I think it’s a great idea—it

I think it’s a great idea—it would be mini scene in the overall scene, and could add just the right type of variety/focal point in the estuary.  As for me, I may be a bit biased, but I just love boat scenes when railroads meet water.

As far as the floating dock, it looks like (to me) kind of a standard T-shape floating dock with 3 hinged sections to allow for varied heights.  I’m no marine expert, so hopefully others with more marine knowledge can chime in.

But, definitely, it is a scene worth pursuing!

I googled “wooden dock

I googled “wooden dock hinges” and found a lot of examples—most are modern/new docks.

But, did come across one site that has a good looking diagram for a floating dock and the associated parts:

https://greatnortherndocks.com/floating-hardware/
 

Find a lot of these in another countries

.

In the Netherlands and Belgium we have a lot of this kind of place because tide is important on the sea side with an amplitude of 3 to 4 meters.

If you go on seaside site of these country, you will probably find such scene often including small harbor which are dry at low tide.

They also exist in Britain and in the north of France on the brits coast, many pictures are also available.

The famous country side around the fabulous " Mont Saint Michel " in France is full of this kind of place.

They are similar of the one you are looking for in any aspects

Floating docks

  Hi Dee, Depending on the era and importance it might have floatation tanks such as old 55 gallon drums or other surplus containers or it might have big slabs of foam or plastic tanks. Old docks were usually some kind of weather resistant wood planks like redwood or treated fir, newer ones can be sheet decking with a non skid coating.  Various types of metal hinges connect the sections. There would be some pilings to keep it in place with straps connecting the dock to the piles to allow up and down movement with the tide. Your photo looks like about a 10 foot tidal range so might get a quite bit of flow when the tide is running. I can't see a lot of pilings though so maybe it's not too bad. I don't know why they'd put one dock out in the middle of no where, seems like they'd have put it closer to town. Probably a story behind that  :> ) .....DaveB 

J. Emerson, Thanks for the

J. Emerson,

Thanks for the links.

I think it will certainly be a nice finishing touch for the module.

Marc, I did not know that.

Marc,

I did not know that. Thanks.

DaveB.  Very

DaveB. 

Very informative; thanks. It gives me an ideal of how one might be in the late 50s.

I suspect it's a private dock with limited access. 

Various pics I found with a google on "old docks tidal"

I think the foreshore sections could be incredible to model, but I just love beat up wood on models. 

Most of these of the floating variety that I have seen and fished off of have either had logs, Oil barrels or big ugly blocks of styrofoam under them.  The buoyancy is often failing and parts of the them are submerged at a slant.   

Some Suggestions

Hi Deem,

Some suggestions for you:

with that much rise and fall, there will be some pretty significant tidal currents both on the surge and the ebb, so:

• Add a point to both ends of your pontoon. This reduces the sideways loading on the shore-based end of the landing during both the surge and ebb flows.   
• tie the shore-based end of the gangway to the pontoon down to something big or heavy.
• Add something like 3 or 4 stakes driven into the ground  and some chain out the the pontoon. The aim is here is to hold the pontoon if it breaks away rather than have it washed out to sea on the ebb (worst case) or have it grounded or tangled up in something else (like your bridge abutments) further upstream. 

I have some photos of bigger pontoon mooring points from a Danube-Rhine cruise. Most of these were anchored on the landward side to a concrete or stone retaining wall (not what you have). There were rows of them up and down the Danube and Rhine, especially where the tour boats tie up for day excursions, places like Rudesheim.  https://www.google.at/maps/place/65385+R%C3%BCdesheim+am+Rhein,+Germany/@49.9774952,7.9242568,529m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x47bde6300d8c792b:0x422435029b0a270!8m2!3d49.9821443!4d7.9301124 Have a look at the smaller mooring pontoons between the moored cruise boats. 

I suppose you could always "back-engineer" from the bigger stuff. Let me know if you want a photo or 2

John G, Great suggestions.

John G,

Great suggestions. This will also add some fine detail.

Please do add a photo or two.

Mike,I do like the look of

Mike,

I do like the look of this one and I think it would be appropriate for my era. I think some HO scale oil drums are in order not to mention a little boat.

I will have to force myself not to make one yet and save it for the finishing touch for the module.

Just be sure

That you model low tide on other water scenes, if any. 

Geof, indeed. My fourth

Geof, indeed. My fourth module will have a wharf.

How far away will the wharf be?

If it's hours/miles away the tide could be at a different state 

It could be, billgill4, but

It could be, billgill4, but mine will only be on the other wall of the room ; )

I'm thinking of putting the floating dock here.