The published history of Countryside Models - a
potted selection
which you may look up in old (and not so old), magazines;
Articles
September 2010 issue of "Model Rail" (No. 146).
Almost coincident with its 10th birthday (already? Yes!), Tupdale 'rides again' for a
couple of pages, along with another old/new model "Upper Isis"; a great Western
Branch terminus which has was originally built some time ago but, having suffered somewhat
during 3 house moves, came back a year or so ago for a complete rebuild.
indentOriginally designed as a small corner set piece to display the
1942-built GWR 'austerity' diesel railcar as originally produced in 00 by Lima, the
model retains its 1942 setting but is now larger, with an extra siding (both on and
off-scene), easier curves and extra scenery. A full rework and refurbishment then.
And it not only looks a lot better for it but allows us to show off some of the
more unusual wagons which appeared during WW2. Why not pick up a copy and have a
look yourself?
February 2009 issue of "Model Rail" (No. 127).
Just when you thought "Tupdale" had finally been laid to rest, and despite it
being now over 8 years old, Model Rail finally published this long-held
description of the making of "Tupdale's" rocks, especially the Pike and stream
bed.
November 2008 issue of "Model Rail" (No. 124).
This second article explains what is operationally possible in the modern era and
illustrates the trains used. It also offers more general views of this layout which
is its owner's second by us; the first being the famous "Westbury" (see below)
which became worn out after 18 years of hard use; or at least the Fleischmann points and
point motors did! Since much of the scenic detail was removed before the layout was
scrapped, there are many items - from the Power Signal Box through Jean Hunt's wonderful
trees to the village garage model (here restored as a half-timbered cottage)- which will
look familiar to older readers. Now you know why! I have yet to find the time
to put this layout up in the gallery but one day, when the work-load diminishes a bit, I
certainly intend to, along with another four which are also waiting my attention...
August 2008 issue of "Model Rail" (No. 121).
This was the first in a series on a "current practice" N-gauge model called
"Wye Notte". Based on the sylvan Wye Valley this first article gives an
excellent general impression of this fine layout, shows off the scenic possibilities of
this small scale in a spare-room sized space and explains the advantages - and pitfalls -
of attempting to keep a model up to date with the latest practices...
July 2008 issue of "Model Rail" (No. 119). Article on backdating the Airfix Autocoach.
November 2006 issue of "Model Rail" (No. 83).
"Tupdale" again, oddly called "Box to Box" this
article covered Tupdale's two Midland signal boxes, explaining the design theory that
required two for one station and how they were built. Includes the illuminated
interiors. After six articles in the same magazine in one year from the one author,
it was hardly surprising to find I had nothing major published in 2007...
In April 2006 "Model Rail" (issue No. 90) began a series of articles on our 1940s period model Gasworks. The real works were covered in the April issue and the first part of the model in June (No. 92). Two further parts were soon published, August 2006 (No. 94) covered the gas holders while September (No. 95) covered the retort house, the purifiers and the condenser. Different articles on the gasworks, complete with many different photographs, were published in Volume 18 of the "HMRS Journal", especially Number 12 (October-December 2005) which is full of prototype photos of gasworks and their details, taken from the Historic Gas Times' archive collection.
March 2006 issue of "Model Rail" (No. 89).
More "Tupdale" came in the form of "Tupdale Timberwork"
which detailed the varous timber structures on Tupdale. These included telegraph
poles, permanent way huts, the snow fences (based on those at Dent), an old Midland
grounded 6-wheel coach body and some coal staithes but the signals and signal boxes - also
mainly timber - were covered by different articles.
December 2005 issue of "Model Rail" (No. 86).
With the tabloidesque title of "Spreading the Boards",
"Tupdale" appeared for the third time this year in an article on the scratch and
kit-built signals which adorn it. These ranged from old Midland Railway survivors,
through LMS arms on Midland posts, through an example of early LMS lattice construction to
later LMS and early BR tubular-post examples; all taken from various examples found along
the length of the S&C in the mid 50s.
November 2005 issue of "Model Rail" (No. 85).
