Thornycroft in print

Our Thornycroft Sidings model railway is featured in Railway Modeller magazine February issue. On Sale Now.

If you visited this Blog having read our article in Railway Modeller and want to know more then the best way to navigate this Blog is to select a topic of interest from the word cloud (titled Labels) shown in the left hand column.

Or start with these links:
Background to Thornycroft
Thornycroft Posts
Thornycroft Factory Buildings

This Blog covers the modelling of Cliddesden Station and Thornycroft Sidings in N gauge.

Feel free to leave us a comment, thanks.

Ed and David

Yet another outing for Thornycroft Sidings

Farnham and District MRC Exhibition 2019

Thornycroft Sidings will be on show at Farnham and District MRC Exhibition 2019 on Saturday October 12th and Sunday October 13th at:

Alderwood Leisure Centre, 

Tongham Road, 

Aldershot, 

GU12 4AS 

(formerly called the Connaught Leisure Centre)

Ed

Transport Festival thanks

Thanks again to the Thornycroft Society for inviting us along on the 12th May 2019, to the annual transport festival, this time being organised by the Rotary Club of Basingstoke & Deane. The weather managed to hold out, to make it an enjoyable busy day.

We had many passing visitors. With the usual ex thornycroft workers, and local residents always keen to take an interest in the layout, along with the young wanting to see the trains go round and round.

This year I managed to get my face (and the layout) in the Basingstoke Observer newspaper (at the time dad (aka David) was looking around the vehicles and stalls):

Article in Basingstoke Observer

Ed

Another Outing for our Thornycroft Sidings Layout

The Basingstoke Festival of Transport

War Memorial Park,

Crossborough Hill,

Basingstoke,

Hampshire,

RG21 4AG

Sunday 12th May 2019: 11 am - 4 pm

Posted by David.

Not your usual model railway show...

On the 30th June we were invited by the Brookvale Community Association, to attend their Thornycroft day. A small event remembering and highlighting the importance the Thornycroft Motor Works was in the history of Basingstoke. Brookvale was the area where most of the factory workers lived, and the factory once stood. The association was also raising money to build and place a replica clock on the village hall, that once stood on top of the Thornycroft factory, something they have been trying to do for a few years.

The event had many interesting Thornycroft memorabilia on display including; unseen photos, work magazines, and registers. Also 3 vintage Thornycroft vehicles were on display parked out the front for all to see. There were also some hands on "engineering"tasks using Meccano and clock-work train emphasizing the ethos of the factory, and an interactive show put on in the afternoon by the Thornycroft Girls.

Thornycroft Vehicles

 We were there with our model railway, which accurately represents 1/3rd of the Thornycroft factory, to give visitors an idea of what the factory would have been like in the 1930's, which once stood on the now supermarket site. Obviously this was not your normal model railway show, but an opportunity to learn more about the company and factory and bring a bit of history to life!

Thornycroft Sidings N gauge model railway  

It was a beautiful sunny day, and with a few other events on around the town as part of the Basingstoke Summer Festival, the attendance here was lower than we were hoping. However it did give the opportunity to reminisce with some of the ex-workers, who brought the model to life by telling us some stories about the factory, such as a fire that broke out onsite. Apprentice's sun-bathing on the roof of the factory and taking vehicles on test drives.

The local newspaper sent along a photographer to the event, and the following week there we were in the local press...

Article in the "Basingstoke Gazette" about the event

Thanks to the Brookvale Community Association and all those that attended, with many visitors providing nice comments about our layout.

Ed

  

The Basingstoke Festival of Transport 2018 Show - Thanks

Thanks again to the Thornycroft Society for putting on a great transport festival again and inviting us along on the 13th May 2018. The weather managed to hold out, to make it an enjoyable busy day.

We had many passing visitors. The young were interested in directing us to put on different trains, and captivated by watching the trains go around with different loads, and the young at heart were reminiscing about days gone by, with some providing stories about sun bathing on top of the buildings, and playing down the disused railway line (in later years).

