Picture yourself on the platform of Olympia station in 1925... a scene perfectly captured in miniature in this model railway layout which has now won two major awards.
Back then it was known as Addison Road station, when steam trains from the major railway companies puffed back and forth along the West London line.
It recently scooped the top prize in London’s premier model railway event. This follows last year’s big prize after the model railway layout won the best in show award at the UK’s largest show, staged in the Birmingham NEC.
Level of detail
Every tree, street, bush, car, bus, advertising hoarding and house surrounding Olympia has been captured in meticulous detail – right down to the curtains in the bedroom windows overlooking the railway lines.
John Rudofsky is the organiser of Tolworth Showtrain, the most prestigious two-day event of its kind in the capital featuring more than 20 model railway layouts spread across three huge halls. He said: “We’re delighted that the 0-gauge model of Kensington Addison Road was chosen as best in show by the public.
“The modern day site is Kensington Olympia on the West London route between Willesden and Clapham Junction. But back in the era of the model – 1925 – several different lines went through the station running mostly general goods, coal or milk trains.”
Recreated Olympia
Using old pictures, aerial photographs, postcards, maps and plans, the scene around Olympia between the wars has been lovingly recreated, including the town houses in Russell Road, the railway bridge over the high street and the activity on the numerous platforms alongside the exhibition centre.
Even the posters on the road bridge leading towards Kensington are from the correct era, as an open-top bus, with conductor on the steps and passengers braving the weather, heads over the tracks towards central London.
Another era
It represents the most ambitious project yet by the 62-year-old Twickenham & District Model Railway Club, capturing an era in steam when trains from the so-called ‘Big Four’ railway companies (Great Western; London, Midland & Scottish; London & North Eastern; and Southern) all ran up and down the West London line.
The club meets on Friday evenings at Kerswell Hall, a 10-minute stroll from Whitton station, behind Wills Crescent on the Hounslow/Twickenham boundary. Potential new members can attend for free to see if they might be interested in joining.
