Masterplan: The ‘L’ shape

Paul A. Lunn offers a couple of slight variations on the 6ft by 4ft theme, inspired by the popular Somerset & Dorset line and the Cromford & High Peak route through the wilds of Derbyshire.

Paul A. Lunn offers some variations on the traditional 6ft by 4ft layout.

Here are just two possibilities for a 6ft by 4ft ‘L’-shaped layout. Both are quite different; one with fairly intensive traffic, including passenger and freight, the other a more sedate, freight-only shunting line. The Somerset & Dorset plan has scope for an intensive locomotive fleet, largely BR Standard steam types, along with EX-LMS and Southern traction, along with the odd EX-GWR interloper. The Middleton Top plan, however, will require only a couple of Class J94 ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0Ts and perhaps a Class 03 diesel.

Although the ‘L’ shape is in the same format for both plans, track intensity along the short 4ft leg couldn’t be more different. These designs, along with others I’ve devised, suggest there are potentially numerous varied options that can be successfully fitted into a standard baseboard size.

In recent years there’s been an ever-increasing fascination with the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. Perhaps much of the raised awareness can be traced back to a number of articles by Mac Pyrke, which appeared in Railway Modeller magazine well over half a century ago (Berrow, September 1958 and April 1967 and Operating the Berrow Branch, October 1963).

I was reminded of Mac Pyrke’s plans by good friend and fellow modeller, Jonathan Stockwell, as he aimed to replicate something similar, though at 9ft by 1ft 6in in linear format (right and below). You can see from his preliminary work that one of the best ways to sort out what you want is to assemble various pieces of track components and, wherever possible, relevant buildings. There are certainly more ready-to-plant items nowadays than in Mac’s time, but scrap boxes or card templates will also suffice. In this way, you can check out both operational potential and appearance before committing to actual building.

Whatever layout is being built, it’s always worth investing the time to find the optimum appearance. I’ve been designing a fictitious arrangement, based closely on S&D practice, for Jonathan Brown. It consists of the gracefully curving Midford Station and viaduct with a repositioned goods yard. There’s a variation of the locomotive shed at Templecombe, Windsor Hill twin single bore tunnels, a fairly generic colliery and substantial fiddleyard.

Scenically, the major feature is the viaduct with the ex-great Western branch line passing below. Because of potential issues in dropping a baseboard section, I’ve suggested to Jonathan that he makes a prototype to ascertain the best height between upper and lower tracks. The accompanying image shows his first attempt. My advice at this point was to consider several increased heights.

While there’s no space for a viaduct on the accompanying layout plan, the method described here applies equally to the sizing and grouping of industrial buildings and any view-blocking groups of trees, especially on the curve between scenic and non-scenic sections.

Along with Mac Pyrke articles, the two projects mentioned above inspired the design seen here. There’s an increased amount of prototype fidelity, compared to most standard 6ft by 4ft layouts, along with a less obtrusive ‘L’-shaped baseboard. The important question is: can you have a successful layout within these confines?

You can focus on structures and scenic treatment simultaneously with the track plan. It’s best done this way, so that you leave enough space for particular features. The platform is long enough for a main line locomotive and two coaches, at around 3ft and, therefore anything less, such as a tank engine, coach and parcels van will be easy to accommodate. I’ve placed the station at the rear as a way of helping to mask where 3D modelling and 2D backscene meet. Furthermore, it allowed me to site the yard in an easily accessible foreground position. Note how the goods shed and adjacent tree is used to disguise the right-hand end backscene. I suggest the middle yard siding, when not in use for goods traffic, acts as a headshunt for the nearby industry. I think one of Mac’s layouts had a creamery or similar, though you could have anything that suits your interest.

PAUL A. LUNN COLLECTION BR Standard classes frequently appeared on the S&DJR, as this image illustrates. No. 73051 stands at Evercreech, with the Evercreech-bournemouth service in May 1964. Note the typical station building with forward-sloping canopy, it’s a structure, in terms of size, relevant for the proposed layout. RICHARD INWOOD,

PAUL A. LUNN COLLECTION Above: EX-LMS type locomotives were part of the mainstay on the S&DJR, from the lowliest ‘Jinty’ 0-6-0T to ‘7F’ 0-8-0s. Here we see ‘4F’ No. 44422 on the Templecombe – Bath service, May 20 1964. RICHARD INWOOD,

Thunderbolt. RICHARD INWOOD, PAUL A. LUNN COLLECTION Right: It would be remiss not to include an image of a ‘West Country’ class locomotive, so here’s No. 34094 Mortehoe. The original light ‘Pacifics’ were regular performers on the S&D with only three or four coaches, as seen in the opening scene of The Titfield

PAUL A. LUNN COLLECTION Below: Ivatt 2-6-2T No. 41296 on a Templecombe Upper to Lower service, with a train that would fit very comfortably alongside the 3ft model platform length, on August 22 1964. RICHARD INMAN,

PAUL A. LUNN COLLECTION Above: Although Hatherleigh is miles away from the S&D, I want to share this perfect minimum-space branch train from the BR steam era. Another Ivatt ‘2MT’, No. 41208 is hauling a single Bulleid coach on August 20 1964. RICHARD INWOOD,

PAUL A. LUNN COLLECTION Right: EX-LMS Ivatt ‘2MT’ No. 41242, with a suitably short mixed train, on the Highbridge Branch, with an Evercreech to Highbridge service, on April 20 1964. RICHARD INWOOD,