Western Road Diesel Depot fits firmly in the category of railway modelling as a means of evoking childhood memories. In this case, trainspotting around the Bristol area in the late 1970s: the blue/grey era, the last throes of the Westerns and long hot summers. To be more precise, the time period is specifically 1976, though some flexibility around this is allowed. As to the location, Western Road is somewhere in Devon or Cornwall and if pressed it could be Long Rock, Penzance if this had been reconstructed in the 1960s.
The layout was constructed as an entry in the Scalefour Society’s 1883 Challenge. The plan tries to create a feeling of spaciousness since in reality depots did take up a lot of real estate. Having the backscene of two carriage sidings has proved very effective in helping achieve this. Structures are based on Western Region prototypes: the fuelling shed and water tower from Bristol Bath Road and the lifting shop is a reduced version of Landore. The rolling stock is appropriate for the period and area and without too many celebrity locomotives. However, this sometimes slips in order to accommodate a few more diesel hydraulics. Generally though, Western Road is intended to look like a normal boring diesel depot on an ordinary day. A few sound-fitted locomotives are available on the roster,and this certainly adds to the atmosphere. Hopefully you will enjoy seeing what is on shed over the weekend.
Presented by Mike Anson
