During RailEx Taunton 2023 I had the opportunity to takein one of Britain's finest model railways Chilcompton Tunnel Stephen Jones and his team's stunning recreation of this much photographed location on the legendary Somerset & Dorset Railway in OO.
The layout is a scale replica of the 1in55 climb between Midsomer Norton South and Chilcompton, with the iconic twin bore tunnel meticulously recreated in OO. The scene is a showcase for trains in the landscape with visitors able to take in the models as they pass through the rolling Somerset hills.
Filmed in the style of the legendary railway photographer Ivo Peters, we see just a small selection of over 20 prototypical train formations as they tackle the challenging gradients of the Mendip Hills edited with real sound. Sounds are provided by a number of prototypical and similar locomotives from my collection, captured at various Gala and Preserved Railways over the past few years.
Trains as featured:
0:18 Fowler 4F Class 060, No.44447 pilots West Country Class 462, No.34091 'Weymouth' on a South bound express.
1:18 Stanier 8F 280, No.48773 heads North with a Pigeon Special, whilst GWR interloper Collett 2251 Class 060, No.3210 emerges from Chilcompton Tunnel with the stopping service to Templecombe.
2:44 Fowler 4F Class 060, No. 44331 makes a powered accent of the Mendip hills on a stopping goods.
3:28 S&DJR 7F Class 280, No.53806 makes a spirited getaway from Chilcompton with a rake of empties bound for Radstock.
4:18 BR Std 9F 2100, No.92220 'Evening Star' heads South with the 'Pines Express', as BR Std 5MT 460, No.73082 coasts toward Bath with a fertilizer train.
Hope you enjoy!