Fast running and a continuous circuit were essential criteria when it came to developing this ‘O’ gauge layout, which was one of the star attractions at the 2019 Great Electric Train Show.
Rebuilt ‘Patriot’ 4-6-0 45532 Illustrious thunders through Grindley Brook at the head of an express as Fowler ‘4P’ 2-6-4T 42366 leads a long mixed goods in the opposite direction. All of the buildings and structures on Grindley Brook are scratch-built. Photography, Mike Wild.
HILLINGDON RAILWAY Modellers’ Grindley Brook is the sixth and by far the biggest exhibition layout to be built by our club since its formation in 1984. It is also our third ‘O’ gauge layout, the previous two being Compton Abbas in 1991, followed by East Dean in 1997. East Dean, which modelled a Great Western Railway branch line through station, proved to be successful and we exhibited it all over the country from 2001 until 2012. It has now been sold to members of the Warley Club and is still displayed occasionally by them today.
East Dean was an ‘end to end’ layout, as were all our previous ‘O’ gauge club layouts, and engaging and attractive though they were, it was quite hard work at exhibitions to keep a continuous flow of trains going backwards and forwards for view…
