Real toy train stations

[Buz]

Hi all

Given all the track plan questions that come up

I thought it might be a worth while if we started a list of real or once real stations that are worth modelling or just basing a layout on.

That add something either to an existing layout or as a base station for starting a layout.

I will start with

Dunsandle as its just about do able on an 8 X 4 it has a full station its platform that scales out at 3 feet long the passing loop is in fact the goods siding with a small goods shed loading bank and crane on it if you have room a spur runs to a ballast pit for more operational interest the layout can also be fully signaled as its two in two out with one more if the ballast spur goes in there are two fixed distant signals one each side of the station but these are possibly to far out to bother about.

Another one would be

Wood Siding on the Brill branch its literally just a single line halt with a single siding next to a level crossing not much just a wooden platform with waiting shed and a loading gauge on the siding this one would be a good add on station that doesn't need a lot of room or a lot of extra expense . No signals that I know of.

Any one got others to add to the list

regards John

[malB]

Linking into your post Buz. The online trackplan website I've bookmarked, on my home computer, has an 8' x 4' layout based on Goathland/Adensfield/Hogsmead, as it stands today, as one of the stations on the preserved North Yorshire Moors Railway. This layout uses readily available set track sections. Though no doubt the more experianced model would/could use the more prototypical track panels like Peco's  streamline range instead.........What's more the buildings for the station are/were part of Hornby's Skaledale range. OK they may not be available new at the moment, but, can be obtained  second hand on the likes of eBay and elsewhere..........

[Rana Temporia]

You could look at some of the independent light railways which often had short, sometimes mixed passenger and goods trains. With a collection of locos that they could have gotten from anywhere and rolling stock to match you could easily base a model railway on one of these. Often they would be operated on the one engine in steam principle or just had rudimentary signalling. 

 

My first one to look at would probably be the Garstang and Knott End Railway which had an interesting set of locos including some small 0-4-0 saddle tanks (you could substitute a Smoky Joe type) along with pretty unique coaches and wagons and there was a connection to the West Coast Main Line at Garstang and Catterall station. The line then served various small stations up to the terminus at Knott End opposite Fleetwood on the River Wyre estuary. It had various goods that it carried notably farm products and salt from some Brine pits near the river estuary. There are some card kits available for the very distinctive salt wagons from a supplier who advertises occasionally in one of the major magazines. You could ignore the fact that originally the buffer height was too low on this railway. There is a very good book by R W Rush and M R C Price with details of locos, stock, track layouts and station buildings. 

 

Another option would be to convert the Ravenglass and Eskdale to standard gauge rather than the original 3' or the current 15" as most if not all of the intermediate stations had a siding. There is loads on this railway on line and in various books.