From a prototype perspective, did branch line trains start at the  terminal & go the main station & come back home or did the train  start from the main & go to terminal & back?

Hi Ron
I beIieve that the pick up goods for a branch line would start from and return to the main goods depot/marshalling yard on the main line

Best wishes

An interesting question Sol and as far as passenger services are concerned, I would have thought that they started from the branch, otherwise why have a loco stabled at a branch engine shed?

This is not a definitive answer, but hopefully some sage will provide more.

Bill

Ah….I misread the question……I assumed, l know not why, that the question related to branch pick up goods.
If it relates to a passenger service then I would tend to agree with Bill………certainly if the branch terminus has an engine shed it would be safe to assume that the branch passenger service started from there and that the carriages were stabled overnight in a bay or siding while a the loco slumberedin its shed with a fireman/cleaner either keeping the fire going or coming in at an ungodly hour to get everything prepared for the early morning train

Thanks gents, yes I was more interested in goods traffic & now I think about it, I really only have one real terminal now on the D&S as the other two are more through running stations.

The GWR Whitland to Cardigan branch line kept a loco at Cardigan overnight (It had an engine shed, water coal and turntable) for an early morning mixed train to Whitland, which was the main station.
There was also a banking engine kept at Llanfallteg in the early days.