GWR Timber stations

[steve howe]

I am considering a timber station building for my new layout probably similar to Lostwithiel. Does anyone know of any published sources of drawings and information on these structures? My understanding is that they were manufactured in the Works as standard panels which were bolted together on site, but I may be confusing this with the LNWR way of doing things.

Steve

[Russ Elliott]

Can't remember offhand what Lostwithiel looks like. Do you mean this style of GWR timber station or another style of GWR timber station?

[steve howe]

Russ,

That is what I had in mind, to my knowledge the Down side building at Redruth is a similar timber framed structure, although it would have been secondary to the Up side which was the principal building. Here are two not very good shots of Lostwithiel. I don't know if this style is common, I suspect looking at the design of the chimneys it may well be an ex-Cornwall Railway building (although still designed bi the 'Brunelian' style)

[grovenor-2685]

Steve,
We do have to be careful of infringing copyright, is it possible to link to the original picture rather than attaching a copy? Someone went to some trouble to mark that photo so is presumably wanting to protect their rights.
Thanks

[Russ Elliott]

Ah yes, Steve, thankyou for reminding of the architecture. Most definitely no connection with the GWR!

[jls_s4]

Great Western Branch Line Termini (Combined Edition) by Paul Karau has a four view drawing of the original GWR station building at Tetbury (1888) which was replaced in about 1914 by a brick structure. It is very similar in construction to the picture that Russ posted, with the vertical siding behind the framing. It is in the Additional Scale Drawing section at the end of the book rather than in the actual Tetbury entry - this may have been added when the combined edition was printed, in other words it may not appear in the single volume versions.

Also of interest might be the picture of Culkerton on page 5 of Great Western Branch Line Modelling, Part 2, by Stephen Williams - no drawing though.

[Russ Elliott]

The drawing Jeff refers to is of GWR design. There is also a Chris Leigh sketch of Culkerton station of the same style in an old Constructor article. The best surviving 'non-preserved' example of this style is on the island platform at Didcot. The Lostwithiel style is completely different.

[Lambridge]

You might find a visit to the http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/shipstononstour.htm website useful. The branch terminus at Shipston On Stour had a timber station building that certainly looks as if it was built to a "pattern book" design, if not shipped in as pre-fabricated panels.

Shop D at Swindon was Carpenters and Masons, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swindon_Works it seems reasonable to conclude there was centralised manufacture of regular items such as doors (for human and vehicle use) and window frames.

As far as drawings are concerned, I recall some drawings in Railway Modeller for a South Wales timber station building built in 7mm with drawings published in 3.5mm scale - should be possible to blow-up to 4mm. I can't recall the magazine month (does anyone maintain an index like with MRJ?) but it's definitely within the last two years or so.

Without wishing to hi-jack this interesting thread, is anyone aware of a GWR pattern book for items such as window frames etc? I have pictures of several GWR timber buildings that do not have any known (to me) standard item in view, such as brick work, from which to scale dimensions. Knowledge of what the standard GWR window pane size was would be a distinct advantage.

[Russ Elliott]

You might find a visit to the http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/shipstononstour.htm website useful. The branch terminus at Shipston On Stour had a timber station building that certainly looks as if it was built to a "pattern book" design, if not shipped in as pre-fabricated panels.

I think there were parts of the design that were standardised, doors and windows primarily, but these stations were I think erected by local contractors working to a general spec, and thus variations did happen, Shipston for example being higher than some other examples such as Toller (now Totnes Littlehempston) or Woodhay.

[Tim V]

I have a number of photos of Lostwithiel taken 28/07/78. I was railrovering at the time. When I went through on a train a couple of days later, the canopy was shored up.

[Lambridge]

The wooden station building drawings I recalled were published in Railway Modeller, May 2008 edition, for an article by Chris Klein. The drawings are for a single storey flat roofed building with half brick walls, based on Abergwynfi in the Afan Valley, South Wales. An initial cursory investigation indicates that this is an original GWR structure - see below concerning inherited structures. They are unfortunately nothing like the photographs of Lostwithiel seen at the http://www.steampicturelibrary.com/pictures_637335/lostwithiel-station-c1970s.html website.

I should have been more careful in my previous response as quite a number of the buildings on GWR branches would have been inherited from previous owners of the line. For example the Shipston On Stour line was originally constructed as part of the Moreton-in-Marsh to Stratford upon Avon Tramway, I haven't yet confirmed whether the building was constructed prior to the GWR taking control of the line but that would appear likely. From the few examples known to me I can't say I have noticed any standard "house style", but again some of these buildings were commissioned by independent companies who originally built the lines and principal structures before they were inherited by the GWR (eg: Lambourn and Highworth to name but two). While Highworth retained its original timber station building, Lambourn was refurbished by the GWR with a splendid brick building.

Standard "kit-of-parts" panels may have been an LNWR only phenomenon, but should information concerning a GWR "Pattern Book" regarding window and door sizes come to light I would be most interested to know of it.