Forums

Did a wee mock up last night to see how things would fit. Ignore the mess! I was thinking a triangulat corner piece could be used to have a line leading off toward the pier. Alternatively could have the pier line be goung forward into the wedge. Either way plenty of space for sidings. Could have a run around off Platform 3 with a headshunt off the lower double slip also.  

The layout of the station throat is what defines Minories - take away the crossovers and it is no longer Minories! Minories is based on high frequency suburban traffic and one key feature of the trackplan is that trains can arrive into and depart from all platforms, without shunting. A typical long-distance terminus in the steam age wasn’t operated like this. Often there were separate arrival and departure platforms and the stock would be shunted from one to the other, allowing the loco to be released. Places like Heuston and Limerick operated like this into the 1990s.

The loco spur was a critical part of the orignal Minories (Min-ories) design as the "City" terminus of an intensively worked inner suburban service. A loco from the spur would couple on to the rear of a train following arrival to work the next departure, while the 'train engine" would follow the departing train to take its place in the spur (servicing & watering) before working the next departure, so potentially a lot of loco movement/shunting rather than carriage/non-passenger stock movement, not dis-similar to Heuston 70s-2000s(without the carriage wash movements) Not sure if this type of intensive suburban operation existed in Ireland during the steam era possibly BCDR to Hollywood, Bangor or Comber, DSER/GSR Amiens St/Westland Row-Kingstown short distance workings. I helped operate the late Jim Beale's (MRSI & Marks Models) OO Minories style 70s-90s era BR layout at the Bangor Exhibition 25-30 years ago, we were kept busy keeping things moving using 1st & 2nd Generation DMUs. To add variety the layout included a parcels dock and Class 31 hauled (4 bogie vans (BR PLV?) which required a run-round and shunting movement, tried once during the exhibition before reverting to exclusively DMU operation for the remainder of the exhibition as it brought all other movements to a halt. I guess in a MGWR context a J26 or even a G2 could act as station pilot drawing out the coaches to release the train loco after arrival and making up the departing train including adding vans and non-passenger stock while the train loco is turned and serviced before its next departure. I found from operating my garden railway that there are advantages in operating a leisurly service with 1-2 return services during an operating session.  With Sligo there is the added variety of incorporating SLNCR & WLWR workings and incorporating Clifden workings into a layout based on Galway with arriving and departing trains apparrently required to run-round on the Lough Atila Viaduct, Board of Trade banned Clifden trains propelling in and out of the station before opening.    

I think you could shorten a Minories plan by making the approach tracks both two way working into the fiddle yard, saying that the necessary crossovers are just round the corner off the scene.  Then I started thinking about a slimmed down version of Sligo. You could have goods trains coming and going on a siding or two at the front, before they go on “down to the docks”, but save on the space needed for a full size goods yard?  Then again Westland Row/ Pearse south end has all the makings of a good Minories layout.

I do like the look of the scenery in that short video. Something I ought to try and copy. (Not with the young trees growing up thro the track, mind.)