The list of jobs to do is endless but finishing off the
platforms must come near the top.
This could be quite a long task but first what size to make
the paving? The British Standard
suggests that paving stones should preferably be 900 x 600, 750 x 600 or 600 x
600 (mm). However my layout represents
the late 1950s, early 1960s, long before metrication. In those days, and for some considerable time
after, the standard size of paving stone was 3ft x 2ft equivalent to 12mm x 8mm
in 00 scale. Perhaps not surprisingly this
is the size modeled by Superquick for their station platforms.
However the 3ft x 2ft pressed concrete slab is relatively
modern and a lot of railway platforms constructed in the 1800s will have used
natural stone, probably York Stone in the north of England or maybe Purbeck or
Cotswold stone in the south of England.
The decision to standardize on 3ft x 2ft for the new concrete paving
seems to be based upon the commonly available sizes of natural stone which in
turn is likely to have been related to the maximum size and weight of material
that could easily be handled manually.
A search online indicates that natural stone paving is
currently available in a range of sizes with widths up to 3ft. It would also appear that in addition to the
standard 3ft x 2ft size, a larger 4ft x 2 ft slab is offered, perhaps as used
above historically at Chester General Station?
So much for what is currently available but what was used in
the past? I guess those of you in the
more populous parts of the UK will have the option to go and measure up some
real station platforms. However for
those others like myself, living in more distant and rural parts, this luxury
is not available and it is back to searching through pictures in old
books. The picture of Holywell above is
good example of the type of view available and shows different patterns of
paving for different areas of the platform.
In addition to printed pictures there are vast numbers of
images available on line. One of the
most readily available sources must be that of the Flickr web site. The ‘screen shot’ above shows just one page
of views obtained by typing ‘Ramsbottom Railway Station’ into the Flickr search
bar. Just type in your favourite
location and see what is available.
long and
tedious process. Not surprisingly the
view above of Coldstream station is one of my favourites. I like precedents and if you get tired of marking
out individual flagstones, well how about using some cast in situ concrete.
I also like the above view of Barnard Castle Station. I think the modern Codes of Practice
recommend that the platform slopes back down from the platform edge to prevent
prams and platform trolleys accidently rolling on to the track in front of
trains. None of this in the view
above. The platform surface obviously
falls down to the platform edge to allow easy drainage of rain water. I seem to recollect that in those days each platform
trolley was equipped with a cast iron ‘wedge’ attached by chain for chocking
one of the trolley wheels. I guess also
that in those days no one ever left their pram unattended?
To be continued.
So much for what is currently available but what was used in
the past? I guess those of you in the
more populous parts of the UK will have the option to go and measure up some
real station platforms. However for
those others like myself, living in more distant and rural parts, this luxury
is not available and it is back to searching through pictures in old
books. The picture of Holywell above is
good example of the type of view available and shows different patterns of
paving for different areas of the platform.
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