Preserved Single Line Terminus…

Over the summer I was doodling various ideas for single line terminus inspired ‘HiFi micro’ cameo layouts. A good friend James, suggested that I should look at his local, the Helston Railway in Cornwall…

In fact it is his sketch which accompanies this plan. Without a run around the preserved railway operates a push-pull type service over its short but picturesque route with both steam and diesel. It was, however, James’s idea that the railway could have taken a Pacer from GWR upon their withdrawal and operated the ‘off season’ trains. The sight, and sound of a contemporary GWR liveried multiple unit scrabbling for grip on the short climb out of the halt at Prospidnick… oh my word.

I’ve sketched out a couple of typical HiFi presentations of the scheme, with a touch more room it would be lovely to include more of the rolling landscape and the bridge over the railway with path to the carpark, complete with road and small stream underneath! Trees, green, summer… Green pacer too… and beyond, small stock and short trains would be the order of the day. In N an EFE Austerity and a dummy Dapol 121 or a set of Mk1 surburban coaches from Farish would look good until the Dapol 143 is released next year, in OO you can use a Hornby Peckett and an old Lima DMU - as well as the EFE Pacer… this is a project about the warmth of summer, the warmth of preservation and my love of the great British countryside. Whilst I’ve never visited the Helston line, I intend to explore it, along with the still extant Cornish branchlines before the GWR 150s are retired. 

Until next time, more soon…

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