Another "Tupdale" article called "Round and Round"
shows how the famous stockaded turntable at the Settle and Carlisle's Garsdale
station was reproduced using the standard Hornby product, some cardboard and a few cans of
spray paint...
September 2005 issue of "Model Rail" (No. 83).
Another excellent feature on "Tupdale" called "A Gallon in a Pint
Pot" explains the design theory and how it was possible to fit a double
track, main line station with bay, up and down sidings and anciliary features of loco shed
and turntable with a main line run of 25 feet into a room just 8 feet by 10 (2.4 x 3
meters) and yet give it a spacious, realistic setting of the Yorkshire Dales.
September 2004 issue of "Model Rail" (No. 71).
A full description of "Tupdale" called "Up Hill and Down Dale",
with track plans, appeared in this excellent magazine - and instantly doubled traffic to
our web site! The design which allowed a spacious-looking main line model railway to
be fitted into a 10' x 8' room caused such exitement that Andy was asked to explain how it
was done and the article "A Gallon in a Pint Pot" appeared in
the September 2005 (No.83) issue. It was followed by several more articles on
various aspects of "Tupdale's Timberwork" in Model Rail over the next few
months, ending in March 2006.
April - June 2004 issue of "HMRS Journal" (Vol 18, No.6) A good description, complete with track plans, of an L-shaped GWR branch terminus called "Upper Isis" (after the tributary of the Thames), featured in this society magazine. This small terminus hid its three storage roads behind the scenery thus allowing all of the 5 foot by 6 foot lengths to be fully scenic. It did this by hiding a traverser behind the goods yard and two more sidings, one long, one short, behind the platform in the corner of the layout. Since rebuilt and featured in the Sept 2010 issue of Model Rail, this article, along with the section on it in the gallery on this website, is the only one which shows it in its original "as built" condition.
January, February and March 2004 issues of "Railway
Modeller".
"Tupdale", the layout which was to become our most famous model railway so far,
is featured as the back drop to a series of three articles on masonry. These cover
modelling naturally exposed rock formations, manually-exposed rocks (as in cuttings and
quarrys), dry stone walling and Settle and Carlisle station buildings. The final
piece shows how Andy built a "Bank Barn" and "The Summit" public
house.
January - March 2002 issue of "Historical Model Railway
Society's Journal" (Vol 17 No.9).
"Tupdale" was also featured as the first model railway article in this august
publication for many years. The article explains in some detail why an artistic
approach is needed when building model railways if they are to have a wide appeal.
The |
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January 1989 issue of "Railway
Modeller"".
"Westbury." Our award-winning layout of the month which was voted
"Layout of the Year" by the Railway Modeller readers and so won the Peco Cup
that year.
April 1988 issue of "Model Railways".
"Forest of Boland." Layout focus on my Model Engineer Exhibition bronze
medal-winning mythical light railway. A "fun" exhibition layout of a
mythical gnome's railway; a model inspired by the famous children's book of the same name
by B.B.
October 1980 issue of "Model Railways".
"Fly Shunting." Operation special on shunting goods trains.
November 1978 issue of "Model Railway Constructor".
My first article (pre "Countryside Models", in fact), about detailing the
(then-new) Airfix GWR 14xx locomotive.
Adverts
It should be noted that as this website gradually increased the number
of commissions we have in hand, further advertising seemed pointless and advertising has,
for the time being at least, been suspended as a distraction from completing our
considerable order book, some of which has already been waiting for some years while other
projects ahead in our lists are completed. However, to give you the flavour of past
advertising, here are a couple of typical half-page adverts;
indentp55 September 2004 issue of
"Model Rail".
indentp73a January 2004 issue of
"Railway Modeller".
There have been several since but just to prove that we have been around a long time, here you can find a half-page advert from the early 1980's; p46 first issue of "Practical Model Railways" (Dec 83).
Models on public display
Sadly, there are no models representative of the standard of work of Countryside Models currently on permanent public display. It is hoped to return to the exhibition circuit one day, perhaps when the current work load is somewhat less demanding of my time, but until then the many magazine articles noted above will have to suffice; along with the gallery on this website, of course!