COUNTRYSIDE MODELS
Artists in Miniature Landscape

What you can expect for a budget of

over £80,000.

railways Of course, that's over-simplifying things!  In reality you can have something similar to what you have seen in our gallery but to a much higher standard where everything is hand-made to the very best practices of the moment.  In actual fact, all very large layouts are made up of a series of individual scenes which, while they may be joined seamlessly to the scenes around them, nevertheless create a sense of "space" through their very individuality.

trainsThe real joy of spending this kind of money is that almost anything is possible.  The constraints of needing to stick with commercial models is discarded - you will want reliable, hand-made trains which have an obvious quality (i.e. realism) far beyond what the mass-produced model can ever have.  Therefore, location, size, period all become options rather than restrictions.  If you want the Rainhill Trials of 1825 with "The Rocket", "Sans Pareil" et al in gauge 3 you can have it.  If you want St. Pancras in 1875 in "O" or a panorama representing all the railways in the West of Ireland in 1/50th scale you can have it.  It might cost rather more than £80,000 but that's the point - you still have to give us some idea of budget unless money really is no object.

trainsSince we want to be helpful, have a look at these 3 brief descriptions of the most popular scales/sizes.  Again, at this level you are not restricted to them (and there are many other scales and gauges which can be worked to - or invented! - but it may help. . .)  Or you can skip this bit and have a look at what some might call the "ultimate idea". . .

2mm scale  Be it 2mm scale (hand-made track and stock) or good old-fashioned "N-gauge" (commercial stock) the potential in this small scale of producing large, wonderfully scenic models is enormous!  One can start to think about having a model with several stations spread out around a room along with all the surrounding scenery.  In such a small scale however, it is undoubtedly worthwhile to pick a location with dramatic scenery to make full "dramatic" use of the space.

4mm scale  This might mean a model such as Tupdale but modelled on a real station; built with hand-made track to 00, EM or P4 standards and with a much longer mainline run.  You would also have money for more impressive scenery spread over a much larger area.  A budget such as this also allows you to seriously consider hand-made rolling stock; perhaps ours, perhaps somebody elses (although we hope you will take our advice on standards) or perhaps even your own, if that side of model-making does (or has?) taken your fancy.  It must be remembered however that the nearer to scale you go, the more room you will need.  P4 for example (which with a gauge of 18.83mm is precisely to scale in 4mm), needs radii of at least 4 feet and for mainlines, 6 feet plus is much better for reasons both visual and technical.  There is no doubting the fact mind; P4 really is the ultimate in realism in this scale.

7mm scale  This is a realistic budget for a large "0" gauge model railway.  Something which might look similar to perhaps Westbury or Tupdale but spread out into full-scale lengths - but only if you have enough room.  7mm scale may be less than twice the size of 4mm scale but it needs larger than twice the radii - and that's a fact of life, not an excuse for poor model-making!  With mainlines needing between 6 & 10 feet (depending on whether you opt for ordinary [what Peco call "finescale"], 0 gauge or "7scale" you will need a room at least 25' by 30' for a realistic mainline layout and preferably much larger. Terminii of considerable complexity are feasible in smaller sized rooms but there is no getting away from the fact that 7mm scale, whatever the standards, is expensive and space-hungry!

All Scalestrains For those with the generous budget, the first thing we do is try to find a real station which will suit your requirements for period, owning company, location, operational preferences etc. and then we look at the size of room you have to put it in.  If it fits, or can be made to fit with a little careful compression, then we suggest you have a model of that station since there really is nothing as good as a model of a real station, even if it has to be "compressed" a little.  (There is some argument about this statement - click here to look at our "Why choose an actual prototype" section if you disagree!)
trainsIf nothing suitable can be found, we look at a prototype line of railway and find features along it which can be combined to make a suitable model for you.  Only once these two possibilities have been exhausted will we consider making an "imaginary" design for you - even then we do our utmost to base the model on reality with regard to location and the trains which are to run on it. 
trainsIn other words, we have to do a lot of research.  All this takes time and in some cases, not only do we have to read books, we have to buy more books or post off enquiries to authors or authorities on particular railways and await their replies before even beginning to come up with a design for you.  And all this we are prepared to do for nothing!  So; all we want to know now is, "How can we help you"?

Why not fill in our questionnaire and we will see what we can do for you!

