4mm Llanfair

[James Spooner]

The vernacular buildings on the back scene are mostly stone coloured so stone would surely be the building material of choice?

Dave

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.

 

[simond]

On a matter of taste, I prefer the stone bridge.

But its not my train set.

and I guess the brick one looks a bit stark being currently unweathered.

 

[PhilH]

Whilst I have a plausible excuse for a double track bridge, some folks tell me it should be a single bridge, so's a built one!

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]

You would be surprised at just how many single line branches had the civil engineering for double track, even when never installed

 

[Heather Kay]

You would be surprised at just how many single line branches had the civil engineering for double track, even when never installed

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.)

 

[LarryG]

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.

 

[paulc]

My vote is for the stone and why wouldn't you build it big enough for two tracks if that was the intention in the future , which never eventuated.

 

[simond]

Well, the obvious answer is “cost”, but railways did invest for the future, despite being very cost conscious, so it’s plausible either way.

I wonder what a typical bridge cost back in the day. There’s a lot of digging, masonry, woodwork….

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

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.

 

[LarryG]

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]

Well, the obvious answer is “cost”, but railways did invest for the future, despite being very cost conscious, so it’s plausible either way.

I wonder what a typical bridge cost back in the day. There’s a lot of digging, masonry, woodwork….

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?

 

[Tim Birch]

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]

My vote is for the stone and why wouldn't you build it big enough for two tracks if that was the intention in the future , which never eventuated.

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]

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.

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]

When the Waverly line was reinstated the bridges were built for a single track of railway but A class roads. Political priorities?

 

[LarryG]

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.....

 

[Andy P]

That is looking SO, SO good Larry, really envious of your space and flair for a natural looking Layout. Happy New Year and have a good 25 and beyond.

 

[LarryG]

First sign of decent weather this morning with 65 degrees in the shed. BR Std 2 No. 78054 was working the 12.00 noon from Llanfair today...

 

[Gismorail]

I’d vote for the stone structure Larry looks more GWR especially in that area

 

[LarryG]

I’d vote for the stone structure Larry looks more GWR especially in that area

Thanks, I agree. The red brick one went to a fellow WT member last week ...