County Gate: a railway in a landscape

We have been asked many times why we chose to build a freelance 'what might have been' layout rather than model the L&B as it really was. There are several reasons:

• It is very difficult to compress a real scene and still get interesting running

• A freelance model enables one to create a much more effective composition which works at most viewing angles.

• We really wanted to have a harbour scene, a good viaduct, and a branch line where we could operate some of our existing rolling stock. The independent branch line also allows us to operate private owner stock...something I always used to be excited about.

• A 'what might have been' situation allows some whimsy in rolling stock, such as our railcars and Mallets.

• The Glenthorne branch also offers visually different stock.

For us, the importance has been to capture the 'essence of the L&B, North Devon and Somerset' and we hope that this exercise has been successful. The route was actually surveyed and we have by and large followed this route. Even so, we have compressed 100 yards of modelling into 30 odd feet.

From the exhibition point of view, the Lynton and Barnstaple poses some problems in maintaining the interest of visitors. With three identical locos and one very similar (Lew) only the Baldwin 'Lyn' offers any variety. I doubt that many notice that it is actually a different train that has arrived...the only easy distinguishing feature being the large SR number and the different makeup of the trains. The addition of the Mallets and railcars has been most positive in this respect.

The trains are very small indeed in our landscape and are sometimes not even noticed! But then again, real life is like that!