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About this blog

Follow the progress of Addleford Green, a fictional station on the now lost Hawkhurst Branch Line in Kent. Addleford Green is a "what-if" scenario, assuming the line had been extended beyond Hawkhurst to the titular fictional Kent town. This facilitated a connection with the Express Dairy creamery and the subsequent diary traffic would keep the line open into the 70s.

 

Addleford Green measures 5ft by 16 inches, is modelled in 4mm and utilises standard analogue controls. All buildings are scratch built where possible, some based on existing locations, some completely imaginary! The time period is intentionally left open, anywhere from the early 40s up to the 70s, allowing me great freedom of motive power and rolling stock.

Entries in this blog

Hawkhurst Branch - Station building scratch build - Part 1

In relation to the Addleford Green project I owe an awful lot to the book The Hawkhurst Branch, written by Brian Hart and published by Wild Swan Publications. Not least for the incredibly detailed plans drawn to 3mm scale by Ken Garrett. This book is not only a fascinating look at a piece of long-lost railway history, but also a personal record of the author's connection to said line. It's also an unparalleled resource for modellers, the plans and photos contained within having made this whole p
JRamsden

JRamsden

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Hawkhurst Branch - Stationmaster's house scratch build - Part 4

Next up: glazing. I had originally decided on using Deluxe Sceneics' Glue N Glaze but after using it for the bay windows and not being overly impressed by the results, I figured I'd go back to doing it the old fashioned way. Applying a piece of clear plastic to the reverse also had the added effect of holding the windows in place without the need for glue around the frames which could have damaged the paintwork.     I hadn't intended for a modelled interior, so it was import
JRamsden

JRamsden

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Hawkhurst Branch - Stationmaster's house scratch build - Part 3

I made the small sentry box seen on the Cranbrook station out of plastcard and embossed planking sheet.     Using some card held against the roof angle and a good straight edge, I made a template for the walls of the dormer windows. This is where I introduce you to my best friend...     The Chopper! By NorthWest Short Line, an American company. This device (pricey in the UK but worth every penny) is the scratch builder's best friend. The sharp blade cuts
JRamsden

JRamsden

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Hawkhurst Branch - Stationmaster's house scratch build - Part 2

The next task was to tackle the bay window at the rear of the Stationmaster's house. I used smaller windows here, as I believe is accurate for the prototype. It's possible the window next to the bay windows was also smaller than those of the front, but one thing I had to concede in this project was possible errors due to lack of detailed plans.   I made a paper template to ensure the windows would fit and so I knew how it would fold and fit.     Then I cut a piece
JRamsden

JRamsden

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Hawkhurst Branch - Stationmaster's house scratch build - Part 1

With the station platform in place I turned my attention to the Stationmaster's house. The Hawkhurst branch had several examples of this striking building: Cranbrook, Goudhurst and Horsmonden, each one a little different from the last. Interestingly the example at Horsmonden had absolutely no windows on the rear side of the house, despite that side facing the station! I'm pleased to say that all 3 original buildings still remain and are now private dwellings.   To design the model for
JRamsden

JRamsden

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Platform construction

So, it's been a while. I have been working on the layout but because my work is very much in dribs and drabs I wanted to gather up my progress into more coherent blocks.   Once the track was down and the wiring complete I turned my attention to the station. It's the biggest part of the layout and felt like a good starting point. When I started this project I simply had Southern region as a theme; I never intended to model a specific location or line. That was until I did some research
JRamsden

JRamsden

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Mucking about with track and ballast

I'd started the process of weathering my track in the last entry. I prefer to do this before laying ballast to avoid spoiling the ballast itself and to avoid a uniform colour across the entire trackwork. I start with a good coating of Halfords grey primer, my go-to for any painting project now. In the past I have applied paint direct to the track but it never quite adheres right and looks ugly.     Next up is a coat of Railmatch sleeper grime. I mask/cover any areas I wish t
JRamsden

JRamsden

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Track and wiring

When I laid the track for the previous version of Addleford Green I learned a few lessons. I had elected to mount the point motors directly beneath the track, therefore having to cut holes in the baseboard. I had never done this before but felt it might help with the dreaded point motor alignment. Despite my drilling and cutting being somewhat gung-ho, everything worked well. That was until it came to ballasting.   I'm not sure if it was due to the over-large holes beneath the track or
JRamsden

JRamsden

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Addleford Green - A History

Growing up with trains Thanks to my dad’s interests, I was raised on a healthy diet of trains, canals and anything powered by steam. It was therefore inevitable - after receiving a Hornby GWR Mixed Traffic train set for Christmas - that I would develop an interest in modelling for many years after.   My first layout was an extension of my first train set, with various different pieces added over time. It was safe to say it kept me busy until my teenage years, when I craved somethi
JRamsden

JRamsden

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