Posted by Peter H on March 17, 2008 at 00:48:29 from 86.130.121.247 user Peter_H.
In Reply to: Strickland Junction posted by BradH on March 17, 2008 at 23:01:21:
BradH - there are problems here, as Oxenhome Station has been modernised and I think the track layout has been altered. I will have to go on memory, supplemented by a very poor photo of Oxenholme from the south which is too poor to scan and link to. The key factor is that when approaching the station from the south, the Windermere branch line leaves the main line to the left and there was a separate bay platform for the Windermere branch trains. The drawing on p 17 of PP shows the locomotive in this bay, but it is, as shown, facing south. Note that there are no other tracks or platforms behind it, and fells can be seen in the background. (There are no large fells in view to the east of Oxenholme.) Trains can only depart Oxenholme for Windermere by heading north.
So the drawing is the wrong way round. Was this a printer's mistake, or did AR draw it that way? I have scrutinised the drawing and unfortunately I can see no details in it from which one could detect a reversed printing - there is no lettering, and the children's and porter's clothes give no clue. The engine is drawn so simply that that gives no clue either, although the smoke box handles look in the correct position to me, indicating that AR drew the picture this way, but reversed it in his mind. But I'm not sure.
By the way, an end section of curtain walling surmounted by a glazed section is visible beyond the engine - this confirms the diagnosis, as this walling was located on the north-west quarter of the station. At one end it abutted the station buildings, while at its furthermost (north) point it came to an abrupt end - as shown reversed in AR's drawing.
(I apologise for all these nit-picking railway details, totally devoid of any human resonance or emotion, but apparently that is what earns you brownie points on TarBoard these days. Does this stuff appeal to you, Elizabeth?)