Seanem44

I believe I read that the racing continued through the war, but it dwindled. So to understand what you are saying... the terminus end trap point would essentially become the runaround, and the shed would be on siding next to it? It doesn't appear the engine shed lasted too long. In reading up on it and viewing photos, it looks like it was gone by the 30s. I might omit the shed all together. Obviously I would not want to copy the exact prototype, but having a layout grounded in prototype is always nice. And Welford Park can easily become something else. I think I might have come up with my plan, which has been done for me It's unfortunate that my Castle will not fit in to the scheme. Love the engine, but its just not appropriate. Though I could make up a "needs of the war effort" and "the branch can support its weight" backstory. I guess since its my layout I can run whatever, right? Now I just need to take this and adapt it so that it fits my space The fun begins.

I'll have to see if I can find the plan for it somewhere. EDIT... found it. Yeah, I see the carriage sheds there. Interesting. So here is the question now. Do I omit the engine shed or keep it? It seems like a lot of the Engine Sheds on small BLTs were largely being removed by the 40s.

So interestingly enough, as I was looking up Tidworth, I came upon Lambourn which I had never heard of, and despite different locations of the Engine Shed... the Station is almost the spitting image (sans military yard) of what I drew up....

The fiddle yard shown in what I drafted up is just a placeholder. The tracks will go all the way to the end, and I am not sure of configuration yet. I think having the military sidings eliminates the possibility of a traverser. One of my concerns is indeed uncoupling over a scenic break that will cover up the fiddle yard. The only other option I have with the allotted space I have would be to turn this in to an L shape layout and make a very thin (one foot) fiddle yard on the wall perpendicular to it. This option might not be that bad, and would allow for a slightly larger station and bit of a scenic run before entering, but I really need to decide how cramped that will make my man cave. Or, I keep begging my wife for the 20 foot wall in our basement on the grounds that a layout in the main room would be "decorative". I think I have the foundation for a decent layout though, and can definitely work on curved points, etc, to make the layout flow better. If I can utilize the other wall, I can push the siding and engine shed to the right past the throat of the station. This will allow me to extend the platforms out so that a full four coaches can be accommodated. It will also allow for a longer engine shed siding which can fit coal and a water tower much easier.

Ok... Came up with a design. Looks like it will be closer to 14 feet. I'm being conservative and going with only 13. This layout utilizes a large radius at the throat. The runaround will accommodate four coaches, which I feel is pretty generous. You really lose space quick. I'm wondering if I should just nix the engine shed... Anyhow, let me know what you all think.

Hmmm... I originally had this layout looking similar to Ruxley, if you are familiar with that layout. How about putting the point for that siding also on the main runaround siding in the station. So essentially, one turnout for that siding, then after that siding, the one for the goods shed?

Indeed... already thought of that. Concertina wire, or something to that effect. Also gives me a reason to add some of my American brethren to a British railway layout

Yep... aware of the gauge restrictions. IIR, there were a few that supported the weight, but they were few and far between. Looking at my design, it is quite similar to Bodmin. Moving the engine shed to the North will make it a little cleaner on the South Side and not as busy. Yeah... the layout is starting to look cliché, but I am hoping the wartime atmospehere and inclusion of the military yard at the very least sets it apart from being "just another BLT".

Thank you for the advice. I had thought about slimming the military yard as well. And I am really just guessing on that. There are such few prototypes and historical documentation of them, it is strictly artistic license for the sake of modelling and having it as an excuse to make the layout more wartime and give an excuse to have the warwells and shermans I purchased. The overall size is too be determined. I'm trying to make a compromise with my wife for a side of wall in our basement that would give me almost 20 ft, as opposed to the 14 I have in my man cave. I chose the wartime period because it fascinates me, isn't modelled quite as often, but also gives me the ability to be much more flexible with what I run and why. So the Castle Class that I have that would rarely, if ever, be found at such a station, becomes a "Needs of the War Effort" situation where I can claim it's evacuating kids to the country side or whatever.

Much appreciated... is the Engine shed ok where it is located? Also, was just reading the August edition of BRM. In a very strange coincidence, the N Gauge layout Elmfield is featured and it is VERY similar to what I have drawn out. Eerily similar. Strange coincidence and timing.

