FACTFILE
NAME: Braughing & Standon
SCALE/GAUGE: 2mm:1ft scale/ 9mm gauge/ N
SIZE: 16ft × 18in
ERA/REGION: Era 5 British Railways late crest/Eastern Region
LAYOUT TYPE: End to end
Braughing and Standon stations were selected for my layout build as they formed part of a local branch line that once snaked through the East Hertfordshire countryside (The Buntingford Branch), which I only discovered had existed purely by chance when viewing a property to purchase back in 2009.
I was intrigued to find out more, and whereupon found a local railway history group that had their own N gauge end-to-end layout depicting two other stations of the branch line, Westmill and the terminus at Buntingford. I'd also managed to walk the old track bed twice, with prior special permission, naturally, and gained access to the local railway history group's vast collection of photographs. It was that combination of historical interest and modelling enjoyment that set the 'layout building' wheels in motion. I'd never tackled such a project before, what on earth was I thinking – this was to be, and still is, my first-ever layout.
'Braughing & Standon' is based on real stations on 'The Buntingford Branch' during the 1963-1964 period, aglory, including platform structures, but as a private residence – owned by the grandson of the last station master before the line closed. Having access to such a resource pool and knowledge base allowed me to depict (as accurately as possible) the stations, the line, the landscape and supporting structures and help authentically capture the look and feel of a decaying and run-down branch line. Hopefully, those who see the layout will come to the same conclusion.
