Evoking the spirit of colliery and light railways in the North East, this home-based layout is the creation of DEAN ERRINGTON, as he explains. Photography, Mike Wild.
I HAVE ALWAYS had a great interest in railways since I was young, and I’ve always been more interested in smaller branch lines and private railways because these are often hidden gems which are overlooked and forgotten.
In actuality, I never intended to build a ‘OO’ gauge layout. I planned to stick with ‘N’ gauge due to space limitations, however times changed after moving house with my partner, her family kindly gifted me her late grandfather’s ‘OO’ gauge track, locomotives and rolling stock. From then I was determined to create a ‘OO’ gauge layout to do him justice as he was extremely passionate about his own layout.
Murton Hall was inspired by my love of branch lines. I really like the Colonel Stephens light railways and have always enjoyed industrial lines and branch lines more than main lines due to how varied and unique they could be. I decided to make my own branch line and light railway company, the Dovecote and Collywell Railway, or D&CR. The name comes from the London and North Eastern Railway…
