Wheeltapper Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Over the years there have been many S & D actual or inspired layouts. Probably the most iconic was Mac Pyrkes Berrow Branch which I first encountered at a Model Railway Club 's exhibition at Central Hall Westminster and then which featured in Railway Modeller on a number of occasions. Going through some old Railway Modellers I came on a new one ( to me anyway) in the July 1999 RM called Broad Sidlinch - a large permanent S & D Layout which had some interesting scenic features . It goes without saying that there are several awe inspiring S & D layouts around today including some by contributors to this Forum but I would be interested to know what others stand out in peoples memories ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Yes Berrow, and Shipley's Evercreech Junction. Broad Sidlinch is ciurrently on display at Holt station on the North Norfolk Railway, though everytime I've seen it it has not been running Somerset and Dorstet related stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Should have mentioned that Broad Sidlinch was one of Julian Birley's earlier layouts. He is much involved with the NNR, of course and his O Gauge layout was recently featured in Model rail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium tingleytim Posted September 13, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 13, 2011 Yes Berrow, and Shipley's Evercreech Junction. Broad Sidlinch is ciurrently on display at Holt station on the North Norfolk Railway, though everytime I've seen it it has not been running Somerset and Dorstet related stock. Can't resist this opportunity to give my club a plug. Pictures of the Evercreech layout can be seen on http://www.shipleymrs.org.uk/evercreech.php Oh, and details of this weekend's exhibition also available on that website! No SDJR layouts this time but it's always a good show. Let me know if you can make it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium tingleytim Posted September 13, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 13, 2011 That link should have read http://www.shipleymrs.org.uk/evercreech.php Hope the technology works this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium tingleytim Posted September 13, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 13, 2011 The technology didn't work on my screen. The 3 dots after shipleymr on the two previous posts should be replaced by s.org.uk Hope this makes sense. If this doesn't work then once again I admit to being defeated by technology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combe Martin Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Well the obvious one to mention is Bath Green Park by the Taunton Model Railway Group, I do wish though that having built such a good model of a real location, that they'd run the real timetable (ok, speeded up) and correct train formations. And on the subject of the Shipley club's Evercreech Junction, I was talking to one of their members about a year ago and asked about it. Apparently it was eventually sold to a private owner, and then destroyed in a fire. What a waste ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheeltapper Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 Well the obvious one to mention is Bath Green Park by the Taunton Model Railway Group, I do wish though that having built such a good model of a real location, that they'd run the real timetable (ok, speeded up) and correct train formations. Thats one that had slipped my mind . In addition I know there have been layouts of Burnham on Sea, Midford ,Writhlington , Midsomer Norton,. Chilcompton and Evercreech New but I dont think I have ever heard of ones of Templecombe , Highbridge , Bridgwater or Glastonbury and I know nothing of ones from south of Templecombe though I know there are some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combe Martin Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 (edited) The trust has a static model of Highbridge in an old coach or shed at Washford, it was donated by someone and presumably used to work. I once saw a model of Henstridge, but it was years ago, and I've also seen West Pennard, and an N gauge Cole too . At the Brighton Model World exhibition a couple of years ago, there were 2 N gauge models of Midford next to each other !, and of course there's the new(ish) model of Blandford. Some of these were of questionable quality though. I've always had the ambition to build Templecombe, but I need to move house or have an extention built for that ! Edited September 14, 2011 by Combe Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekEm8 Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Talking of Mac Pyrke and Berrow Branch it was a lovely little layout for that time. Some years ago we had our layout next to them at the 'old' Warley exhibition (pre N.E.C.) and at lunch and tea time they stopped the sequence, put a notice on the layout to the tune of 'gone for a break' (I can't remember the exact words) and just went and left the layout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheeltapper Posted September 15, 2011 Author Share Posted September 15, 2011 (edited) Talking of Mac Pyrke and Berrow Branch it was a lovely little layout for that time. Some years ago we had our layout next to them at the 'old' Warley exhibition (pre N.E.C.) and at lunch and tea time they stopped the sequence, put a notice on the layout to the tune of 'gone for a break' (I can't remember the exact words) and just went and left the layout. I think they did that at other shows as I certainly remember standing by Berrow for sometime awaiting the return of the operators to restart proceedings. There was a much more relaxed attitude to exhibiting back then , even to the extent that some layouts had a cardboard clockface they would put on the layout when the operators went for a break saying something like " Next Performance at .......or Next Train Departs at .............." with the clock hands showing the time. No-one seemed to even consider as a remote possibility then that if a layout was left unattended anyone would attempt to steal any of the stock. How things have changed. Edited September 15, 2011 by Wheeltapper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheeltapper Posted September 15, 2011 Author Share Posted September 15, 2011 The trust has a static model of Highbridge in an old coach or shed at Washford, it was donated by someone and presumably used to work. I once saw a model of Henstridge, but it was years ago, and I've also seen West Pennard, and an N gauge Cole too . At the Brighton Model World exhibition a couple of years ago, there were 2 N gauge models of Midford next to each other !, and of course there's the new(ish) model of Blandford. Some of these were of questionable quality though. I've always had the ambition to build Templecombe, but I need to move house or have an extention built for that ! I made a start on layouts of both Burnham and Edington Junction but changes of circumstances stopped both projects getting very far . I always liked the idea of Highbridge Works as a Depot layout but the one station I do want to do if I ever have the time , space and money is Wells (Priory Road) as the track plan would be great from the operating point of view especially if you had a GW Operator and a S & D Operator and programmed in plenty of S & D shunting moves that could potentially block the GW through route as happened in real life. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combe Martin Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 the one station I do want to do if I ever have the time , space and money is Wells (Priory Road) Well you can't run Evening Star there, mind you, you do have an excuse for a West Country. 