Scale: 7mm/O Gauge

The Society’s second excursion into O Gauge is based on the ex-LSWR station at Dorchester, and represents the BR period of the 1950s/1960s.

Originally, Dorchester was planned as a through station on a coastal route to Exeter. However, the preference of the more central route via Salisbury meant that the coastal route was not built beyond Dorchester, and the line was realigned to connect with the GWR’s route to Weymouth.

Whilst a new down platform was built, the original terminal platform was retained as the up platform, since the station buildings were located here. This meant that all up trains (i.e. towards Southampton and London) had to reverse into the platform before continuing on their way.

The layout was last shown at our 2001 exhibition in test track form. Work has proceeded to the basic scenery stage, with ballasting, platforms and loops installed. Additional baseboards have been built to take the main yard, and buildings are being constructed to drawings published in the Model Railway Constructor in 1978.

Copyright© 2006; The Southampton Model Railway Society