Platform height (NG)

[Cyclone]

About to build me some platforms.
Found lots of images (ish) to work from.
Anyone know what a prototypical height would be for a NG platform (doubt there is a standard) but someone may have measured one in the past etc.

I dont have any coaches (yet..stock due 2012!!!)
Whats the height of the lower running board on the more popular UK stock ie IoM and W&L? Are they similar height to the W&L brake van boards. I guess just a bit lower than these boards would look good for platform height?

Cheers

 

[garrymartin]

No pictures of those , but on the L&B the height would appear to be 1 brick. Older photo's show the height of the platform at Barnstaple was about the same as the height of the coaches bogies.

 

[bobg]

W&L is a bit higher than that, I mean to measure it each time I go..............just old age gets in the way (I forget)! That is probably the main reason I still dont have any on the T.V.B.L.

Foot-board height on the Guards-van is probably about right.

 

[Gizzy]

In Switzerland, the platform height for SG is higher than that for NG.

I think it's 350 mm for the narrow gauge platforms, but I can't confirm this atm....

 

[Gizzy]

Further research for Switzerland suggests 38 cm for NG and 55 cm for SG railways....

 

[KeithT]

Beware of the running boards on Accucraft IoM coaches, they project further than (most) LGB ones. This means that if you provide just enough clearance for LGB then the IoM coaches will still foul the platform edge.
One piece of LGB rolling stock which has wider than normal running boards is the 3 axle Ballenburg rack railway van. I had to remove and rebuild a large metal bridge because of that!! :wits:

 

[Gizzy]

The LGB Tm 2/2 shunting tractor is quite a wide vehicle too!

MMTS tells me that his were too wide to run on Hardyard....

 

[pghewett]

This problem applies in spades to the IoM "pairs" stock which has additional running boards compared with the 4 wheel stock.

You should also note that KISS bogie RhB stock, which comes in around 750mm, has a significant "centre throw" problem (ie, the bogie spacing is such that whilst the ends of the vehicles will clear most normal loading gauges, the centre will overhang on sharp curves). LGB models fitted with snowploughs, even the small "rail clearer" sort, can also be a problem.

The upshot of this is that it is best to avoid curved platforms of any height if at all possible; better still, try and ensure that the track layout gives the stock sufficient room to straighten up before reaching the platform.

Graham Hewett

 

[Zerogee]

The LGB Tm 2/2 shunting tractor is quite a wide vehicle too!

MMTS tells me that his were too wide to run on Hardyard....

If you recall, Gizzy, we found this out when I helped you with Hardyard at Dereham last year - I brought my yellow Tm2/2 to run, and it fouled the platform edge (eewww....)

Jon.

 

[Gizzy]

The LGB Tm 2/2 shunting tractor is quite a wide vehicle too!

MMTS tells me that his were too wide to run on Hardyard....

If you recall, Gizzy, we found this out when I helped you with Hardyard at Dereham last year - I brought my yellow Tm2/2 to run, and it fouled the platform edge (eewww....)

Jon.

I made adjustments to the platform for Hardyard II Jon, and shaved it back by 3/8 of an inch.

But as Ed found out, it still wasn't enough for the fat little shunting tractors.... :thumbdown:

 

[Cyclone]

Cheers guys, good advice.
As for centre-hang, hadnt thought of that, built most of line with the assumption that the outside edge of a curve needed large clearance and the inside wasnt an issue....
However the chance of any large coaches being seen on my line is pretty remote any time soon.

 

[ge_rik]

However the chance of any large coaches being seen on my line is pretty remote any time soon.

Always wise to plan ahead, though. I didn't and found, when I bought a couple of W&LLR coaches that they fouled my platforms. In the end I got rid of the coaches rather than rebuild the platforms. What's ironic is that I had used the W&LLR platform height as my guide - but hadn't taken account of the fact that two of my stations are on curves........

You can see from these to pix that the platform is quite high - higher than the lower step of the coaches.

The easiest way to overcome this problem is to build your platforms so they are only just above rail height. Most NG railways in the UK seemed to work on that principle. That way running boards and under-hanging brake gear should clear the platforms with no problem.

Incidentally, I travelled on the first public train through the Aberglasyn Pass on the Welsh Highland and overheard a discussion among the railway staff on Beddgelert station. It seems the battery boxes on the stock fouled the platforms when they ran the first train through - they hadn't taken account of the weight of the passengers lowering the clearance. We are not alone in having clearance problems!

Rik

 

[yb281]

The easiest way to overcome this problem is to build your platforms so they are only just above rail height. Most NG railways in the UK seemed to work on that principle. That way running boards and under-hanging brake gear should clear the platforms with no problem.

I would agree with Rik there. Don't forget that when the coaches were first introduced into service, the old Welshpool station didn't have any platforms. The station consisted merely of a siding at the edge of the goods yard. Even fairly low platforms have only appeared at many narrow gauge stations in the preservation era.

 

[flyingsignalman]

Apart from the Glyn Valley Tramway at Chirk and Glyn Ceiriog stations I can't think of any NG stations in England, Wales or Scotland that had platforms much above rail level.
The platform at Llanfair Caereinion was only built about 10 or so years ago using edging bricks from various ex Cambrian Railways stations.
There were examples on the Isle of Man and in Ireland though.

 

[C&S]

I'd say it sorta kinda depends on the gauge of the railway and the time period.

For instance as posted above the 2ft 6ins gauge W&L originally had ground level platorms/ hard standing; now with the preservation era and H&S you're looking at roughly 10-15 inches above rail height (estimate). Irish 3ft gauge and you're looking at scaled down versions of a standard gauge platform - certainly usually well above rail height, except on the more rural tramway style branches. However IOM, also 3ft, varied between proper platforms and ground level hard standing. 2ft gauge lines originally probably all at ground level unless built by standard gauge company or at interchange station (Barnstaple Town had a platform, Lynton & Lynmouth at the other end of the line was at ground level).

Continental - formerly anything from ground level to approx rail height - nowadays at roughly footboard height. On Majorca in steam days it was mostly ground or just above rail height. Early diesel era the platforms were raised to about a foot above rail height, but when the latest diesels came in they went up again to carriage floor height for wheel-chair access.

Basically you pays you penny and takes your choice! If platforms are short, lower ones look better as a general rule.

 

[Cyclone]

Cheers again. Now I have decide on my wooden platform which way to lay the planks.
Spent most of the afternoon creating point rodding from coat hangers in the end. Feel a new thread coming on. (off on leave this week so trying to get some of the work list started)