Dimensions at Terminus Stations

[Michael Woolford]

I am just about to start drawing a full scale plan of my new layout (EM gauge) on paper before I make a start on the track building. Before I start though I need to decide how wide the platforms need to be, I'm not too sure how wide but I was thinking something like 110mm for a double platform. Since I have an additional siding on two of the double platforms I also need to know weather the track spacing will be the same between all three of the platform roads (26mm), or if it needs to be any different; perhaps 26mm and 42mm. If anyone could guide me in the right direction on this then that would be great as I am very keen to get going.Thanks.

 

Michael

[AngryMeerkat]

I've just done a similar thing for my layout, and went a slightly different way about it ......

 

Using google earth I zoomed in on Poole station until I could measure the width of the track, because that is a definite known dimension. From there I could convert actual track width into mm on the screen, and know that each mm was 'x' ft in real life. Then I measured the platform width along its entire length and that gave me its width in feet 'real life' which I could then scale down to 00.

 

After all this, it appears that there is no 'set width' for platforms. They appear to narrow and widen along their length, and not always for any visible reason. Poole station has 5 different widths along its length on one platform alone!

 

I know Lime St station in Liverpool also has platforms of varying width, depending on which platform it is and how far along the platform you are.

 

Mark

[corneliuslundie]

One definite dimensions is a minimum of 6 ft from any buildings to the platform edge.

[Siberian Snooper]

Current requirement is 6ft for a single platform & 12ft for a double and twice this for "busy" stations, this is the minimums. It is possible therefore that an island platform may be 12ft at the country end and 24ft at the concourse end. I would think that most major city termini would probably be double or more. If there are structures on the platform(s) then these have to be added to the widths.

 

SS

[phil-b259]

One definite dimensions is a minimum of 6 ft from any buildings to the platform edge.

 

 

Current requirement is 6ft for a single platform & 12ft for a double and twice this for "busy" stations, this is the minimums. It is possible therefore that an island platform may be 12ft at the country end and 24ft at the concourse end. I would think that most major city termini would probably be double or more. If there are structures on the platform(s) then these have to be added to the widths.

 

SS

 

 

Its worth noting that while these are correct for 'new builds' older sites will vary considerably (as demonstrated by Poole) and thus the best way to approch the issue would be take a look at exsisting stations built by the company you are chosing to model. For example if the station was origionally built by the GWR in the broad guage era, the distance between platforms will be larger than something built after they had moved to standard guage. Equally in early station builds it was custom to have 'departure' and 'arival' platforms seperated by carrage sidings - some of which were later lifted to provide extra platforms. Platform lengthening can also be a factor - for example where the station origionally had a centre siding that was not continued when the plaforms were extended giving a closer spacing for part of their length