The Ultimate idea?

trainsLet's assume for a few minutes that money really is no object and you want the biggest and best model ever made - what might it be?  Well, the busiest junction in the world was Clapham Junction.  During the 1930's the Southern Railway (as it was then), gave up on the London & South Western Railway's idea of overhead electrification and took up electrification of the "third rail" at 600 volts DC.   This increased both the speed and frequency of trains until just before WW2 Clapham "A" box was handling more trains than any other signal box in the world.   So let's imagine a model of it shall we?  Remember; money is no object. . .

trainsIt's ten past five in the morning and there's a tap at the window.   It's the "knocker-upper" giving you an alarm call for the 6am shift in Clapham A box.  You rise, clamber into period clothes and sit down to a breakfast of fried bread, bacon and eggs along with a pot of strong tea.  You wander out into a cold dark world and through a door in a wall.  You have entered what might be described as a railway version of the "London Planetarium"; stars shine in the sky, mist (a "dry-ice" fog machine) rises all around and dozens of signal lights twinkle their warnings through it.  In the distance the illuminated platforms of Clapham junction station look cold and empty.  (Back projection)  You can't see it but from somewhere the rattle of a parcel's trolley over a grating (pre-recorded loop tape) tells you His Majesty's Royal Mail train is due and your first job is to give it "the road".  You're a tad late.
trainsYou turn and see the signalbox ahead of you rising into the sky (a full-sized reproduction) and, finding the ladder, clamber up into a room 100 foot long with levers, bells and block instruments as far as the eye can see.   (Reproductions cast from original levers of the right period.  That's how you get the right "feel" to their action.)  Five of your "shift" of 6 are already present; 3 other signalmen and the two "reporting lads".  (Friends or well-trained staff?)  You sign in, mutter your "Good mornings" and peer through the windows.  There, outside (by the miracle of wide-screen technology and tiny cameras in the model signal box) sits Clapham Junction.  At least what you can see of it because even if it wasn't dark the junction and station are so large you cannot see it all from the signal box!
trainsA bell of a particular tone rings.  Your first train. (Computer simulated programme.  You are not very practised yet so it's set to "standard programme" where everything arrives at the right time and on the right line.  You'll tackle the "Busy Morning" and "Very busy Morning" programmes as soon as you've managed this one even once without causing a hold-up!)  You answer the bell on your block instruments and set the line to "all clear".  The bell describes the train.  You look at the clock on the wall and call out the train description and time accepted to the reporting lad who writes it in "the book".  Another one of your bells goes before you have time to set the line but, having answered it you listen to the "train description" with one part of your mind while selecting and pulling the right signals off for the first train with another.  Shouting to the lad the details of this second train you ask the "box in advance" for the road for an express and await the reply.  This arrives seconds later and you bell the "box in rear" accepting the express and set the signals.  Another bell goes.  This time it's for a local train from Bricklayer's Arms which needs to cross the path of the express.  It's  bang on time but it'll have to wait.  You should have let it through before accepting the express.  You shrug it off, accept the train to your "inner home" and signal "line clear" for the express. 
trains The signalbox rattles as a goods train on another line passes under the box, (computer controlled rams) the smell of steam and coal comes up through the cracks in the floor timbers.  (Artificial smell creator - like supermarket bread smells only this time it's a kettle and some genuine cylinder oil!)   Another signalman is trying to shout the time of its passing to the reporting lad but he can't hear - and he's got a fit of the sneezes anyway.  (Automaton.   Who'd want the job of being shouted at by two people for hours on end?) You make a mental note to tell him about accepting the "local" later when he's got control of himself and caught up.  (The computer-controlled "language interpreter log" will show the gap if you forget - and that would be a Shilling fine!)
trainsThe morning gets busier.  You have 6 "Up" tracks to keep control of and as well as trains which just pass up and down you have trains now and again which change from one to another in an effort to reach the proper platform at Waterloo a few miles up the line.   You ask a colleague for permission to set the road for the local (which has to cross his "Down" lines) but he's already "set the road" for a "Down Parcels".  The phone on the instrument block rings. It's the driver of the local obeying "rule 55" and asking why he hasn't been given the road yet.   You know he's there; there's "track circuiting" and the indicator is there to remind you - but he's one of the "old school" and determined to waste your time.  (The computer "knows" you haven't set the road for that train yet.  You can't beat the computer!)  You bark down the instrument at him and slam it down.  You're getting behind and you've only been here 5 minutes.  With 8 hours solid to go (apart from the odd snatched sandwich during a rare quiet spell), it's going to be a busy shift.  The sky's greying and soon you could see the various types of electric commuter train as they rattled under the box - if you had the time - but you don't.  Two bells ring at once.   Now, if I remembered the timetable I'd know which one to answer first and "Oi, George!  Can I have that road for the Up Bricklayer's Local yet?" . . .

trainsYou could have that built for somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4s of a million at a rough guess - but would it really be that much fun?  There were many junctions where a single signalman had plenty of busy moments and while the "box in advance" might be quieter and the two "boxes in rear" (it's a junction, remember?) might be a small station and a level crossing with little to do, both would make good "training boxes" for friends or family "new" to "The Railway".  Having the time to natter and enjoy your operating with friends really is part of the fun.   Most people have a model railway to get away from the pressures of normal every-day life! 
trainsOn the many occasions when there's nobody else about and you want to occupy half-an-hour with the railway you can always choose your "box" and switch the rest to "automatic".  A fifty by twenty foot room with a junction, two stations and a level crossing might come in at a tenth of that price and be far more entertaining.  But that's the point - it's your choice.  What do you want and how can we help you?

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