As we were running the model railway from a 9v PP9 battery this meant our G6 train struggled to pull anything up and down the gradients, and for some reason there was a complete loss of power in the train yard itself. This we thought was down to low battery power, but after finding the only stall in the field that sold new PP9 batteries and plugging it in we were still struggling power wise. This meant we were pretty much unable to show trains loading and unloading from the factory sidings, and we were using the M7 most of the time. - But i'm sure nobody really noticed that!

We may need to think about creating a barrier as many people both young and old were putting their hands on the front edge of the layout, there was many a stern look and short cry of "Please Do Not Touch!" from us.

Basingstoke Transport Festival May 2018

Thanks,
Ed

The Basingstoke Festival of Transport 2018 Show

As guests of The Thornycroft Society our Thornycroft Sidings N gauge model railway, is once again scheduled to appear at:

The Basingstoke Festival of Transport 

War Memorial Park,
Crossborough Hill,
Basingstoke,
Hampshire,
RG21 4AG

Sunday 13th May 2018 11a.m - 4 p.m.

It will probably be the only model railway on show amongst lots of vintage vehicles. Please come by and say "hi", we will be in the Thornycroft Society main marquee.

2016 Basingstoke Festival of Transport

Ed

Show Time (again)

As guests of The Thornycroft Society our Thornycroft Sidings N gauge model railway, is scheduled to appear at: 
 

The Basingstoke Festival of Transport , 
War Memorial Park, Crossborough Hill, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 4AG

Sunday 14th May 2016 11a.m - 4 p.m.

It will probably be the only model railway on show amongst a plethora of vintage vehicles.

Thornycroft J Class Lorry

David

Astolat Model Railway Circle Exhibition - Thank you

On the 22nd January we exhibited Thornycroft Sidings at the Astolat Model Railway Circle Exhibition, this year held at the Surrey Sports Park, Guildford.

The exhibition was a very nice one day event, with 19 layouts on show in various scales, and the usual trade stands.

We would just like to say thanks to the organisers, for such a well managed show, and thanks to the chap who helped unload our cars on this frosty cold sunday morning.

Also thank you, to the visitors who passed by, and stopped to view Thornycroft. The children, who were excited by the trains running past with various loads, and the children who directed us on what trains they wanted to see. The adults who were intrigued by the corrugation effect on the roofs of the buildings, and by the painstaking work in making n gauge post and wire fencing! and those who admired the detail and the feeling the model railway evokes.

Thank you!

Some comments that I can remember:

Somebody likes making buildings!

Nice layout

How did you...

It's completely different to what else was on show

Ed & David

Exhibition 22nd January

Don't forget, next weekend Thornycroft Sidings (N gauge) will be at the The Astolat Model Railway Circle, show:

Sunday January 22nd 2017
from 10.00 a.m. 'til 5.00 p.m
at
The Surrey Sports Park, University of Surrey,
Richard Meyjes Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7AD.

Will we see you there?

Ed

Thornycroft Sidings video #3

The third video of our Thornycroft sidings model railway. This time the G6 shunting engine (stationed at Basingstoke), arrives with empty lowmac wagons, and departs at night with some PB class lorry chassis, heading from the Thornycroft Factory to Basingstoke Station. Interspersed with cameo scenes from around the factory.

Thornycroft Sidings video #2

The second video of our Thornycroft sidings model railway. This time the G6 shunting engine (stationed at Basingstoke), is organising its loads of covered lorry parts on 1 plank wagons, heading from the Thornycroft Factory to Basingstoke Station.

 
Ed

Basingstoke Transport Festival - Thank you

On Sunday 8th May (The hottest day of the year so far), we attended the Basingstoke Transport Festival as guests of the Thornycroft Society. Who have put this event on every year for the past 24 years (in partnership with Basingstoke and Deane council). The Basingstoke Transport Festival is a large free transport show/ rally showing all kinds of rare, vintage and unusual road vehicles, at the War Memorial Park in Basingstoke. Supported by many stall holders selling new and used; tools, car parts, models, toys, gardenware, clothing, and the odd sweet and food stall to keep you going.

