Thursday 22 March 2012

South Wales layout plans

South Wales layout plansThis is another book review of sorts.
When Rhiw was begun I searched high and low for good period/place shots and found very little that gave me what I needed - South Wales seemed a bit of a photo blackspot. Now suitable books are everywhere. Not only did I trip over Middleton Press' Welsh Valleys series on Sunday, but this bargain (at a fiver) from Pendragon Publications Railway Reflections No 5. Quite a bit of text and a little scattergun with photos, but there are some cracking shots within.

What atracts me to the area is the verticality of some of the station sites and perfect for the modeller: steep brambly bank at the rear, extreme angled roadbridge, short platform, ( counting the MDVs I make this about 200') and the signalbox looking booking hall at road level. Other shots from ground level make the site look more spacious and show the (lifted here) double track and bay siding, but I love this with the 0-6-2 working uphill. (Bachmann still available?)

This is by the way 1964 and already rationalised somewhat. The place? Bedlinog. Which really sounds as though it shoud have been invented by Oliver Postgate.
Does this figure in the five year plan? Well no. More of this anon, but it is a lovely idea.

1 comment:

  1. The signal box was about a half mile up the line behind the shoulder of the taker of this photograph. What you have identified is the booking office.

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