Since Hornby Magazine last looked at this busy ‘OO’ gauge steam era layout in 2017, major expansion has taken place. TOM SNOOK reveals all as we pay a return visit to the much larger 45C Westlands.
MY MOTHER WAS quick to remind me that when I was two we reached Southend from Leyton Midland and as we passed by the locomotive it blew off steam and I was beside myself with excitement. And so started my passion for trainspotting until I joined the Royal Marines aged 17. After an injury and out in ‘civvy street’ I restarted spotting in 1969 and 44 years later modelling.
My desire was to build a model railway with connections to my life’s journey and I am so grateful for fellow enthusiasts to help me along the way. Especially to Neil Bates, Chris Longson and Chris Garside - without them we would never have made it three years later to take a 42ft x 14ft (steam in the round) layout to Warley 2015. There were so many problems though with my woodwork it was promptly scrapped. Now for bigger things!
In February 2016 a new build was discussed with my friends and with the free use of a 40ft cabin from a fellow enthusiast we started to build the baseboards for another ‘in the round’ layout. However, over time this…
