Par Station
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| Rush hour at Par Station! Two HST’s and a DMU waiting for the connection to Newquay |
After a recent visit to Cornwall
A super minimum space track plan is available at http://www.freetrackplans.com/808-Par.php
although it is missing the platform at the front, which in my mind is essential
to have that busy looking station.
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Overall Vvew of Par Station
looking West from the road
bridge –
The Branch to Newquay being on the right as viewed,
complete with
passing loop and siding.
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Everything here would be easy to replicate in model form, in
‘OO’ at least, as the stock running through is all available off the
shelf. HST’s, Voyagers and small DMU’s
on the branch to Newquay. This is the
type of layout for people who are not interested in scale length platforms, or
busy coupling and uncoupling wagons, but running long trains and watching them
speed past. There are some lovely china
clay wagons available, from different era’s, and these could provide variety to
the passenger stock.
Of course it would be possible to adapt the branch to ascend
to an upper level where a small Newquay branch terminus could be modelled, and
therefore giving the opportunity of trains running back and forth as well as
round and round, increasing the interest.
I can recall that during summer holidays in the 1980’s, HST’s even
ventured onto the single track branch.
As far as I am aware there are not any actual prototypes of
the station buildings available, but certainly similar products are and could
be built up fairly easily. As I am
always working to a budget, resin buildings could be used but products from the
Dapol range are an extremely cheap source. The booking hall would be
representative and then it would be possible to match this with the platform
canopy. Then in keeping with these,
maybe by taking two Dapol signal boxes and cutting and joining together would
give the impression of the length of the actual ‘box’. As the platforms are straight, any from the
Hornby or again Dapol range could be used without any alterations, and
certainly much simpler to achieve good looking results then cutting MDF/Ply and
adding either your own or Peco edging.
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The main station building on the south side of the
platform,
which would be omitted if the track plan was adhered to,
which would
be a great shame not to include.
Note
the road overbridge in the background,
this would create a natural scenic break
and loose the trains ‘tailchasing’.
With the exception of the over bridge to the
right, and some industrial buildings at the rear, everything else is pure
scenery and would be easy to reproduce.
 
I would start the layout with the double oval of track, on
as larger board as possible (certainly a 6 x 4 ft would be possible, the only
restriction being the length of trains being run) and once this was operation,
and with the buildings in place, then go on to work on the branch, either by
reconnecting to the main circuit as in the track plan or to lift it to an upper
level. This could be done with Hornby
Incline Piers or Woodland Scenics Risers, product WST1410.
This would make a superb layout, certainly for children, who
like to see trains running fast around in circles. There are not too many points, therefore
keeping both the cost and also the chances or poor track
connections/derailments to a minimum.
And if the route of the branch is incorporated at a later stage, the
potential to adapt and extend to keep interest.
All in all a nice project, and certainly one that is on my
‘to do’ list for the future!
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