Good old Hayfield.

Probably my favourite branch line, inspired by an article in Model Railway Constructor in 1978 - Signalling for the Modeller - Hayfield.

A very sad closure that lasted right up until 1970, it carried an hourly passenger service to Piccadilly throughout the day and right up until 2300 - better than a lot of places these days!  Nevertheless, the LMR still managed to close it.

Proper signalling remained until the end, two boxes, Hayfield Station and the very diminutive New Mills Tunnel End - just lovely (unless you had a 12 hour day shift in there I should imagine!)

Just to complete the picture, I stumbled upon this lovely little film on Tubeyou earlier this week - after watching this I've just got  to get my N gauge DMU earning a living....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wiu1_-QQGM8

Hinspire Ations....

So, full of anticipation, I betook myself to the much publicised N Gauge exhibition near Leamington Spa a couple of weeks ago.  Having initially been thwarted by the fact Junction 13 on the M40 doesn't actually seem to exist in an 'Up' direction, I eventually got there.  Hmm, I don't expect to be attending again....  Why are so many of the dubious smelling old men that attend these things just so rude - and it was the day after bath night as well. You'd really think they'd have some soap in their shopping bags and assorted luggage.

Enough already.  There's enough inspiration out there to keep me going, Flickr throws up some astonishing images these days.  Here's D5007 on its second trip down the branch.  Having worked the 'papers' and left the van at the terminus it has run with brake van to Pinfold Down Sidings to collect 22 trip and is here surrendering the staff to the signalman.....

Photo copyright JW.

The very beginning...

So it's a start, after many years of procrastination, pouring over old Railway Modellers, drooling over Yaxbury in MRJ, Penhydd on the web and many other inspirational layouts (Abbotsbury Southern, High Beck & Netherton, Blythborough etc etc), I'm about to make a start.

I've always wanted my own branch line.  I had a real one for a time between Leicester and Burton, that was great fun but now I look after St Pancras to Chesterfield and Branches so I've decided to opt for a much smaller version - N gauge.  What!  Hands thrown up in horror!  I've only ever modelled in OO in the past, however, space constraints and mainly time considerations have pointed me towards 2mm - oh and the superb looking models these days.  The idea I've toyed with is a little branch around the walls of my small upstairs office, intermingling with the furniture and things - unusual but practical I think.

So there we are, more to follow.  Suffice to say if a 25 meandering along a Staffordshire/Derbyshire branchline first thing on a winters morning with the two coach newspaper/parcels train (portion of 1K00 Crewe - Stoke), arriving at a dimly lit terminus as the branch begins to wake for the day sounds enigmatic then hopefully this may appeal to you.