Redford Junction

By Paul Hopkins (Email: phemail1@yahoo.co.uk)

Redford in West Sussex is the setting for a line planned by the LBSCR but never built. In my design the LSWR approaches Redford from the north, and the LBSCR from the south forming an end on junction. The LSWR lines were electrified as part of the Portsmouth direct electrification scheme with Redford being the extremity of the third rail, the lines from the south remained steam to the end. The basic design is an end to end layout, with a sector plate fiddle yard at each end. Construction of the boards follows my normal method with plywood tops with softwood frames, the track is purchased in kit form from the 3mm Society and point work is all hand built. The track is laid on cork which makes the trackbed, and also suppresses running noise.

The layout is set in the post nationalisation period, and the rolling stock is typical of that era, and is mostly kit-built, others are scratchbuilt or adapted from original Triang. 2 car EMU’s are used for local services from Guildford, and the nelson units and their EP successors for the express services to London. The services on the LBSC lines were lightly used, with push-pull fitted 0-4-4 tanks and trailer coaches providing the local services, and larger locomotives for through services connecting the south to Guildford and points north. Goods trains are usually hauled by one of the Southern types of 0-6-0 tender locomotives or S15 for the heavier trains.

Redford is entered from the north from a tunnel reminiscent of Midhurst and into the station, electric services terminate in Platform 1, all others cross over to Platform 2, the Southdown bus waits in the station forecourt for connecting services to outlying villages. Proceeding southwards, the engine shed and EMU sidings are passed on the right, there’s usually 6 or 7 loco’s on shed waiting for the next duty; the shed pilot is usually a Brighton terrier tank, quite a challenge in 3mm scale. Just past the shed, the line passes the local market garden and over the river where the fisherman is sitting on the bank still waiting for a catch. The track crosses the road over the working level crossing, which is interlocked with the power supply to prevent overruns, then past the woodyard and disappears under a road bridge and foot bridge to complete the journey to the fiddle yard.