PortLineParker

Hi all, I think I know the answer on this one, but thought I'd double check. With the bonded stores no.2 at Bath Green Park, did the sign above the door change from (MR) to (WR) in 1958 when the Western Region assumed control or was it earlier than that? Here's a link to the sign in question if my query was a little ambiguous: Bonded Stores Sign Cheers, PLP

That's very useful information, thanks everyone! I'll have to look at John Owen's book as it's not one I have yet, thanks for the pointer. Cheers, PLP

Hi @RailWest, That's brilliant, thank you. My route is going to be set around 1957/1958 so I think I'm going to omit the Hopmead Siding as it appears to have disappeared by then, and now I know what the gantry signalled I'll be able to signal the rest of the junction! Cheers, PLP

Hi all, I feel I should apologise again but this thread is only going to get longer I'm afraid! At this link (Linked Image) there is an excerpt from the excellent S&D Atlas by Richard Harman Neil Parkhouse. In it, you can see part of the signalling diagram for Bath Junction. If you can see, there is a siding at the bottom (South) of the diagram called 'Hopmead Siding'. The accompanying note states that a ground frame was opened in April 1931 but there is no further information. On maps from 1860, 1933, 1947 and 1960 no such siding is visible however in an image in the same book from 1946 the siding appears to be in place. There is no further mention of it in the book nor anything online as far as I can see, so I was wondering if anyone has further information on it at all? Also, in the same diagram and overlayed on the siding is a signal gantry with 3 arms and an arch through which a track appears to have run. Does anyone know a) which track would have run through the arch (the Hopmead Siding perhaps?) and 2) which lines the signals relate to? I'm aware that this may not be the most coherent message so if you need me to clarify anything please let me know! Cheers, PLP

Hi Rob, It's an odd one, I can't find a specific reference to it either and I can't see any trace of it in any photographs so I'm not sure if it was ever there. Like I say, the 1960 map doesn't show it but it also doesn't show the individual lines, points or slips so I can't rely on that. I'll continue to have a dig and see if I can find anything about it. Cheers, PLP

Hi all, Sorry, me again - I've had a look through my books but I can't find a definitive answer so I'm hoping someone might know. At Bath Green Park, on the siding leading to the bonded stores no.2 there is, on the 1938 map, an additional siding heading West. This isn't present on the 1960 map but that is less detailed so that isn't to say it was removed by then. Does anyone know when the siding was lifted? I've attached an image below of the 1938 map with the siding highlighted in red for reference. Cheers, PLP

Thanks for that @RobAllen, funnily enough I received a copy of the new S&D Pictorial Atlas the other day and, while it does mention that the girder like structure was used for ash disposal, it gives no further details so this is very useful, thank you. Cheers, PLP

Thanks all for the responses so far, they've been a great help in refining details. Another one that has me stumped; does anyone know what the 'girder' spanning the tracks in front of the shed at Bath Green Park is? There are several photos of it in the late 50s/early 60s but for clarity I've linked a picture of the Taunton Model Railway Society's layout below. I have tried searching for this but I'm not really sure what it is and as a result the searches are rather vague! Bath Green Park MPD Cheers, PLP

Hi geoffers, That's very useful, thank you very much. I'd calculated a very rough figure of 36 feet minimum but this did look a little small, so the 48ft total height sounds more likely. Many thanks, PLP

Hi Keith, Thanks for your reply - I'll have a look at the footbridge and see if I can come up with a reasonable figure. One picture on Flickr is at the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/trains-travel/24813117845/in/photolist-2mrQzKT-DNDHsD-dTutpr-29vU2VZ-2oXeLj1-2oXgRhn-2oXfPSe-2oXeLEG In this view in 1965 it looks as if indicates either 55 or 65mph but the other one I've seen (I think in one of Ivo Peter's books though it may too be online) shows the sign in white and it looks as if it is 40 something. I'll see if I can find it. Cheers, PLP

Hi all, I'm about to embark on a rather ambitious project - modelling the entirety of the S&D mainline from Bath Green Park through to Bournemouth West around 1957/1958. Granted, this isn't a physical model - it is being produced for a rail simulator but I hope no one minds me posting here. I've had a look through the forums and online but so far haven't found anything, so apologies if it has been asked elsewhere. This thread will hopefully be somewhere I can ask questions that someone is able to answer! My first 2 questions are these; in several pictures of Midford looking North there appears to be a cast speedboard on the left hand side of the track, just beyond the end of the platform. The various images I have seen this in are all quite pixelated and in some it looks like 40mph and in others it looks like 60mph! Does anyone know what the limit was North of Midford? Secondly, I've been looking at the rather tall starting signal when heading South from Evercreech Junction. Does anyone know just how tall this signal was? Thanks in advance - this project is set to be rather big but I'm very much looking forward to making a start! I've previously produced the modern day Swanage Railway so I'm hopeful that I can do the S&D justice! Cheers, PLP

That's brilliant, exactly what I was looking for. Thank you, it's good to have a definitive document. Cheers, PLP

Hi all, Apologies; I know this topic has been discussed before but the latest entry I can see was from 2012 so things may have changed since then! I was wondering, can Mark 1s still run on the mainline at the end of rakes, or do they have to have either a Mark 2 or a diesel at the end due to the crash worthiness of a Mark 1? I think I read that this practice was discontinued in 2012 but I've since read somewhere else (though for the life of me I can't remember where) that Mark 1s can only run if they are 'protected' by a barrier vehicle such as the aforementioned or, if they are at the rear, that they cannot have fare carrying passengers. My knowledge of current operations is practically zero so apologies for asking a question which has no doubt been asked countless times before! Cheers, PLP

Ah okay, thanks both - I hadn't considered either the rebuilding or the luggage theories so they may well explain it! Cheers, PLP

Hi all, This is my first post so hopefully it's in the right place. Just a question I wondered if anyone knew the answer to; below is a link to an image of Swanage station in 1968 - as you can see, the near end with the small building is 'dipped'. When the preservation society took over in the '70s it appeared to have been rebuilt and nowadays is level with the rest of the platform. Does anyone know why it would have been at a lower level in the first place? https://thetransportlibrary.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=84383&search=swanage&category_id=64&page=4 Cheers, PLP