Complexity vs attention span: The North American British branchline…

A curious title, intended to draw you into my latest meandering layout design ideas, this time the realisation that this particular prototype draws parallels with some of the thoughts and ideas I’ve had about modelling North American ‘short lines’, as I will explain… 

So whereabouts am I taking us this time around? To Scotland, north of the Forth, Markinch on the East Coast mainline to Perth, where, by the 1980s a short stub of an old branch-line lived on to serve a paper mill. The connection to previous meandering is that this is one of the destinations of our Cornish China clay, the Tullis Russell mill at Auchmuty. Via the Speedlink network and a Section 8 grant Tullis Russell had acquired a fleet of 8 PAA 2 axle covered hoppers, built by Standard Wagon and leased from Tiger Rail (I believe a 9th wagon of slightly different design was added later). These distinctive blue wagons plied their trade from Burngullow to Thornton on the Speedlink network, and then the Thornton yard pilot tripped them to Markinch, including a brake van for the branch had a number of gated level crossings, and later, the loop at Auchmuty had been removed so half the trip was a propelling move.

This aerial photo dates from after the railway was lifted, but I’ve attempted to show some of the modellable scenic elements of this complex industrial site. What is apparent though, that even within the mill the character of the railway could change rapidly, from the almost sylvan surroundings of the ‘end of line’ to the gritty urban industrial nature at the heart of the works. This contrast is both exciting and challenging to capture in a small scale.

Talking with Chris about the prototype generated the usual ‘buzz’ of energy as we both considered the chance to learn about a new system and how it could be represented in model form.

This branch you’ve discovered is so exciting and definitely worth a deep dive to process the opportunities. The first thing that came to mind was that switchback into the mill and how much it aligns with my curiosity about on stage engine and offstage car shunting.

Chris’s sketch is shown below, incorporated into my illustration. It’s funny, despite my first thought about the branch was the opportunity to model its entirety Chris has pulled me right back into small layout territory, and there is something so perfectly formed in its two turnout simplicity. It fits with the ‘lead actor on stage’ concept, curiously it is very similar to the quality Scottish Renfrew scheme. I flesh our Chris’s original idea with a slightly truer to prototype take with the mill completely off stage, and representing the second siding off stage as well. Trains arrive on the centre road before shunting the two sidings, and then leaving.

When I started looking at the prototype it was however the possibility of building the whole branchline that appealed. The balance of mill at one end and distillery at the other with a stretch of semi rural single track between and no run round loops… this should translate well for us as modellers. I could easily see several forms that may lend themselves to this, but wrestling them down onto the notepad, none really sang to me as strongly as the initial ‘cameo’. The layouts shown here, apart from the exhibition style, have no hidden staging or fidddleyard. The entire layout is scenic. Trains operate down the branch shunting traffic and returning to the station at Markinch, stock can we swapped here, in the siding before the next operation. It is this style that reminded me of my own Beaverbrook.

When Chris talked about his Manheim project, and I’ve pondered lines like Lapeer, both North American short lines, the idea of focusing solely on the one prototype to fill your space felt exciting, almost a revelation for this British modeller. Why then, when casting a British prototype in the same mould does it feel less comfortable? Have I been conditioned by years of train set style mainline layouts, or large exhibition creations? Branchlines have been built in this way for years too, but there were more used to seeing steam than diesel, and if diesel at all, then BR blue. Here I’m suggesting dedicating a whole room to modelling a branch that saw a handful of wagons a week hauled as a trip working by a Class 08 from a nearby yard in the late 1980s… have I gone mad? 

Perhaps it is that personal realisation that the limited scope of locomotive and rolling stock modelling would mean, that for me personally the branchline would never be finished yet I know the cameo would be, in fact I notice that it is also gloriously location agnostic! It could literally be anywhere just by switching the actors and supporting cast, so one minute China Clay dries in Cornwall, next a paper works in Scotland. 

When we consider our own layout design requirements, an honest reflection on our drivers and constraints could help the success of the project. For me, that realisation is that this scheme, although exciting, is too specific in location and hence stock potential for it’s complexity and timescale and as such is not a good match. Being honest with ourselves at the earliest stages of layout planning will save both money and heartache in the long run.

I hope my meandering hasn’t put you off Markinch and Auchmuty, rather this is a wonderfully late survivor and would definitely warrant proper attention. I am sure my pen will continue to trace out the now familiar lines of its prototype until I can feel I’ve done the line, and the cameo approach justice in this sense. I also hope that the realisation of personal drive is an important step in layout design, and one that if not considered will almost certainly lead to failure.

I offer a layout design service where I work with you to generate a layout design brief, and then a complete design pack meeting your requirements and giving you all the energy you need to progress to construction. Get in touch for a personal proposal, prices start from just £160. Until next time more soon…