News from your model shop - modelling a station

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Exhibition

If you are on the Isle of Wight on Saturday 28th October, you may want to visit the IOW N gauge Society open day. It is held from 10am at Whitwell Village Hall (PO38 2PU). Parking is free and if coming by bus, you want to take the number 6.

The group will showcase their modular layout as well as members' own layouts, a few micro-layouts in N, a OO9 layout and for those who love vintage, a Hornby Dublo 3-rail layout.

Admission is £3. More information on the IOW N gauge Society's website here.

Railway song of the week

An anonymous reader sent us a message suggesting Pete Atkin's "The Original Original Honky Tonk Night Train Blues". This is taken from his first album in 1970 and is everything you expect from honky tonk music but a lot less what you think of when hearing the word "blues".

When incorporated into a layout, a station acts as an important focal point, not only for the operation of trains on the layout but also as a key visual feature for any observer.  Depending on the setting of the layout, stations can vary significantly in size and complexity from a major terminus to local village stations or a halt on a branch line.  One of the significant advantages of modelling in N gauge is there is that much more space in which to develop a particular layout theme, thus adding greater detail and visual interest to a scene.  Let's examine some of the options available in N gauge for adding further character and detail to a station setting.

Since the beginnings of rail travel, small rural stations have been a hub that village life inevitably pivots around.  As such, many of the important day-to-day amenities of village life can be found in close proximity to the station.  One such example of this is the ubiquitous and humble red post box.  The pillar boxes set by Gaugemaster includes three pre-painted items, ready for immediate integration into a layout.  The station nameboards set by Model Scene includes four boards with supporting pillars that can be integrated into the station.  Also included with the set is a series of alphabetic transfers which allow a modeller to name the station in question.  For those creating a modern era layout, the benches and litter bins  set by Noch provides additional functional items that helps add detail to a scene.



Evolving station design on a layout can take a modular approach, in that the modeller can add additional items as required to help build the character of an individual station.  The apex platform canopy is an attractive and versatile kit that will allow a modeller to develop the need for the basic weather protection of travellers within the scope of the setting.  Likewise, the station building canopy will allow a modeller to add a functional yet attractive feature with its idiosyncratic cream shark-tooth style valance.  Another example of the benefit that a modular approach can offer to layout design is the concrete footbridge kit.  The basic kit allows the modeller to create a functional footbridge that will span two tracks but further kits can easily be combined to build a larger structure should this be required.  These three kits are all available from the Ratio range.



There is also a large variety of building types available for those wishing to integrate specific structures into the scene.  These buildings are available as either ready-made items or in kit form, both card and plastic.  The station building kit by Ratio is typical of the type of buildings found on the Great Western Railway (GWR) in the era of the 'Big Four'.  This particular kit is based on the station building at Castle Cary in Somerset.  For those modellers looking to quickly develop a layout, the 'Sheffield park' series available from Graham Farish could offer ideal options, such as the booking office and store room sets.  Both are pre-painted, resin based items that are immediately ready for inclusion on a layout.



We often tend to think of stations as being purely a passenger-based affair but in many cases they were also an essential link for the rural economy.  Many farmers relied on their local stations to help move their produce to market.  For those wishing to reflect this aspect of country life, the milk churns set by Model Scene could easily by added to a rural country scene, waiting for the early morning 'milk run' to the dairy.  For many country commuter's the train was an essential part of their daily lives.  That said, living in a rural community, the distances to the station could often be substantial.  Inevitably, the bicycle would play an important part in such communities and as such the inclusion of the bicycles set, also by Model Scene could add a simple but iconic touch of country life.  For many rural communities, their local station and its appearance was a matter of considerable civic pride.  Local residents often helped behind the scenes to help ensure the station was clean, tidy and showed the local community in its best light.  Inclusion of the station flower bed with 3 trees set by Harburn Hamlet is a perfect way to reflect this aspect of rural civic pride.



When incorporated into a layout, a station inevitably becomes a key focal point for a layout, both in terms of its operational aspects but also as a visual focus for any observers.  Developing a station can be as big or small an undertaking as required.  Stations can be built on a modular basis and can easily be adapted to achieve a specific look by the selective addition of a wide range of kit-based or ready-made items.  As with many layout scene elements, often it is the addition of small every day items that can help to really bring the layout to life.

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