Fisherton Sarum is a Southern Railway shed set between 1946 and 1949 those migrating over from the previous version of RM Web will no doubt be familiar with my thread on there. As this is basically a finished layout (if they are ever finished) this blog will concentrate on updates on its travels and also a few odds and ends that still need to be done to improve operation etc.

Fisherton Sarum has appeared in the December issue of Railway Modeller (and in video format on their Annual CD Rom) and also the April 2009 issue of Hornby Magazine. The pictures in the gallery are courtesy of Hornby Magazine and Chris Nevard.

Having a varied collection of Southern locomotives I felt a way to display these was via the construction of a motive power depot type layout. Having looked at the plans for a number of Southern sheds a compromise was needed. Salisbury is the inspiration (as it has a family connection) and the basis for the structures on the layout.

The name comes from the fact I wanted to retain the link to Salisbury without actually calling it Salisbury. The current station at Salisbury was originally called Salisbury Fisherton being on Fisherton Street. Old Sarum, of course, is the famous hill fort forming the origin of Salisbury.

The key elements taken from Salisbury were the Coal Stage and ramp, turntable, substantial water tower building with stores and engineman dormitories below. The LSWR style shed albeit reduced from ten roads to four has been transposed to the east and is accessed by a kick back arrangement rather than a fan of sidings to balance the space utilised.

Locomotives arrive and depart to/from the station to the East, some can then be seen on trains on the running lines to the rear. Coal, ash and stores wagons come and go. There are a number of cameo scenes around the layout including representations of my Grandfather (who was a Ganger at Salisbury) and Father (albeit in short trousers) trying to bunk the shed. Feel free to ask any questions, except the one about where the GWR lines are!