Kineton
N-gauge
Kineton remains under development. The fundamental design requirement was to conform to the fine scale standard where all aspects of the layout are hand built including the track, but with modified track tolerances to facilitate ready to run rolling stock. The quality of models produced by manufactures has improved in recent years and as a result could be utilised without modification to give pleasing results.
Control of the DCC layout is achieved using Model Electronic Railway Group (MERG) and is designed to support full automation in the future. Using MERG items allows the 'hand built' requirement to be satisfied.
For many years, the N gauge group of LWMRS exhibited Meacham, an award winning, 24 feet long layout based on an imaginary location in the Midlands. The group are now building a new layout based upon a local prototype, the now closed station in the village of Kineton on the Stratford Upon Avon to Towcester line of the Stratford and Midland Junction Railway (SMJ).
Prior to the start of construction, extensive research was conducted using not only traditional archive sources but also the knowledge present in the local community. The group set some challenging objectives: all track is hand built to fine scale standards, the layout is DCC controlled and MERG CBUS is used to control points and to provide detection and indication; prototypical point rodding is to be represented and all buildings are constructed from photographs of the period.
Three baseboards represent the full length of the station, the approach from Stratford and departure to Fenny Compton. At each end, there is a cassette fiddle yard, allowing complete trains to be held prior to despatch through the layout.
The layout’s development was detailed in a series of articles in the BRM Magazine and has already been exhibited in its developing form at our own show and Warley.
