A stalwart of the exhibition scene for three decades, the 57 Study Group’s finescale ‘OO’ gauge layout continues to evolve and attract new admirers, as IAN PORTEOUS reveals. Photography, Jonathan Newton.
MY RAILWAY modelling interests are firmly rooted around the much-missed Edinburgh-Carlisle ‘Waverley Route’ and its associated branches, a passion (some would say obsession) that was sparked when I visited Riccarton Junction back in 1978.
The station building, platforms and signalbox were all still there. The only thing missing was the track and after that experience I was hooked and building a layout set somewhere on the Waverley Route became my ambition.
Unfortunately, the 1980s was not a productive decade in terms of railway modelling. I did plenty of planning and gathering of information on my chosen location of Shankend but nothing tangible resembling a layout appeared other than some baseboard frames.
Above: With the diesel transition under way, a BRCW Type 2 approaches Hewisbridge with a passenger and parcels train from Edinburgh, while the driver of Holmes ‘J36’ 0-6-0 65531 shunts a rake of loaded coal wagons on the adjacent line.
By the time the 1990s had arrived, I realised building Shankend station and the viaduct wa…
