South Midland Railway

In about 1952, Brian started this 4mm scale model of Dean single Lorna Doone by hand, entirely from blueprints and photos. The solid brass fire box soaked up heat, making it most difficult to solder anything to or near it. It also made it most unlikely that a motor could have been fitted. Neither would the bogie have taken any practical layout radius. The unfinished model remains a tribute to his manual skills and patience.

	Museum Significant pieces from SMR's past
	As far as we know, this freelance saddle tank was Uncle Brian's first hand-built model; it was from an 0 gauge kit by the Leeds Model Company. The chassis is not complete. Around the same time, Ted made an 0 gauge tube wagon and a goods guard's van, long since gone. See the Dutch Hornby Railway Collectors Association site (Ted joined the Gauge 0 Guild.)
In about 1952, Brian started this 4mm scale model of Dean single Lorna Doone by hand, entirely from blueprints and photos. The solid brass fire box soaked up heat, making it most difficult to solder anything to or near it. It also made it most unlikely that a motor could have been fitted. Neither would the bogie have taken any practical layout radius. The unfinished model remains a tribute to his manual skills and patience.
	Colin's first 00 gauge loco, the three-rail diecast Hornby model was based on the LNER N2 and was in early BR livery. Col soon changed that to a crude LMS then to a better LMS livery. But when the GWR thing came along, Brian fabricated the faux Belpaire firebox and Col refitted the loco vaguely to resemble an ex-Taff Vale loco. Later, it surrended its plates to the pug. Such memories.
The K's 0-4-2T that was Colin's first attempt and loco kit building is seen here with its kit built and much detailed auto trailer. The number 1447 is that of the loco Colin photographed at Wallingford around 1957 and is the date of the founding of Mercers' School.
	The West Country Class is a favourite, particular before BR rebuilt them without their air casing as in this Hornby model of Barnstaple. This was given to Colin by Bert Cullen, Ted's RAF mate, when he realised his family had no interest in it. The Pullman cars and early Hornby BR(WR) coaches that he gave at the same time have since gone onto eBay to help fund the big refit.
Baba bought this around 1968, in the fallow years before Deddington Junction materialised. Hornby had not prepared for the blow to be inflicted by the much finer detail of Airfix ready-to-run (RTR) locos in the 1970s.
	Similarly he bought Albert Hall by Hornby, just wanting to have some railway stuff after the Lambourn model had gone. He didn't know that Col would come back to such things or that Airfix et al would up the stakes in detail and finish. Compare this to the Bachmann 2009 model.
Back to the top of this page	Prehistory Change of scale Lambourn Raising the game in the interim years The birth of Deddington Junction Early years at Deddn Jn Re-wiring and first refurbishment The Grand Refit Building Barford terminus Hempton shed refit Work in progress - latest news Thirty Years On – Grand Re-opening Gallery 1 Gallery 2 Gallery 3; fin de siècle Gallery 4 The Deddington Junction mythology Loco power Rolling stock Track plan Electrics Museum Thomas and friends