Creech Grange, built by James is a small micro layout built to demonstrate the practical and scenic benefits from building an estate railway in 4mm scale...
A little known 18" estate railway was established at Creech Grange, on the Isle of Purbeck by the 14th Earl of Dorset. After the first world war he obtained an order under the Light Railway Act for his railway and construction was completed by 1920. The line was established to serve the hall, estate and brickworks, connecting with the LSWR at Booths Siding on the Swanage branch just north of Corfe. Later there was an extension to a wharf on the canal off the River Frome near Ridge, to ease the import of coal and export of bricks from the estate. The line opened with a small 18" Hunslet tank engine based upon 'Jack' (supplied to John Knowles) and later supplemented by a re-gauged Avonside (originally 500mm and destined for export before the order was cancelled). Rolling stock was a mix of ex-Deptford opens along with some one-off builds (the Motorail coach). The line survived until 1957 when upon the death of the Earl, the estate was demolished, broken up and sold, the track and rolling stock being auctioned and sold for scrap to R.A. Bowers of Poole.
006.5 is 4mm scale, 6.5mm gauge track. The layout is a demonstration of what can be achieved in a small space, being displayed with it's storage box. It is constructed using Busch HOf feldbahn track, mechanisms and chassis under scratchbuilt British outline models. It is an extension of the concept behind my previous layout 'Creech Bottom' and my future 009 layout plans.
It's development is shown in sketches and early construction photographs, and a display of this material accompanies the layout at exhibitions.
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