COLESTON

 

 

Here are the first few photographs of my layout "Coleston". Despite being 10 years old now, it is still not finished (are layouts ever really finished?). Various house moves during this time have always seemed to involve partial rebuilding, and although the basic station plan has remained the same, the town scene and the curve in front of the engine shed leading to the embankment behind The Barge Inn have changed at every stage.

As different areas of the layout are developed, pictures of my progress will be posted in this section. So please visit again over the coming months (years!) to see how I've been getting on.

A few words of introduction might not go amiss here I think. Coleston is a ficticious small town between Swindon and Didcot, in the Vale of White Horse, on the London to Bristol main line. The station was rebuilt under a government-sponsored scheme in the early 1930s to provide through running on the main lines, with the platforms served by loops on either side. In my 4mm world, which is set around 1960 (give or take a few years!) Didcot, Newbury and Southampton line services continue on past Didcot to generally terminate at Coleston, although some Swindon to Southampton through trains also make an appearance. That's enough of the "potted" history for now, but hopefully some time in the future, I will get around to writing a more detailed history, outlining how, why and when Coleston came about.

 

BR Standard 9F no.92246 having just been coaled, is waiting to move off to be turned. George Tanner, in unbelievably clean overalls, takes advantage of the lovely summer's morning to fill some oil lamps outside.

 

A young photographer (me? - wishfull thinking!) captures double-chimney Castle class no.5071 "Spitfire" as it speeds through the station on a down postal.

 

Dave Maidment and Neil Crawford chew the cud over the weekend's rugby results.

 

The shed staff go to town on an immaculate no.4992 "Crosby Hall", after it arrived on a running-in turn from Swindon - shame they don't put some effort into the filthy "Manor" two roads behind! Even ten years or more after nationalization, the shed and its environs still sport the "old company's" colour scheme - perhaps one day someone will get around to repainting it in British Railways Western Region colours. Although with steam on its way out - I doubt it!

 

The superb Bachmann "City of Truro" eases out of platform 2 heading for the Didcot, Newbury & Southampton line on a local service. In 1957 this loco was actually brought out of retirement in the old York Railway Museum, to work enthusiast's specials. It was also expected to earn its keep on more mundane duties though, and the DNS line was its normal stomping ground. An Edwardian liveried loco might look out of place in a late 50s / early 60s period layout to some people's eyes, but this is what really happened.

 

Collett Goods no.2244 rattles under the Oxford Road bridge, past Preece's brewery with the breakdown train. Alfie Watson has just laboured over the barrow crossing with an empty sack truck in the nick of time!

 

 

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