As we get towards the end of development and testing on one project, my thoughts turn to what should come next. Nothing goes on for ever, and I think I have to admit that the days of giant projects like Birmingham, Cambrian Railways and Waverley Route are probably over. I still think retirement is a dirty word, but at 82 I’m slowing down a bit.
So I’m looking at projects that might produce more benefit for less work. Here are some possibilities:
1 Birmingham 1961 – based on 1953, but with DMUs on most of the local services, and diesels creeping in on some main line trains, also some changes due to the regional boundary moves.
2 Birmingham 1972 or so, with diesels everywhere.
3 Wellington (Shropshire) 1951 or so – busy country junction on GWR and LMS lines, end of Birmingham suburban service.
4 Ipswich 1952 – Same schedules as Colchester 1952, our current project.
Perhaps you’d like to suggest others? Ideally small but interesting.
Grantham in steam days when the Lincoln branch was still open. Offers engine changes on the main line and branches, also capacity for extras to Skegness
I like the idea, and I’ve thought about it in the past, but I have virtually no information about Grantham – track plans, typical operations and so on. Apart from the GER, track plans for the former LNER seem to be hard to come by.