Hello / Redbrook Station
 

Just wanted to say Hi to everyone as a new member.

Also, having visited the Wye Valley recently I fell in love with the viaduct over the river Wye at Penallt / Redbrook. So much so, I have decided to build a model railway based on this section of the line. I'm curious to know why the there are two extremely short sections of track coming away from the points - one that stops at the ramp of the platform and the other by the side of the viaduct. Looking at some old pictures, there doesn't seem to be enough length to take a small loco let alone a wagon. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Hello and welcome to the forum from all the staff, I am sure our members can help you in some way, enjoy and all the best.

Is this the place ?

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3390403

Hi and thank you for your reply. This is the station at Redbrook that I was referring to. I have seen another photo which shows the track to the platform ramp from the point that forms the loop out of the station. There is also another photo showing the track off a point by the viaduct. The sections do look short.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=re...-A33uMgqeXP-M:

I think that they would be referred to as "traps".
In the event of some over-enthusiastic shunting or if a wagon started to roll away from the sidings this arrangement would prevent them from running out onto the main line. Whenever the points are set for the main line the other points are interlocked so that they always face towards the "trap".
Although a "trap" isn't usually very long I have seen them used to hold a solitary coal wagon to supply a signal box for example. That could possibly have been the case at Redbrook.
If these sections of line were longer and could be used to facilitate shunting between sidings without fouling the main line they would be known as "headshunts" or "necks".

Thank you John. I am not familiar with the term "traps" but this makes sense given what you say. I will do some more research on this subject. Thank you again. Phil