[Graham Plowman]

Hi Kristopher,

Thanks for the background narrative. This is always a good idea to have when a layout is started because it explains the whole purpose and justification for the layout being built if it was in real life, so absolutely on track there - your story is good.

Many real railways evolved in some way over time with connections being added or removed or layout adjustments being necessary due to increased traffic or new operational requirements and this often necessitated changes to track layouts - as your narrative describes.
In reality, the overseeing design engineer would be presented with surveys of a location and details of new operational requirements (among other information) and their task would be to design a layout within the confines of the available space that met the operational requirements.

At the risk of overstaying my welcome on this topic, such changes would all be subject to regulations, so for example, if the original layout was a single track and a platform through a cutting and the requirement was to put another track through the cutting and have an island platform, the island platform width was still subject to requirements, so if the width of the cutting was insufficient to permit two tracks and an island platform with a minimum width of 12 feet, the platform would not be allowed to be built or it would be single-side only with a fence on one side.

Unfortunately, a narrative wasn't able to override design regulations!

 

[kristopher1805]

Part 2.

I set off to see whether this area was subject to the rules, now there are rules regarding platform width which was 6 foot, this has since been extended to 2 metres and then more recently to 2.5 metres.
All well and good, so I then went to my library and the photos therein.
Generally there are two sorts of narrow gauge railways
1. Lines built for passengers and tourists such as the Lynton and Barnstaple and
2. Lines that were more industrial in character.
In these cases there are some variations and it seems that the Irish lines built to a wider gauge tend to be closer to main line standards but the 1'11.5" type railways come out rather differently, some had reasonable platforms and some such as the extensive Welsh Highland had no platforms at all, the track embedded often in mud and folk wandering about randomly, often too there might be a 'platform' or passenger gathering area but the planting of sundry structures for a variety of purposes completely obliterates any safe area alongside the track. Now as you went back along the line the track was back to normal ballasted condition although the mud based passenger zones a clearly easy trip zones

In fact in one case the WHR having lost a court case against the GWQR was left being obliged to pay the GWR for using a crossing of the GWR so the WHR built a cheap and cheerful and probably quite dangerous passenger drop off and collection point on the other side of the level crossing hence reducing the use and payments to the GWR this being at Beddgelert Siding in 1928 this was then equipped with a bench and a sort of high platform to transfer goods from vans.

Given what I have researched then I have to assume that the Board of Trade or whoever was involved had quite lax rules on platforms, elsewhere lineside halts seem to have been built on the cheap going back 100 plus years and although we now have lists of 'elf and safety' regulations, so I am happy with what I have built and feel that in the day it would have been acceptable.

So there you have it - and there it will stay.

Anyway thanks Graham for a thought provoking suggestion and you are always most welcome to comment, if you do come across some vintage regulations then you are very welcome to advise me of them
A poor photo below (dirty lens)

http://imgur.com/twPOX33

 

[kristopher1805]

The scale width of the platform above is 6 foot 3 inches by the way.

 

[Graham Plowman]

The scale width of the platform above is 6 foot 3 inches by the way.

So to make that legal, you would need to put a fence along the back of the platform ie against the loco in the above pic.

This in turn, highlights a further issue about access and egress to the island platform. The platform isn't wide enough for a footbridge or underpass, so the only way passengers can reach it is by walking across the track - which also needs to be part of the design engineer's remit, because it is a safety issue requiring a crossing. The track layout also separates the platform from the station building which adds to the complication.

Have a look at our gallery of Welsh Narrow Gauge: Gallery Places of Interest - Model Railways On-Line
Select the 'Narrow Gauge' folder.
There's plenty of pictures which might give you ideas, but I think the main takeaway from all of them is that in most cases, designs tried to avoid any need for passengers to cross a line where at all possible.

Portmadoc has multiple loops, but only the one against the station building actually serves passengers. The rest of the line tended to be just track in the dirt - but it originated for industrial purposes, not passengers.
The Talyllyn was all on one side anyway - IIRC many rolling stock items were only built with doors on one side.
The L&B was a bit of an exception because, apart from being built for passengers, many of their stations were twin platforms, but you will notice crossings as the official way to cross the line.
Devil's Bridge had multiple sidings but only one was for passenger access.

I think your layout is somewhat more complicated (Pilton Yard being the exception) than what existed in reality, but I guess that's the fun of it!

 

[kristopher1805]

I cannot very well put a fence along the back as that side is for passenger transfers and yes I am aware of shortcomings from a 'nice' design but in fact as you suggest that gives it some charm, to widen the platform means taking out a line or loop and that reduces capacity.

However I think you caught the essence of the matter - the fun of it, the workings that are possible, my father worked out timetables for his layout and that might be interesting to see what would be achieved although I have always felt this goes back to Punch magazine about 1854.

Intending passenger on the North Staffordshire;-
Passenger to boy - "boy what time does the train come"
boy leans on broom
boy - "ah now then, sometimes one time, sometimes another"

Anyway I do need more loops on the back line but where do I put them?

