Lineside Industries (suitable for British N Gauge models)

Lineside Industries

NB The sketches used are NOT scale drawings.

Note that details of cranes and associated lifting equipment will be found separately under 'Wagon Loads and Materials Handling'.

This section deals with the kind of lineside industry that can be accommodated on a model railway layout. The bias toward British N Gauge means that some options may be impractical in OO or O scales, however where possible allowance has been made for the larger scales. It is often said that industries are too large for inclusion on a layout but in practice a representation can often be accommodated, albeit confined to the periphery of the industry in question.

At its most basic a single (gated) siding alongside the main line, backed with a large building equipped with loading bays and with the company name or principal product described in the brickwork, can serve to represent the majority of lineside indusries. For those wishing to embark on something more substantial I have tried to identify the distinctive structures and associated railway traffic for each of the industries described.

Adding these industrial sidings offers scope for running unusual wagon types and generally adds purpose to a line, justifying additional traffic. One final reason (or possibly excuse) for including an industry is the possibility of modelling something a little out of the ordinary, certainly less tedious than rows of terraced housing (many of the industries described can be included on a layout even if not served directly by the railway).

I am not an expert on any of the industries described, however I hope that the information provided will serve at least as a starting point. When these notes were first compiled the internet did not exist and research involved many hours trawling through the various libraries. As a result there are certainly gaps in the material and quite possibly errors, although I believe most of the information is correct.

Introduction to Lineside Industrial Premises and Associated Rail Connections

Prototype Industrial Buildings

This section offers suggestions for making more visually interesting industrial structures using common elements.

Prototype Industrial Ancillary Structures

(Silos, tanks, cooling towers, kilns, furnaces & weighbridges)

Available Models for Lineside Industries

Industrial and Agricultural Vehicles and Equipment

Milk - Creameries and Dairies and Other Milk Related Industrial Premises

Railway Industries and Works

General Engineering and Shipyards

Mines and Quarries - Introduction

Open Cast Mines and Quarries