PortLineParker

Hi all, Thanks for all the responses; some very useful information up above. Yes, it is Stalbridge - my mistake. Looking on an OS map and photographs, the points don't seem to be particularly 'shallow' to allow higher speeds than normal. I'd expect a speed of around 10 or 15mph would have to be observed to avoid derailing. Cheers, PLP

Hi all, Just a quick one; picture a hypothetical section of single track with a 2 platform station along its length. The line passes through the station and a loop is located on the Down side, something like below: If a through train was approaching the station from the left and both lines were clear, would the train still pass into the left hand track to always be on the left hand side or would the through line be set? I was wondering as on the S&D Henstridge was one such station among a few and with trains such as the Pines Express passing through, would they have been given a straight run through or would they have had to slow to negotiate the points at either end of the loop? It sounds silly now I've typed it out but I've been thinking about it for a while and I wonder if anyone knew of any concrete practice or first hand knowledge? Cheers, PLP

Thanks both; @H2O I knew I'd seen a table somewhere so that's probably it, thank you. I'll take a look tomorrow. @melmerby thank you too for that, I've reached a rough conclusion of 40ft which I think is what I'll end up going with. I have a 30ft model currently in game and while it looks good it's definitely too small so I reckon a 40ft would fit the bill. Cheers, PLP

70mph on the S&D, though I think from 1960 (maybe 1962?) the 9Fs were limited to 60mph due to hammer blow. Interestingly the 1955 timetable works out as an average of only 25mph on services. Cheers, PLP

Very interesting, I hadn't come across any mention of that yet though in fairness I haven't reached Wincanton yet. Do you know what year that photo is from? Cheers, PLP

Thanks everyone, it's a tricky one as few photographs seem to exist of the speed boards. I know there were a couple near Winsor Hill and another at Midford, plus one at Bath Junction. I've put 40mph restrictions in at Midford viaduct and Winsor Hill and then Evercreech Junction to Midford as 60mph, then north of Midford to Bath Junction as 55mph. I imagine the rest of the mainline south, especially from Templecombe will be 70mph with the occasional restriction. Thanks for your input all! Cheers, PLP

Hi all, I know we've had threads on this before, but as they are quite old I wondered if anyone had come across any up to date information. Based on photographic evidence, I know the line north of Midford was 55mph and that Bath Junction itself was 20mph. I also know that in the mid-late 1950s the maximum line speed was 70mph, but I also have a suspicion that in places it was 60mph or less. From the 1955 timetable I have, it would suggest a speed limit of 60mph or so from Midford to perhaps Evercreech Junction and then I'm not sure after that, perhaps 70mph down to Broadstone with restrictions along the way? I think Winsor Hill tunnels had a 40mph speed limit in the 1960s, though I don't know if this was also present in the 1950s though I am assuming it was. Does anyone have more up to date information of what the speed limits were and, crucially, a rough idea as to where they were in operation along the line? Cheers, PLP

Hi @BMacdermott, That is absolutely fantastic, thank you very much. That also confirms my theory that the drawings I have are of an earlier build as the office annexe on the left is only single storey in the drawings I have - it looks as if the extension used square windows as opposed to the original arched ones seen on the ground floor. Cheers, PLP

Hi all, Does anyone have a handy chart/table showing the maximum loads for locos over the S&D? In one of my books (one of Ivo Peter's I think) it gives a load for a 7F and later the 9Fs, but what about the BR 4MT 2-6-0 and 4-6-0s, the BR 5MTs etc.? Cheers, PLP

Hi all, I recently posted this as a response to a message in another thread, but I thought there might be more of an audience if I posted it here as a new thread, especially as it isn't technically S&D specific. There are many pictures available of Bath Green Park, including the station, sheds and sidings. However there seem to be precious few of the goods shed in the Midland yard South of the station site. There are some online, but they are aerial images from 1946 so rather far away for any detail to be gleaned. I do have one original drawing from the Bath Archives but it isn't dated nor does it contain measurements and I have a feeling that there were changes made after it was produced as in the photos it looks as if the office annexe is two storeyed whereas the drawing shows one. Does anyone have any drawings, plans or photos of the goods shed that would show it in more detail please? Cheers, PLP

That's a good suggestion, thank you. I didn't even think of local museums so I'll contact them and see what they say. Incidentally, on a completely unrelated topic - not even S&D technically but I think it can probably fall under the scope - does anyone know of any plans of the Midland goods shed opposite the engine sheds? From maps it looks to be a rather big structure and from models and the (few) photos I have it looks as if half was stone and the other was corrugated metal, but the images are from 1946 and taken from the air at distance so it's difficult to tell! Bath Archives did come back to me with a single plan from BR(W) but it only includes half the structure and I have a feeling modifications were made after the plan date. It doesn't include the metal half nor any measurements and isn't dated either so it's not a massive help unfortunately. I've seen some modelling groups have managed to recreate it and I have reached out, but does anyone know of any information online about it? For such a large structure that would presumably be associated with the S&D, it's very rarely discussed. Cheers, PLP

I imagine it will be on the route that is generated, though whether it makes the final cut or not I don't know as it doesn't have any relevance in the time period I'm modelling! Cheers, PLP

Somewhat yes, it's a virtual model for a simulator so I'll be doing the whole route from Bath down to Bournemouth West. Cheaper than physical modelling and it doesn't take up nearly as much room! Thanks for the suggestions since everyone, I use NLS but sometimes their track plans are quite high level so you don't see individual sidings/points etc. @Jeremy Cumberland yours sounds like a good approach so I'll give that a go. Cheers, PLP

I don't think so, but thank you anyway. As the line passes a little way North and then West of the colliery, although I will include it you won't really be able to see it from the railway so it may just be a rough representation of the colliery buildings. That being said, once I look at the map I will be building it on I'll be able to see how much or little I will need to include so it may end up being included in full! Cheers, PLP

The Atlas does have the trackplans in, but dating from the 1930s so I wondered if there were many changes made. That might be a good starting point though as I can add or remove sections easily so I may give that a go. Cheers, PLP