As a member of the Dutch “Britse ModuleBaan” (BMB) – British Modular Lay-out, I build a modular lay-out using several parts of the Medway Valley Line project. While the last is a static lay-out, the moduler one can be transported by a normal car.
The modular lay-out can be combined with others to build a complete system. Now our group can build a combined lay-out with 80m rail.
My modular lay-out is based on the Beltring & Branbridges Halt.
Beltring & Banbridges Halt came into use on 1st September 1909 on the Medway Valley Line, being situated just under two miles north of Paddock Wood. The halt consisted of two short wooden platforms, each supplemented with a wooden waiting shelter, more than adequate for a station of its size. Small halts such as this were, under SE&CR tenure, served by a dedicated railmotor service, which featured a small tank engine permanently attached to a single carriage. By the end of the SE&CR era, such a system had been superseded by more conventional rolling stock, and throughout Southern Railway and BR(S) days, a slow service usually formed of two or three Maunsell-designed carriages, fronted by an SECR H Class 0-4-4 tank engine, served Beltring. Controlled by a single semaphore signal to protect the level crossing.
To build a prototypical scene on a very small room of 560 x 120mm isn’t easy. I had only some small black and white pictures. Typical issues: the small wooden platforms, the two shelters, the guard house, the one semaphore signal and the old style level crossing.
I made these items from scratch building, using my own parts cut with a lasercutter. I drew each part with Onshape.com – a free online CAD system.
As Backscene I used the 203A Photo Backscene from Peter’s Spares (15″high, Village, 10ft long OO Gauge). It’s a photo representative for the beautiful Medway Valley Region between Wateringbury and Paddock Wood.
At the left I made a tunnelportal from lasercut MDF and home-made acrylic surfaces. As weathering powder I used a bit of baby-powder.
A Southern Railway train with several Maunsell coaches passes the level crossing, while an old bus is waiting.
Some passengers are waiting on the wooden platforms.
A view on the level crossing and the Signal Post. (Hornby R9816 Wateringbury Signal Box).
A modern BR train is running to the right.
Medway Valley Line 