Exercise Meteor

[Paul821]

As work started today on a room over a cart-lodge that will be able to contain the first (and probably last) permanent model railway layout I have been able to build. I thought I would start a thread on this. This will be a long term project but I would like to complete it by the end of 2024.

 

For many years it has been my ambition to construct with a second world war theme. My thoughts have been through many iterations but I have not decided on a very specific time and location. This is based around the following:

The Operations Record Book of 512 Squadron contains the following entry

 

“Exercise Meteor” Instructions were received on the 20th March that the squadron would move up to R.A.F. Station Gosfield to carry out exercise “Meteor”. Twenty-four aircraft and crews were to be provided plus 5 reserve crews. Squadron was to be screen for Routine Air Transport commitments as from p.m. on the 21st March 1945.

 

The lines below then appear

 

Exercise "Meteor" however never materialised, and it would appear that is was purely a security blind for the airborne operation across the Rhine, this operation being called "Varsity".

 

That references RAF Gosfield but many of the airfields in Essex that had been vacated by the US 9th Airforce we also brought back into use for operation Varsity, The crossing of the Rhine also required support from the heavy bombers of the 8th Airforce based at RAF Ridgewell and bases in Suffolk.

 

The layout should reflect the activity on both road and rail. As far as possible the layout will reflect the position around March 1945 I will be looking to convey an impression about what was taking place rather than a fully accurate representation.

As to the location – I am looking towards the centrepiece of the layout being a station somewhere in North Essex with a small goods yard. Although the final dimensions of the layout will have to await the partial completion of the building I am looking at around 5m of length. I am not particularly into shunting so a simple dumb-bell type layout with the ability for trains to pass would be adequate. The layout will be DCC and I am happy with the electronics required for a reverse loop.

Some parts of this build will appear elsewhere especially in GB’s

 

Some work will be scheduled for the following:

Anything but injection, 20 March to 11 July 2021 – a number of structures.

The 'Unarmed' Group Build. Saturday 17 April 2021 - Sunday 8 August 2021 – various vehicles including both the RAF & USAF support kits, the old Airfix Airfield sets etc.

 

I may even sneak a quick couple of entries into the current KUTA XIII GB. Also “Less that a tenner” and Blitzbuilds may offer opportunities.

 

[Pete in Lincs]

An ambitious plan which should keep you busy. Good luck.

[bigbadbadge]

Sounds an interesting project, what with doing the room too.  Are you constructing your own locos and stock too ?

Chris

 

[Paul821]

On 2/3/2021 at 8:55 AM, bigbadbadge said:

Are you constructing your own locos and stock too

As all the loco's I require are available ready-to-run the answer there is no. However some of the stock will not be required to run on the main layout and I do intend to build some of those wagons.

 

Although track laying is some months off the layout does have a name - Hinckford Parva, The next stage of the build is to start to tackle these

 

 

[bigbadbadge]

6 minutes ago, Paul821 said:

As all the loco's I require are available ready-to-run the answer there is no. However some of the stock will not be required to run on the main layout and I do intend to build some of those wagons.

 

Although track laying is some months off the layout does have a name - Hinckford Parva, The next stage of the build is to start to tackle these

 

 

No worries,  good luck wigh the project.   Those QLT and Ds look fantastic when built up.  Such a cracking looking truck too. 

Chris

[cngaero]

This sounds too good to miss. 

I'm sitting comfortably on the chaise longue and the popcorn is on the way. 

Good luck with your project. 

[Paul821]

Nearly a month without posting on this thread. I am carrying out some yet more background research for the layout  and @Mjwomack has sent me a picture of USAF ground crew unloading bombs from trains, which is an extremely useful picture as it shows how the bombs were loaded in the wagons. This is only the second such picture I have seen.

 

Next week the roof should be on the railway room, but as it does not have a floor at the moment, my previous estimate  of  Easter is looking rather optimistic for occupation.  So in the meantime I have utilised an off cut from the builders work to prepare a small test layout.

