Tallpaul69

Thanks for the input. Have already concluded that the dog bone will have to go! Unfortunately 12ftx8ft is all I have, and yes there are a number of compromises but branch lines are not for me without running an unrealistic "tube train" density of traffic, and the same short train whizzing backwards and forwards! Currently toying with 4 track through the station reducing to two track at both ends in hidden areas to then go down to the hidden sidings under the station. I might expand the "pilot" sidings at the front for the DMUs and local passenger/parcels workings and move the up/down gradients to the hidden sidings back near the window. This would compensate for the named expresses having to be duplicated for up/down unlike on a dog bone and might ease the curve radiuses that everyone is worrying about. I am not intending to make the baseboards myself, I know my limitations in any woodwork, so someone with skills and experience should be able to cope, granted that the cost may increase. Gradients are a concern for the figure of 8, but with modern motors and 5 modern coaches I think they should work. Again I intend to contract out the track laying. My long term interest is in the operation (but not endless shunting!), not the construction. Thus I have to have something that will retain my interest long term. I know many modellers build a new layout every couple of years and if construction is their interest then fair enough! . That path is not for me! For instance I expect it to take me a couple of years to get the timetable right, starting from actual WTTs, Locomotive diagrams and Coach diagrams. I have had to do some work in this direction to design the layout. This included deciding to work separate morning and afternoon/evening timetables to reduce the number of named trains needing to be on the layout at any time. I hope this explains my thinking? Best regards Paul

A nice photo! This looks like the Slough West junction and I guess the lack of Broad Gauge on the relief lines is that by the time they were put in broad gauge was not seen as the future of the line! Cheers Paul

In view of the deafening silence following my last post I am continuing to develop Slough East. So I have made the following changes:- 1) Removed the Windsor branch platform but left in a short siding to hold the occasional tank engine or parcels van. Realigned the Railway Terrace and William Street railway bridge. 2) Shortened the platforms. Reduced the platforms beyond the footbridge. 3) This allows the joint of the bay platform to the up relief line to be moved nearer the station. 4) Included the down to up relief crossover to get terminating DMUs to the bay. 5) Added GD Peters private sidings 6) Added a loop from the up relief short of the platform start right round with some sidings to join the GD Peters sidings. This will allow realistic operation of the Iver Pilot and Gasworks Pilot with empty and full coal wagons being exchanged and making a hidden return! 7) Sketched in the access to and from the lower level sidings for the Relief lines. Those of you who told me I didn't have sufficient space will be pleased that I have yet to solve the problem of the Main line dog bone! But I am really warming to this layout!! Latest sketch below, sorry it is upside down!! Cheers Paul

Thanks for the input guys. I had already thought the Winsor branch should go. I need to explain my thinking:- Operation to me is not just shunting. In fact I'd rather run an interesting (to me!)set of compressed mainline trains and have no shunting than shunt all day in a terminal to fiddle yard that is accurate in length with accurate length short trains but would only ever ran 3 trains each way and got closed by the Beeching cuts! This is a once only build, I need something that will keep my interest going for hopefully 10 years, by which time age will be taking its toll. I have too much invested in 00 stock bought when I had neither the space, time, or skill to build a layout to change to n gauge, and my eyesight would be against this as well! Answering a few of the points:- 1) I will put the time into hours of drawing on paper or computer once I have a plan that stands a chance of giving me most of what I want operationally. That is why I have left the fiddle yard out and not drawn everything to the last millimetre. If I had drawn the fiddle yard etc. on my first plan, that would have been wasted when I accepted what you said about space on that one! 2) The intention is that the mainlines will be a dog bone with the London end returns circle above the country end ones. each return will have dead ends in the centre accessible from both directions for the short DMUs. 3) The relief lines will be a figure of 8 with the main fiddle yard under Slough. 4) I hope to work in an additional loop and yard in front of the descending/ascending relief lines to accurately work the two pilot that ran east from Slough and returned via the UP relief (see GWJ 28 and 31)and two DMUs to represent the London trains in and out of the up bay. I will have to decide between this feature and some loops on the return. In line with the comments above, you may well say that the above just won't fit, so here is a challenge:- Please suggest ideas for a WR main line 00 model based on a real location in the space I have? I would love to see shots of your completed layouts? I have looked at the operation of a lot of locations, and the only two track station that has any appeal at all is Newbury. Many thanks Paul

If you can find them, the last three editions of Great Western Journal (nos 101-103) had articles on the operation of Newbury, which you might find useful even if you don't adopt the Newbury track plan? Best of luck Regard Paul

