I am installing vacuum braking on my 5 inch gauge Manor. I have fitted a GWR-style vacuum cylinder in the correct place between the frames under the front of the boiler barrel. Also, a vacuum reservoir between the frames to the front of the smokebox.

I understand the theory – or at least I think I do. I have several diagrams from various books & articles about how it all fits together & fortunately they all corroborate each other.

As I understand it, in an automatic vacuum brake system I need to connect the top of the vacuum cylinder to the bottom of the cylinder via a non-return valve, as well as to the vacuum reservoir. How is this configured in practice? I think I also need a vacuum release valve on the reservoir side. This presumably requires a pipe back to the cab?

It’s not the theory that foxes me, it’s the layout of the pipes given the confines of the space available and the desirability to stay somewhere close to authenticity. How can I best minimise the pipework? The area around the vacuum cylinder is already quite crowded, I don’t want to overcomplicate things (there are quite enough complications already) and I want to avoid unsightly extraneous pipework poking out anywhere . How was this done in full size (on presumably all GWR 2 cylinder 4-6-0s) & is there any accepted way of going about this in miniature form?