I'm not quite sure what it is about deadlines, but they always seem to bring out the creative side in me, and more often than not only when it's far too late to do anything about it.
Earlier this year I posted about the Micro Model Railway Cartel's annual challenge, and a small scheme I'd jotted down for a potential layout, despite not having the time to build it. Now, with less than two weeks till the deadline, it's suddenly occurred to me what I SHOULD have gone with.
Although it's not a requirement for the challenge, with a December deadline and the results being posted in the Christmas issue of the dispatch it only seemed logical to try and use that as a theme. But for the longest time I couldn't work out how, until now.
The result:
Taking things really back to basics here with just a circle of track and no points. Heavy snowfall is something I haven't modelled before which would have made a nice change, and a nice challenge at having the sleepers buried beneath with only the rail tops/sides showing.
Location here is very much implied to be in my local area, the Peak District, though this is really only represented with the occasionally stretches of snow covered drystone walling, the stone railway bridge, and the 'Cromford & High Peak' style embankment he road climbs up over the railway on. A few pine/evergreen trees are used to add some height, plantations of such as surprisingly common in the area than you might think. They're both in front and behind the road and would be at different heights in an attempt to create some sort of forced distance, if only slightly.
The station shelter is of the 'tin shed' shed, but like GWR pagoda buildings serves mainly to house a bench for prospective passengers. Style wise I was thinking of something like those seen on the Manx Electric Railway earlier this year, though rather than green in a dark red to contrast any of the greenery that pokes through the snow. The eagle eyed will notice the use of red and green to add to the festive feel. It's an attempt anyway.
Upon leaving the station the line passes over an un-gated light railway style level crossing. It's partly to model something other than the stereotypical gated crossing, but it also allows a much better view of the bus on the road.
The Bus was the starting point for inspiration for the layout. There are many tales of buses getting stuck in the snow out here in the Peak District, and the above photo from Huddersfield shows an example of how bad it could get even outside the area. Having such a steep incline and curve coming down towards the bridge I originally considered placement should be heading towards the crossing, looking as if it had skidded on the curve. This seemed a little too dramatic so the more probably 'unable to climb the hill' pose was chosen instead, there'd have to be tire tracks in the snow suggest quite a few attempts had been made.
From this though a fun scene could be made of the bus passengers abandoning the road and reassembling on the station platform to await the more reliable, yet somewhat awkward train service. From there stems the opportunity of having them all weighed down with countless boxes and bundles, having clearly caught the last bus back from the nearest town with their Christmas shopping. The only stipulation I do have with the bus is that it'd have to be an AEC Regal with a half cab, there's something about them that just looks right to me. Perhaps it's a mixture of the stereotypical combined with the works of W. Awdry?
The actual train though, whilst being the focal moving feature is actually the part I left to deciding last. Naturally the tight radius means that a small 0-4-0 would be in order (No Heljan Manning Wardles here!) so something like a reliable GEM Varikit would work nicely. As for rolling stock a couple of items and a brake van would probably be the limit before the train would look too big. Something that I think would work nice would be having a mixed train consisting of a coach, frieght wagon and brake van.
But of course, as of now this is one of many doodlings to be relegated to the 'If and when folder'. Too many ideas, too little time and space...