Thanks for your input Nick. I have raised a similar thread to an earlier one, because as a newcomer to this site I concluded from the lack of response that the original thread was in the wrong section! I already had doubts about space, particularly width, so I needed some input from those of greater experience. I had hoped that turning the Windsor branch to run parallel to the main line would give sufficient space. The only other way I can see to reduce the width is to reduce the number of sidings between the mainline and the Windsor branch. However this will mean reducing the number of real life activities I can portray. I have therefore started to develop one of my other preliminary thoughts about modelling the station itself plus the carriage sidings and private sidings to the east of the station which will reduce the width. However this does mean the engine shed has to go, which is a shame, but on the positive, the carriage shed and goods shed that I am struggling to find sufficient details about, are no longer a worry! Fortunately the station is still largely the same, so I can go look at that. Also there is less change when considering running more modern trains. When I have sketched out this latest idea I will post an update to this thread. Best regards Paul

I am planning a layout that depicts in 00 the Windsor branch junction on the WR main line out of Paddington Attached are my sketches for the scenic areas and the plan of the area on which it is based. Data and design criteria:- 00 gauge in a 12ft x 8ft room, door opening outward. Set in 1961/2 but also able to operate with some compromises in more modern eras. Baseboards to be at 5ft height to avoid crawling, but for single handed operation control/observation point is just inside the door, outside the main baseboards. Train lengths : Express engine + 5 coaches except Cornish Rivera which to be 6 coaches. Freight up to 20 wagons =brake. Steam Local passenger:- 3 and 4 coaches DMU Locals:- 3 car plus a couple of 3+2 car y main interest is in operation, I intend to have the baseboards, track and electrics professionally constructed. For modern eras the loco shed area will be covered by a representation of the current car park with the loco shed and coaling stage removable. I want to be able to watch the trains go by while I shunt(or not) as the mood takes me. I have carriage diagrams, WTTs, Locomotive diagrams, so that I can when I want, to run a reasonable representation of the period timetable I have moved the triangle sides round leaving out the west side which was little used, and bent the Windsor branch round to be parallel to the main line! I would welcome experienced layout planners and builders comments and suggestions. Apologies that my sketches are reverse to the attached plans, my file manipulation skills are limited! Many thanks in advance Paul

Thanks, I havn't yet worked out what numbers I need as, until I found your thread, they were not a priority! I'll get back to you when I have looked into possible numbers a bit further! Best regards Paul

Thanks for all your hard work on this! I think it is very useful. What is involved in changing the numbers on the tarps? I need about 15! I agree that you need a range of colours, which maybe with some instructions we can do for ourselves rather than giving you a load of work! Hope you go on to do some other items after the tea chests, maybe crates of various sizes? Many thanks Paul

So folks, as promised above are two pics showing my current (rough) plan. Had to break it into two as a single shot was too small to show any detail. Also attached are two plans of the actual layout of the Slough -Windsor lines triangle! Hope these make sense? Unfortunately the Actual Plans are reverse to the Nearly Slough plans:- Thus on my plans:- London to the left, Reading to the right. Windsor also to the right Actual plans:- London to the right, Reading to the Left . Windsor downwards! Best regards Paul

Firstly, thanks to all who replied. Secondly , I did not consider Watlington, which I was aware of, because to me it is iron clad. Also, I was aware of the picture you found, but unfortunately in this the carriage shed is too far away to be able to see the details necessary to make a model. So, what do I know about the Slough pattern carriage shed:- 1) It is timber clad, and probably completely of timber construction except for glass(?) in the windows and maybe also in roof lights? 2) It is approx.350ft long, with three tracks covered by a single pitch roof with a single opening at one end, and appears not to have any doors. 3) as one track seems to stop short of the back wall relative to the other two, there may well be offices or stores in that space. 4) The basic coach sets based there were WR "Q" sets of 5 coaches, 3 in the shed and one in the siding beside the shed, but at least 4 others of these were stabled at sidings principally to the east of the station, and others at Windsor and Maidenhead. 5) I haver seen other distance shots from the 1928-30 era taken from the air,from the north with the Horlicks works in their foreground and also some from the Stoke Poges Road. Again these are too distant to make out much detail. So I need to understand:- a) how the timber cladding was attached to the frame, what length of planks were used? b) How was the roof clad? c) What form did the windows and any roof lights take? Thus closeups of similar structures will help. I hope the above strikes a cord in someone's memory? Many thanks Paul

