Hi everyone, Im building a model of the Ripley Branch line in Derbyshire, set in 1960s era. I started planning the layout in 2008 with a full size plan on wall lining paper and started to make a few buildings. The layout shall be an end to end design and shall have three scenic boards with fiddle yards at either end. I will be building it in stages, two scenic boards, first with station and second with goods yard and a fiddle yard, then in future I intend to build the third scenic board, this shall include the Hammersmith viaduct with a return fiddle yard. I wanted to build a model of a real railway as I have built a fictional tail chaser layout before called Maidens Dale.
The prototype : Ripley station opened to passengers on 1st October 1889. The branch line ran from Derby and also from Langley Mill. A further extension to Butterley was opened in June 1890, but this was closed in 1929 due to being unsafe for traffic. Passenger traffic ceased on the remaining branch in 1930 due to competition from buses and trams. Goods traffic continued to Ripley until the 1960's and there were a few special passenger tours. The tracks were lifted in late 60's but part of the line remained in use until 1999 serving the Denby coal site. Recently there were plans to reopen the Branch line but nothing has happened yet.
My layout imagines passenger services continued and the extension to Butterley remained open. All structures will be scratch built, track shall be Peco code 100 with electro frog points. OO gauge.
Thanks for looking, Shaun.