Looking for plausible locations for fictional LNER line

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ReptilianFeline
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Looking for plausible locations for fictional LNER line

Post by ReptilianFeline »

This might seem a bit odd, but I'm hoping for some input anyway.

My railway is fictional, but the placing and time isn't. I set it in northern Yorkshire, ex-NER/LNER line, 1942-1945, branch line or intermediate.
I need some facts to build the stations with all the right buildings and so on, and need some plans to know where everything fits.

I have two stations; one small rural one linked to a brewery, and one larger one in a small town.

For the smaller one I'm thinking it serves a few local villages and the brewery. I figure it needs a station house, a cattle dock (for sheep), a water tower and a signal box. I am not sure about what else though, and some questions did pop up in my mind.
1. Would the station master be living in the station, a railway workers cottage, or the nearest village?
2. Would the station master be the only one working there, or would his wife be selling tickets and take care of parcels and goods? Who would run the signal box?
3. Would goods be left in the base of the water towers as an alternative to a goods shed, or would part of the station be used for that?

The larger town will act as a kind of terminus for the local trains, but it will be a through station (on the main line, or branch line). I picture a larger station, with a siding so there is a second platform with a shelter. I want to use my turntable and a roundhouse type of engine shed. A cattle dock and a goods shed, a coal stage/drop, and a water tower on the coaling stage. There will be a goods yard with several sidings for shunting. And of course a signal box.
4. Would there be railway workers cottages?
5. Would there be huts for lights and workers that are on their breaks?
6. Would there be some kind of office building?

And what else am I missing or misunderstanding?
And... what stations would be appropriate as templates for my fictional stations?
Swedish railway modeller with odd ideas.
PGBerrie
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Re: Looking for plausible locations for fictional LNER line

Post by PGBerrie »

Have you thought about the Wensleydale branch? Use the search and you'll find some previous posts about it.

Peter
Hatfield Shed
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Re: Looking for plausible locations for fictional LNER line

Post by Hatfield Shed »

ReptilianFeline wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 11:17 pm ...And what else am I missing or misunderstanding?...
Coal! The NER was built on coal, to the extent that their station masters were encouraged to be the local coal merchant. 'Coal drops' with deliveries by the NER's standard designs of hopper wagons were normal.

Much more manpower - and since it is wartime womanpower - even at very small locations. And the Stationmaster's wife doesn't work, she's well up the social pecking order after the lady of the landowner, and wives of the vicar and gentleman farmers.
john coffin
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Re: Looking for plausible locations for fictional LNER line

Post by john coffin »

It is amazing how much traffic there was even during the war, which modellers ignore at their peril.

Personally I would think you would be more likely to see breweries in both locations, and very little export traffic
of the beer would happen since "real beer" then did not travel very far, not least because it was a hands on process
which meant production was a lot smaller on a daily basis. However, you would have imports of wood for barrel making,
along with Hopes, probably from Kent. Then you would be sensible to consider a local gas works at one end of the
layout.
There might well be a local agricultural merchant, who would have received machinery deliveries by rail, plus
quite possibly night soil for use as fertiliser.

AS for station master accommodation, depends on the size of the station traffic, most likely to be the bigger of maybe
4 houses for railway workers, including the signalman. There would be a station garden almost certainly.
The station would include the necessary office space within it, plus of course the office in the goods shed. A yard
crane would be there, possibly mounted on a road wagon, or even a small open rail wagon.

But certainly coal, coal, coal, even if there is not a colliery nearby.

Paul
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NZRedBaron
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Re: Looking for plausible locations for fictional LNER line

Post by NZRedBaron »

Hah, funny that; I'm planning something very similar, and it might be neat if there was a connection from one t'other. Did you have a diagram for the station and yard set up so far?
ReptilianFeline
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Re: Looking for plausible locations for fictional LNER line

Post by ReptilianFeline »

Coal - I didn't know that. Coal it is then :-)

I didn't know the status of the stationmaster and his wife. I understand why she wouldn't work there.

My "main" station is loosely planned on the Easingwold trackplan I found here: https://freetrackplans.com/240-easingwold.html
I have added a turntable and roundhouse to house 3 engines. Maybe overkill, I don't know yet... the turntable stays, the engine shed can change.

