Belturbet Railway Station Model.

Background.

Some years ago members of the South Dublin Model Railway Club decided to build a layout featuring an Irish railway location, which included both standard and narrow gauges. Belturbet station came out as a suitable subject and a start was made to establish to what extent the station could be modelled within the confines of the available space.

The remains of the station were still in existence much as it was when it closed in 1959, albeit in a derelict state. A special trip was organised in July 1990 and all the principal measurements were noted and recorded.

Through the efforts of many of the Club's members the layout was built and put on show at several of the Club's biennial exhibitions. For quite a number of years it has not been possible to work on the layout or to run it as the Club did not have suitable premises. Happily this situation has changed recently with the availability of the new premises at Knocklyon. Quite a lot of detailed work remains to be done on the scenery as well as the provision of more engines and rolling stock. These have all to be made by hand as suitable commercial models are not available.


Description.

Belturbet is a model of the station of that name in Co. Cavan, incorporating the standard and narrow gauges of the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) and the Cavan & Leitrim Railway respectively. The model was built following visits by members of the South Dublin Model Railway Club to the site of the station which, although derelict at the time, is now restored and is a thriving Heritage Centre (visit www.belturbet-station.com).

Whilst some features have had to be omitted for reasons of space, the model includes the engine shed, the trans-shipment shed and two turntables (one for each gauge) as well as the main station building, with overall roof. The scale of the model is 4mm to the foot. The prototype track gauges were 5’3 and 3’ and on the model are 21mm and 12mm. Rolling stock is built from kits and the buildings are mainly scratch-built.