Severn Mill
'0' gauge - 7mm fine scale
Thornbury MRC
Had the Midland Railway’s line into Thornbury been extended to the river it would more than likely have been a light railway and it would have possibly gone to a timber yard with a small station close by. Assuming that it would not have been a very rich business it might have only been able to afford a couple of second hand locomotives and coaches which would have run a rather infrequent service as the line’s main income, originally, derived from freight. Not long after the line was opened a jetty was built to allow coal to be transferred to barges which came up a small creek. Over the years business waned and maintenance on the jetty was reduced which might explain its decrepit state. This therefore is the basis upon which Severn Mill is based.
The baseboards are of standard construction with the hand made track laid on cork. Points are operated by salvage H&M point motors and the electric’s utilise the standard cab system. The locomotives are kit built, as is most of the rolling stock. The majority of the buildings are scratch built. The use of three link couplings give a prototypical feel when operating. The restricted head shunt behind the station building, bearing in mind the weight restrictions placed on the jetty, makes life rather difficult for the shunter but can give hours of amusement to some of the operators! The coal merchant, however, gets a bit peeved every time his wagons have to be shunted out of the way to allow a delivery to the wood merchant or the factory.
Originally the layout consisted of the two station boards and a fiddle yard. An additional board, with the allotment and the extra siding were added soon afterwards. The latest incarnation is the provision of the jetty board.
If you have any question, either about the layout or the club, please feel free to ask the operator who will be more than happy to answer.