Albion Yard - Victoria, British Columbia...

I've a confession to make. The initial excitement behind my Canadian N scale model acquisitions quickly evaporated. The thought of building another IKEA Lack sized scheme troubled me for the same reason that Gerald Road Mk1 faltered, it didn't feel right...

However I have now acquired a lovely collection of CP Rail models! The Alco S4 and caboose were joined by some Microtrains 40' red box cars - and whilst the Atlas GP7 I repainted is now for sale the rest of the collection feels good to own. I have no desire to sell it so last weekend I packed it all up and decided to just see what happened.

A week or so later here we are, and just like with Gerald Road Mk2, I think we've found a 'concept' that works - even if the setting or finer details are not bottomed out just yet - bear with me...

The railways on Vancouver Island have a fascinating and complicated history - and for those of that disposition I can only recommend Robert Turner's excellent book. However, for today's post we are back in the island's capital, Victoria, somewhere we have been before, previously considering the Canadian National and the BC Forest Products mill. We are swapping noodles for multi-marks, come join me on Store Street...

The E&N (later to become part of the Canadian Pacific) had its station in Victoria just beyond the bascule bridge over the harbour. The line continued as a freight only spur, curving sharply on to Store Street. Serving warehouses, fuel depots and such it terminated in a small yard with a fan of team tracks - this  'city block' was called Albion Yard, apparently named after a former 19th century ironworks on the site. 

Albion Yard? Sound familiar!! Yes, just like you I can't hear that name and not think of friend and fellow modeller Paul Marshall-Potter. This connection point felt exciting, it needed further exploration. Digging around I found some material others had collated and shared - hence a lot of the fuel for this has been found here and I also want to acknowledge and thank Karl on the MRH forum too, his HO scale layout looks great for those with a bit more space.

My musings above are a couple of evenings sketching. The purpose then to ponder a home for that wonderful Atlas CP Rail Switcher... freed from the constraints and pressure of the 'Slocan barge' scheme I feel alive to the possibilities of North American N in the same space as the successful Paxton Road and Gerald Road. The same physical size, and in the same mental space. Small, perfectly formed boxes, a collection of emotion as a response to stimulus...

Good friend Chris summed this up on a voice note yesterday. A successful project blends inspiration (these lovely photos) with motivation (the energy I feel handling the Switcher). I pondered if it was lazy to consider the same footprint, the same concept again? 

There’s nothing lazy in that at all. We build love by returning to it and being with it. Raising up with our attention.

Thank you Chris, so eloquently expressed (as usual). 

We've had the Pont-y-dulais trilogy (Pont-y-dulais / Kohlenbachbrüche / Coalbridge Street). Perhaps now we have the Paxton Road trilogy (Paxton Road 2 / Gerald Road 2 / Albion Road?!). This isn't about the size of the box or the location of the shelf - it seems to be a perfect balance of scale and footprint that warrants experimentation. By exploring the same track plan through a different lens I only find myself more taken with these concepts - that alone, enough to take this forwards. 

Yes, a Kato Budd RDC is on its way...

Until next time, more soon...

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