4mm Llanfair ....
- Thread starter LarryG
- Start date
James Spooner
Western Thunderer
Well yes, except the railways builder obviously had access to a source of bricks, given the brickwork on the station building and the goods shed, so you could put an argument together for either building material…
Nigel
PS Just seen Simon’s post and Dave’s response. The railways builder could just be bringing materials up the line as he built it.
PhilH
Western Thunderer
Whoever these folks (or should it be folk ?) were
, I think they've got it right. Its unlikely they would build a double track overbridge just to extend the headshunt a few yards or for possible future doubling of a rural branch line to a terminus.With regard to whether it should be brick or stone - the buildings were based on Llanfyllin which were all brick (the station building and goods shed still exist today), the platform wall was stone, so either stone or brick for the overbridge is perfectly reasonable.
Some of the older buildings in the area the layout represents (Shropshire/Welsh Border) were stone, sometimes rendered, while later brick was used extensively, presumably reflecting the better availability of brick with the building of the railways in the area.
Stephen Freeman
Western Thunderer
You would be surprised at just how many single line branches had the civil engineering for double track, even when never installed
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
My favourite was the Newport Pagnell branch. When the M1 was built across it, the bridge was wide enough to take double track. The branch closed soon after, is now a foot/cycle path and still has the bridge under the motorway.
(Corrected orientations of civil engineering.)
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LarryG
Western Thunderer
My supposed branch diverges from the Cambrian mainline where buildings were brick (as far as Abermule). Stone onwards from Newtown. Stone appears to be the favoured material for bridges, some having brick parapets. To be honest, the stone bridge is winning my own vote at the moment because it looks better both visually and through the camera lens. There could have been a loco shed on the other side of the bridge in years gone by.
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Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
In my view the double track stone bridge looks better as at the lower photographic angles you can see more of what lies beyond which gives a greater impression of space and distance.
The single track bridge acts like a mousehole and appears to create an air of claustrophobia thereby confining the station area too much.
The single track bridge acts like a mousehole and appears to create an air of claustrophobia thereby confining the station area too much.
LarryG
Western Thunderer
Thanks for everyone's input. The 'mousehole' effect, as Yorkshire Dave neatly put it, summed things up nicely. So it's settled........ The track with the water tank was also the engine shed road at one time (as at Llanfyllin), so that's the reason for a double track bridge.
Captain Kernow
Western Thunderer
Perhaps it was deemed cheaper to provide a double track bridge from the outset, rather than having to re-build an existing single track bridge to accommodate double track and still keep trains running past the site of work?
In 1874 the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway invited tenders for the Hoddlesden branch between Bolton and Blackburn. This is an area of upland with a mixture of brick and stone building ( the Shaw's Glazed Brick Co was on the branch). I have attached an extract from the successful tender which gives a good indication of what a railway would be expected to pay. The Bank of England inflation calculator suggests around a 95-fold increase to today's prices.
Phil O
Western Thunderer
The over bridges on the Launceston branch were built double track as far as Shaugh Prior Platform, I've not walked the line beyond the entrance to Shaugh tunnel. The route that far appears to have enough land to add a 2nd track.
Nick Rogers
Western Thunderer
I think pretty much all of them were from Plymouth to Tavistock. I have been researching that line for about 14 years with a view to building Horrabridge (very so burn but hopefully next year it will take off!).
Looking at some of the bridges north of Tavistock, I think a few of them were double track.
Best wishes,
Ian@StEnochs
Western Thunderer
When the Waverly line was reinstated the bridges were built for a single track of railway but A class roads. Political priorities?
LarryG
Western Thunderer
HAPPY NEW YEAR. As mentioned before, the bridge also spanned the lead to the engine shed, which closed before the war. The shed track was removed as far as the bridge ~ hence the buffer stops. Moving the bridge back has exposed the Peco Code 100 curve, but its heavy rail fastenings help disguise the flat-bottom effect.....
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