Minimally interesting track layouts

[Galteemore]

5 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Galteemore, I had a look in my "stuff" but was unable to find signalling information.

However, being the CDR, I doubt that whatever was there was likely to be "standard"!

Thanks JB. Was particularly interested in how they managed single line permissions in that scenario - eg ETS/ tablet etc 

[NIR]

7 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

There were several stations in rural areas where crossing was done with a siding only - even with passenger trains, as in Inver, Co Donegal, where up trains served the platform then reversed back into a siding to allow a down train to arrive. Once it had proceeded west, the up train moved forward out of the siding and headed towards Donegal.

I thought there would be, even if only to recess PW trains, but it seems there's nothing like that on the network now, just loops.

Manulla is perhaps the closest, the newer layout now recesses the Ballina shuttle and allows it be passed to/from Ballina, but does that ever happen?

Edited June 9, 2021 by NIR

[NIR]

Does that ever happen? Yes it does, 01:32

 

Edited June 17, 2021 by NIR

[airfixfan]

Ballymagorry from June issue of Railway Bylines

[NIR]

1 hour ago, airfixfan said:

Ballymagorry from June issue of Railway Bylines

Looks like three points though, one visible, one semi-visible and one implied. Profligate!

Edited June 17, 2021 by NIR

[NIR]

Nenagh is interesting, single through line but with a siding to recess PW trains that itself contains a loop.

Three points, but instead of the usual passing loop and siding we have the goods loop once so characteristic of an Irish track layout.

Thanks to @thewanderer

 

Edited June 30, 2021 by NIR

[murphaph]

On 9/6/2021 at 1:35 PM, jhb171achill said:

There were several stations in rural areas where crossing was done with a siding only - even with passenger trains, as in Inver, Co Donegal, where up trains served the platform then reversed back into a siding to allow a down train to arrive. Once it had proceeded west, the up train moved forward out of the siding and headed towards Donegal.

Slightly related (just about) but I've seen youtube clips of Kildare in the 90s or early 2000's before the modern PW depot was built showing a timber train waiting in the siding rather than on the middle road to reverse. I wonder was this a failed train or a regular occurrence during busier periods.

[airfixfan]

59 minutes ago, NIR said:

Looks like three points though, one visible, one semi-visible and one implied. Profligate!

Correct the siding on the left as can be seen  has a run round loop. At the bottom of photo is the only connection to the CDR Derry branch. So just 3 points in total!

Edited June 17, 2021 by airfixfan

[Mayner]

Dunsandle had a minimal layout in its final (post 1971) years a siding serving a goods shed and loading bank connected to the running line by a single point at the Loughrea end of the station. Curiously beet trains continued to operate on the branch for a number of weeks after the line closed to regular traffic in November 1975, there is a Walther McGrath video on the IRRS channel of a beet train shunting beet wagons at Dunsandle before continuing to Loughrea to run-round.

http://eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/Railway Stations D/Dunsandle/IrishRailwayStations.html#Dunsandle_20100118_002_CC_JA.jpg

Prior to 1971 the layout was more extensive with three points the goods shed and loading bank was served by a goods loop off the running line with a short siding off the loop at the Attymon end of the station,  in MGWR days the siding apparently extended across a road into a ballast (gravel) pit.

One of the oddities at Dunsandle was that locos and passenger stock were not allowed to pass the goods shed as the shed was built too close to the edge of the loading bank, an interesting rule to add to a shunting puzzle

[airfixfan]

Donemana on the CDR Derry branch had the same track layout as Ballymagorry after 1946. See Disused Stations UK wensite for more info etc on both stations

[jhb171achill]

Glenfarne on the SLNCR is also worth a look. This had the goods bank facing the passenger platform, like at Dunsandle (itself an EXCELLENT choice for a minimal layout). If the modeller just used the main through line, plus one set of points backing onto the goods siding, that would do; while there was other track, by the end it appears to have been mostly weed-covered and unused.

[Andy Cundick]

Well for what its worth my latest Donegal layout,(the fifth in the trilogy)is Brucklees with a grand total of two points. Andy.

[Mayner]

More Angus & Galtemore's territory Dromahair on the SLNCR is another station where trains crossed using a siding as there was never a passing loop.

The layout was very simple with a running line two sidings and 3 points. 

