david51

I agree. You don’t need the turntable . Also why does the line to the staging yard appear to cross the turntable roads on the level. Seems an unlikely arrangement to me and unnecessarily complicated. Can the running track leave from the r/h track and avoid the crossings. You could still retain the turntable if you wish .

Maybe I’m a Luddite but while I can see the advantages of doc on a large layout with a number of locomotives I’m not convinced that it is necessary for small layouts where only one loco is running. a big problem for me is the cost of equipping 30 + locos a number of which don’t have dcc sockets . nor am I a fan of sound . When I modelled US railroads I had a number of sound equipped locos which were great in exhibitions but at home my family found the constant throb of diesel engines obtrusive and I would often turn the sound off. These days I operate small layouts with only one engine in steam so no dcc for me . However if I was starting out now and was more technically minded then maybe I would take the plunge .

Thanks Stu. Glad to see you will be at Canterbury. I shall look for you there .

I love this little layout. Will it be out and about in 2024. I hope so cos I’d love to see it on the flesh

I have three small layouts at home,two have the fiddle yard on the right . The other has the FY on the left . I don’t find that it makes much difference to operation ,although thinking abou past layouts most have had the FY on the right .

My latest loco is this lovely little Terrier from Hornby. It runs beautifully and while more likely to be found on the K&ESR it fits in perfectly for me. The little P class 0-6-0 is a superb model. It is probably my best runner and again fits into my scheme perfectly .Aside from minimal weathering it is as bought . more in due course

Some more locos from North Street.This is an R1modified to run on the Canterbury to Whitstable Harbour line. A resin body kit sitting on a Hornby chassis. It rides a little high but it’s acceptable to me. I frequently walk the Crab and Winkle with my dogs so I had to have a model of the locos that used to work the line.

A couple more photos including a diesel shunter on freight duties and a six wheel carriage on a mixed train.

Relocated platform

Since the above photos were taken I have repositioned the platform to the other side of the crossing. A Class D pulls into North Street prior to the alterations. More photos to follow.

Thankyou. Electrification has reached Faversham. North Street is on borrowed time and will follow Hawkhurst ,Tenterden and Westerham into history, although freight will keep it going for a few years more.

Some of you may recall my previous postings about North Street several years ago . North Street was exhibited at Folkestone in 2017. Since then the layout has been neglected in favour of a new layout built on ikea shelving based very loosely on Swanage called Lulworth East and my my old layout Derriford (Kings Road). In the 1880s the LCDR obtained powers to build a line from Faversham to Lenham . Sadly the line was never built . If it had been it would have provided Maidstone with a direct line to the North Kent coastal resorts. In my universe the powers were revived as a light railway.sadly as so often the case the line never prospered and owing to a tunnel collapse has now closed beyond North Street leaving a residual freight and passenger service from Faversham. The real North Street is a tiny hamlet on the Faversham/Ashford road

Near the dockyard is St Mary’s Island so what about Medway St Mary’s or Brompton St Mary’s .

Hi great layout . Glad to see it is still around. Regarding the possible renaming of the layout ,there was and still is plenty of industry along the Sheerness branch(though little goes by rail now) There were freight only branches to Ridham dock on the south bank of the Swale, or the old spur to Rushenden from Queenborough . Either of those could have become passenger lines and would have the industry you want. Or what about a revival of the old branch to Queenborough Pier part of which still exists but sees little if any use now.

Lockhart- I hate predictive txt😡

Well done Gordon Lockett. May you live long and prosper🖖 Make it so.

Perhaps Mr Wattscould be invited to show his work on this forum ..

My favourite was Farringdon on the Meon valley line . There was no run round At Farringdon and trains were propelled over some distance with A brake van leading . Initially this was done by steam but for the last 3 or 4 years a class 33 was the motive power. there are plenty of other examples . Bason Bridge creamery was usually served by a propelling move after the closure of the Highbridge branch until final closure in 1972. I didn’t understand the criticism of what I think is a superb little layout

Just got back from Tunbridge Wells and Spa Valley . Sir Keith Park was in fine form . Railway exhibition was enjoyable ( my first since January 2020) . Paybury was excellent , watched it for ages . I love the detail and it really captures the southern branch line atmosphere. A couple of poor photos added here

Just seen the article on Paybury in Model Rail 200 . Excellent photos and it just shows how good a small layout can be and how much enjoyment can got from a layout like this . well done , Jonnie. Congratulations

More excellent photos of this terrific layout. Love it. I shall definitely come for the exhibition in September. (I shall be at Spa Valley on 10th August as well)

Do you know ,I didn’t notice the solebars or poor front end shape. What I noticed was an absolutely beautiful weathering job that made the model look very realistic. Virtually all model railways are a compromise but it’s the overall impression that counts in my view , and yours is superb. Keep up the good work.

My daughter lives in Tonbridge so I will definitely be visiting. min a past life in the late ‘70s I used to travel regularly between Tonbridge and Uckfield via the Spa Valley for work And last traveled on it the week it closed .

I love this layout. Although you are running SouthWestern stock to me it exudes SouthEastern atmosphere. The Spa Valley is not too far from north east Kent . Hopefully we can visit in the summer . Keep posting. Your pictures are great.

The latest loco for Lulwind Bay. I bought it on eBay and is one of the old Airfix models but it runs pretty well, better forward than in reverse and it needed a degrease but I am very happy with it. It runs with a Hornby auto trailer and represents that period after the SR lines in the West Country were transferred to the WR. I have photos of one such train at Seaton