Faringdon 4mm P4
Built by the well-known model maker and author, Stephen Williams, the layout is a scale model of the former GWR branch station at Faringdon in Oxfordshire and is entirely hand-built in 4mm scale to P4 (18.83mm) gauge. The model depicts the station as it might have appeared during the transition from GWR to BR ownership during the period between 1947 and 1955. As was typical of minor routes, the buildings retain the colours of the former GWR, but most of the engines and stock carry the new liveries of British Railways. Although at various stages of its history, Faringdon saw passenger services that linked the town to both Swindon and Didcot, by 1945 the service was little more than a shuttle service to the junction at Uffington and these ceased at the end of 1951. Some artistic licence has therefore been used in extending both the time frame for the model and in showing a more varied range of typical branch line trains than would actually have been seen at the time.
So in addition to the “Pannier” tank with its curious “Concertina” coach that formed the real Faringdon branch train in the final years, viewers may also see Large and Small “Prairie” tanks on local services from Swindon and Didcot, as well as a Collett Goods engine on branch freights. An auto train with a Collett 14XX tank also appears from time to time.The construction of the layout adopted entirely conventional approaches. The trackwork is all hand-made using the “rivet and ply method” with cosmetic chairs; the buildings are made from card and painted with water colours, following Pendon practice; and the scenery shows the influence of Pendon and Barry Norman’s work. Engines and rolling stock include some converted items of R-T-R models, but most originate in good quality kits.
The layout has featured in Model Railway Journal Nos. 77 and 241; British Railway Modelling, June 2018; and in the book Great Western Branch Line Modelling Part 3 (Wild Swan Publications) by Stephen Williams. It has won several best in show awards, including the prestigious Ken York Trophy at Scaleforum 2007. The layout was extended in 2018 to represent the street scene that lay immediately beyond the gates of the real station but which was omitted from the original design of the layout. A series of articles describing this project is scheduled to appear in Model Railway Journal during 2019 and 2020.
Photo courtesy of Andy York, BRM Magazine.
Photo courtesy of Stephen Williams.
Photo courtesy of Andy York, BRM Magazine.
Photo courtesy of Andy York, BRM Magazine.
Return to 2026 Exhibition page.
