The 5 scenic boards and a fiddle yard. The raised rail at the back will support the backscene.
We spent several years we have been thinking about what our N Gauge group should build to replace Wickwar. We have finally decided on a model of Okehampton station in the early 60s. We have pored over the timetables, got as many photos as possible, and drawn out plans on rolls of wallpaper.
The station was the most important between Exeter and Plymouth on the Southern main line to Plymouth, and was the junction station for the North Cornwall line to Bude, Wadebridge, and Padstow. Almost all trains stopped at Okehampton, and many dropped of mail vans or wagons for transfer to other trains. Motive power was, apart from occasional Western locos, Bulleid light pacifics on express passenger and goods services, T9s on local passenger services, and N class locos on goods and occasional passenger services.
https://thetransportlibrary.co.uk/image/catalog/T/G/4/4/TG444-5.jpg
The layout to accurately reproduces the real track plan, and we will be able to run trains according to the real timetable. This means we will have a layout about 20 feet long plus fiddle yards each end, and will need around 32 different trains. The track in the scenic area will all be British Finescale Finetrax, both for its excellent appearance and running and to allow the trackwork to match the prototype with points longer than available from Peco.
We started work in 2022 and have all the boards built, they are made of hard foam (RAVATHERM) with ply facing. The track for the mainline and one of the two fiddle yards is complete, work still continues on the other fiddle yard and sidings.
Okehampton at our show. One board has some scenery.
We displayed all the boards with at our show in October 2024, we were (just) able to run trains round along the main line and some temporary track on the second fiddle yard board.
A lot of work has been done on the electrics and electronics, and still continues. Control is DCC with 5 power districts. Points and uncouplers are operated by servos. RDID detectors have been installed at many places along the track so that (eventually) the layout can be monitored to automate the fiddle yards and check the layout is operating in accordance with the timetable, and that trains are in the correct places.
Union Mills T9, detailed and lined, and 3D printed ex-SECR coach used by Meldon Workmen
One of the fiddle yard boards
Okehampton is only part one of what is intended to be a 2-phase project. After Okehampton is more or less complete (several years!) we will retire Wickwar and build a second layout of similar size to Okehampton containing Meldon Quarry and Meldon Viaduct, which are about 3 miles down the line from Okehampton. It will be possible to link the two into a U shaped layout with a semi-circular non-scenic section so that we will be able to exhibit the layouts separately or together.
We use XTrackCAD to design the fiddle yards, this is the ninth version of the yard at the Exeter end.
Our N gauge group is currently 22 strong, and if you want to join us and help with building Okehampton now is a good time.