Chris Dark

Hi Mike, The down loop siding you estimated could hold 10-12 wagons. Would this include the loco or just the wagons on there own? I am putting together my Templot layout so am trying to get things there or there abouts in terms of scale to each other. I give myself 10cm per wagon as a guide, so at the moment I have a loop length of around 1m. Although the down refuge was a lot longer I can only manager 1.3m but is long enough to hold a decent length train. Thanks

Hi 40f thanks for that information much appreciated. Thanks Ian for your reply I will certainly attend on Tuesday. I look forward to it

Hi, I was wondering if anyone can advise. I've sent an enquiry form off the website as I would like to go along but have not received a response. It doesn't say where the club is held so if anyone from the club or familiar with it can advise it would be much appreciated. Thanks

Thanks Mike, Are you able to link me to the images you have found of the loop please. It seems there is plenty of operating interest for Savernake along with the variety in trains. Hopefully I get get into temblor and start producing templates for the build

Hi Mike, Thanks once again for your time in explaining this to me. In a nutshell from what I am understanding is the two UP workings did the majority (if not all) of the goods traffic. Whether it was picking up or setting down as it made logical sense with the locations of the sidings etc. If any shunting was taking place on the UP side, depending on the timetable, would the shunting loco/train move to the down line or even the loop to vacate the UP line or is this me over complicating the station and it's requirements? In terms of the Down trains, in regards of operational interest my two prototypical movements are either a straight through non stop, or set back into the Down sidings, pick up shunted goods in the loop, set back onto it's train and off it goes again? Sorry if I am slow picking this up, I find it really interesting how things were worked and the reasons behind everything (There is always a reason) Regarding the DOWN loop. Do you have any links to the images or publications. I have found a few images of the area but none that really show the loop. I had seen the map images and following on from these discussions think I will shorten my loop (which from memory is around 1400mm in length) and include as much as the Down siding as possible. Thanks again

On a website which name escapes me currently it mentiones trains from the east terminating and heading back, sometimes backing into the down loop or refuge (I presume) before carrying out its manoeuvre. Another interesting aspect of this station........

Hi mike, thanks for your informative post. Quite a lot of information to take in but all very helpful. A question I have is you don't make too much reference to the yard sidings for picking up and dropping off, this seems to be done in the loop on the down side. Have I got this correct or have I missed something? From what I gather even up trains picking up reverse into the down loop to pick up? The term 'set down' is that the correct term for dropping off that I gave been using? As usual with layouts in 00 space is a premium. If I amended the signalling slightly from the real thing, could I use my up station to leave the train whilst I picked up from the down loop? Just thinking it might add a bit more visual interest? I will respond with a few posts to other comments or I will confuse myself even more .........

Maybe more worryingly...... What's a form 1? I presume some kind of disciplinary?

Thanks David and all for the comments, much appreciated. I guess a point I didn't think of was that most shunting would taken place at the larger stations. Something I am aware of just didn't think about. Savernake has a rural location which I want from a modelling side and a mix of trains for operational interests. I was thinking of the extra siding just to give a bit more to look at and play with although as you rightly point out its facing which is why I didn't draw it in properly. The idea of including the refuge siding on the down side I do like, although mainly off scene it will help with operational interests. Although I will treat this as a model railway rather than an exact replica of a place or time I do love to understand how an area was worked so that I can be as prototypical as I can be within the constraints. I have read about trains that terminated at Savernake, does anyone have knowledge of that? Also where was the gradient at Savernake? Would it appear in the area I am looking at? Thanks again for all your comments

Hi, I have recently purchased my first property and naturally the 1st thing to do is get the ideas of a model railway floating about. I have a 16 x 8ft garage in which to play with and i like the idea of modeling Savernake Low Level, maybe with a few tweeks here and there... I was hoping to get a dumbed down answer as to how shunting would take place for daily freights. train movements is something i am not too familiar with but instead of adding in more sidings and headshunts i would first like to understand how the real workings would of taken place (or as much as i can baring in mind i am only modeling the East side of the station... I have attached my SCARM sketch which i always play with before building the final plan in Templot. This should give an idea of the layout. also is a link to the s-r-s East box. Thanks http://www.s-r-s.org.uk/html/gwb/S374.htm

