Trap points

[nberrington]

There goes Berrington again - digging up old topics.

So - I am at the stage of planning the trap point at the headshunt of my model based on Swanage.

The Templot plan I have, shows a single tongue trap point, and I am set to make one. However I am having second thoughts:

1.) Looking at Martin Finney's lovely layout of Semley, he has a number of double tongue trap points.

2.) I can swear I have seen a photo of the headshunt showing a single tongue (but obviously cant find said picture). A photo I have of the run around loop on the passenger platform clearly shows that trap point to be a double tongue version.

Would the company have mixed varieties at one station? I gather with the loco running around passenger carriages a double tongue would be essential. The headshunt would likely only want to divert runnaway wagons, and traffic movement is likely to be slow.

Anyone with insights before I commit butanone to plastic?

[grovenor-2685]

Would the company have mixed varieties at one station? I gather with the loco running around passenger carriages a double tongue would be essential. The headshunt would likely only want to divert runnaway wagons, and traffic movement is likely to be slow.

You really need evidence from photos or whatever to be sure. The HMRI recommendations went for double tongue in more recent installations but did not require changes to exising single tongue installations. No particular reason why a company would not have one of each.

I gather with the loco running around passenger carriages a double tongue would be essential.

Not actually 'essential' either is possible depending on circunstances and date.
Either do a pretty good job of derailing, the double tongue does give a bit more control of the direction the derailed vehicle goes.

[Will L]

Certainly been here before , see viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6460&hilit=trap+points#p68824 and the post that follows it.

[Serjt-Dave]

Hi Nberrington. I had the opposite problem. My Templot had two blades but in reality they were singles. As I'm doing a S&D layout the track would have been done/ maintained by the LSWR/ SR so yours would be the same {ish, possibly?}. Have you read through my thread on Catch Points {wrong term I know}, there was a bit of discussion going on about single and double blades. I hope it helps.

All Best

Dave

[essdee]

Hi Neil,
Second attempt at a reply - first one gone into ether...

Have you got Mitchell and Smith's Middleton Press album "Branch Line to Swanage" over there?

Plate 91 is a 1955 view showing single traps on the two siding roads which converge under the road bridge. Is this where you mean? Plate 101 from 1964 shows one surviving, in the remnant stub of a removed siding nearest the signal box.

Cheers,

Steve

[essdee]

Neil,

On further reading, I now understand that you are referring to the trap point within the headshunt, a shade west of the end of the engine shed opposite. This,too, is illustrated in Mitchell and Smith, plate 109; this is a 1960s era view, and again clearly shows a single trap point at this location. It is also just discernible in the upper view (1966) on p.9 of 'The Swanage Branch', by Andrew P.M. Wright, Ian Allan 1992. The edge of a shed roof almost obscures it.

Cheers,

Steve

[nberrington]

Have you got Mitchell and Smith's Middleton Press album "Branch Line to Swanage" over there

Cheers,

Steve

Err....

C142C940-B4F8-46AE-87FA-C33F7BF4A8F5.jpeg

Thanks for looking... I found your references, thank you.
I would conclude it’s a single tongue.

Actually the track layout is super interesting! There is a double tongue on the passenger loop, and a quite complex version integrated into the turnouts emerging from the good sidings.

This could be fun.....

image.jpg

Thanks all. !

[John Palmer]

That arrangement of single tongue traps on adjacent stock and closure rails was certainly not uncommon in the S&D (I can think of examples at Sturminster Newton and Radstock), and, as Serjt-Dave hints, may well have been carried over from LSWR/SR practice. It's a modest but useful space saver.

[grovenor-2685]

Not just Southern or S&D, you can find similar on most railways if you look.

[andrewnummelin]

Not just Southern or S&D, you can find similar on most railways if you look.

For example:

95F21370-9019-4EBD-A1D3-FAB310E6260E.jpeg