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Avebury

Description based on material supplied by the layout owner

Avebury  
Martin Axford OO gauge 4mm scale

The former Midland and South Western Junction Railway (MSWJR) Cheltenham to Andover cross country line was taken over by the Great Wester Railway (GWR) in 1923 but was eventually closed by British Railway (BR) in September 1961.

Avebury, the layout has been built to show a fictional branch of the MSWJR. The only actual branch terminus at Tidworth was too spacious to model in a limited space so Avebury was settled on as a place where a branch from Marlborough being built to meet up with the nearby Calne branch could have terminated due to lack of finance, a perennial problem for the "Tiddly Dyke"!

The road bridge covering the board joint hinges is a much shortened version of the long many arched bridge that still, just about, stands at the site of the former South Cerney station. On the layout this carries the A361 Devizes Road over the station throat, the station itself sits on the site of the current car park, I have tried to give an idea of the open downland scenery that is so much a feature of North Wiltshire.

The station building, signal box and goods shed were inspired by structures at Collingbourne, Foss Cross and Cricklade.

 




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