What imaginary model railway location would you most like to visit

[Pacific231G]

I was thinking about fictional railway settings ranging from the Madder Valley to the Scottish county of Craigshire that I'd really want to visit if they were real so which location would you most like to visit if the modeller's imagination could be made real and why?

 

This isn't about your favourite layout nor how well modelled the imaginary location is- though that's probably helps to create a sense of place- but how attractive the "prototype" would be whether as a place to watch trains or to simply visit in the period modelled.

 

I think for me it would have to be Madderport with coasters coming in and out of the harbour, wagons being shunted on the quayside and the prospect of a trip on the MVR up the valley but Sainte Colline-des-Champs in 1909 and the local train to Clochemerle-en-Touraine, even though Dennis Allenden only modelled the street behind the loco shed, would definitely merit a visit.

[scots region]

Tough choice, but I definetly would not mind a trip from Gorre to Daphetid in the twlight of American steam. If its Blighty side only then its a three way between Tetleys Mills, Borchester and Pendon Viaduct. My first choice would be due to the notion that amount of raw beauty mixed with sheer power, Second choice? Mills was the layout that inspired me to work for something more. Third? the notion of witnessing the dieing days of East coast steam and Fouth? Sitting in the garden of Britain simply marvelling at it.

 

ScR

[Bert Cheese]

Has to be the isle of Sodor surely?

[Pacific231G]

Has to be the isle of Sodor surely?

I usually try to avoid locos with faces on their smokebox doors but I think that was an invention of C. Reginald Dalby the original book illustrator who the Rev. Wilbur Awdry was often at odds with. There was none of that on the actual model railways based on Sodor that Awdry built. I think that a branch terminus like Ffarquhar with an S.G. roadside tramway coming off it would be well worth seeing and was probably inspired by Wisbech as the Rev. Teddy Boston who was then the curate there and a lifelong friend arranged for Awdry to have a footplate ride on one of the Wisbech & Upwell Tramway's J70's. More about this in Awdry's own tribute to Teddy Boston is on http://www.pegnsean.net/~railwayseries/teddyboston.htm.

[definate maybe]

I dont know if I would fancy visiting a real life model. Turn a corner and you will come to a very desolate area with no scenery, people or atmosphere! (ie the fiddle yard)

I would also be frightened that someone was about to plonk a readymade house on my head at any moment, or that a giant cat would come and wonder overhead destroying everything in its wake.

In all seriousness, If a fanciful subject can be taken seriously

It would be interesting to visit both the real and the model Waverley West, BNS and Peterborough North and compare the

differences. With the standard of each, Im not sure if you would know what was real and what was fiction.

On 'fantasy' models. A trip along the line to Kyle of Tongue or Albannach would appeal to me as I like the tranquil scottish backwaters in both model form and reality.

Its actually quite a dificult question because there are numerous high quality layouts around but I wouldnt want to visit the locations. The likes of Blackmills and Ring Road are fabulous to look at and would keep you entertained on a spotting day out but really dont sound like holiday destinations!

[Me.]

The County Gate layout, whilst set in a real place, is a fictional railway that would be really fascinating to be part of - all those amazing fictitious but believable locomotives! I believe a lot of people do think it is a model of a real situation.

[Trevellan]

I wouldn't mind standing on the end of the platform of Widnes Vine Yard with a camera, or Waverley West, or Peterborough North or (eventually) Eastwood Town...

[Southernman46]

Forest of Bowland light railway ???

[Physicsman]

An interesting question, with plenty of places to choose from.

 

My choice would be between Tetleys Mills and Blea Moor.

 

Tetleys, as I'd like to stand by the canal looking up at the iconic viaduct scene. Then take a walk round the grimy urban landscape, avoiding brawlers outside the pub!

 

Blea Moor because I love the stark scenery of the S&C and would like to stand in the tranquility of the station watching the trains go by!

 

Jeff

[Jol Wilkinson]

London Road, so I can see how accurately it was modelled and what needs changing.

[Padishar Creel]

After a days spotting at Airthrey Park soaking up the sounds of all those Sulzers, take the overnight sleeper south to Kings Park

[Talltim]

Dave Rowe's Llaregub and Axford spring to mind, as does most of Ian Rice's British layout, the Cornwall one especially. I think part of the attraction of these is that the builder's articles about them help to set so much of the scene, giving an extra dimension over and above the models. Ditchling Green is another with great atmosphere

Others whose names escape me at present are the 7mm urban terminus on a viaduct built by MRJ and a 4mm London suburban layout that featured in MRJ more recently (maybe 5 years ago?) It had superb house models

[Adams442T]

Buckingham for those lovely Great Central locos & coaches, and Harford Street to see if I can find that lad riding his BSA pushbike and tell him just where to spot the locos from.............

[Horsetan]

Imaginary: Pen Tor Road

 

Real: Liverpool Lime Street....oh wait, I've been there before.....

[Black Sheep]

I'd love to take a ride in to the station on Liverpool Lime st

 

while I love Ring Road and Cross St, having lived in coventry and wakefield, driven round Birmingham and Manchester I feel as though I have actually visited it! (By which I mean to say, it captures a city centre very well indeed)

 

I'd love to visit buy one of the semi-detatched houses on Frankland, up the top of the hill so that I don't have my garden in a deep drop against the retaining wall, my wife likes this plan too!

[westerner]

A second vote for the final Buckingham.

[Jim Martin]

Millport Victoria, or Buckingham, or Wibdenshaw.

[jjnewitt]

I'd take a trip on the steamer Lochalastair to the tiny fishing village of Dunalistair on the west coast of Scotland. The locals in The Fisherman's Rest would probably look very strangely at you if you mentioned the word tourism but what a wonderful line to travel along. The rocky coastline around Dunalistair, the beautiful Glanclachan Gorge, the wilds of Inverlochan Moor and then the railway line on top of that! Perhaps given chance I could visit the locomotive works at Rea Bridge followed by a walk to the distillery to sample the local malts, see the Garratt working the coal train down from Inverlochan colliery, take a trip behind Number 13 to the mysterious town of Craigcorrie or climb the slopes of Creag Dhubh by tram. So much to see and do!

 

I came across Ted Polet's wonderful creation in the pages of the Railway Modeller in the early ninties and thought then that it would be a wonderful part of the world to visit and nothing has changed my mind. Anyone who hasn't come across this remarkable creation should look here.

 

A few hours on the north bank of the Tyne in the vicinity of The Marguerite circa 1960 would be great to. Particularly around the time of the boat train's arrival.