It's all about detail.

I like to consider that being able to create the model I want is going to be about some of the small details. For some people its about running there favourite locomotives and stock for others its scenery. For others its being exact to scale that's important. I was brought up reading the Railway Modeller and must admit a couple of railways stand out for me. The first was the late Peter Denny's Buckingham Branch. This in my mind is a very believable model of what could have been the GCR branch to Buckingham. I do have the Peco book written by the late Reverend. The other was David Jenkinson's Garsdale road sometimes know as the Little Long Drag. There are many other models that stand out for me as well. Once recent model that I managed to see early this year at Bristol is Gordon Gravetts Pempoul based on the Reséau Breton. This last example I consider to be a fascinating study of how a model can be based on the style of a particular company/line.

So what are my thoughts in respect of Rowfant. I look at building this model in stages so once baseboards are completed then first stage is trackwork. I am hoping to use C&L Finescale products for all the scenic sections and Peco track for fiddle yard etc. The electrics will be installed to match DCC operation. At this stage I am looking at installing the signalling. Then the first of the structures. Firstly will be the platforms followed by the main station and platform buildings.

Then comes what I call the detail. I have for a few years been studying as many photographs of Rowfant as possible and each time it seams that I can see details that I can add. There are two relay boxes one by the Signal Box the other on the back of the platform close to the main station building. Platform furniture is also important so a couple of platform seats and several gas lamps. Then comes the barrow crossing but also a planked covering of the signal rodding as it exits the signal box. Platform fencing will also be important as well as the level crossing gates.

In the early days of my investigations the design of oil siding equipment eluded me. This was until I discovered The beginners Guide to Model railway Good services web site: 

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gansg/7-fops/fo-petrol.htm

Here before my eyes was an outline of the unloading gantry scaled for N gauge but at least a basis that can be used to model the instillation.

So what next to discover. Part of the goods yard also served as a sawmill. Several of the sawmill buildings still exists. One item that has gone is the Scotch Derrick so another item to investigate.