Rose Grove - 4mm Scale, P4

With this layout, under construction, it is hoped to re-create the railway scene at Rose Grove in 1959.  Rose Grove, at the western edge of Burnley, Lancashire was built by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway in 1898/9 to replace a small two-road station on that site.  What was built became one of the more important centres on the L&Y.  The station had a large island platform with two bays, a double track junction, 6-road engine shed, and large up and down grids (goods marshalling yards) of 15 and 20 roads respectively.

The model is relatively large, as we didn’t want to compromise any more than absolutely necessary, so it is built exactly to scale, without any shortening or other dodges.  Similarly we decided to use P4 standards, as not only does the track look right, being of correct proportions, but so too does the stock.  We think that, especially when viewed end on, steam locomotives especially look wrong with wide wheels set too close together.

The baseboard design was started from first principles, and inspired by the World War 2 wooden aeroplane the mosquito.  We wanted a very light but strong structure, being stiff in bending and in torsion.  The basic material is thin but high quality plywood.  Except for the ends, which are 25mm thick to provide a rigid face for joining to the next board, they are made from 4mm thick ply, which helps keep the weight.  Any areas where track is to be laid is 6mm thick to provide a firm base to keep the rails level.  For strength, the depth of the boards is around 220 mm, and the structure is well braced diagonally to provide torsional rigidity.

The year was chosen to avoid having to build too many diesels, as the DMUs were only used from just after this time.  As there were many holiday specials still in that era, when whole towns shut down for a week or two, then there was a high frequency of trains and many visiting locomotives, and so the time of year is July/August.

All track is hand built, either ply and rivet, or Exactotrack.  Point motors are Tortoise, for quiet and correct speed operation, and we have tried to arrange the drive to the point blades as prototypically as possible.

Rose Grove was chosen for several reasons: it was an ex-L&Y shed; it was small enough, at 6 roads to be feasible to model in 4mm scale; it had been visited by Steve in steam days; the lie of the land was interesting (viewing from Lower Rose Grove Lane, which was a falling gradient, the shed yard is level, the main line is on a falling gradient, behind which the shunting necks are on a rising gradient, and behind them the land rises to finish off the scene); there are convenient scenic breaks – the road bridge over the middle of the station and the main line falling into a low area at the other end.

Something which surprised us was the fascination of the research work.  What had been thought of as a drudge slowing down actual work has turned out to be extremely rewarding.  We have met railway staff who worked there, others who are also interested in the location, and worked with original contractor’s drawings (beautifully finished in ink and water colour on starched linen).  Much has come to light, from errors in published books and videos to the realisation that we could be the only two people alive who know that the coal stage/water was built 8’ higher than the drawing specified!

Please feel free to ask any questions, or offer advice/information you may – we may have got something wrong – and we do want it to be right.