Hornby Station Footbridge and Hagley Station

[BWSR]

At the local Rail User Group meeting yesterday evening it was mentioned that the footbridge at Hagley station in Worcestershire had been renovated. In the following discussion it was suggested by one of our members that this footbridge was the prototype/inspiration for the Hornby model. I assume he meant the kit not the new Skaledale model!

 

The prototype has a pitched roof, the kit does not appear to have one though the new Skaledale model does sport a flat roof.

 

Is anyone able to shed any light on this?

 

Many thanks

 

Colin

 

http://www.geograph....k/photo/1214328

 

http://www.Hornby.co...h/?q=footbridge

[BernardTPM]

That's not the correct 'kit', the lattice footbridge being a later clip-together item. What's being referred to is R481 (made famous by the Yellow Pages advert waaaaaay back) as shown in the article here: http://www.mrol.com.au/Articles/Buildings%20and%20Constructions/Footbridge.aspx Rather than clip together, this was a small series of glue-together plastic kits Hornby produced back in the late 1970s. It's not a bad model, but the staircases were lengthened to give adequate 'train set' clearances from ground level, the prototype being a platform mounted bridge.

[BWSR]

Many thanks for the link and the information. As you will have guessed my knowledge of station footbridges, model or real is very limited.

 

Many thanks again.

 

Colin

[naugytrax]

The type of footbridge represented by the Hornby R187/R481 kit appears in many illustrations of GWR stations. It seems to have been a generic (maybe even standard) design and it certainly was not unique to Hagley. There is a four-track version, with three staircases, at Taplow. That one even has the same decoration cast into the triangular bracing pieces at the top inside corners - a GWR monogram, the date 1884, and a sort of arrow made up of circles.

 

[BWSR]

Many thanks for that. An interesting picture.

[Nergle]

Many thanks for that. An interesting picture.

Hi Colin

 

Hornby's R481 kit is available second hand very widely and cheaply.  Gaugemaster's Fordhampton range are essentially Hornby's old range of kits re-released (they were originally made by Pola I believe for Hornby).  Two I can comment on:  The signal box is a fair representation of a standard GW 'box - I have put two together to make one larger 'box for a friend's layout and they go together well and are easily upgraded with some added details.

 

The footbridge likewise is a really not bad quality kit.  I am building one of these for the same friend and I am using two Hornby R481 kits - we're extending it as it has to cross 3 running lines and on the island platform I am putting in two staircases facing opposite ways rather than the single staircase of the original kit.  The point is about these kits is that they are well designed and partially modular enabling you to adapt them if you so wish

 

The footbridge should go together as well as the signal box, but there are a couple of things to think about.  First, Hornby's bridge has panelling behind the latticework on the walkway.  Very tricky to paint.  I am going to paint the whole structure cream and then another friend (who is more patient than me!) is going to carefully pick out the lattice work in chocolate.  Second, the kit has quite a few moulded numbers on it (on the inside surfaces to aid with construction) which really should come off as they may be visible once constructed.  Lastly, the height: Bernard's post above was partly right, partly not.  As I said, the kit is modular and the key issue is that you can build it to one of two heights and this is simply achieved.  What you will need to do is check which height you need and then decide from there

 

If I remember, I will post some text and images to show you what I am creating if that would help?  All the best with it

 

Nick