[Thunder]

Help !!! I have been planting some telegraph poles on my OO gauge layout , so far i have erected about 10 of them. now i think they look to close togetether, i placed them at just over a coach length apart. was there a correct distance between these poles, if so, does any one know what it would have been, my layout is loosly base on the LMS. I have susspended any further planting untill i satisfy myself that they are not to close together.

 

[Doug]

Telegraph poles are spaced at 60 yards.... I think. That scales down to about 72cm in 1:76.2 OO (is that right?)

I think that when it comes to scaling this sort of thing you may have to do it by eye.

As they are quite high (if kept to scale) and as the lines are virtually invisible at this scale (why many people leave them out), the spacing would depend on the angle you observe them and the detail of the layout.

Most layouts are condensed reality anyway and it would be understandable if your poles were closer that what they would be if kept to scale.

 

[Gwent rail]

I believe Doug is correct on the scale length of 72cm, but I think they look better on a model spaced at around 50 to 60. So if I were you, I'd check out 50 to 70 on your layout and see what looks good.
They say "what looks right is right" so experiment. Good luck !!

 

[Derek H]

This months British Railway Modelling magazine has a four page article regarding telegraph poles and is well worth a read

 

[Thunder]

Thanks guys, i think i have put them too close to each other, i will spread them to about 2 coach lengths, (think thats about 120 feet) and see how they look then

 

[Thunder]

You can see how close i got the telegraph poles in the photo on the topic Bridge surface, in Track Layout & Scenery.

 

[John Webb]

Peter Kay's reprint of LNER writings on 'Railway Signalling and Communications', published in 199something, ISBN 1 899890 24 6, gives the following information which may help with modelling:
On straight stretches spaced on average 65 yards apart. (=260mm or 10.4 inches in 4mm scale)
Place on the inside of curves wherever possible.
Space between post is reduced to 50-60 yards on curves - the sharper the radius the less the spacing.
Lowest wire height when crossing:
The railway lines - at least 17 ft above track
Occupation crossings - 16ft above road
Main roads - 20ft minimum

Hope this helps.
Regards,
John Webb

 

[John Webb]

Sorry folks! I forgot to multiply yards by 3 to get feet! Should be 780mm (30in) apart, not 260mm as in my previous post. (65yards X 3 = 195 ft X 4 = 780mm) My guess is that without the wires this will look too far apart. Perhaps try 15-18inches (375-450mm)?

Thunder - I'm not certain they would have taken telegraph wires across a bridge like yours on poles because of access difficulties for repairs and maintenance. I think they would have dropped the wires down to a terminating box (wood construction) on the pole and taken a cable from this across the bridge mounted on brackets fixed to the girder. At the other side they would have reversed the arrangement to go back to wires on poles. But I'm quite prepared to be corrected on this!

Regards,
John Webb

 

[Thunder]

Yes John i was wondering about that pole on the bridge myself, makes a good talking point, think your idea of terminal boxes on the last poles either side of the bridge sound good, one pole out, two boxes in.
Many thanks.

 

[double00]

On my layout of 7'x3' I have placed a plastic telegraph pole at every join of R601s straights and R607s curves. I agree this may not be a hundred percent accurate to prototype railways, on the layout not to far out.

 

[John Webb]

Derek's post #4 above refers to the BRM article in the November issue. I've now seen this and it seems Mick Nicholson has seen the same LNER sources as Peter Kay's book I mentioned in #7. Mick also suggests spacing poles around 18inches or two coach lengths apart, bearing in mind most models are compressed in length.

The article also shows the sort of termination I was talking about between overhead wires and cables - Mick points out these were also used at level crossings, particularly where trams or trolley buses with overhead power cables crossed the line. He also points out that on main road level crossings where an underground cable was not used there would be a pole close to each side of the road with the wires pulled fairly taut to keep them clear of road vehicles.
Regards,
John Webb

 

[serridger11]

I think its about 60 feet, Im not sure even though I collect real telegraph insulators.

Richard