Do you have a link to the layout or design?

So obviously this is not to scale, and the head shunt should be longer, so I'll need further refinement, but something like this? (Or, nix the ES and use that as a head shunt, which might look a little better and less cluttered)

So actually, here is what i am doing. I feel this accomplishes my goal of being simple, yet appealing. Basically it is a 1940s war time layout. The Station is a GWR station with GWR freight and passenger services. Possible evacuees to the country... wartime anything goes type of thing so I can run what I want. The engine shed is still up for debate, and I am wondering if I should have a short siding opposite side of the station platform instead. The fiddle yard to the right, which will go in front of the main fiddle yard, is to be a marshaling yard for military freight. Warwell offloading, etc. This will be serviced by the small fleet of SR engines I have. I am completely open to criticism and critique, as this is just planning and nothing is to scale. I purchased the Oxford station and SB a little while ago, so that's what I'm rolling with for those two buildings. My skills are untested, so I don't want to bite off more than I can chew.

Everyone, Very good food for thought. It looks like their are a smattering of different opinions and methods, which is good. I think Ill download one of the free rail design programs. Exactrail isn't the best. I really want to get this project off the ground, and am looking in to tempering simplicity with interest...

Yeah... I agree. Sadly, exhibitions aren't in the offing unless I can convince my wife on another UK vacation. Sadly, magazines don't do full justice either. I might just need to experiment.

Thanks... this seems like a good option. So for what my layout would be, that would be essentially four large turnouts....entrance to the station and the facing point, then the other two facing on where the track terminates. I don't think this will force too much sacrifice of space at all. Sometimes talking things over helps them to make sense.

I am building a rural terminus in OO. The layout will be 14-20 feet long, including fiddle yard. The design of the station is somewhat of a smallish country station, similar to Ruxley, if you are familiar with that layout. Would I be OK sticking with medium turnouts only? Would that be prototypical for such a station, or more of an un-prototypical necessity based on my space? I plan on using PECO 75mm finsescale. Thanks!

I can see how this would be confusing... I should have put "models" in there.

Ill have to pick up the digital copy. Thanks! Good to know the colors are good for the 40s. I think all it really needs now is some dry brushing/weathering. Though the paint is decent, its a little uneven in some places, and a little thin in others. My biggest fear were that the colors were off, but from what I've learned in GWR research is that there were no uniform colors when it came to stations and that evens shades of a standard color varied wildly.

Has anyone modified their Oxford station yet that would be willing to share photos? I just got mine and it's a very nice station, but it does need some work with the paint. Going to dress mine up for the 40s, so I'm thinking most of the paint will need to be redone, along with singles and chimneys added. Just looking for some inspiration.

In fairness, Bachmann has a fairly robust presence here in the states, and numerous other lines like Spectrum. The market here in the USA is helping them out. Hornby doesn't quite have that luxury. Bachmann is more of a global company, whereas Hornby is much smaller in a global sense. As I see it, Hornby has two options. Either try to branch out and capture market elsewhere. That requires risk and capital, both of which they can't afford. The other is tighten up, reduce staff, cut lines, make smaller quantities, etc...

Ouch. Just read this. I imagine in the future there will probably be some layoffs, which is always a sad side effect that comes with tightening the budget and closing certain projects and lines. I really hope Hornby can pull through this. Their bankruptcy would be a definite blow to the hobby. Sadly, this is a bad time for something like this to happen, with rising costs in goods and manufacturing across the globe. Serious and hard decisions are going to be made in the future that will be painful not only for the company, but for us modelers as well. Godspeed Hornby!

I got my Shermans a few months back. Very good tanks from Oxford if you are looking to add something to our warwells. I've added some ink wash and weathering pastels which mute the newness nicely. Still need some more work, but they make a good war weary tank that's either been shipped back or getting ready to be transported to head back out...

Hey... thanks for link. Was not aware that book existed. Disused stations website has a bit of information on the station, but there are some gaps as well...

I am wondering if anyone knows any history regarding this station, and primarily operations during the WWII era. It seems to have a fairly large good area for a station this small. At least four sidings, and that's excluding the good shed siding. It look to be an interesting basis for a layout, and might give an excuse to offload military vehicles in the goods yard. Just curious about the prototype.