This is a Club Layout built by a team of Club members
Before Herrington sand was quarried nearby and the sand was brought down to the coast on narrow gauge tracks to a small dock some evidence of which can still be seen including the ‘platform’ from where the sand was removed from the trucks and put in small cargo ships for transportation.
In time it became uneconomic to quarry the sand and the quarry fell into disuse. However at about the same time the Herring industry started and quickly developed. Quite a large railway complex was constructed and it was connected by a spur to the ‘main line’ which in fact was a branch line serving the small village of Moulcombe. Very quickly a small town grew based on the herring industry and became known as’ Herrington.’ The dock area was constructed enabling quite sizable fishing boats to be accommodated.
After the passage of many years the herring industry failed and the area went into an economic decline. Most of the track was lifted but fortunately, after some ten years or, so a small ferry port and marina was constructed here. As a result businesses moved into the area and took over many of the old fishing industry buildings. Around the same time a seaside town grew up around the town of Midicombe and the single line through Herrington was extended to a new terminus there.
In subsequent years the port has become redundant as the ferry service was terminated. This has led to a resurgence of pleasure craft using the area. This prompted the council to reinstate the old coaching inn which had been used by the army during the war and subsequently a rest home for retired railwaymen. The whole area has taken on a new lease of life and it can be seen in the development of the coaching inn which is becoming very much used by boat users and the public at large. One can still see remnants of the railway that used to run on the quayside but this area is also very popular with day-trippers and fishermen alike.
Images of the layout before upgrading
Progress Report – April 2024
The new multi level board is progressing well though some problems were experienced with dimensional stability and squareness. We found that the floor is less level than we expected ! The watermill has been made and it’s position established as is the station platform. The canal outline is now firmly fixed as is the basin. The steep sides of the valley have been formed with plywood awaiting the addition of scenic formations. The next step will be the start of track laying when this is completed we will move on to giving the layout the full scenic treatment. This will involve some adaptation to the previous board so as they look a continuation from one board to the other.
It is our hope that the board will be in a condition to be shown later in the year. It is an ambitious project but the end result we hope will be outstanding.
History of the extension
The extension to Herrington was devised to give a multi level layout with a feature of a bridge crossing a valley. It was found that the chosen bridge was no longer made so we settled on a viaduct which in the end was a better choice. The layout is having one track going down to an industrial halt where the canal is and the other track going up and over the viaduct into an upper fiddle yard. It is planned to have a basic saw mill which strips the bark from trees-felled in the surrounding area. This would be located in the forest where the industry was first undertaken. The canal on the lower line is no longer used to transport timber as this business was taken over by the railway.
A brief history of the area.
In the mid 1800s the canal was seen as a good method of getting timber out of a difficult terrain as it passed by the proposed timber facility. The timber was for use as pit props in the coalfields of the midlands and north. For a time this was working well but as railways got more efficient the cost and time saving came to the fore. A main line was nearby crossing over the valley by a viaduct and a Bill was introduced to form a small rail company to drive the line to the lower canal area by means of curving tunnels. The lower level was opened in 1909 and was extensively used in the war years for timber for front line defensive positions. The line continues to be used though not as it was in the war years. The canal has been turned over to pleasure craft and is well used by people on holiday.
July 2024
Good progress has been made since we started. The high and low track is now in place as is the track work on the canal basin area. It’s true to say we have had some problems to overcome with the baseboard but these are all now ok. All the new track has been tested and it all worked first time much to our surprise. We will shortly move on to the scenic side of the layout which we hope will be in a good enough state to be shown at Stalham. We are looking forward to the reaction of the public at something a little different
October 2024
Steady progress has been made since the last report. The elevated section has now had the track fastened in a permanent manner, and tested likewise the canal area. Supports for the inner section are now in place ready for the forest area later. We are getting nearer to the start of basic scenic work which will take us some time to get the new board up to the standard of the others. So it’s steady as you go .
January 2025
The construction of the new addition to the overall layout is now moving up a pace . We have now entered the scenic construction stage on the forefront of the layout which has now transformed the appearance and is beginning to look more like an exhibition ready than a basic construction. Hills have been built and given the first coating of earth and grass we are particularly pleased with the rock formations ,it’s amazing what a little time spent with going through cork bark matching it to the vision we have of what the rock should look like.
The track has been ballasted even down to ballast in the points put in almost grain by grain. The focus will now be on the rear hill area which is still in its basic state and is our next project. There is still some way to go but it’s beginning to look a lot like a layout. We’re sure it’s going to be a showstopper.
exibition requirements
| Layout Size | 19′ x 2′ |
| Operating space | 19′ x 5′ |
| Number of operators | Three |
| Number of cars to transport | Two |
| Maximum distance for travel | 60 Miles from Aylsham |
| Tables & chairs required | 1 table two chairs |