The British Railways Model Railway

[5050]

Another brochure found amongst the stash from the club library was this one describing the BR layout which, I presume, was taken and displayed around the country.  I don't think I ever actually saw it but it is mentioned on the Inspirational Layouts thread.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Built to 'O'scale it was stated to operate with 'comparatively few mishaps' and to use old blankets for scenery.

 

I reckon it must have been an impressive sight for a young lad back in the day.  Does anyone recognise any faces in the audience?

[roythebus]

Was this the layout that was on display at the Bethnal Green toy museum in the early 1960's?

[steve1]

That's an impressive control panel! Not quite DCC...

 

steve

[darkwolf]

Here's a short video from 1964 showing what it presumably a later incarnation of the same layout. Note the different control panel and revised scenery...

 

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/working-model-of-british-railways-new-railway-aka

 

The description reads: "Various shots, large working scale model demonstrating British Rail's new railway at Britain's Food Fair opening at the Olympia Exhibition Hall, London, on 1st September 1964. CU Operators at the controls. CU Various shots, models of passenger and freight trains move around circuit. Note: Date on original record: 31/08/1964. Contemporary notes give scale of model as 7 mm to the foot, the total size is 30 feet by 15 feet. The model was made by British Rail's model specialist Ronald Beddoes aged 59 and his two assistants, Charles Holmes (27) and Daniel Fountain (29)."

 

Other editions of the leaflet...

 

http://lickeyincline.blogspot.com/2009/01/whatever-happened-to-this-model-railway.html

http://www.britishtransporttreasures.com/product/british-railways-model-railway-ebook/

 

Makes you indeed wonder what became of all this. As it was to showcase Britain's railways it's not surprising that the video clip above shows no steam - who knows where the models ended up. Also interesting to note that they were built by BR staff. And also what about other layouts built for similar purposes. I remember reading once (maybe in MRE, many years ago) about two Tri-ang Brighton Belle units made for some exhibition, a 00 one and a TT version, one of which was later found in a skip. I bet there are still some interesting models tucked away in store rooms and basements...

[steve1]

There was some really good modelling in that Pathe film layout. The modern buildings were exceptional for the time and would pass muster now by the look of them. The track was correctly sleepered too.

 

steve

[roythebus]

As an 8 or 9 year old, I was amazed at the detail of this layout.

[Clive Mortimore]

The video is most unrealistic, at 2.30 there is a D84xx (class 16) working. :no: :no:

[andyman7]

I like the XP64 liveried class 40 in the Pathe video clip!

[stovepipe]

Here's a short video from 1964 showing what it presumably a later incarnation of the same layout. Note the different control panel and revised scenery...

 

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/working-model-of-british-railways-new-railway-aka

 

The description reads: "Various shots, large working scale model demonstrating British Rail's new railway at Britain's Food Fair opening at the Olympia Exhibition Hall, London, on 1st September 1964. CU Operators at the controls. CU Various shots, models of passenger and freight trains move around circuit. Note: Date on original record: 31/08/1964. Contemporary notes give scale of model as 7 mm to the foot, the total size is 30 feet by 15 feet. The model was made by British Rail's model specialist Ronald Beddoes aged 59 and his two assistants, Charles Holmes (27) and Daniel Fountain (29)."

 

The layout in the film appears to have quite a different track plan to the one shown in the brochure posted by 5050. Based on the loco roster shown, it looks like the brochure dates from around 1958, with the film from 1964. The Woodhead electric section appears to have been dispensed with, and the station and shed sections are quite different, with no turntable anywere and a freightliner depot instead of a goods yard.

 

So is this actually a completely different layout?

[darkwolf]

Could well be. The control panel looks different too. As it was intended to represent British Railways I guess it had to move with the times, and so saw updates throughout its life.

[Judge Dread]

I seem to remember seeing this layout many years ago, but as to where and when? Having looked at the film just now, am I the only one who noticed the third rail (which was working on this layout) went across the road way at the level crossing? 

[Andy Y]

The British Railways Model Railway was a division of the BR Public Relations & Publicity organisation (as were British Transport Films etc..) and were I believe based in workshops at Stratford in East London. I can certainly recall seeing the layout at the Schoolboys & Schoolgirls Exhibition at Olympia in the mid 1960s. It reflected the modernisation of the railway and was therefore constantly changing to show the latest developments.

 

In 1983 I joined the Southern Region Public Affairs Department at Waterloo. There I met John Hughes (Public Relations Officer for the South Eastern Division)who had begun his career on the footplate but subsequently as a keen railway modeller joined the BR model making team. John and I both commuted between Bletchley and Waterloo (via the Northern Line) and it was John who had the idea of holding the model railway exhibition at Cannon Street station in 1986 to celebrate the 150^th Anniversary of the London & Greenwich Railway. John had worked on the BR layout and other projects during the 1960s. When the team was disbanded he joined the London Midland Region as a press officer. Another member of the team was Vic Green, whose work has appeared in various publications over the years. Vic became a full time professional model maker and he and John kept in touch.

 

An official BR photograph of the layout is attached with John at the controls (highlighted).

 

 

Sadly John passed away a few years ago and had an extensive collection of 7mm hand-built locomotives relating to the Dumfries – Stranraer  ‘Port Line’ which subsequently went to auction. Members of Milton Keynes Model Railway Society were donated the full size signalling equipment by the family which had stood in John’s back garden. It was reassembled and formed part of our outdoor display at Bletchley Park for several years. This equipment was subsequently donated to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway as it could not be accommodated in the new club room.

 

 

 

Dennis Lovett

Public Relations Manager

Bachmann Europe Plc

 

(formerly Southern Region Public Affairs)

[Mike Storey]

I remember John, and indeed Dennis, in their BR PR roles, at which they were both excellent. It was John who arranged for photos of me in a certain situation.........

 

It is possible that some of the stock and signals from the BR publicity layout ended up on the model layout that used to be in the operations training hut at Waterloo (which I think moved later to outside London on the SW?), which was used primarily to teach various groups about signalling. It was dual track, straight up and down layout about 30 ft long, with crossovers, a siding or two, a short station, two signal boxes, and a mixture of absolute block semaphores and MAS crudely made signals, way out of scale for the track and stock. I remember seeing that when I was in management training in 1980 (or perhaps before that when I was taking operations rules and regs evening classes, when still a clerk), although it was not working during my visit, but it was definitely 0 gauge and held steam and diesel locos and stock of various regions. I asked one of the trainers where the stock had come from and he said from the apprentices at a depot in London, but did not know which. I had heard it was later donated to the Woking Homes, but no idea if that was true.

 

Ian (olddudders) may know more as he trained some years before me on the SR, and presumably went there too.

[darkwolf]

Fascinating information, thanks!