Photo of the day
Exe hauls a fish and oyster train to Minehead for onward traffic to London, it will later run back to Porlock Weir for any further load, normally worked by a Baldwin 10-12-D

http://imgur.com/URVu91T

 

[kristopher1805]

OK so I have been toying with the idea that I need a Luccombe siding so the iron ore trains can come and go and that could be here, you can just see the top of the halt which will go in with a small platform after which there is space for the iron train sidings just a though but I also wonder if I am over doing it and am starting to squeeze too much onto a small layout.

http://imgur.com/TEgEtuM

 

[dwb]

Would the siding come down into the lower right corner of the photo?
It might just work.

David

 

[kristopher1805]

Hi David, not sure really was going to have the platform shelter with a platform I rather thought a dead end siding alongside the main return loop as I would be able to reach the point quite easily, none of them are electrified so far.

In the meantime whilst I think about that I have started some ballasting, I am a complete novice about this and bought a Golden Valley spreader but this has no trap door and you have to make it up, although the instructions try to be good the problem is that the item is clear plastic and a black and white photo of clear plastic is pretty useless. The website promises a video but that is not there so am a bit annoyed.

So after watching a video I used a brush and I am happier with this, anyway I have yet to fix the ballast I have laid to ensure that it works and that I'll get around to fix it next, here is a shot of my mediocre efforts.

http://imgur.com/OVpTc5c

and part of the main station

http://imgur.com/rs37gIC

 

[kristopher1805]

Hi a quick update on the ballast spreader having sent an email they sent a reply with the attachment of the video, too bad I worked it out and used it, I think I have a way to shut it off as well anyway for those interested - yer tiz.

https://www.goldenvalleyhobbies.com/quick-ballaster

and photo of the day is here a look across Porlock Town station

http://imgur.com/1WQqJvD

 

[kristopher1805]

The village has been completed in that the houses and facilities are complete so I have a pub (Royal Oak) a post office, village market cross, school, church, shop, blacksmith, so it is a viable village.

http://imgur.com/tttXFfG

A bit more ballasting been done which some of it is heading up to the Hawkcombe station on the left, points need some consideration

http://imgur.com/BZjMULd

 

[kristopher1805]

Just taken delivery of a track cleaning wagon for the OO9 layout, the Double Fairlee pulled it fine around the loop, it is an N gauge wagon and does look small compared to the loading gauge of OO9 one assumes this is the difference from OO to HO scaled down. It is a bogie wagon and has a pad under the wagon body, other than that it seems fine.
Picture to follow
Gaugemaster GM2420102 Bogie track cleaning wagon in BR Railfreight bauxite

 

[kristopher1805]

Ok here is the track cleaner alongside the normal coach

http://imgur.com/lt3zw9F

The length of the track cleaner is exactly 8cm and pretty much the same as a Bachmann bogie wagon

http://imgur.com/lt3zw9F

 

[kristopher1805]

Whoops try posting this again

http://imgur.com/JODidKo

 

[kristopher1805]

I have indulged in a bit of surgery and I think that the Heljan Manning Wardle 2-6-2tanks can now negotiate a sharper radius curve, there is another thing I wish to try and I think I will have cracked it with both together, looks like it can now manage about 10 inch curves instead of 12 inches so now the 300mm curve is quite comfortable - it says they need 12 inches which is 305mm as was even that difference they were sensitive to. ergo 5mm!

 

[kristopher1805]

Harking back to thread 244 from Graham, just wonder if you have seen the platforms in west Ukraine, east Poland crowded with refugees - they make mine look palatial and roomy, those for a busy main line must be narrower than my Porlock station central narrow platform.

 

[kristopher1805]

OK all has been quiet for a while but I got around to finishing the 3D printed Jones Nuremburg style station for Porlock and here it is

http://imgur.com/JuMlJVk

I might make up a Chelfham one now which is much smaller

 

[kristopher1805]

Well that's not it! -0 so try again

http://imgur.com/NUgR1LX

 

[kristopher1805]

and the back of it

http://imgur.com/oku1nwV

 

[kristopher1805]

I've been adding in walkways such as this one

http://imgur.com/r1zgICT

 

[kristopher1805]

OK team have been doing a bit of work lately on the OO9 and here is a shot showing the roof on the Loco shed, not great but it'll do I was going to have some internal items and a see through roof but perhaps I'll have a go at that later on

http://imgur.com/keFWroz

I managed to add a wood yard siding but this has meant a bit more curvature on the line to the right and I have found the limitation of the plastic insul fish plate joiners so although it was no easy job to make it fit unfortunately subject to derailments of peco coaches in particular , I dunno may need a major re-think.

At the top of the main line there is a curve coming off the point and this is an R3 N scale Peco code 80 where I cut it out from the N track and pushed the rails into the narrow gauge track instead, that worked well at least (just a short section before the point, this might work for the double curve in the foreground?

I have added some gorse around the line as this is very common on upland Devon

http://imgur.com/0v2lL4D