Riccarton Junction

1 minute ago, ikcdab said:

Steam engines run equally well in either direction. Tank engines are specifically designed for this.

Thanks, Ian.

1 minute ago, ikcdab said:

Exactly so. You will see the UK version in the photos and diagrams on the disused stations Sidmouth site that you quoted. This arrangement was very common indeed on UK terminal stations. 

Ian

Not having much of a clue (yet) how Steam Locos work, I assume that if the headshunt results in the engine being at the front, but still facing into the platform, it can still move forward ok i.e. the engine doesn't need to be pointing the direction it's going (as in the Sidmouth pic)

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/sidmouth/sidmouth(tarr8.1963)old3.jpg

9 minutes ago, ikcdab said:

Just bear in mind that they are referring to the bay platform. The main had the usual run round loop. I suggest that such gravity shunting was very rare indeed in the 1960s, esp on passenger stock. 

Would this diagrammatic example of a "Terminal headshunt" from wiki be the kind of thing you mean by run-round loop?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headshunt#:~:text=A run round loop (or,"running round a train".

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated. 

As an aside, was just browsing the brilliant Disused Stations website and came across Sidmouth:

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/sidmouth/index.shtml

...and there is a description of how locos switched ends without a run-round 

Quote

A passenger train awaits departure from the short  platform line at Sidmouth station in August 1963. This line has no run-round  facility. After passengers have left an arriving train it has to be pushed back  out of the platform to allow the locomotive to uncouple and run onto the shed  line. The coaches then roll back into the platform by gravity allowing the  locomotive to be attached to the front of the train ready for departure.

Perfect!

Apologies if this is in the wrong place - there are a lot of sub-forums around here and it may take me a while to get my bearings 

Just wondering about how locomotives (steam) turned round at stations (especially at small stations where there wasn't huge shunting yards). For examples:

1. Loco and carriages pull into buffers at a small branch line station. How does the engine get to the front again for the return journey?

2. Loco comes into a smallish goods yard. How does the engine get to the front again to take freshly loaded goods away?

Guessing some form of shunting is involved. I'm new to modelling and also new to how steam locomotives operated, so apologies in advance for what may seem like obvious questions. Only way to learn is to ask!