CLASSIC LAYOUTS -- CHILTERN GREEN N GAUGE (MRC)

This blog post is an opportunity for me reminiscing about a fine layout called 'Chiltern Green and Luton Hoo' which for me was one of the classic N Gauge layouts that I remember from my youth of the late 70s and early 80s. My late father was involved in a number of model railway clubs including the BBC, and the MRC itself as well as a few local ones so it had many a happy summer visiting many locations during the weeks as well as a lot of the bigger exhibitions. Central Hall, Westminster at the time (1970/80s) was the big show of the year, I think that is now the Warley Show held at the NEC. And it was here one summer that I was fortunate enough to join Dad and the likes of (MRC President) Tim Watson and other members of the Model Railway Club to show off this outstanding layout. 

I think it was also a big feature in the Railway Modeller magazine or more than one occasion, I have a copy of the April 1980 edition and I know was proud to have been associated with this club, while at the time was also a long standing member of the BBC Railway club too, which like many things has sadly ceased to function. As a young child, taking to my late father to one show I think was at Royston during the summer I had the great pleasure of operating the small branch seen here on the cover of the magazine, the single railcar running under the mail lines back and forth was enough for me, never mind the extensive four track main line, this branch shuttle would eventually become the extension to the layout called Luton Hoo, and would feature again in the Railway Modeller some years later ! 

The layout was rescued by the Devon Railway Centre, further information can be found on their own site, but also managed to find this information about how they came to save this famous layout (thankfully).
Quote from the then manager of the Devon Railway Centre "I am glad to see so much interest in Chiltern Green.  It really was ground breaking when built as it was the first layout to show the railway running through the landscape and to show the merits of N gauge.  When it finished on the Exhibition circuit it went to Walter Harper's Oakhill manor and when that closed to the public in 1986/7 it was just covered up and left in a barn!!  Fast forward 15 years and Walter contacted me and said come and get it if we wanted it but that the barn was due to be demolished next week. Two days later we rescued the layout and carried it out across all the rubble which was around as the roof and most of the top floor of the barn had been removed that day - the builders were ahead of schedule. The layout was repaired over the next winter and placed on display. Since then further work has been done on scenic, wiring and track." 

There is an excellent reminder of the work and sheer quality for this layout found here on You Tube (link below);

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiMa1cUexGE

The whole thing is a decent watch however if you want to skip through to approx 8m 20s there is a decent piece with the MRC President, Tim Watson about the layout. 

With great thanks to everyone at the Model Railway Club, Kings Cross, London.