A BR Southern Region Model Railway Layout

Inspired Modelling

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Each scene is staged to emulate the prototype shown in the referenced book or photograph.

Engine smoke/steam effects have been added to the photographs. Apart from that they are true images of the model.

Reference: Plate 75, Ivo Peters Southern Steam Album

Ivo Peters photograph depicts S15 No. 30845 beneath an eight post signal gantry at Yeovil, pulling away with its goods train. Only the engine and first two wagons of the train appear in his photo, a 12T planked box van and 3 plank wagon conveying two packing crates strapped down with rope.

My photograph is S15s big brother N15 no. 30764, which is similar in style to the S15. The first two wagons are nearly identical to those in Ivo Peters photograph and the packing crates with rope fastenings are faithfully modelled. The train is pulling away from the signal at Hewish Gates.

Reference: Plate 44, The Best of Southern Steam by Alan Postlethwaite

Mr. Postlethwaite's photograph depicts Bulleid Merchant Navy class locomotive 35026 'Lamport & Holt Line' with an up express about to pass under the road bridge at Axminster. The road bridge spans the platforms at Axminster.

My photograph is of Bulleid Merchant Navy no. 35012 'United States Lines' with the 'down' ACE about to pass under Station Road bridge at Misterton. The road bridge spans the platforms at Misterton. The first three Bulleid coaches are destined for Ilfracombe. The ACE left Waterloo at 11.00am and is on route to coastal resorts in Devon and Cornwall.

Reference: Plate 53, South West Railwayman by Donald King

Plate 53 (attributable to W.P.Conolly) depicts an up passenger train at Hewish Gates. The engine and coaches are not identified but close inspection reveals they are likely to be either West Country Pacific Lynton 34038 or Chard 34033 pulling MK1 coaching stock.

My photograph is of Battle of Britain Class Biggin Hill 34057 pulling MK1 coaches. This locomotive class is the same as the West Country in all but name. The scene is pretty much as shown in plate 53 except the distant landscape in Plate 53 is low countryside, not the high tunnel mouth visible here.

35012 leaving Crewkerne Tunnel with the Atlantic Coast Express

Reference: Plate 4143992912 by Pondhopper1 @ flickr.com

Pondhopper1's photo shows 35012 'United States Line' leaving Blackboy Tunnel near Exmouth Junction Shed with the up Atlantic Coast Express 5 June 1962.

My photograph is of 35012 'United States Line' leaving Crewkerne Tunnel with the up Atlantic Coast Express. Blackboy and Crewkerne tunnel portals are of the same style and the surrounding embankments in 1962 are similarly void of dense vegetation. Both scenes depict the sweeping track curve at the tunnel mouth. The main diferences are the sidings on the left do not exist in pondhopper1's photo and the sidings and houses on the right in pondhopper1's photo do not exist in mine. The tree(s) above the portal are more prominent in my photo.

35012 leaving Crewkerne Tunnel with teh Atlantic Ccast Express

Reference: Page 86, Southern Steam from Lineside by Derek Cross

Page 86 shows two West Country class pacifics near Semley. One in unrebuilt form with a train of empties for Meldon Quarry and the other in rebuilt form heads an Ilfracombe-Waterloo express.

My photograph is of Battle of Britain class 34057 on the Meldon train and West Country class 34005 on the express near Hewish Gates. The signal poking above the smoke is identical and the rising embankment is also present, albeit mine has mature hedging and Page 86 open scrub. The loop is not present in the Page 86 photo, which shows an embankment there.

Reference: Plate 36, Yeovil To Exeter by Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith

Page 36 shows N15 'Sir Balin' leaving Axminster in the 1930s for the west whilst a goods train passes on the up line during shunting operations.

My photograph is of N15 'Sir Gawain' leaving Misterton in 1960 for London whilst a goods train waits on the down line during shunting operations. Axminster and Misterton (aka Crewkerne) station buildings are similar style. The most significant visual differences between the two scenes is the loading gauge in my picture, which is a telegraph pole in Plate 36 and the plaform is longer in Plate 36.

Reference: Plate 2, South West Railwayman by Donald King

The photograph in Plate 2 appears in several books but the largest portrayal is in this book. It depicts a Bulleid pacific loco on the 'up' line taking on water at Axminster station.

My scene is very close to that in the book. This is because the overbridge was modelled on Axminster and the people were modelled from those in the photograph, carefully capturing their pose. FIMO modelling clay was used to create the model people.

Reference: Plate 65, Ivo Peters Southern Steam Album

Ivo Peters photograph depicts Bulleid Battle of Britain Pacific Croydon with the 'down' Surbiton-Okehampton car carrier in a cutting between Milborne Port and Sherborne.

My photograph is West Country Pacific Barnstaple with similar train formation at Hewish Sidings. The Battle of Britain and West Country pacifics were the same build. The scene in both pictures is very similar.

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A MODEL RAILWAY

Inspired Modelling

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