Build a main line terminus in a small space

Model Rail’s expert team of modellers – George Dent, Dave Lowery, Chris Leigh and Chris Gadsby – combine to bring a Paul Lunn layout plan to life.

In the Model Rail office, we’re often taken with Paul Lunn’s layout designs and this month’s Masterplan was no different. Indeed, it was the plan based on London Marylebone (see page 43) that got us thinking about how we could pack a large urban terminus station into the minimum of space.

A little compression of Paul’s plan left us with a potential 4ft by 2ft scenic baseboard, with the facility to add a fiddleyard at the ‘country end’ of the station, along with another – smaller – at the ‘town’ end. The latter could be hidden from view by the shell of the station building and forecourt, while allowing locomotives to run around the stock of incoming trains.

In terms of scenic breaks, the road overbridge works at one end, while an overall roof would be essential at the other, the length of which could be tailored according to how much of the trains the modeller wants to see. Furthermore, having the platforms continuing off-scene means that signals aren’t essential, thus simplifying the layout considerably.

So, could our idle musings be turned into reality? We thought we may as well have a go, so Dave was tasked to build the baseboard, lay the track and create the platforms, while George scratchbuilt an overall roof. Chris Leigh then took care of populating the platforms, bringing the scene to life.

As far as operating potential goes, a constant flow of arriving and departing loco-hauled trains and multiple units will give a flavour of a bustling city terminus, while added variety comes from parcels and newspaper traffic, with the station pilot helping to shunt the stock. Sleeper services could also appear in the early morning or evening periods, so there’s plenty to keep the viewer entertained!