 

The idea is that the goods yard (six sidings) will be filled with wagons and there will be a number of US trucks in the process of taken the bombs and other supplies away. There is a road at the end of the station which will have fuel being brought from the local tank farm (in this case Chappel and Wakes Colne). At the back is the main road on which a convoy of British lorries is taken the troops to local airfields for Exercise Meteor.

 

On Saturday work starts on more buildings for the layout as part of the "Anything but injection" GB - my thread is at:

 

There are a number of resin and white metal kits that relate to this project and I would like to include in the GB but the railway room is costing a 5 figure sum (no not £100.01) so funds for purchasing new models are extremely limited at the moment.  Added to that there are a number of new model railway items being released over the next few months which are key to the model. The problem with many model railway releases are that they will b made in smallish batches and once they have sold out you have to rely on auction sites, so pre-ordering is essential to get to model you want. 

 

 

 

[Paul821]

Planning continues for this layout. Today I had an out patients appointment which meant that by varying my route between home and the clinic I could view the landscape, in the area that the model is set in, in late march – the date that layout is set. Although I appreciate that seasons vary, as have farming techniques, but I have now a number of reference shots that will help with details on the layout. Trees and hedges will be a particular challenge as the majority of the vegetation has no leaves at present.

Although the railway room is now watertight, it is only through having been felted, the slates, floor and stairs have yet to be installed.

 

 

 

 

For the next month I am concentrating on constructing many of the buildings required in the background. I estimate that the “High Street” with require around 25 buildings of various sizes. Then there is the farm and airfield at either end.

 

These are appearing under the titles "Something Architectural" in the Anything but injection GB.

[AdrianMF]

What a project! You have a lot of everything to do... Looking forward to seeing how you get on.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Paul821]

One month on the roofers have now fitter the windows and slated the roof, and the floor is down:

 

 

The railway will be be on the other side.

 

I have hit a possible snag will the current plan in that due to building reg's stipulating the all aspects of the stairs, the hole is slightly larger than originally planned. I did not thin k this would be an issue but the angle of the roof means the end of the layout might be too close to the stairs. Or the layout will be on the floor!

 

One satisfying thing is that if your now "google" Exercise Meteor" this thread is top of the search results! The second entry is my account of this on a railway modelling forum.

[Paul821]

Various elements of this build have appeared in a number of GB;s this year but I have not given an update for some time.

 

Although substantive work, in the form of a complete baseboard, has not taken place, a number of buildings have been constructed and the basic design finalised.

Although the layout will be set in March 1945 I want to include various elements of village life on the Essex / Suffolk border during WW2 and each will be represented.

Allied army – a convoy of vehicles passing through the village on the way to an airfield for Operation Varsity. To date I have not found any documentary evidence about how troops were moved to the various airfields so at present this will be a mixture of Airfix Bedford’s and probably a Matador or two.

 

USAAF 8th and 9th Airforce – the edge of an Airfield will be build using Nissen huts etc with various trucks. A B-17 will be “in the air” but other planes could be substituted.  The main representation regarding the USAAF will be trucks loading in the railway goods yard. Here Airfix/Heller GMC trucks will be in the main, but other makes might put in an appearance if I can get them at a reasonable cost.

 

The Railway – Hinckford Parva will be the fictional station at the heart of the model. Although a fictional location the layout is based on Great Yeldham as will most of the buildings. It has one platform and a passing loop as well as a goods yard.

 

The village – the main street will contain buildings that present the main institutions of a rural community: inn, church, school, post office, police station, village shop. All these will be based on local buildings although where commercially available buildings, such as Scalescenes, look like the prototype these will be used.

Agriculture – a small section of a farm will be present.

 

Defence – As the Home Guard were formally stood down on 3rd December 1944, and  became an inactive reserve unit until 31st December 1945 this aspect of local life will be represented by one or more pill boxes. The river Stour in Sudbury and the railway being part of the Eastern Command Line.

 

While awaiting completion of the room for the layout I am continuing to build various elements of the model, and will post the research and modelling stages as I go.

[Paul821]

AS far as the railway elements go the next stage of this project is building the first three of ten signals required as part of the "under a tenner GB"