The Hornby Magazine team selected the West Coast Main Line in the late 1990s as the subject it's popular 'OO' gauge modern traction layout. MIKE WILD explains how this 20ft x 10ft exhibition layout has been developed.

THE WEST COAST MAIN LINE (WCML) is one of Britain’s busiest main lines and a major freight artery from London to Birmingham, the North West and Scotland. Stretching north from Euston station in London it takes in fast four-track main line sections in the south leading to a winding and challenging double-track route after Crewe through the northern fells to reach Carlisle. It is this latter section that we chose to base our new project layout on, set somewhere between Lancaster and Carlisle in a fictitious location.