Thanks for all the responses guys, most helpful as always. Excuse my naivety but In regards to the siding on the down main, east end (with the trailing point that crosses over to a trailing point on the up main) does the gradient start after here? as to me this seems the logical place to shunt trains, rather than a branch line, regardless of the signalling thanks

Hi All, I enjoy reading and researching many parts of the railway system, majority steam era. Unfortunately, I have never worked on the railways and do struggle to understand some of the movements that are explained. I have come across a fantastic website which covers the two railway stations in Burbage, Wiltshire. There is explanations of train movements which i was hoping someone could break down and explain to me if possible. the first bit is: Savernake Low Level has a weekday service on the main line of 10 up and 11 down trains, including two down trains which terminate there to form up trains. Included also are the 6 p.m. Paddington to Weymouth, and the 4.5 p.m. up express from Weymouth, both of which call at Savernake and carry restaurant cars. Can someone explain the movement required for this termination to take place? The second part is: Connections to and from the West of England via Westbury are poor, but one up express, now the 4.45 p.m. from Taunton, calls at Savernake on Sunday evenings and picks up an average of about 250 passengers there ; some of these come off a slow train from Trowbridge which shunts for the express to pass. I presume this is shunted into the siding on the down side and held utill given the board to proceed? Any help on this would be appreciated. I have linked a plan from SRS to help. http://www.s-r-s.org.uk/html/gwb/S374.htm http://www.s-r-s.org.uk/html/gwb/S375.htm Thanks

Thanks for the answers, as usual nothing is as straight forward as it would first seem

Hi all, Doing a bit of research into detailing my GWR locos, I am wanting to add steam heat and vacuum bags. I have noticed though doing research that many classes of loco were different in regards to positioning and allocation. Pictures like this http://railphotoprints.uk/p176522356/h1cec52a8#h1cec52a8 which show no bags on the front add to the confusion. Can anybody give me info (GWR Hall, 30xx and king classes in particular) as to which locos had steam and vac bags on the front and back, just vac on the front and both on the back, or just vac etc. Any pictures would be great. Thanks

Hi John Fantastic layout. really interesting to follow the progress of. In your post 230 you show the Markits steam heat pipes. Can you explain how you fitted these? did you drill a hole through the buffer beam or connect the pipe under the beam? Thanks Chris

Thanks for the response all. Thanks for the picture as well, will become very useful.

Hi All, I noticed this weekend that the regulator from my loco was missing, just a hole where it was fitted. Is it possible to order a new one from Bachmann or is this something they wouldn't stock? Scrapping that I would have to make one myself. Thanks

Thanks for the all info. Fascinating hearing all the different workings. Howver much you thought you new there is always more

In the book I have "The Great Western Railway in West Cornwall by Alan Bennett) there is a picture of 4549 and 4570 heading back to the branch after bringing a summer train offf the St Ives branch. The note next to the picture says stock has been left in the up and down sidings ready for the summer workings the next day. My question is how was this worked? was the stock taken empty down to Penzance to make up trains or were these coaches added at St Erth onto the back of an Up train. Thanks Chris

Thanks for the replies. Am i right in thinking the tunnel was level? according to my copy of "Mile by Mile on British Railways" the track is on a steep incline from Aller junction until it reaches the first bridge exiting the tunnel on the downside. Howvever this image http://a.atomic-systems.com/showPic.php/21590/Map2.jpg says different

Just found this location which has certainly caught my attention. Once the quarry was no longer in use, what were the sidings used for on the down side? Apart from stabling assiting engines. I saw a pic http://www.davidheyscollection.com/userimages/00-0-a-WR10-321-J-Head-c.jpg where a goods train is located in the sidings. but apart from pinning brakes down (although I can't see the loco at the head of the train) is it simply stock being stored? If shunting was done what would be the reason for this on such an awkward location? Finally, on the up side if a train had to pin its breaks would they enter the tunnel then reverse into the up refuge siding? similarly if any shunting was required on the down side would they use the mainline as a signalled headshunt? For both instances I understand the tunnel is on the flat? Chris

I have just come accross this thread. Fantastic modelling.

Do you know when the loop was installed Mike? I did notice that on the srs diagram they show it, but a 1932 map and aerial images from 1947 both don't show a loop. I cant access the SRS website currently but don't remember seeing a date next to the diagram.

Would much shunting of taken place? Is doesn't seem the optimal location for trains to be made up.