2015-05-31 Ormesby Hall

During our UK Holiday in 2015 we chanced upon a collection of modelrailway layouts in one of the National Trust properties, Ormesby Hall. These are maintained by members of the Ormesby Hall Model Railroad Group
DSC00527  Ormesby Hall is located south of Middlesbrough in North Yorkshire. I have added GPS-coordinates to this page. Click the pin at right top end of this text box to see Ormesby Hall. The pin on the map points exactly to where the layouts are. DSC00449b  The first model railway is a small diorama that depicts a local station, if I remember correctly it is Ormesby's station in the sixties. DSC00450b  Not a big layout in most terms it is a gem, demonstratiing what you can achieve with little room and lots of patience. Good work! DSC00452  Pilmoor junction is a far bigger layout and it was operated while we visited it. I liked the spacious arrangement of track and the sweeping curves.
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DSC00461 DSC00462 DSC00456  There were many details in the scenery that could keep you busy for a very long time. DSC00463
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DSC00470 DSC00472 DSC00471 DSC00477b  The real surprise of the day was the layout "Corfe Castle".
DSC00473  I was utterly surprised to find these buildings and I instantly recognised the style of it: Pendon! DSC00474b  Getting into a most agreeable conversation with operators it transpired that the layout was the private layout of Ron Rising, one of the co-operators of Pendon. DSC00476  It is so realistic that visitors to the hall recognise the houses. Some even told stories of actually living in one of them ;-) DSC00478  What a time and energy has gone into these houses, but the results are simply stunning.
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DSC00484  The railway itself was kept very simple DSC00486  Being a builder of locomotives myself I would not have been too happy with this result. So quite honestly the locomotives do not quite live up to the standards of the houses and the scenery on the layout, but you can't have it all. Obviously you can spend your time only once and Ron Rising invested in buildings and scenery, and he did an excellent job at that! DSC00487 DSC00488
DSC00489  Be fair: this simply as good as it can get DSC00490  I had to drag myself away from this layout and the nice people of Ormesby. I would recommend you read more about these layouts on the site of the  Ormesby Hall Model Railroad Group