Greatford Crossing

A layout by Graham Hobbs

Scale: OO

Motive Power: DCC

Era: 1960's

Location: Peterborough Area

Author's Introduction January 2021

Greatford Crossing is a layout of two parts with one side portraying a prototypical section of the ECML set in rural Lincolnshire and the other side a more fictional depiction of an ER mainline station and environs. The latter is identified as Medehampton and has features that reflect many aspects of the area around Peterborough North which is where I grew up and enjoyed my trainspotting days as a teenager. The whole layout is operated in DCC although turnouts and eventually signals and other working accessories will be operated in an analogue fashion.

[Editor's Note: The black and white picture below was taken by Graham in September 1963 and was one of the sources of inspiration for the layout and is faithfully represented as shown in the colour picture next to it.}

Whilst chiefly designed to illustrate an early 1960’s atmosphere from time to time iconic heritage trains may run. These include the ‘Silver Jubilee’, Stirling single with GNR stock, various prototype diesels, SLOA steam excursions and even the ‘Bristolian’ amongst many others. Some modern trains might also appear like an East Midlands 158 DMU which frequently brings our grandchildren to see us down the mainline from Grantham.

To me it is important that any modelling has been done by my fair hand thus making it an exercise in learning multi disciplinary skills. Some areas of modelling, like electronics, I find more challenging than others so there is always a steep learning curve. Also the more tedious projects such as signalling will inevitably take a lot of time (there are lots on the layout) and therefore at the moment, although constructed,  they are non working with many of the arms only supported by tiny blobs of Blutack. The same goes for the two turntables which require motorising and wiring. The big question applies ‘is a model railway ever finished?’ The next question is why then have I started my new layout?  My wife, however, being more pragmatic wants to know where on earth this will be stored! I just evade the issue and keep modelling.

Slideshow

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