News from your model shop - 19th February 2023

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The Southern Railway Company was formed in 1923 and operated until the Nationalisation of the Railways in 1948.  The smallest of the 'Big Four' Operators, Southern Railways operated just over 2,000 miles of the British Railways Network, connecting London to the Channel Ports, the South Coast Ports, the Isle of Wight and the West Country.  Unlike its three larger contemporaries, Southern made most of its revenues from passenger services and as a result was widely known for its effective use of public relations.  Throughout its period of operations Southern developed its own idiosyncratic brand and will be fondly remembered by many as being the starting point of childhood holiday adventures.

Throughout its period of operations, Southern employed some of the best-known locomotive engineers of the time, including Richard Maunsell and Oliver Bulleid.  The N Class was designed by Maunsell for one of Southern's predecessors, the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE & CR).  The 'Southern N Class' by Bachmann depicts one of these distinctive locomotives in N Gauge.  Other examples of distinctive Southern  locomotives are the Isle of Wight Terrier 'Bembridge' in OO Gauge.  For modellers who like to build their locomotives, then the Lyn Baldwin 2-4-2 Tank Locomotive in OO9 Gauge will be a good option.



Southern is fondly remembered, not only for their locomotives but also for their distinctive carriages.  The SR Maunsell Brake Third Class and the SR Maunsell Corridor First Class, both supplied by Hornby are configured as ready-to-run in OO Gauge.  For those looking to model a local Branch line, then the All Third Coach by Peco in OO9 Gauge is a good example of a carriage inherited by Southern from one of its predecessors, in this case, the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway in Devon.



As previously mentioned, Southern inherited large numbers of rolling stock from previous operators, as exemplified by the SE & CR 25T 'Dance Hall' Brake Van, so named due to the luxurious amount of space available to the guard.  This example is supplied by Bachmann in OO Gauge.  For those who like to build their rolling stock from kits then there are plenty of options available, such as the SR 'BY' Utility van as supplied by Parkside Models in OO Gauge.  Southern is also well provisioned for N Gauge aficionados, such as the SR 7 Planked fixed-end wagon in SR Brown, as supplied by Graham Farish.

Locomotives and rolling stock are readily identifiable as belonging to a particular operator.  Adding scene elements to the layout can add that extra level of authenticity, such as the SR/LNER Country Station as supplied by Dornaplas in OO Gauge.  The SR Lattice Home Starter by Dapol in OO/HO Gauge is a great option for those modellers who are new to signalling to integrate a simple but elegant signalling option into a layout.  A loading gauge is a simple but highly useful tool to ensure that loaded wagons will pass safely through tunnels and under bridges.  The SR/BR Loading Gauge by Ratio Models will be a great visual accompaniment to any freight-themed layout in OO/HO Gauge.



Graham Farish has produced their SR Bulleid Coach Bogies for N Gauge modellers.  This pack contains two bogies fitted with metal wheels and will allow a modeller to produce close-coupled wagons of their choice.  For modellers looking to add a Southern identity to their wagons, then decals are a good option, such as the Open Wagon Decal Sheet supplied in OO Gauge by the Old Time Workshop.  The SR Style Concrete lineside Huts by Ratio Models allow OO/HO Gauge modellers to add those final extra details to a Southern-themed layout.



With its iconic style and influence, Southern Railway will always be one of the names associated with the Golden Age of Steam Railways in Great Britain and with the large number of items available it has never been easier for a modeller to develop a Southern-themed layout. 

• Should I replace plastic wheels on wagons with metal alternatives to help longevity and to help avoid derailing?
• What is the easiest way for a beginner to create hilly or rugged terrain for a layout?
• Should I add ballast to my empty model wagons to prevent them from derailing?
• How can I best clean my brushes after using enamel-based paints?
• What is a liquid mask and how do they work?

• Which parts of a model railway locomotive do I need to oil?
• Which switch do I need for a three-aspect analogue colour light signal?
• What is the Great Western Railway Coat of Arms?
• What does HSS mean when referring to model tools ?
• What is the purpose of a brake van?

• Dapol C021 Detached Bungalow in OO/HO Gauge
• Ratio 230 Round Water Tower N Gauge
• Airfix A04105 De Havilland Chipmunk T.10 in 1:48 Scale

You can access all the unboxing videos by visiting this page or simply click on the link called "videos" on our website.