McGomez Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I have a high level line behind where my station will be located and I want to hide it and have the ticket office and a town scene on top. I have actually built a retaining wall but it works out at a scale 57 ft high (230mm). I did know this was going to be high before I started and I´m not going to change it but to tell you the truth I want to have a real life scenario to fall back on whenever the question comes up! (It has already). You can just make out the high level line in the background running behind the retaining wall. My wall is dark red brick (Scalescenes) but can blue bricks have a higher loading and therefore be used to build higher walls as you tend to see them used for taller retaining walls or is it purely down to the fact that certain areas made blue bricks and others red or brown and the logistics meant it was cheaper to use one or the other? My initial thought for a real life scenario was the cutting that runs eastwards from Liverpool Lime Street but I think it is partly solid stone with brickwork nearer the top. The approaches to Kings Cross also had high walls but I don´t seem to remember them to be that high? Can anyone enlighten me to any other high retaining walls, be they red or blue? Thanks Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkerr Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I have to agree, I've never seen any that high or long The nearest would be the approaches to Liverpool Lime Street Why not have it up to half that height Then from there upwards is the rear of shops and houses Also, why does the route behind have to be hidden? Why not have it visible and then entering a tunnel at the end Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham_Muz Posted January 10, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 10, 2012 That is certainly high! In my locality is the retaining wall at and to the north of High Wycombe station, which is quite high in places and from Blue engineers brick. There are some images here if you scroll down the page a bit. AFAIK enginneers bricks have high compressive strength and low water absorbion hence being used for such structures and foundations etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted January 10, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 10, 2012 The only high ones I can think of are made of stone rather than brick. These don't come close to the one you have constructed. I think that the main issue with yours (and it's not something that could be changed now) is the size of the buttresses - for the size of the wall these look on the small side. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 My first thought was High Wycombe, but there is one at Brighton which looks as high as yours. Don't know what it's made of though, can't tell from the photo I'm looking at which is an aerial one. Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Its quite imposiing, personally I think its quite cool. The Moors has a retaining wall 43 feet high, but I suspect that the situation you've got there, the engineer would probably have gone for a tunnel, but hey, if you built that, just leave it, its got the wow factor. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonB Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 It's a while since I was there, but I think the retaining wall between Wolverhampton High Level(LMS) and Low Level (GWR) was about that high at maximum. It also had a sort of gallery and a subway connecting the L L. to the town centre and the higher level, some ineresting brickwork and IIRC is of Staffordshire Blue Bricks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkerr Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I've done a seach on google.co.uk images "very high railway retaining wall" I had forgotten about Crosshill station in Glasgow I've also noted some have buttress supports, some don't, compare : http://www.imagesofe.../84/L378471.jpg http://4.bp.blogspot...w/s1600/hwy.jpg (High Wycombe station) I didn't include Dalmarnock (also Glasgow) as there are supports between the walls Also consider Glasgow SECC, Exhibition Centre, but I can't find any photos of that wall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted January 10, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 10, 2012 It's a while since I was there, but I think the retaining wall between Wolverhampton High Level(LMS) and Low Level (GWR) was about that high at maximum. It also had a sort of gallery and a subway connecting the L L. to the town centre and the higher level, some ineresting brickwork and IIRC is of Staffordshire Blue Bricks. typically ive just let wolverhampton station heading home, if id have read this first id have grabbed some pics, the drop from the high level doesnt look as high as the layout picture though must admit the first place that came to mind when i saw the thread title was high wycombe as well (another place ive been today as it happens!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 It's a while since I was there, but I think the retaining wall between Wolverhampton High Level(LMS) and Low Level (GWR) was about that high at maximum. It also had a sort of gallery and a subway connecting the L L. to the town centre and the higher level, some ineresting brickwork and IIRC is of Staffordshire Blue Bricks. I doubt that one is more than 30ft high maximum and at the subway probably about 20-25ft. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGomez Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 Thanks for the replies. I´ll go through them one by one later. The image of High Wycombe surprised me as it has no buttresses and the iron railings are what I had in mind to put on top too. I was thinking of putting some half relief 3 story flats along the top with the station booking room somewhere in the middle. The reference to Wolverhampton is interesting aswell, in that I was thinking the footbridge from the booking office would emerge from the middle of the retaining wall and stairs leading down to the two platforms. The initial drop from the booking office would be inside the retaining wall. Is that understandable? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 At wolverhampton you have :- Overbridge to platform 2/3 from right next to the booking hall - no connection to low level. Overbridge to all platforms at the northern end - no connection to low level Underpass which probably descends 10-15ft with it's entrance outside the station, then goes under all platforms ( no connections - anymore ) to the exit which then turns left within the retaining wall and descends probably another 6ft to the exit (pretty sure the road outside climbs slightly too ). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted January 10, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 10, 2012 I was thinking the footbridge from the booking office would emerge from the middle of the retaining wall and stairs leading down to the two platforms. The initial drop from the booking office would be inside the retaining wall. Is that understandable? wont your "passengers" get run over by trains on the hidden high level line though, health and safety gone mad! another place that sprung to mind was spellow in liverpool but looking at the disused station site its not that tall either Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGomez Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 I have to agree, I've never seen any that high or long The nearest would be the approaches to Liverpool Lime Street Why not have it up to half that height Then from there upwards is the rear of shops and houses Also, why does the route behind have to be hidden? Why not have it visible and then entering a tunnel at the end Mike I was originally going to have the high level line on brick arches but as I tried to fit too much "Railway" onto the layout I thought it would be a good idea to cover that part up with tunnels at either end. It had also occoured that I could have done a stepped wall as per the the appraoches to KX with allotments albeit very small ones. The wall is 2 metres long but it is removable for cleaning, derailments, etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
plarailfan Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 http://www.flickr.com/photos/24041160@N02/3871199784/ Marsh Lane cutting near Leeds is probably a step in the right direction for you. There are some interesting, O gauge bridges on this N gauge "layout" lol :- see this http://www.flickr.com/photos/24041160@N02/2489278040/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Wow, that is some brickwork! I think it looks right though. My first thoughts for high retaining walls were, the back of Bath Road depot, or Bristol West Junction/Pylle Hill area were the Bristol avoiding line runs along the bottom of Totterdown Hill. But none of them are right being either arched, too shallow a slope, or not bricked to the top. I have a picture taken at Parson Street, Bristol. It is difficult to judge the height, but I would guess 4 times the height of the train? 47083 approaches Bristol with the 15.50 Weston-super-Mare - Swansea service, 3/2/81 cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGomez Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 wont your "passengers" get run over by trains on the hidden high level line though, health and safety gone mad! another place that sprung to mind was spellow in liverpool but looking at the disused station site its not that tall either Just try and think of it as a Victorian version of the thunderbirds chutes they use to get to their flying machines or maybe more Wallace & Grommet on waking up and falling into their kitchen for breakfast! It is amazing how the memory always remembers things as a lot bigger than they actually are!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branwell Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Marsh Lane cutting in Leeds has some pretty high retaining walls - I think it was a tunnel when the line was originally built but was opened out when it was widened - Then there's Bradford Exchange (http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=26905) and Laisterdyke ( ). Not sure of the heights I'm afraid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 It looks very impressive, no matter what. Anyway, here's a few more, Ladhope Vale (Galashiels), Snow Hill northern approaches (Birmingham), New Street - Five Ways (Birmingham), and parallel with Slitrig Crescent (Hawick) the railway runs along the top of a very impressive retaining wall, which must be three times train height. This last one is buttressed and not dissimilar to yours, however many of the others seem to be strengthened by the integration of arches into the design. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neil Posted January 10, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 10, 2012 There's a good sized retaining wall in Todmorden that supports the railway where it runs alongside the canal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsforever Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 High Wycombe is on a curve as well and seems to have a slant most impressive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 There is a massive retaining wall supporting the railway adjacent to New Mills Junction a short distance south of the station. It is built of stone and looks to be higher than that of the model. It is about 6 to 7 storeys high when judged against a nearby mill. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 If you look on StreetView or Google Earth, B2122 in Brighton and look south between the factory/office buildings there is a really large retaining wall. (Can't find a way of getting a link to work to the correct position!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGomez Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 Thanks once again for all the replies, photos and links. The picture at Parsons Street is a bit deceptive. At first I didn´t think the wall was that tall but I think the overbridge fools you. The bridge itself is pretty big after studying the picture for a minute so I reckon the wall wouldn´t be far short for my excuse! Marsh Lane Cutting is probably deeper than my effort but the retaining wall is probably around a third of the height. Impressively high bridges though. I´ve been thinking of incorporating one for my miniture bungy jumping team!! The canal wall at Todmorden looks to be quite close to the height even though the railway is on top. Thanks for that one. I´ve just found the Monster wall in Brighton! That is definately higher than mine. Even the buttresses seem pretty much in keeping with my wall. Good call that man. Coachman. I will look for the one at New Mills Junction tomorrow. I´ve run out of time at the moment. Thanks to all for your help. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 What about Farringdon, from the bottom of the 'bank'? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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