ROWLANDS CASTLE Scale: 4mm - 1ft. Gauge 16.5mm ('00' ) by Peter Goss

Size: 15ft x 9ft (4.8m x 2.8m). Opereators: Two. Transport: Van Hire .

During the second world war around the time of the Normandy landings, Rowlands Castle (Southern Railway) was used as a detraining station for troops and equipment. Troops and equipment were massed at camps within a 10 mile radius of the ports of Portsmaouth and Southampton. The model depicts the country station and yard, village green and buildings, and adjacent forestry areas as would have been seen during 1944. Trains include local stopping and semi fast Waterloo-Portsmouth first generation EMU services, general goods, government pooled goods and troop trains. All based on written and first hand reported accounts. This part of Hampshire is heavily wooded and the large forestry areas surrounding the area were ideal to hide the troops and military equipment. Just one corner of such a forest is shown, allowing tents and troops at rest within a forest of fir trees.

Ref: Railway Modeller November 2008

The layout has won the Railway Modeller Cup for 2008.

This layout can be seen at the following Model Railway Shows:...