The smaller station is pretty basic with a side spur to the cattle/sheep dock and goods shed, and then a line running off to the brewery (and I need a proper track plan for the brewery too).

Some items will most likely end up in the background or off the layout, but if it's in the story line, the train will run what is needed. Anything that needs to be delivered or picked up need their space and access.

I must admit I feel a bit overwhelmed... this is something I am not old enough to ever have seen, not even in Sweden. I feel as if I'm chasing the tiny details because they give it purpose... the things I rarely see in the articles in the railway magazines... or at least don't recognise.

Sand for instance... I know it's used and delivered, but how or why? Coaling stages, just for filling the locos, or for filling wagons too?

I'll look into the Wensleydale branch.

Thank you all for your help!
Swedish railway modeller with odd ideas.
scottiedog
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Re: Looking for plausible locations for fictional LNER line

Post by scottiedog »

If you would like to do so, search for Stainsby on the RMweb - sorry about that folks.
Stainsby was my old exhibition EM gauge layout and featured a station on a fictional line in the North Riding of Yorkshire C1935.
Graeme Leary
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Re: Looking for plausible locations for fictional LNER line

Post by Graeme Leary »

And if you're adept at kit building (or happy to try) get some Slaters 4042 P7 kits. Your queries about the NE were the same as mine 2 or 3 years ago and my highly knowledgeable forum advisors pointed out that p7 20 ton coal wagons were all over the Northeast (if perhaps a little earlier than your period of modelling). Thanks to these gentlemen who said I needed them, I now have 12 with possibly more to added later for my layout set more mid 20s to mid 30s.

(They also directed me to the correct classes of locos that worked this NE area resulting in my selling some 10 or so loco models and replacing with classes that would have worked these types of trains at that time. However 'Rule 1' , it's my layout they also keep reminding me of!)

Graeme Leary
New Zealand
ReptilianFeline
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Re: Looking for plausible locations for fictional LNER line

Post by ReptilianFeline »

scottiedog wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 1:27 pm If you would like to do so, search for Stainsby on the RMweb - sorry about that folks.
Stainsby was my old exhibition EM gauge layout and featured a station on a fictional line in the North Riding of Yorkshire C1935.
I'm a member there, so I'll look for it. Thanks!
Swedish railway modeller with odd ideas.
ReptilianFeline
GER J70 0-6-0T Tram
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Re: Looking for plausible locations for fictional LNER line

Post by ReptilianFeline »

Graeme Leary wrote: Sat Jun 26, 2021 2:56 am And if you're adept at kit building (or happy to try) get some Slaters 4042 P7 kits. Your queries about the NE were the same as mine 2 or 3 years ago and my highly knowledgeable forum advisors pointed out that p7 20 ton coal wagons were all over the Northeast (if perhaps a little earlier than your period of modelling). Thanks to these gentlemen who said I needed them, I now have 12 with possibly more to added later for my layout set more mid 20s to mid 30s.

(They also directed me to the correct classes of locos that worked this NE area resulting in my selling some 10 or so loco models and replacing with classes that would have worked these types of trains at that time. However 'Rule 1' , it's my layout they also keep reminding me of!)

Graeme Leary
New Zealand
I knew I came to the right place!

I have one UK loco, that might not be right for my layout, the rest so far are German ones that will need to be converted to LNER 1:148 scale. I look at the things I pick up used in Sweden as donor chassis.

Finding the right locos for the right place and time can be tricky, but I'm using this site's list of locos a lot to read up on what would work.

The P7 kits looks very promissing. They should be fun to make.

I've built my fair share of model airplanes, and then some nice StarTrek models too. and a number of Metcalfe buildings I hope I can put on my layout (they need some touching up, and squaring out after being stored in the attic).

As for 'Rule 1' that nice little Fleishmann shunter won't be changed at all even if it's German outline 1:160 scale. It's pretty and the first I bought, so it will run when I like to run it even if it doesn't "fit".
Swedish railway modeller with odd ideas.
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Dave
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Re: Looking for plausible locations for fictional LNER line

Post by Dave »

This simple map may help you with the types of freight carried in the LNER NE areas dated 1925.
Attachments
LNER NATURAL PRODUCTS MAP s.jpg
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