Eynsham, Oxfordshire, in N Gauge

[David Thomas]

Hello,

 I am new to this forum, and thus may not be posting in the right place. since lockdown i have been modelling-inspired by some local history research- the now long-gone station and environs at Eynsham, 3 miles from where I live. This is c. halfway between Oxford and Witney on the old Fairford branch.  Before you say 'oh no, not another GWR branchline', this is different! The old witney railway never quite conformed: the stations between Oxford and Witney were always painted green and cream, for example. Today nothing is left at Eynsham, which was the largest station between Oxford and Witney, with a grand stone goodsshed and a large wooden station building from the mid 19th century, save the name 'Station Road' and the village bypss following the track route between the now demolish roadbrifge and the long gone level crossing (both now represented by roundabouts today). Passenger traffic ceased in 1962 and good traffic, a few trains a week, in 1982, afterwhich the line was lifted. Old concrte fence posts remain along some stretches of fields and footpaths, but that is about it.

 

I was inspired by some local history research during lockdown, and walking the route, which has been the discussion of  apossible Witney-Oxford tramway to relieve the horribly congested A40. the is a website dedicated to the Fairford branch, and three books, but few photograophs publically avaliable. Gradually, via a village facebook site, photos have been sent to me (including some taken in 1958 from a helicopter!), while scale building plans in two of the books were a boon.

 

The model so far is 3.4m x60cm, portable in three sections, N Gauge and DCC. a fiddle yard behind the backscene allows me toi run it both as end to end or round and round. all scenery and buildings are scratchbuilt to scale (including the houses in Station Road, which still exist, track is Peco Code 55, rolling study etc are various including Fraish panniers, a Union Mills Collett and a railcar- these were the common locos on the line.

 

I am including some pics. I have been aiming to match the qwuality of the well-known Vale of Oxbury model, described by many as the best N gauge layout.  I have strived for a line in a landscape, rather than a railway with a bit fo scenery. The landscpae is largely flat as this is the flat Thames valley, with some limited relef in the west. There is still alot of detailing going on and work at the east end (the roadbridge end was added on a few months ago, and I still have a pub to build.

 

I have been sharing the mdoel and its progress with the local Eynsham Facebook history site, with much enthusiasm garnered. I though I would now risk sharing with the modelling community. I woudl add that i modelled in 00 about 20 years ago, and  sometimes in my youth, but this is a first effort for many many years. Any thoughts etc welcome. I am happy to share morte pics of the constrcution prosess, and also higher quality pics (these are all from my iphone). I apologise for the upside down image, it just doesnts eem to want to be the right way around.

 

Many thanks!

 

Edited January 17, 2022 by David Thomas
inverted image

[Forward!]

Nice complete layout.

 

I model just down the line at Bampton (which would also be my local station if it still existed), but in 4mm. I agree that the line is far more interesting than "just another sleepy GWR branchline"! It saw really interesting traffic (and a wide range of motive power), especially during wartime and was used by the GWR to experiment with new tech such as signalling and automatic train control. A great branch for modellers!

 

Will

[clachnaharry]

It's great to see a location modelled at what looks like scale length. It just shows how much compression there is in the average model railway! Is it a continuous run or do you have a fiddle yard at each end?

[David Thomas]

Nice to meet you Will! 
 

interesting that you are modelling Brampton, I guess with the airfield adjacent?

Ten or so years ago someone (it’s on the web) modelled Witney in N gauge- model looked good and was in a snowy winter- but he did it as ‘Witney Euston’ and LMS. I guess you know this though.

It is an interesting branch. Rumour had it that in the war when the King’s train came to visit the military, it was hauled by a Hall or a Manor.

 

the main legacy of the war at Eynsham is the 1944 loop platform. This was a huge challenge to model as was prefab concrete with over 90 supporting trusses, but finally I managed it, pics included here.

 

I considered modelling this as GWR, for the interest in being able to include local private owners wagons, but that would have meant leaving the loop and its platform out.

 

You mention the signalling-  one down side of the trialling of the electronic system was the removal of the distant signals, and the loop starter at Eynsham being a hundred yards or more down the track away from the platform. I have added all the signal control rods to the model, unusually between the lines rather than down the margins, due to the late addition of the loop.

 

I’d love to see what you are doing!
 

dave

 

 

[David Thomas]

1 hour ago, clachnaharry said:

It's great to see a location modelled at what looks like scale length. It just shows how much compression there is in the average model railway! Is it a continuous run or do you have a fiddle yard at each end?

Hi there- that was indeed one of the attractions of modelling in N. The way I have done it is that everything in the centre of the model- the station, platforms, yard etc are true to scale. The one long siding is slightly shortened for space reasons, while the track the the W and E of the station is shortened. For example, I wanted to include the now-gone road bridge, but much of the area E of the station to the bridge- the modern bypass, is rather dull. So that has been greatly shortened, in effect I have left a mile out. I have still been able to get the interesting features in, such as a steam crossing, footpath across the line, and the all so typical pollarded willows along the ditches that are so characteristic around here.

 

the model is continuous, but with two in-series fiddle yards at the back, so that I can in effect run it as end to end, but without the need for extra length. 

The pollarded willows!

 

[FraserClarke]

On 18/01/2022 at 18:02, David Thomas said:

main legacy of the war at Eynsham is the 1944 loop platform. This was a huge challenge to model as was prefab concrete with over 90 supporting trusses

 

Quite a challenge indeed!  I'm sure you know, but a good fraction of the Eynsham loop platform survives at Didcot Railway Centre. Still doing good service nearly 80 years later :-)

[Andy_C]

That platform is really clever. Well done in spending so much time and effort in getting things so accurate.

[David Thomas]

On 22/01/2022 at 18:19, FraserClarke said:

 

Quite a challenge indeed!  I'm sure you know, but a good fraction of the Eynsham loop platform survives at Didcot Railway Centre. Still doing good service nearly 80 years later :-)

Thanks Fraser. I was talking with the Didcot folk before I started the model. It s nice that part of it is there- apparently quite a bit of the supporting concrete legs were recast anew.