The layout started life as part of a standard and narrow gauge layout, but they became separate layouts after the Twickenham and District MRC show in 1977. The four break-away members were Geoff Thorne, John Langridge, Laurence Murray and Roy Thurston and the new layout was called Cottesmore Light Railway. The main station was Cottesmore West and was designed as a modular layout. Standard bolt hole and scenery profiles were made by John and the members built layout modules that appealed to them. The main station unit had three connecting points, one at 90 degrees to the others. Extra private and 'joint' boards enabled a wide variety of shapes and sizes to be set-up, often to suit the space available at a particular venue. The engine shed and power house baseboards were built by John Langridge and were known as Worton Court.
Stephen Brown, another TDMRC modeller, was invited to join the foursome before the National Show at Central Hall Westminster in ???? The layout had many years of exhibiting until the 'jointly-owned' boards of Cottesmore West were sold and a new project was required. In the interim, John had passed away and his 2 boards moved from his loft into Geoff's. It was decided to refurbish the boards and start a new layout. The boards had suffered considerably in the lofts, but progress was made and a four board layout including a 'fiddleyard' went on the road. Once a layout has 'to all intents' been completed, the weekly modelling sessions needed a new project and so two extra boards were planned. Shortly after, Roy Thurston passed away and the group became a trio. When the 2 new boards were completed, the layout started getting invites, initially along the south coast, but it then visited the 7mm Narrow Gauge annual show/AGM at Burton on Trent. After the passing of Laurence Murry the duo continued exhibiting, but was able to enlist two friends Chris and Ted to share the operating load, which included the Birmingham show at the NEC. The most recent show, at Farnham, was excellent and, hopefully, there's a few more to come.
