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| Motorail dock 17/07/2011 at 20:24 #17918 | |
northroad
870 posts |
Does anyone know where the motorail dock was around 1975. I am continuing with a summer staurday timetable for Bristol and the service from Stirling to St. Austell does appear to detach a section at Bristol. It would be an added bonus if I knew where this was so that I can include a few shunt moves to show this along with the return service Any ideas. Geoff Log in to reply |
| Re: Motorail dock 17/07/2011 at 20:32 #17921 | |
Lordmwa
148 posts |
"I can just remember Carflats being loaded at TM on a Friday evening. The Motorail dock was near Platform 2 and the cars used to drive onto the platform through an arch with a big arched Motorail sign over it. Three cars to a wagon, if I recall, all loaded from end on." Off http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk forum I take no credit for anything other than the search - I guess it would have to shunt into pyle hill and then back into P2 Log in to reply |
| Re: Motorail dock 17/07/2011 at 20:53 #17923 | |
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AndyG
1834 posts |
I think in the 1985 TT there is a shunt move of the motorail cars Pylle Hill into P2, which would confirm this.
I can only help one person a day. Today's not your day. Tomorrow doesn't look too good either. Log in to reply |
| Re: Motorail dock 18/07/2011 at 06:49 #17929 | |
lazzer
605 posts |
The Motorail dock is (was) the line to the "north" of the platform two line at Temple Meads. If you go and look at the end of that line, there is a concrete slope at the buffer stops which the cars would drive down. The arched entrance to the platform is more or less right next to it, and is permanently locked. This line is often used to stable SERCO test trains, and one can often see a 31 or 37 chugging away as it waits to depart the station. Unfortunately, the line is not actually included in the Bristol sim, so it's not possible to accurately simulate the Motorail. Having said all that, I can't recall if I've seen a ramp at the end of the platform 2 line. If there are ramps on the ends of both, then it would suggest that they used both/either line for Motorail services. Next time I'm there I'll have a closer look for clues. The current FGW route school occupies the small "platform" alongside this line, and can be seen if you take the trouble to visit the station. Log in to reply |
| Re: Motorail dock 18/07/2011 at 08:50 #17932 | |
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northroad
870 posts |
Thanks for the help on this all. I will route some of the stock from 1M54 Stirling to Newton Abbot into there as suggested. There are quite a few motorail services through Bristol in the timetable and it must have been a flourishing business at that time of the year. I can remember the up and down Anglo Scottish coming through Darlington Bank Top in the late sixties and it was usually behind a deltic or a class 40. Something to look forward to as it was non stop outside the train shed and you could hear the roar of the deltic from quite a distance.....Happy days. It is a bit difficult to get to Bristol from where I am so I thank you for your help. Geoff Log in to reply |
| Re: Motorail dock 18/07/2011 at 08:53 #17933 | |
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Matt
7 posts |
lazzer, there is a small ramp on Plt 2 as you say. So both were used for Motorail's back in the day, but the furthest one being the main point. Also today you find FGW units stabled within the two lines between duties, plus spare coach(es) for the "Torbay Express". So a busy end of the station. Log in to reply |
| Re: Motorail dock 19/07/2011 at 19:40 #17987 | |
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y10g9
895 posts |
" said:lazzer, there is a small ramp on Plt 2 as you say. So both were used for Motorail's back in the day, but the furthest one being the main point.Yeah The bay platforms (Motorail, p2 and a few other stubs) at that end of the platfrom are either full or empty they are unable to be used by passenger services as passenger trains would have to be route through pyle hill which is a carriage sidings with points controlled by levers at the points and would also be routing using ground shunt signals. Generally they are used more at night to hold DMU's which can't be stored elsewhere or have been rostered to stable there. Railtours will also use these bits of track, not just the torbay express but also other tours, to store extra coaches, locomotives (not steam locos though, they go to barton hill so they are able to be serviced off the main line), or even the entire railtour consist (i believe a few weeks ago i saw a westcoast tour parked up in p2, T+T 47/57 and 6 carriages) the other thing that its used for is as said test trains and engineering trains. i personally have seen the serco train there, the class 31 measurment train (we have that rather than the NMT normally round here), track gauging train (the one which has the gray coach in the middle with a slit in it for a lazer to check the gauges), and i've also seen plenty of tampers there. its also i know has been used to store railroad equipment like the diggers etc both on the rails and also on the platforms of the little spur lines (which aren't connected to the station platforms) Log in to reply |
| Re: Motorail dock 22/07/2011 at 08:31 #18136 | |
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broodje
180 posts |
I'd love to see a 1975 timetable of Bristol, the more loco moves the better :). But I've got a few diagrams here from around that date and I have a feeling fitting in al train moves in the area will be fun ;). At that date Parson street - bedminster and Dr Day's jcn-'Filton jcn was all 4 tracked. Filton still had a platform on the lines to Swindon. (but then again, the whole stoke gifford area was different back then). Anyway, I can't wait, good luck.
Last edited: 22/07/2011 at 08:32 by broodje Log in to reply |
| Re: Motorail dock 22/07/2011 at 08:41 #18138 | |
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northroad
870 posts |
One in the morning is very interesting......you are right about the 4 lines as the WTT shows relief and main for a few areas that are not as per the sim. Bear with me though as it is taking a bit of time. I am trying to put classes of loco in the timetable, but not being from the area I am struggling at times I am sure. Any advice would be taken on board. Especially the Class 2 locals to Severn Beach and the Cardiff runs. I have already had an offer of testing it but any help would be appreciated when I think it's almost there. Geoff Log in to reply |
| Re: Motorail dock 22/07/2011 at 09:08 #18142 | |
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broodje
180 posts |
well, I'm Dutch, so I'm even from further away ;). My only info from the area comes from the book 'starting something big at Brisol' about the resignalling there in 1970. But you could ask around at the Bristol railway archive (as Lordmwa said) the do know a lot about the area and how it used to be.
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| Re: Motorail dock 22/07/2011 at 12:04 #18150 | |
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taffy
28 posts |
Just as an aside. Depending upon driver availability, the motor rail was sometimes shunted using the loco off the sleeper and sometimes by a Class 08 pilot. Basically, there were two scenario's 1 - Loco detach off stock and moves off toward Bristol West and waits, whilst the shunting vehicle moved into the platform, and after attaching, moved the stock into Pyle hill east, and then onto the motor rail platform. The loco would then move back into the station and re-attach to the sleeper stock ready for the off 2 - The loco would take the motor rail wagon into Pyle hill, and drop them off in the appropriate paltfrom before returning to the station and recoupling to the sleeper stock Log in to reply |
| Re: Motorail dock 22/07/2011 at 12:36 #18156 | |
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y10g9
895 posts |
Taffy you are right that sometimes they were shunte by an 08 and at other times by the engine on that train. one thing to remember is that not all of the motorail services will have the wagons at the front end, some would of had them at the rear. it probably would depend on where the wagons get loaded and which was the train is leaving the origin station etc. all sorts of different factors to consider 
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| Re: Motorail dock 25/07/2011 at 08:58 #18317 | |
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taffy
28 posts |
y10g9 When I used to catch a lift in the back cab to Plymouth, the motor railwas always behind the loco. According to the driver, it all depended upon if the was a driver available for the 08. Also during flooding between Tiverton and Exeter, the loco would change ends at Bristol, and head off toward Westbury, then Exeter via Yovil. Log in to reply |