Abbotstone is the club’s 7mm finescale O gauge layout. It follows Midland practice, but as a club layout it runs a wide variety of steam-outline stock owned by members.
In exhibition form it measures 10 metres by 0.75 metres, plus a motive power depot added at shows. It runs as two halves, main line and branch, and vehicles swap between the two now and then, which adds interest to the operation (and confusion to the operators). With two signalmen, two drivers, two fiddle yard operators and controllers for the yards, up to eight people can be busy at once.
Itchen Bottom and Canal Junction
In the club room the layout becomes a continuous run. The exit to the depot passes through a wall and joins the main layout at Canal Junction, named after the canal boards that were altered to make room for it. The circuit has a through station called Itchen Bottom, a nod to the club’s old home at Owslebury Bottom and the River Itchen that flows through Winchester. Any other thoughts on where the name came from are yours, not ours.
The branch has a private siding serving a coffin maker, so timber arrives in open wagons and the finished coffins leave in vans.
Running today
Abbotstone was first exhibited in 2006 and won several best-in-show awards before retiring from the exhibition circuit. It now runs in the club room whenever a member fancies running a train or two: DC at any time, DCC with 24 hours’ notice.
