SouthWest by Southern - 1940s

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The story so far…

Background

I visualised an ex-LSWR layout several years back, at about the time when “Buckingham” and “Charford” were the front runners for inspiration. Little suitable r-t-r was then available; the only alternatives available to me at that time were either to scratch build or to kit build. Kit quality varied, and even the best in 4mm needed to be enhanced in order to work. More kits than I wish to count were consigned to the bin, as I came to realise that a skill gap added to the problems. So the project slipped further from reality.

But times change. Firstly, the introduction of Chinese-manufactured r-t-r, and then secondly, Hornby’s inclusion of South Western prototypes in its catalogue. I could make a start.

The Concept

I settled on the idea of a twin track oval, with the smallest radius acceptable, nominally 36” for the outside track. The baseboard had to be capable of breakdown to sections for transport. I wanted the track to cross the baseboard joints as close to a right angle as possible, and obviously no point work across a transport joint.

Track is Code 75, with Peco Electrofrog points. A five track through fiddle yard occupies the back straight. The front straight is the setting for a mainline through station, with a bay platform for an end-to-end branch line. The branch terminates in its own small fiddle yard. I aimed for DCC loco control from the outset, and then added partial DCC point control for the station and goods yard.

I hope to achieve a convincing scenic standard, with a setting “somewhere along the South Western, West of England, main line.” The nominal dateline is 1946, but it has been expanded to include the ten years before nationalisation, and so include r-t-r finished in Maunsell green.

Baseboard Construction

The baseboard comprises eight sections, each 3’6” along the long edge, and fitting together to make a rectangle 14’0” by 7’0”. They are made from 6mm and 9mm MDF, machine cut, glued and nailed. I have sealed the surfaces with emulsion paint and varnish. The track is about 48” above floor level.

The Station

The station track plan is loosely based on Bere Alston; adapted to fit the space and model operation. Hopefully without too many concessions. The branch runs from the bay platform to its off-stage fiddle. I am including a simplified goods yard, possibly with a siding for a creamery.

I hope to copy South Western architecture for each of the main buildings. I have a choice of building plans for the main station house; my shortlist is Topsham and Eggesford. I also have building plans for the other buildings, though no particular preferences have emerged as yet. I think that scratch building will be the only option for these buildings, but if Hornby point work should do a SW design in its Skaledale ready-to-plonk range, then r-t-p it will probably be.

The station is as yet unnamed, but I am toying with “Minster Junction”, for the “Minster on Fosse Branch.”

Left-hand Scenery

The front left-hand corner has the cliché water feature with millpond. I had hoped to include a small water mill, but realistically there is not room, so this corner will evolve over the next few months. In the back left-hand corner both tracks (main and branch) disappear into tunnels, and on the “hill” above I intend to include the boundary of a small rural settlement. Again, the detail of this will evolve with time, but I wish to capture the atmosphere of our part of Wessex. The settlement is not yet named, and a road will link the settlement to the station via a bridge over the front left transport joint.

Right-Hand Scenery

The mainline (up, Waterloo, direction) leaves the station, and curves through a cutting into the third tunnel entrance. I envisage a small lane and rural pub in the front corner, and again a road linking front to back. The back right-hand corner will have scenery across the hidden tracks. This scenery is intended to represent the edge of a wartime airfield, “RAF Binding Magna”, being a grass satellite landing ground for something bigger elsewhere. There should be room for an Airfix watch tower, a pillbox or two, and a few of Hornby’s new r-t-p Nissan huts.

Such airfields did exist, and could legitimately have a suitable assortment of air vehicles, in various stages of disassembly. I fancy the major unit to be part of the ferry system, with a detachment of an ASR squadron passing through. I had my first cadet air experience flight in a Tiger Moth; this has already been delivered!

Two backboards are under construction, and being painted in sky effect by Olivia.

Wiring

DCC is simple. Such is the theory. I have one DCC bus (track) forming a ring main under every baseboard section, and droppers to this main from each piece of track and point. This work is currently in hand (27th May) and is boring beyond belief.

A second bus is under the two back baseboard sections, and provides a dedicated 16V AC supply to the fiddle yard points. (Peco point motors).

The third bus, also DCC, is under the two front baseboard sections for the station points, which are not yet complete. I have installed Hornby decoders, to drive Peco point motors. In theory this should work normally but there is more work to be done before it can be tested.

The command station is a ZTC 505.

Locomotives

With one exception, at present, these are all r-t-r from Bachmann and Hornby. Decoders are being fitted as and when. TCS M1 is the standard decoder of choice, though the M7s have ZTC 4007.

The r-t-r stock includes a WC Blackmore Vale, two King Arthur's, a Q1, several N Class moguls, and M7s. The exception is a Falconbrass T1 built by John Cross. I hope to add one or more T9s later this, or possibly next, year.
 

Coaching Stock

A variety, from different sources. I have a rake of the new Hornby Maunsell R4s in lined green. They are wrong for the south west, but too good to ignore.

Then there is a rake of 4 Roxey non corridor coaches, plus one corridor brake 3rd, built by Adam and painted by Peter in malachite green. These are all ex-LSWR 56ft panelled stock.

Lastly, a mix of Northstar coaches, also in malachite, and ex-LSWR panelled corridor stock. Some are 56ft, and there is a pull-push set (46’6”) for the branch.
 

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