4mm Layout Ropley by Chris Cleveland

Ropley is based on one of the stations on the preserved Mid-Hants Railway (The Watercress Line) which runs from Alton to Alresford in Hampshire. It is also where the railway stores, maintains and restores back to working order both its locomotive and carriage fleets, and is set in the period from 2010 to 2012.
Ropley offers a good operational interest with a 2 platform station for passing trains on a single line working, 3 main workshops, and a loco yard with head shunt where some shunting operations take place.

​Layout dimensions: Ropley is 30ft long and 10ft wide

Ropley has been an ambitious project to say the least! It's never easy building a model of the real thing! Ropley has lots to offer as capturing the look of preservation is a lot different to how the real railways work.
The time frame chosen was a period when there were a number of building developments, and changes to the yard track layout.
This period also enables a interesting fleet of locos to be run and housed at Ropley. 
it is a time where so much happens in such a short period of time.
We are constantly asked when the Harry Porter Bridge and new station buildings are going to be modelled. 
if these features were included it would completely change the fleet of locos being run on the layout.

Ropley has many features built into the layout, some are even still being created. These are:-
1.   Fully internally detailed Engine Shed.
      With rear construction works on the new work shops and           offices/training rooms.
2.   Fully internally detailed Boiler Shop
      With Boilers under repair.
3.   Fully internally detailed Carriage Shed Showing carriages           at various stages of restoration. These can pulled out into           the yard.
4.  Wheel Drop Shed. We plan to include an actual operational        wheel drop.   
5.  General yard again with features present at the time.
6. Carpark area showing Ropley Manor and containers.
7· A detailed head shunt with locos awaiting a place in the             workshop. These represent locos that were held in the head       within the time period. 
8. The yard, platform, and buildings are fitted with lighting.