TomJ

The few examples I can think of were all located on lines to Newquay! On the Par line Bugle and Luxulyan were island platforms - I think developed from single platforms as the traffic grew. At Bugle the access was by stairs from a road bridge. At Luxulyan it was a foot crossing, and the actual station building wasn’t on the platform!

On the Chacewater line, which was built by the GWR,  St Agnes had an island platform - it was originally built as a single platform but became an island when it became a passing place. As a result the canopy on the building was reversed (to road side) and the platform side blocked off. Access to the platform was by footbridge. 
Further along the line Perranporth was built as an island platform, with subway access. 

Once they’ve added platform ‘0’s then where next? When will we see the first ‘Platform -1’?

Thanks. I’ll have a play. 
Or perhaps we can set up a barter system! I’ll swap you a load of brick courses for some arches!

Is there a way of printing just segments of a page of Scalescenes without affecting the size and scaling? Being a tight Yorkshireman I’d like to save printer ink when I’ve just damaged one bit or when I need just four more brink arches!

i usually print the downloads direct from my phone or iPad but I do have a MacBook I could use as well

Thanks

Most importantly it means that on a quiet branch that’ll never see more than one train at a time I can still justify a signal box and a semaphore or two!

My old maths teacher tried to explain to us why zero wasn't a real number. I always think of that when I see a platform 0

And of course Kings Cross has a platform 9 3/4

Thanks Stationmaster and everyone else. So it confirms that what looks like a signal box on a lot of GWR termini isn't really one!

And more importantly I can justify a small 'box' and a signal or two on my layout that'll never see more than one engine at a time.

35 minutes ago, RJS1977 said:

 

Tom

 

Out of interest, would you be able to post the diagram here? As a volunteer on the C&WR, I'd be interested in seeing it.

 

Richard

I think its copyright, and its only the low resolution one. But its easily found on Google Images search of Wallingford Signal Box

Here's the link

https://www.s-r-s.org.uk/html/gwa/S174.htm

Thanks everyone. I'm looking at the Wallingford branch because its a good example of the sort of line I'm interested in recreating - short feeder with no intermediate stations. The signal box diagram clearly shows a home and a starter signal, and as it was worked one engine in steam I wondered why? If only one train can be on the branch then couldn't you achieve the same with a ground frame (covered or not) and no signals

It seems that almost every GWR branchline terminus had a signal box, yet many hardly (if ever) saw more than one loco at a time so I wondered why go to the expense? 

As someone who doesn’t always get signalling this may be a daft question - but it’s something I’ve noticed about a few Great Western Branchlines. 
 

A lot of the short ones were worked on the One Engine in Steam basis. Yet they still had a signal box and signalling at the terminus. Wallingford is one example I’ve notice, but there are many others. If the branch only had one engine then why the signalling at the terminus? What was the point and would it have been cheaper to do without?

Thanks

Has anyone also noticed that the wheels are approx 0.42mm too close to each other?

Im sure it’s the Glyncorrwyg miners train. They weren’t true autocoaches with control gear in the cab. Instead it was a window cut with a bell and a brake. All driving still being done from the engine

5 hours ago, John M Upton said:

I would love to have been a fly on the wall watching Dave when the EFE Rail announcement broke!!!

 

It gives me just a little pleasure to know that soon I can have a Class 17 and he won't see a penny of my money....

Crying into his Prime Minister’s cup whilst quarantined on the Galápagos Islands  

Far to hot to think about any heavy engineering so I’ve been working on the platforms and buildings - based on Crediton. The waiting shelters were rescued from the old layout and the station was a rebuild

The aim of this project has been to use up left overs and scraps wherever possible. So the platforms are a mix of half used Metcalfe kits and Scalescenes printing with Ratio concrete fencing for that Southern feel. I need to stick the canopy on before the passengers complain about the liquid Devon sunshine!

I normally spray my track with Railmatch Sleeper Grime prior to ballasting. However I can’t find it anywhere locally or that can post it. Any alternatives that are a good colour closeness? Needs to be an aerosol as I don’t have an airbrush  

Thanks. 

I got into N gauge in the mid 80s as a kid. We’d had an old OO layout in the loft but it wouldn’t fit in our new house.

