybe now would be the right time to cancel my order for a DJM King...