Fox's Farmhouse sits in a setting of wooded rolling hills.

indentThe rock face at the front sits above tunnel mouths from which the trains appear.v Something had to be put on the landscape above it so I created this wooded corner with a farmhouse, cottages and a barn - all of which left me with an odd corner of a field.v Into this, I decided, the farmer would have dumped all his old, unwanted junk.  I also wanted to add a goat tethered to a pole but no-one made a 4mm scale model goat.v They still don't.v If I want one in future I suppose I'll have to make my own!
indentBy todays standards the trees are not very good - but don't forget, this was done in the early 80's; nearly twenty years ago!

indentEven so, I am still pleased with the overall effect this corner created and this area set the standard for the whole of our work at the National Model Museum (as it was then) on Poole Quay.v Immediately inside the entrance, this model formed* the centre-piece of the first "vignette", one corner of one scene of the many from which all large model railways are composed. (*It still does - the museum is still open; why not go and see it if you are in the area?)

indent(And the black hole in the sky?v That's because the control room was behind that window and the staff needed a "peephole" to be able to check now and again that the trains were running properly!)