A DUCHESS AT CARLISLE (OO)

Mike Lynch's large-scale diorama of architectural prowess also serves to inter-connect two layouts, using inspiration from a Barry J. Freeman painting.

Mike Lynch’s large-scale diorama of architectural prowess also serves to inter-connect two layouts, using inspiration from a Barry J. Freeman painting.

Anyone familiar with Railway Art will be aware of Barry J. Freeman’s work, especially in connection with Hornby. Its ‘Duchess at Carlisle’ train pack, released in 2011, included a print by the artist of a Coronation Class locomotive in LMS crimson emerging from Carlisle Citadel Station. When I first saw this stunning painting, my first reaction was to ask why a locomotive seemed to be coming out of the side of a Cathedral! Of course, a quick search revealed the Gothic facade to be one of Carlisle’s magnificent end screens erected during the 1880 expansion, now sadly lost to posterity. This beautiful example of Victorian architecture was so impressive that I knew, at some point, I would have to model it.

After a fair bit of research, the sketch pad came out and a rough plan for a slice of Carlisle Citadel Station was drawn up. The layout would need to serve two functions. Firstly, it would provide the final link in my loft runaround scheme and connect up my Perry Barr (BRM November 2018) and High Trees Junction (BRM March 2020) layouts. Secondly, the cameo would provide a scenic plank for my collection of steam locomotives. While not an exact copy, the scheme would contain most of the signature elements of the north end of the station.

The first thing to construct was a realistic version of the screen otherwise the project would have come to nought. However, without plans, this seemed an impossible task. After a frustrating search, I eventually came across Dennis Perriam and David Ramshaw’s book celebrating the station’s 150th anniversary. This contained a small facsimile of an architectural drawing of the south screen. A photocopy was taken and scaled up to serve as an accurate template. The various windows were then pasted down to pieces of postcard and cut out. These, in turn, were mounted on a sheet of 1mm clear plastic sheet that had been prescored and painted to emulate the window bars. Relief detailing was finally built up with Plastruct profiles, various diameter wires and strips of card. Once painted white, it was weathered with an airbrush to simulate the accumulation of soot as seen in prototype pictures. Although a bit wobbly and inaccurate in places, the 30in-wide model turned out to be a fairly good representation, so I decided to proceed.

The next step was to consider a suitable baseboard. I decided on a standard 6ft 8in by 2ft 8in internal door, which was picked up for about £30 from a local hardware store. These are lightweight and provide a cheap alternative to other forms of baseboard constructions. They are also rigid and warpresistant; important attributes for keeping everything aligned and stable for flimsy roof structures. The door was screwed down to a sturdy bench that had been mounted on wheels. This allows the layout to be swung out of the way after running sessions and dispenses with the need of a duck-under access; a necessary relief for someone of my age with aching knees!

At this point, I decided to divide the cameo into two 3ft by 4in sections; the lefthand side accommodating a representation of the Victoria Viaduct and vehicle access ramp, with the remaining half covered by a model of the roof. The station walls went up first and this is where the layout deviates from the prototype. The far wall, made using the brilliant Carlisle Station Wall kit from

Coronation Class Duchess of Sutherland in LMS Crimson was the main subject for a Barry J. Freeman painting of Carlisle Citadel Station – the stunning artwork was the inspiration for the layout. The model is an early Hornby model that has been modified.

The LMS/BR Ivatt Class 4 ‘Doodlebug’ was one of the first BR locomotives to roll off the production line in the late nineteen forties. Its utilitarian look was a pronounced departure from its streamline cousins than ran only a few short years before. The exemplary example below is from Bachmann.

The fabulous Bachmann Class 105 DMU. The Cravens never worked the station during the era depicted, but it’s the only Green DMU in my collection. Besides, the picture makes for an interesting scene under the roof.