The SLNCR made up for the simple track layout with an unusual two armed signal at the Enniskillen end of the station to facilitate trains crossing.

The upper arm acted as an Outer Home signal to allow trains to approach from the Enniskillen direction while another train was at the platform.

The lower arm which had an X on the sighting bar acted as an Advanced Starting signal permitting a train to enter the Dromahair-Manorhamilton section, the lower arm also acted as a 'Shunt Back Signal" to allow east bound goods trains to reverse back into the yard for shunting or to cross trains.

Although small the station appears to have been fairly busy with goods traffic with two goods stores, one of the stores was destroyed by fire in the early 1950s but quickly rebuilt.

Florencecourt 5 miles from Enniskillen was simpler still  a goods shed and loading bank served bay a single siding connected to the running line by a crossover in the middle, single storey station building, level crossing, signal box and up and down running signals. Although more or less in the middle of the countryside the station served a Fermanagh County Council depot and received bitumen in 45gal barrels until the line closed.

Glenfarne along with being a Free State and Republic of Ireland customs post appears to have handled Leitrim County Council bitumen traffic the loading bank is covered in tar barrels in most 1950s photos.

I guess tar barrels are a must for a 1920s to 60s Irish layout before Councils started receiving tar and bitumen in bulk road and rail tankers.

[Angus]

There was also a flour store behind the two goods stores fed by little stretch of narrow gauge rail on which ran a small bogie to transport the sacks.

It was too short for a loco though.

https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/30806021/killananima-dromahair-leitrim

Strangely the Historic 25" map also shows a loop in the goods yard, which I've chosen to model.

I've never seen this in any photos so can only presume it is either a figment of the surveyor's imagination or it was removed earlier in the station's history. Not many photos of the SLNCR seem to exist prior to the 50s and I've never found any early ones taken at Dromahair.

Edited June 20, 2021 by Angus

[KMCE]

5 hours ago, Angus said:

so can only presume it is a figment of the surveyor's imagination

He must have had a good imagination.  The layout for the Brick Factory outside Rathnew in Wicklow also had this arrangement.  I assume it allowed  a loco to sit on the siding to allow the siding be fillled by a mainline train and thus shunted afterwards?  Seems too short for a passing loop.

 

This could qualify as a minimally interesting track layout with an interesting industiral setting?

More here - https://heritage.wicklowheritage.org/places/rathnew/the_rathnew_brickworks

 

[Angus]

47 minutes ago, KMCE said:

He must have had a good imagination.

Hi KMCE,

You are correct the end of the loop at Dromahair is too short for loco (at least as scaled form the 25" map).

I think livestock were loaded near the station building end of the goods dock, the loop would enable the horseboxes and cattle trucks to be moved in, loaded and removed without having to shunt any wagons being unload at the two goods warehouses further down the goods bay. At least that's my supposition.

[NIR]

Four points, but minimally interesting for what it is - a switchback passing place

 

[Liam_Murph]

Looks like someone has already modeled such a station:

 

[NIR]

Interesting to ponder why a passing loop needs just two points while this, a passing loop folded back upon itself, needs four.

[timatheronwood]

Think of it as a terminus of two routes. Arriving trains can come from either route and leave by either route. It cannot be done with only two points.

[NIR]

52 minutes ago, timatheronwood said:

Think of it as a terminus of two routes. Arriving trains can come from either route and leave by either route. It cannot be done with only two points.

It could, but because the conflict has changed orientation, from along a passing loop to across a switchback, two points would allow no simultaneous movement at all.

Edited July 16, 2021 by NIR

[DiveController]

Would the new Pelletstown station qualify for this thread? Nothing at all as far as I can see

 

Edited October 16, 2021 by DiveController

[jhb171achill]

4 hours ago, DiveController said:

Would the new Pelletstown station qualify for this thread? Nothing at all as far as I can see

I don't even see any pellets there.........

 

(I'll show myself out....)

Edited October 16, 2021 by jhb171achill

[GSR 800]

36 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

I don't even see any pellets there.........

 

(I'll show myself out....)

Some lad with a terrible sense of humour naming it as the turf pellets are no more..Ashtown a stones throw from it too..

[jhb171achill]

1 hour ago, GSR 800 said:

Some lad with a terrible sense of humour naming it as the turf pellets are no more..Ashtown a stones throw from it too..

Ah, they've turned to ashes!

(I've gone home now....)!