(The Hop Pickers Line)
This layout is modelled on an actual village in Kent on the Paddock Wood to Hawkhurst line during the 1950’s when steam power was king but about to be superseded by diesel and electric traction. The Hawkhurst branch line was closed just before the Beeching cuts and has been virtually wiped off the landscape except for a few features that still remain, hidden away to all, except for us that know of their existence.
The model is currently ‘Work in Progress’ and shows the landscape and most of the main buildings in place as they were in the early 1950’s. Everything has been scratch built with the help of photographs and memories of the area as a young boy. Some ‘modellers licence’ has been used to incorporate the iconic three arch bridge, which is actually about half a mile further away from the station, and sadly now buried under millions of tons of infill.
A few buildings and minor structures are still to be built along with a large number of bushes and trees, including an apple orchard, grassland and domestic gardens. Additional traction engines and rollers will be added to Chris Lambert’s Yard, in due course, helping to illustrate the pioneering work of that great man of steam preservation which left a lasting impression on us young boys.
For more on the history of Horsmondon Station and the Paddock Wood to Hawkhurst line, follow these links: