During a trip to your local model shop, you may have noticed what looks like N gauge model railway track with...
Cart 0 Product Products (empty)
No products
Free shipping! Shipping
£ 0.00 Total
Product successfully added to your shopping cart
Quantity
Total
There are 0 items in your cart. There is 1 item in your cart.
Total products (tax incl.)
Total shipping (tax excl.) Free shipping!
Total (tax incl.)
Search Tips
Tips categories
Latest Tips
-
Why do some N gauge tracks have irregularly spaced sleepers?Read more -
What is a single action airbrush?Read moreA single-action airbrush is a useful tool in scale modelling, especially if you're looking for a simple yet effective...
-
What is a sable brush?Read moreSable brushes are made from natural fibre, namely hair. This makes them soft to the touch and will apply the paint...
-
What model railway gauges are available?Read moreWe often use terminology in the world of model railways interchangeably, when people ask about gauge, they are...
-
Are electrofrog points better than insulfrog points?Read moreUsing electrofrog points on a layout will undoubtedly result in improved reliability for the locomotives that...
What is a footplate?
A footplate is a footplate! or so you would think! The definition of a footplate in the dictionary is "the part of a steam railway engine on which the driver stands" and that is most people's understanding of it. But there are some interesting facts surrounding the subject.
The word footplate is a British reference. It refers to a large metal plate that rests on top of a locomotive's frame and is normally covered with wooden floorboards. Technically, the footplate protrudes past the front of the cab and runs alongside the boiler for the length of the locomotive (although this part is usually referred to as the running board). This is evident on classic trams where the step that runs alongside the vehicle is also known as the footplate.
Many old-school railwaymen still refer to the driver's cab on modern diesels and electrics as the footplate even though the definition only refers to steam locomotives. That said, an American steam engine's cab isn't even a footplate. This is because the platform on which the driver stands doesn't rest on the locomotive's frame, instead it is attached directly to the boiler. This is one reason (amongst many) that American steam locomotives look so different to British ones.
So, it would appear that some bits of a locomotive that we didn't think were footplates in fact are, and some bits of an American locomotive that we thought were footplates aren't. Glad we cleared that up!
Posted in: Model Railway
Click here to receive the tips weekly in your mailbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Related products
Steam locomotive drivers - Set of 6 - Painted
Price: £ 13.25Set of 6x hand-painted steam engine drivers.
Engine Driver & Shunters set - Painted
Price: £ 13.25A set of 6x hand-painted figures including a loco driver and shunters, by...
N gauge Steam Engine Drivers - Painted - Set of 6
Price: £ 13.25A set of 6x hand-painted N gauge locomotive drivers by Noch.
Related posts
-
What scale is Hornby?Hornby model railways are OO Scale or 1/76th that is 4 millimetres to the foot (12 inches). It runs on a track with... - How to weight my model so it does not tip?For wargaming figures, a small coin or washer glued to the under side of the base will usually to do the job. This...
- Is Bachmann compatible with Hornby?Yes, any OO scale loco, wagon or coach will work on any OO scale track, regardless of brand. Couplings are also...
- What are the model railway eras?According to Bachmann, as it states in their catalogue there are 9 eras. As they say in their catalogue this is not...
- Can a "DCC ready" train be used on analogue?Yes, you can use a DCC ready train on your analogue layout. DCC ready just means that the train has been factory...