holmes

In "Great Western Branch Line Modelling" part 1 by Stephen Williams there are two photographs on p.46 that might help. The one of Highclere is surely of the Edwardian era. It shows the whole extend of the platforms but no token apparatus (the signal box is already there, though). The other photograph shows Upton&Blewbury sometime (hard to guess) pre-WW2. Here one token apparatus is beyond the signal box, the one on the opposite side on the far end from the signal box. It is placed directly at the end of the platform next to the starting signal. Both are only passed by the loco when it is nearly leaving the station. So there seems to be a different layout than at Burghclere...

Hello, I like to comment about the "overpowering hills". This depends very much on your viewing angle. I learned from landscape photography that the horizon is always on the the same level as the eye/lens of camera. I admit the difficulty to establish the line of horizon on your backgroud photograph. But if you can achive this, the hills will not overpower the scene. If you prefer viewing your layout at tracklevel the horizon will not be visible behind the station building. In consequence, the hills (rising, of course, above the horizon) will not seem too tall and you will see more sky. If you like a higher viewing position the horizon has to be on the same height as your eye. With steep hills nearby you will probably see no sky at all! I wish you good luck with this inspiring layout!