The Railway
The MVR is built to SM45, i.e. 16mm/foot scale on 45mm gauge track, nominally representing a 2' 6" gauge prototype. The track is mostly LGB, although some of the large radius curves are Aristocraft. The line is laid on a low concrete wall forming an almost kidney-shaped circuit around the edge of the lawn. The top surface of the wall is level throughout, but the slightly sloping ground means that the height of the wall above ground level varies around the circuit. The line is single throughout except at Rutton station, which boasts a passing loop and two sidings.
A Journey Along the Line
We commence our journey at Rutton station, the railway's headquarters. The station building was made from a Model Town kit; it was completed in 2008, but was used at Box End station until being moved to Rutton in 2020. It is mounted on a removable wooden plinth, so as not to obstruct the patio when trains are not running. The small black base on the foreground will eventually support a water column.
On leaving Rutton, the line makes a sharp right-hand turn to cross the railway's principal engineering feature, Potter Bridge...
...then, after a short straight section, swings right again to enter Rose Halt. A low-height platform was finally constructed here in 2019; a small waiting shelter and nameboard are the station's only other facilities.
On leaving the station, the line makes another right turn...
On leaving the station, the line makes another right turn...
...leading into a large, U-shaped bend. This section of the route was originally designed to skirt around a large conifer; however, by 2009 the tree was in poor health and had to be removed. This considerably changed the look of the garden, and the railway.
Having negotiated "Horseshoe Curve", trains briefly regain a straight course...
...before swinging right again to enter Box End station. As at Rose Halt, a low-height platform was constructed in 2019. This photograph shows the old station building before it was moved to Rutton; a new building is presently under construction. The police box is by Pendlebury Model Buildings.
Leaving the station, the line turns right again into another broad, U-shaped curve...
...before a sinuous S-bend leads them back into Rutton station. The signalbox was built from a GRS kit, which we acquired second-hand; like the station building, it is mounted on a removable wooden plinth. The bufferstop is an old Peco kit, which I have modified to fit the larger-section LGB rail.