Glorious Devon has inspired generations of modellers and LES PARRY is no exception. However, he chose to emulate Exeter St David’s in the basement of his Spanish home.
Imagine an excited 12 year old schoolboy in 1956 on the midnight train from Manchester to Torquay. Never before had holidays been taken outside Lancashire and all my trainspotting experience was based around the North West. So far as I was concerned, anything further south than Crewe junction was another world.
It wasn’t until our train reached Bristol and, in the morning light, that I saw the engine that had replaced our Midland Region locomotive at Shrewsbury. 5028 Llantilio Castle was a shining green, copper and brass beauty and I was well and truly hooked. At Exeter St David’s we stopped and to my astonishment as I gazed out of the compartment window, Southern Region ‘West Country’ 34037 Clovelly came to a halt at the adjacent platform.
It was magical and remains one of my most abiding memories and so when I decided to build Devon Junction I felt I would like to try and capture some of the charm of that wonderful morning.
Above: Heading the ‘Cornish Riviera Express’ a Collett ‘King’ 4-6-0 thunders through Exeter St David’s non-stop while a Bulleid ‘West…
