Layouts confirmed for Rail-Ex 2024
Layout 1:
Addison Road
O Gauge 1920s
Addison Road is nowadays known as Kensington Olympia, on the busy West London route between Willesden and Clapham Junction. Because this was a joint line, formerly involving the L&NWR, GWR, LB&SCR and L&SWR, this O gauge fine scale model shows the station as it was around 1925, enabling trains in both pre- and post-grouping liveries.
As you face the layout you are standing on the site of the Olympia exhibition halls, with Willesden Junction and the north off to your left; at the right-hand end of the layout the tracks disappear southwards under Hammersmith Road bridge towards Earl’s Court and Clapham Junction. The terraced houses of Russell Road form a natural backdrop to the station. Most of the trains running through the station at this period were general goods, coal or milk trains and our operating schedule is designed to provide a balanced representation of these services. For passengers, a frequent local service ran from the bay platform to Clapham Junction. The main lines were electrified in 1914 (3rd and 4th rail 630 volts DC), and the layout features models of the distinctive ex-LNWR 3-car electric sets which ran a through train which linked the northern cities of Liverpool and Manchester with the southern resorts of Brighton and Eastbourne. A Southern loco took over the southbound train at Willesden and the model shows the distinctive D213 carriages still in L&NWR livery; these had to be built from scratch. Amongst other items of interest on the layout are servo-operated scratch-built models of the original LNWR signals and the use of the MERG CBUS system to operate the layout from a representation of the lever frame in Kensington South Main signal box without the use of section switches.
Pictures of the layout courtesy of Tony Wright BRM
Layout 2:
Hatch End
N Gauge 1980s
Hatch End is based on the real location on the West Coast mainline north of London Euston. Set during the 1980s, with the four main lines under the 25kV AC wires running alongside the Watford lines of London Underground, you can be sure of plenty of lineside action on this busy N gauge layout. Look out for the full length APT!
Layout 3:
Ropley
OO Gauge 2000s
The layout is based on Ropley station on the Mid Hants Railway or Watercress line and is modelled to show its preservation appearance between 2009 and 2012. Ropley is the principal location on the railway, home to the line’s workshops where restoration projects are undertaken, as well as being the sheds for all the loco fleet. The railway is a long single line but the station has two roads, allowing trains to cross one another. Departing trains head off to either Alton or Alresford.
Layout 4:
Bevois Park & St Denys
N Gauge 1990s
Bevois Park Sidings closed in 1990, but there is still plenty of freight on the main line. Regular traffic includes petroleum products from Fawley refinery and liquefied gas from Furzebrook. Steel arrives for offloading at nearby Northam yard and there are trains to and from Marchwood Military Port. Freightliners serving the two Southampton terminals pass through often and there is the occasional boat train to meet a cruise ship at the docks.
Make sure to look out for the train movements that are described in more detail on the flip card system at each end of the layout.
Layout 5:
Norge
HO Gauge
