Southern Railway

[Dorsetmike]

I expect most of us have heard " nobody models the Southern 'cos nobody makes Southern stock" / "nobody makes Southern stock 'cos nobody models the Southern"
As a matter of interest who actually models SR (apart from me) and who would model SR if there was more stock available?
I'm thinking more 1923-39 than WW2 & BR(S)
For a few years Union Mills produced some ex LSWR classes that lasted well into BR days; Dapol and Farish have managed the Schools, N class, M7 0-4-4T and Terrier 0-6-0T and ex SECR C class 0-6-0. No RTR 4-6-0s - Nelsons, Arthurs, H15, S15, & Spam cans which didn't appear until part way through and after WW2.

[F2Andy]

I am building a very small layout which will feature your avatar! I am further restricting myself to tank engines only, so a terrier and an M7...

[Ali Smith]

Whilst Vermouth is currently in Southern Region guise, we plan to have sets of stock suitable for late 1940s and early 1930s. Brother Rob has built a number of engines for this plan.
More ready-to-run would obviously help, but I think rolling stock more than engines as much more of this is needed.

[Dorsetmike]

Hi Andy, the Terrier would not be prototypical, only ex LSWR types. As for tender locos of the available classes I would suggest Union Mills T9, 700 & 0395,  all of which are now only available second hand and  an occasional Schools or N class mogul; in later years also West Country and Battle of Britain spam cans
If you're up to kits or scratch building then any of the Drummond 4-4-0s, and depending on your period also some of the Adams 4-4-0s and A12 0-4-2.

[JimSan]

While I mostly model Southern Region, do always have interest in modelling in more Olive liveried Southern as well, along with LSWR as well when I get the time.

But I've given up waiting for the manufacturers to bring out more items and just made my own.

[Bigmac]

While I mostly model Southern Region, do always have interest in modelling in more Olive liveried Southern as well, along with LSWR as well when I get the time.

But I've given up waiting for the manufacturers to bring out more items and just made my own.

do show us what you've made--please.

[thebrighton]

do show us what you've made--please.

James is Gosport Railworks: https://gosportrailworks.carrd.co/#

[SouthernJohn]

It's an interesting question, I certainly would love to run more Southern... but if what I wished existed in Ready To Run stock actually matched my railway interests, my poor dog likely wouldn't be as well fed as she has become accustomed to.

As Birch Abbey progresses I am interested in running it in different periods. While most of the stock running will be Southern Region (a vast majority of my stock covers that period), I am keen to have days where I run it as Southern and Pre-Grouping, and sometimes as preserved. Lots of opportunity for sleek Southern and pregrouping locos, hard working BR standard classes, rumbling diesels, and plenty of Rule 1.

I don't know enough about the other Big 3 companies, but the Southern being formed of 3 very different companies does make for a great variety in real life stock which could be potentially modelled. Coupled with then both Maunsell and Bulleid eras of the Southern Railway (and changing liveries!), there is so much interesting rolling stock out there! This may contibute to why the southern can appear to have poor RTR representation in N gauge. Tricky when there is so much good stuff out there (oh for RTR ironclad coaches...).

In my perspective I often see GWR well represented, with key locos from the LMS and the LNER represented on occasion, but I don't know how reflective this is of the actual diversity and realistic running on those regions. I wonder what the persepective of RTR representation is of those who model those other regions?

Outside of RTR, I have a lot of 3D models now, my Q and K classes being my favourites so far. I have some more fantastic models from Jimsan which I am working my way through at a glacial pace (modern life and all that). That D1 will be finished eventually! I would love to do a few Southern liveried locos when I feel a bit braver, along with some Maunsell era liveried coaches when I am feeling even braver than that... It is great that modellers are doing more for their hobby, and making more options available.



That said, I am delighted with what we do have, there is a reality where we could have much less. In my personal modelling the need for more diversity on my layouts over time has encouraged me to take on new challenges with white metal, brass and 3d printed kits, growing and developing my skills. I hope that this has equally inspired others to make something new and unique, and give all modellers with the interest their very own piece of "Somewhere in Southern England."


That was a longer reply than I originally intended! I have a feeling the N class and Maunsell set will be coming out this evening...

[Bigmac]

my attempt at E1 number 2 Yarmouth, now at the Isle of Wight steam railway.

Hacked and bodged from Farish GP loco

[SouthernJohn]

my attempt at E1 number 2 Yarmouth, now at the Isle of Wight steam railway.

Hacked and bodged from Farish GP loco

Looks great! Big fan of a loco bash. I know that is something Dorsetmike is also very good at.

I haven't got an E1 in my collection... yet 

[Dorsetmike]

deleted - link to my Google photos doesn't work

[earlofsodbury]

Southern is very much what I'm interested in, albeit I have it a little easier as I want to model circa '67, so there are plenty of electric, diesel and steam options, albeit I can't be fussy about actual loco numbers... More-or-less correct liveries are available - albeit green coaching stock seems eternally in short supply!  I guess the presence of the occasional stray vent van or 7-plank from a different region is hardly unlikely, either...

I want to model the area in and around Christchurch (Dorset now, Hampshire then) and what does seem to be hard (impossible...?) is finding appropriate architectural styles of buildings, bridges, signal boxes etc - not even anything close enough to hack-about that I have found, yet...

Not helped by SR and BR(S)'s infatuation with concrete-everything, either - there seem to be rather few appropriate yard lights, loading gauges, platform-fronts, fences, PW huts, &c &c...

Maaaan, they loved concrete! 

What I have found easy is finding buses and coaches - Royal Blue and Bournemouth Corporation seem readily available! 

Seems I'm going to have to learn how to scratch-build stuff!  Or scarier: 3D printing! Eeek! 

Should be fun 

[JimSan]

Seems I'm going to have to learn how to scratch-build stuff!  Or scarier: 3D printing! Eeek! 

If you can find some scale drawings and not keen on trying 3d printing, always willing to have a go and add more Southern items to my range!

[earlofsodbury]

If you can find some scale drawings and not keen on trying 3d printing, always willing to have a go and add more Southern items to my range!

Brilliant!  Thank-you. Though finding actual scale drawings could be interesting...  Do your talents extend to buildings if you have the relevent info?

[JimSan]

Brilliant!  Thank-you. Though finding actual scale drawings could be interesting...  Do your talents extend to buildings if you have the relevent info?

While I haven't tried printing a building as of yet, have been interested in having a go, was going to use some of the drawings I've got of a local disused station as a first trial (Fort Brockhurst).
My only thoughts currently is how detailed to get, not sure how well brickwork will turn out when printed or if it should just be brick paper glued on afterwards etc

But the software I use (Sketchup) is originally designed to make buildings so should be fine with doing anything along them lines.