Having got my Dapol EasiShunt couplers working satisfactorily with my passenger trains under full automatic operation (what a joy to see :) ) I now turn to some more shunting etiquette so I can configure the necessary schedules.
When a train reached its destination terminus, were the CCT/PLV's shunted to the other end of the train or what happened to them? I should add, that most of my trains are GWR/WR with an odd SR or LMS appearing.
On SR trains in and out of Waterloo they would be made up from fixed sets and any vans would be at the "town" end; you might find for example a 3 or 4 coach set for Weymouth, 2 coach set for Swanage - detached at Wareham - and 6 coach set for Bournemouth West - detached at Bournemouth Central with a Bogie van, usually a gangwayed one, at the London end.
The Dover boat trains from Victoria often had 2 bogie vans at the London end.
Common practice was often to have first class coach(es) at the London end, after the van(s) if any, especially on commuter trains.
Thanks Mike, at least it is a start but still not sure how they were conveyed back the other way, did they stay "London end" or returned separately?
Quote from: Caz on July 06, 2014, 06:58:10 PM
Thanks Mike, at least it is a start but still not sure how they were conveyed back the other way, did they stay "London end" or returned separately?
I would imagine they would stay as a fixed set as Dorsetmike mentioned. The reasoning for having the vans next to the first class coaches is so the first class passengers can quickly get their luggage before the rest of the riff raff at the far end of the train :) (also why first class is usually at the London end, it means they don't have to walk as far when they get there.
I think it depends a lot on what the train was doing.
Luggage space associated with the passengers would probably stay attached but a lot of parcels movements would not be associated with the passengers nor necessarily unloaded at the same speed.
So for a lot of parcels it would not be unknown for vans to be added/dropped en route, and at the final terminus for the vans to be removed and swapped with another set of empties on the outgoing train.
What you really need to find are the train marshalling instructions for the station in question.
So I think you have lots of choices
- parcels at the rear, swapped by a pilot locomotive and leaves with parcels at the front
- parcels at the front. When the train is ready to go the other way a loco and new vans arrive at the now front, the parcels vans are left with the arrival loco to sort out
- parcels at the front, coaches are pulled out (minus the parcels) by the release locomotive and shunted back into a departure platform which already has the outgoing parcels waiting
- parcels at the rear, pilot draws the train forward, shunts the coaches into the departure platform with parcels waiting, then departs with the original parcels.
All of which is going to depend what worked best in terms of train movements, time, platforms, dropping vans off etc.
Alan
Thanks all for the excellent replies and especially your detailed one Alan, that has given me much food for thought. Not have been a train spotter or similar when younger I haven't got a clue what happened on the real railway and have mainly used my common sense so far.
Must admit I didn't think about arrival and departure platforms, I just thought the trains arrived and went back out with a new engine or similar from the same platform, this has certainly given me a lot to think about and some new schedules to construct.
Much work to be done methinks. :)
Had a little think overnight and come up with the following modification to the engine shed area of the layout to accommodate a pilot loco for passenger train duties, plus it will give me an extra siding to store coal trucks for the coaling tower. I already have a station pilot but it is based in the goods area of the terminus and already has a lot of work to do. :worried:
I am really stuck for space this side of the layout and I think it is about all I can do unless anyone else has any suggestions, all will be welcome. :thankyousign:
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/44/thumb_13775.jpg) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=13775)