Posted by Rob Boden on March 20, 2008 at 09:11:46 from 88.104.174.210 user humyar.
In Reply to: Re: Strickland Junction - no mirror image, posted by Peter H on March 20, 2008 at 23:40:39:
I'm enjoying this! I find Peter's mirror image makes more sense, but as someone said it wouldn't have been done accidentally. So why? And I still think through trains might have always used the mainline platform.
I also agree with Jock that the stone work under the engine's boiler tends to support the west side wall being the backdrop.
However, although the platform was shorter than now, I'm suprised that the engine was that far back along the length of the platform. We know it was a train of at least three carriages: the porter "walked along the train, looking into one carriage after another" (opening para, PP) (though I wonder if AR meant "compartment"?), and the slope down from Platform 2/3 is near the North end of the side wall (i.e. the one illustrated if Peter's mirror image is right), so would/could the train have stopped with the engine barely crossing the end of the side wall?
I wonder if we are getting to a composite drawing answer - perhaps AR used a photo of the engine and a separate one of the end wall - odd thing to photograph! - or a sketch, or even a photo from a different angle which he interpolated.
Rob