This year after a Thornycroft Society member saw our layout at the Basingstoke Model railway show, he suggested and asked whether we would like to attend their event as a way for visitors to gain a better understanding of what the factory looked like "back in the day", after all it had a huge impact on the town and its ex-employees, some of whom were at the festival. The Society also put on a small exhibition of old photographs and diagrams of the vehicles produced by the firm and images of the factory - Some we had not seen before. Of course, also on show was a selection of restored Thornycroft lorries.

So, we spent the day chatting to some of the ex-employees and relatives, although they were not old enough to be around in the period of our model (1930's), there were a few who were there from the 50's and 60's who could remember some of the railway line and the buildings. Providing stories and reminiscing about the factory, vehicles and what the buildings were used for. I think all gave our model the stamp of approval, and providing us with a little more insight into what went on.

It was also well received by the general public who passed by - probably not expecting to see a model railway layout on display at a transport festival, but many could relate to it's location and perhaps gain knowledge of the history around Basingstoke, Including the young children who enjoyed it so much, they had to be dragged away by their parents!

Not your normal model railway show, but certainly a great day out. Thanks to all those who passed by and said "hi".

Picture montage showing the Thornycroft society tent and our stand (during some rare quiet time).

Our layout was powered off grid by a Volvo lorry battery (supplied by a kind member of the club) - quite fitting for a transport show!

Ed

show time reminder

As guests of The Thornycroft Society our Thornycroft Sidings N gauge model railway, is scheduled to appear at:



The Basingstoke Festival of Transport ,

War Memorial Park, Crossborough Hill, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 4AG

Sunday 8th May 2016 11a.m - 4 p.m.

It will probably be the only model railway on show amongst a plethora of vintage vehicles.

Thornycroft Sidings video #1

The first video of our Thornycroft sidings model railway. The O2 (M7 as no r-t-r locomotive available) passenger train passes the Thornycroft factory on it's way to Cliddesden. Pulling a tri-composite coach.

 

Ed

End of Show

Thanks to everyone who saw and liked Thornycroft Sidings at the Basingstoke and North Hants. Model Railway Show on 12th/13th March 16.

Being based in the local area it attracted interest from residents who tried to work out its relationship to the site we know today - a supermarket car park and pertol station! How times have changed. A couple of visitors let it be known that they worked in the factory in its later years and others invited us to show the layout elsewhere, one of whom is associated with Thornycroft heritage so, watch this space for further news of where you can see the model.

David

And a train with all the wagons we brought with us for the show. Being pulled by a generic tank. The poor m7 just keeps on slipping with anything more than the passenger coach.

Ed

day 2

The trains have been running relatively smoothly today. As the afternoon gets quieter we have a bit of fun with making long trains.

Here's one that stretches the length of the model.

Ed

End of Day 1

So the end of day 1, at the Basingstoke Model Railway Show.

Our layout was pretty busy all day, with many visitors trying to work out where about the Thornycroft factory used to be in relation to the buildings and road that are there today. With a few telling us stories about the factory, railway line and the lorries that were made back in the day.

I Managed to quickly run around the show and these layouts (below) stood out for me (with my particular interests in small scaled modelling).

Top left and right: Bottle Kiln Lane 

Bottom Left: Plas Halt

Bottom Right: Llangerisech

Obviously apart from Thornycroft, I think Bottle Kiln Lane wins it for me today. I think the detail, and the way the railway sits in its surroundings is something I had not really seen before, watching the train through the overgrown shrubs and trees. The detail in the kiln was also impressive - I liked it.

Back again tomorrow (Sunday 13th March) - So hope to see you there.

Ed

First day of show

Here is a picture of thornycroft ready for the people to see. It was a pretty smooth setup considering it's the first time we have set it up for exhibition.

Ed