This is the continuing story of a small branchline terminus-fiddle yard layout in my loft.

The next stage saw frenetic kit building activity- the goods shed (Metcalfe, with the office portion repositioned, and a Ratio 'coaling stage'wooden hoist fitted inside on the loading platform) was quickly followed by coal cells, coal office (ratio), weghbridge and weigh house (Metcalfe again).

Then came platelayers hut, two lamprooms, WR/LMS loading gauge and pagoda shelter (all ratio).

By now I had decided that the layout would represent a BR (WR) scene, with ex LMS 'visitors' during the period 1956-1963.

More buildings followed- the barn, the station garage (Wills), the station building with stationmasters house attached and signalmans house( Peco 'Manyways')

The layouts name is a tribute to a work collegue who was also a model railway enthusiast - Terry Sproston, at work he was always saying that when he shortly retired he would get around to building his dream model railway. He retired at 62 and within 6 months was diagnosed with cancer, 6 months later He was gone.... it was a salutory lesson for me - don't put off till tomorrow that which you can do today!

It is to his memory that I dedicate my layout

Slowly the detailed shape of the layout emerged,as I began to plan the non-railway buildings that make up the outskirts of the town.

The main industry of Sproston- and the "raison d'etre" for the branch remaining busy and open still, - the creamery with its private siding was tackled next.

The buildings, in an imposing red brick are all Metcalfe, the 'small factory and 'factory entrance' have been adapted.It is assumed that this was a cider factory previously, but closed during the mid 1920's depression, it reopened as a creamery in 1929.

It is the largest employer in the town, (around 75 staff )

Next came the locoshed (Dapol) and then the loco coalstage and water tower (Ratio yet again), other small buildings followed, the creamery water tower (Dapol) the idea copied from another WR branchline layout that has a blog on here.....Penhydd??

The creamery also gained a cycle store (Wills), while the loco depot gained an unusual bothy (Dornerplas) and an inspection pit in the loco shed, with ashpit alongside on the road to the turntable.

Ahh!, the turntable, this was seen as a problem- I wanted a 55' (9") table, nothing was available that size, so I bought a Dapol one- which is GWR style, over girder with a shallow pit. but 72'... too big.

After some thinking, decided to reduce it to 60' by removing each end girder section and cutting down the deck, also strengthend the deck and added some weight under it to make it bear down on the rollers and run on the (plastic) rail.

Painted it in WR colours and removed all the vacumn operating equipment, - small branchline turntable uses man power to turn...

The first signal arrived at about the same time from the scrapbox - yes I know it is upper quadrant and overscale ( and Hornby ) but it works, has 3 dolls, the arrangement needed for Sproston, it will have to do for now...