One wet holiday in Dorset found us visiting Pecorama. In their display they showed how layouts could fit into the house and we were instantly taken with N gauge. The rest of the rainy holiday was spent with my father doodling plans and me drooling through the Farish catalogue. When home we part exchanged all the OO stuff for Farish N, including a black 5 and a compound. If I’m honest that wasn’t Farish’s best loco - rather out of scale and could barely haul itself. The Black 5 still gets a run from time to time!

later as a teenager doing my Duke of Edinburgh award I needed a ‘skill’ project so built my own tiny GWR layout (it even appeared in Railway Modellers junior modeller section!). I remember vividly the new 57xx - I was amazed they could make such a small loco work and finally I had something realistic for my layout

Many years later as an adult I was looking for a hobby and my parents found all my old N gauge stuff - and I started again in earnest. The standard and detail of the new stuff was amazing. My latest Farish purchase was a sound fitted castle. - who’d have thought even a few years ago we’d have super detailed DCC sound steam locos. So looking forward to seeing what comes next!

A strange sight today at South Tawton as two HST mk3 coaches were repeatedly pulled and pushed through the station

Turns out the engineers were conducting gauging trials on the new bridge. They’ve passed it (just) but banned any rail tours for fear of strange people sticking their heads out the window!
The bridge was actually rescued from the old layout - both sides were removed then rebuilt in a slew fashion with lots of trial and error to fit. Still need to put the arches in

Whilst they were there the team confirmed a loco + 3mk1 coaches would fit in the down platform (as per specifications) and checked the station building for clearance before platform construction

Electrics running. Next job to wire up point motors then I can start on the scenery 

I made a dummy trap point in N gauge with some code 40 easitrack rail filed down and glued in place

I also liked the bemused look of all the passengers on the platform as the loco ran round. I suspect some were worried that was their train (although is it as bad as a pacer?)

The IWA wagons are much too recent - being converted to timber used in 2013. Long after freight to Lapford had ended. For the 80s you want the OTA wagons. There was an N gauge kit from Cheivers/Slimrail, not sure if it’s still available 

17 minutes ago, dogbox321 said:

Hi, thanks.  I think I understand that pretty much.  So there used to be an island platform as well, so would that make it a 3 platform station back in its hayday?   Really surprised as with the signal box and bridges, its pretty tight on space.

 

Just two platforms. The ‘down’ platform in the Barnstaple direction was an island platform on the other side of the bridge from the up platform and station buildings. It was accessible from the bridge and had a little staff hut on it - opened when trains were due. 
After Lapford stopped being used as a passing loop this platform was unused and derelict (and eventually disappeared) - all passenger trains using the old up platform

Lots on the Newquay branch in Cornwall 

The Farish 101/108 is pretty easy to sound fit even if you didn’t get the factory fitted model. As is the Dapol 50. Just saying....

I’ve got one sound fitted loco (a Farish castle for my other layout). Ive gone from a ‘it’s a gimmick’ to ‘I want all my locos sound fitted!’

Little bit of progress today. Made a start on the track laying. Track is a mix of code 55 in the scenic areas, with code 80 in the fiddle yard (using setrack for the curves. Managed to use second radius (10.5inch) in all areas, with nothing below 12inch on view. The newish curved points really help with these minimum space layouts. Hopefully it’ll run ok.....

Sadly I totally misread the packet on the cork and brought a 3ft length, not a 3m!! So need to get a couple more roles to get the fiddle yard complete. Then my least favourite part can start - wiring. At least it’s DCC and smallish! Part of the aim was to use up leftovers and not buy too much so for such a small layout I was thinking of using wire in tube for the points. But I’ve just found a load of Peco point motors so it’ll make sense to use those. Still deciding whether to control these from switches or the DCC handset 

Here’s where I’m up to. The main loops and platform lines are laid and will easily fit a 31/33 and 3 coaches, which is about right. The layout will fit 4 coach trains in the fiddle yard

Thanks for the kind comments - buildings are my favourite part of the hobby. I’m a frustrated architect at heart!

i did wonder about whether to include a passing loop or not. I considered Lapford in its later state but I wanted to use my signal box - so by the 80s it had to be a passing place to justify the box. Then I considered modelling it in its earlier state with the down island platform beyond the bridge off scene. But I thought if I did that it might just look like I’d forgotten the platform. 
 

I reckon there’s enough North Devon layouts for at least a small show. I’m never exhibited but this one is small enough to fit easily in my car....