Thanks to those who read the above and sent a "like" on it. I hope tomorrow to post a pic of one of my plans for the scenic side of the layout. First, I had better explain how I am managing to model two sides of a triangle:- My version of the mainline starts after the road overbridge to the west of the station at the middle of one short side of my railway room, and turns immediately through 90 degrees, while the Windsor branch runs off at 45 degrees then turns to run parallel to the mainline. Both lines disappear under road bridges at the far end of the long side of the railway room. Between the two lines are sidings and the carriage shed. Watch this space! Best regards Paul

Introduction So I wanted an 00 WR mainline layout, and it had to be on the 4 track section out of Paddington to run all the named expresses. It also had to be east of Maidenhead as I wanted LT buses, but west of the Heathrow express Wires so I can run different time periods. Accepted compromises:-No complete station platforms Maximum 6 coach trains So I have gone for a simplified version of the Mainline and Windsor branch sided of the Slough Triangle. I think I might manage a workable version of the small Slough shed which for modern versions is removed and the area covered by a removable car park. To be able to run a realistic sequence the fast lines will be in the form of a dog bone, with one return leg under the other.The relief lines will be a figure of 8 with fiddle yard under the scenic boards. I have noted other posts where modellers have had problems with lifting sections, so my boards will be at 5ft level so the trains are not viewed in helicopter mode and getting to the centre is a slight crouch! Think this is enough for starters, will give more info later. best regards Paul

I was seeking information about Slough Timber Carriage Shed, but unfortunately no one could help. So assuming that the GWR love of "standardization" included such structures, I am seeking pictures and plans for any such carriage shed anywhere on the GWR? Suggestions for sources of such information will help even if you do not have the information yourself. Also I would welcome advise on model construction methods for such a building. Many thanks Paul

I was seeking information about Slough Timber Carriage Shed, but unfortunately no one could help. So assuming that the GWR love of "standardization" included such structures, I am seeking pictures and plans for any such carriage shed anywhere on the GWR? Suggestions for sources of such information will help even if you do not have the information yourself. Many thanks Paul

I was seeking information about Slough Timber Carriage Shed, but unfortunately no one could help. So assuming that the GWR love of "standardization" included such structures, I am seeking pictures and plans for any such carriage shed anywhere on the GWR? Suggestions for sources of such information will help even if you do not have the information yourself. Many thanks Paul

Many thanks folks for the information:- I didn't find much to help me in the six bells site, not sure what the excursion I remember was classified as, although I am pretty certain it was BR organised. I did enjoy the pics of the High Wycombe line! Any further info will be appreciated Cheers Paul

In order to model the loading bay side of Slough Goods shed I am looking for information about what vehicles were based there around 1960. Any information appreciated, pics would be even better!! Many thanks Paul.

I am planning an 00 gauge model of the mainline and Windsor Branch sides of the Triangle Junction at Slough in the early 1960s. I have 25in OS maps, a number of books on the area, WTTS, LOco Diagrams and Carriage Diagrams. I need more information on the following buildings:- 1) The Goods Shed, particularly the two storey extension. 2) The carriage Shed 3) The permanent way Dept. buildings Any pictures, info, suggested sources for info, or stories of the time and place would be appreciated. Many thanks Paul

I vaguely remember as an 8-10 year old in the mid 50s going on an excursion by rail from Luton to Windsor. I guess the train started from Bedford with something like a black 5 on the front! I seem to remember that the trip included a boat ride on the Thames and that it was one way, we did not return to Windsor. I have no recollection of how we got home!! This seams a good excuse to run a LMR train on my WR Slough layout, but more information would be appreciated. I have also seen a picture of a Jubilee crossing the river from Windsor with a train. So any information on these or other excursions to Windsor from out of the WR starting points would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks Paul

Thanks Guys, Reference the allotments, the aerial photos suggest these were between the engineers sidings and the main line. The buildings I am interested in are to the south of these and are far too big to be allotment sheds. The idea of carpentry workshop is a possibility, but not sure what sort of work it would do for the railway? Any further thoughts or other ideas will be appreciated. Cheers Paul

Near the Permanent way sidings in the triangle junction at Slough were a number of single story buildings. I guess they housed the senior staff such as engineers and maybe stores for small components? There was no road access so staff and components would have to come via the railway? Any information or suggestions of sources for information will be welcome. Many thanks Paul

I want to make a model of Slough Carriage Shed. While basic dimensions can be worked out from large scale OS maps, I need height and construction details. I understand the construction was of wood. Any help on details or suggestions of sources of details will be very welcome.0 Many thanks Paul