MARCH 21 Much Murkle

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MUCH MURKLE

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Nick Wood
BRM February 2015

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FACT FILE 
Layout Name: Much Murkle
Scale/Gauge: OO
Size: 12' x 2'
Era/Region: 1930s GWR - Herefordshire
Layout Type: Terminus to Fiddleyard
Power – DC

 

If we all followed our roots and early influences, my modest train set would have O gauge trackwork and blue diesels running on former Great Central metals, rather than Pannier Tanks on the Great Western. I spent my first 24 years living in North Lincolnshire. I went to school in Gainsborough, where in the late-1960s and early-1970s we spotted Brush Type 2s and 4s and EE Type 3s and their tatty freights running on the line at the top of the school fields. I didn’t have a model railway at all as a child and was always more interested in models than the real thing.

I avidly read old copies of Railway Modeller many times over, which in those days seemed to be full of Great Western layouts both large and small. I remember that Reverend Teddy Boston’s ‘Oulton Priors’ was a particular favourite of mine at the time but I also loved the smaller layouts like the Tyling Branch and even non-GWR layouts like ‘Marthwaite’ and ‘Charmout’.

Eventually, in my early twenties, I joined Gainsborough Model Railway Society with its huge O gauge layout depicting King’s Cross to Leeds. Here was a layout that operated prototypically with signal boxes, bell codes and timetables, but was scenically under-developed at the time. I got involved in helping to operate Leeds terminus and building wagon kits. I enjoyed this very much but the lack of realistic scenery was always a disappointment. My involvement at Gainsborough MRS was to be cut short by the contraction of the steel industry at Scunthorpe, where I worked at the time, resulting in me moving to new employment in Berkshire.

IGNITING THE FLAME

I, like many others I suspect, have dabbled with railway modelling since my childhood days, gradually building up a collection of unrelated items and doing nothing much of any consequence with them. A few false starts along the way, and of course, all abandoned at an early stage because they were too ambitious and poorly planned. For many years after getting married, I lost interest and left my collection untouched in boxes in the loft and cellar.

Something would occasionally spark my interest again, and I would seek out the modelling armchair only for the embers to die. Eventually though, after a spur of the moment visit to the Trainwest exhibition, the spark ignited a flame. I saw Dave Spencer’s ‘Penrhos’, which truly inspired me. Here was a layout of modest size, built with Peco track and proprietary stock, but built to a high scenic standard. I felt something similar would be achievable with the proper planning. It was featured in the modelling press that same month and I bought the magazine, which became my reference point for some time. This all culminated in charging my desire once again to build my own small layout, to a standard I would be happy with, and bring back those memories of browsing through old copies of RM and dreaming of that ‘one day’.

CREATING THE SPACE

I was keen to create a spacious feeling, a tall order given the variety of trains required. The size is very simple but catered for all of the movements required and left plenty of scope for scenic development. The key to achieving this feeling of space was to avoid straight sections of track wherever possible and the use of cassettes to minimise the space taken up by the fiddle yard. I resisted the temptation to include an engine shed at the terminus. The siding space could be better used for a cattle and milk dock, which otherwise would have to be located elsewhere. On most small layouts I see, the shed has a locomotive standing outside that rarely moves, adding little operating interest to the layout. My shed is therefore located off-scene creating the occasional light engine movements.

GREENERY

I have had many positive comments about the scenery and get asked lots of questions at exhibitions relating to the materials and methods used to create the groundcover. There is nothing particularly special in the materials used, which come from mainstream suppliers advertised in the modelling press or seen at exhibitions. Different flocks, scatters, static grass and fine foliage are used in various shades but I avoid bright and garish colours. All are applied with PVA glue. Perhaps what actually interests most people is how these are blended into a believable scene. Some might think that you need the eye of an artist to achieve this but I don’t consider that I possess that particular quality. I made a visit to Herefordshire at the time of year I wanted to represent and just looked at meadows, trees, hedgerows, lanes and field fencing and gates whilst I was there. I took many photographs and made notes. I also searched the internet for photographs to give me ideas. It was then a question of choosing different materials that I could use and build up in layers to create a believable representation. The only regret I have is that I didn’t make provision to drop the contours below the trackbed at some point, as this would have greatly improved the visual impact and photographic opportunities.

After searching for a suitable location and making the decision that it was going to be in Herefordshire, I created a back story to justify its existence and the types of traffic that would be seen. The community of Much Murkle is west of Newent at the end of an eight-mile branch. It is predominantly agricultural, requiring mainly general goods and livestock traffic. Rancoutt’s Cider has a loading dock to transport its produce by rail to London, the Midlands and beyond. Much Murkle quarry is further down the line and mineral trains have to reverse at the terminus as there is no run-round facility at the quarry sidings.

LOCOMOTIVES & STOCK

Locomotives must have crew, lamps and real coal as a minimum amount of detail. Most have had number changes and other detailing added. The majority of goods stock is kit-built but I am happy to use RTR items that suit the setting. A number of open wagons have loads and others are correctly sheeted with tarpaulins. Passenger stock is also a mix of detailed RTR and kit-built coaches. All the rolling stock has wheels changed to those by Alan Gibson and is weathered to various degrees. Unless permanently coupled together, stock has DG auto-couplings.

BUILDINGS

All the major buildings and structures are scratch-built using a variety of materials. Card and Scalescenes textures have been used extensively as I enjoy working in this medium but styrene sheet and real wood, free, courtesy of caffeine addiction, has also been utilised. I enjoy creating cameo scenes but didn’t want to overpopulate ‘Much Murkle’. Figures are placed in small groups that in most scenes are conversing, perhaps that should be gossiping in some cases, or going about their daily work. The cameos are not just confined to the little people; the animals, goods, luggage and parcels have all been placed with the same care and thought applied. The principle I tried to apply was that if there were no trains on the layout the scene should not look out of place.

I started building ‘Much Murkle’ in 2008. I have done everything myself from the baseboards upwards and it attended its first exhibition in October 2013. This may seem like a long time to build a small layout but my modelling competes with a number of other interests for my spare time. Together, ‘Much Murkle’ and I have now attended five exhibitions and in 2014, we had the honour of winning ‘Best Visiting Layout’ at the Sutton Coldfield show in April. We currently have bookings for nine more exhibitions running into 2017. I firmly believe that anyone starting out can achieve the standard that I have, providing they are prepared to ask for help, seek constructive criticism and listen to what is offered. I have learnt so much over the last few years and received encouragement by joining forums such as RMweb, YMR and MRG and made many friends along the way.

Joining Andover Model Railway Club has expanded my involvement with exhibitions and has given me a new project to work on - building another exhibition layout, but that is another story. My wife Janet puts up with the mess in our home from my modelling activities and accompanies me to most exhibitions, helping to set up and operate when needed. Friends, Mike Hughes, Paul Leonard, Steve Rogerson, Andrew Fendick and Kevin Pugh, all members of Andover MRC generously make themselves available to take ‘Much Murkle’ out to all members of Andover MRC generously make themselves available to take ‘Much Murkle’ out to exhibitions at weekends. I appreciate all the help I receive and would like to say, a BIG thank you to you all!

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