Workshop Cameo...

It has become somewhat of a cliché in British railway modelling, the 'compact' diesel depot - a set of sidings with a Bachmann or Peco shed, Knightwing Fuelling point and a heavy dose of detailed, weathered and noisy locomotives...

RS23 being patched for WHRC in their yard. John Leopard photo (https://flic.kr/p/WxFhgm)

However, this doesn't seem to have been such a common concept 'across the pond' where micro layouts are barely heard of, and certainly, diesel depots don't often feature on layouts at all.

Chris and I have been enjoying Mike Confalone's Allagash for many years but it is his Oxford County in recent times that has really captured our shortline imagination. Mike shared that some of the inspiration for the OCR was the Louisiana North Western and Chris soon found wonderful red GPs and F units in settings and locations that felt such like Rome. More though, both Mike's OCR depot and that on the LNW felt beautifully compact and a home for such a varied (and evolving) collection of retired Class 1 power.

OCR shops. Mike Confalone photo linked from Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10232618340830547&set=pcb.1849517682218314)

Beaverbrook can’t really swallow more than 'one engine in steam'… I wish I had the space for an engine shop!

Chris reflected: 

Both The Shove and The Margin were designed to facilitate operations using a pair of four-axle engines but neither had a place for a shop building - that extra room is “dream layout space”.

Dream layout? 

Perhaps it might be possible to re-imagine the British diesel depot as a run down short line's shops? As Chris's thoughts permeated my consciousness I realised that I didn't need to find space on Beaverbrook for a 'shop scene', rather I could build a stand alone cameo - and that could 'ring the changes' and display my locomotives from TerraTransport, HMLX and other curiosities. Perhaps, if this could work for me - it might work for others too?

James Hilton Illustration 2024.

For my own project, in terms of 'setting the scene' I remembered the Windsor and Hantsport railway in Nova Scotia with its motley collection (of wonderfully characterful) RS23s and their small shops at Windsor. A 'modern' Pikestuff shed surrounded by detritus and debris of backwoods maintenance and robbing older locomotives to keep old ones going. I didn't want to copy Mike's style on the OCR, or Chris's rabbit hole of the LNW - just use their energy to fuel the fire... so out came David Othen's book and my iPad. Without a fixed 'home' in mind my initial thought was around an IKEA Micke desk, with two sector plates at each 'end' to give some interest in playing - moving locomotives around (you could probably 'engineer' this experience so they were sanded, fuelled, prepped in different locations, should you wish). The more traditional 'Lack' shelf offers a decent space as well for a more streamlined setup with a half relief shed structure rather than full length. Whilst both would fit here at home, the latter offers greater flexibility as it would 'fit' in the same room as the main layout and act as 'visual' stabling!

I'm sure you could take your space and find a prototype that inspires AND fits comfortably - of course scale can come into this as well - this is where I feel HO is the right balance of mass and detail. In N we'd need to be much closer to the models, more like Paxton Road. O would need a warehouse! In HO though we can appreciate the sound, the performance, the presence of these machines in a more realistic 'footprint' in our homes.

I've waffled on for much longer than I needed to today, it is a lazy morning here in the valley. The dog is snoring on the sofa next to me, first coffee has gone and a second beckons - the Class 47 is out on the railway sounding lovely, yet it's drizzling so I'm not in a rush to go and watch it. Enjoy these moments of downtime, I have learnt in recent weeks to really appreciate them. Until next time, more soon...