'City of Wells' (Stewarts Lane's best engine) was named there when it was just called 'Wells' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailWest Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 (edited) I know of a 7mm model of Edington Junction being done by a club, tho' I've not seen it myself. The quality of S&D layouts (as with any hobby) does vary a bit and I'm afraid that even the good ones have their 'howlers', despite whatever they may say about how much research they have done. Whilst some owners/operators respond well to polite comments and/or further info about the prototype, there are still those who ignore anything that you tell them and continue regardless. I recall one layout at an exhibition where the signals - made removable for transportation - had been put in place the wrong way round!!! Even when it was pointed out to them (but how could they have missed it????) they just left them as they were. I have wondered about Wells in the past, tho' how to achieve the 'scenic breaks' on the 3 lines would be something of a challenge! Corfe Mullen in the days when trains still ran to/from Wimborne would make a nice "watch the trains go by" layout, as would Wimborne Junction (not the station) with the added interest of the engine shed and the opportunity to run some LSWR trains too. Edited September 15, 2011 by RailWest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 "Henstridge" was built in the 1970s by the late Eric Rimmer. When Eric passed on in the early 1990s his widow May asked members of the (now defunct) East Anglia branch of the S&DRT to restore it - which we did (3 of us). It was featured in a S&DRT Bulletin one month (cannot remember which one off the top of my head - but if anyone is interested I can find out) and we ran it at several exhibitions including King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth. We ran it to the 1960 Summer Saturday timetable (with a speeded up clock and the timetable out front for inspection by the punters) with authentic stock (as much as we were able). And boy was it hard work - took about 2 hours for each 24 hour run. It attracted a lot of interest, even to the point of punters informing us that the train was late, and we had real-time failures. Chris Awdrey helped us out with operating a couple of times as well. You needed 3 to operate this end-to-end layout with 2 rotating fiddle yards at eaxh end of a 15 ft (I think) run through Henstridge.Despite its restoration it did suffer from the moving around and eventually we had to retire it. Another layout has been built (Shepton Mallet) by the other 2 guys involved but this is a private rather than public venture. But it was good fun at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 Update - "Henstridge" was featured in The Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust Bulletin, No. 171 - July/August 1992. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted September 15, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 15, 2011 I know of a 7mm model of Edington Junction being done by a club, tho' I've not seen it myself I believe there was a model railway club associated with the Hydrographic Office at Taunton, and some of the people from there were supposed to be building a 7mm model of Edington Jct. One of them who I know assured me (this was 6 - 7 years ago at least), that it would be completed 'within a year'. I never heard any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailWest Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 That's the one - or not, as the case may be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheeltapper Posted September 16, 2011 Author Share Posted September 16, 2011 I believe there was a model railway club associated with the Hydrographic Office at Taunton, and some of the people from there were supposed to be building a 7mm model of Edington Jct. One of them who I know assured me (this was 6 - 7 years ago at least), that it would be completed 'within a year'. I never heard any more. Lets just say that as far as that establishment is concerned that comes as absolutely no surprise at all ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted September 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 20, 2011 Lets just say that as far as that establishment is concerned that comes as absolutely no surprise at all ! I have to say that I wasn't that surprised either! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold John B Posted September 28, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 28, 2011 My old muckers in the South Hants MRS built a very fine model of Midsomer Norton & Welton (twice - in EM first, then "converted" it to P4). IIRC it appeared in the first or second edition of BRM, and later in MRJ. It operated in pre-grouping guise for many years on the circuit before being "retired". Before I left the UK, some of the members were considering refurbishing it again and putting it back on the circuit in BR 50s/60s guise - but that was many years ago now and I've heard nothing further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combe Martin Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 My old muckers in the South Hants MRS built a very fine model of Midsomer Norton & Welton (twice - in EM first, then "converted" it to P4). IIRC it appeared in the first or second edition of BRM, and later in MRJ. It operated in pre-grouping guise for many years on the circuit before being "retired". This has started the old bells ringing in my head. I seem to remember years ago reading in Railway Modeller (in the '60s I think, but may be later) that the Southend club had built a 4mm model of Midsomer Norton. I don't recall it being a featured layout, but it was about to appear at an exhibition in that area and there was a picture too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagonman Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 I believe there have been several models of Midsomer Norton, including one in 2mm scale, though the SHMRS version was/is one of the best. The problem with Broad Sidlinch is that it looked nothing like the SDJR -- take the stock off and it could be anywhere. Or nowhere. Julian Birley's latest effort, Evercrech New in 7mm scale, is an entirely different kettle of fish. Superb, and instantly recognosable even without a train in view. I think there have been a couple of models of Edington Junction, one of Chilcompton and someone here is working on Wellow. I'm sure there are others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 I don't know about S&D layouts of the past, but there is a distinct shortage of decent ones, available for shows, now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold queensquare Posted October 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 20, 2011 I don't know about S&D layouts of the past, but there is a distinct shortage of decent ones, available for shows, now. There is my own Highbury Colliery which depicts the S&D pre 1930, my very embryonic model of Bath Queen Square (it only became Green Park in the 1950's) and the N gauge model of Midsomer Norton which I built for a customer, although this last is a home layout - see my website http://www.jerrycliffordmodels.co.uk/ also my RMWeb Highbury thread at http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/38581-highbury-colliery/ We are solidly booked well into 2013 so you should be able to see us at a show near you. Our next outing, and the last this year, is to Hull in November, see http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/44392-advanced-notice-hull-model-railway-show-2011/ Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now