Farndon Road

Farndon Road is a “might-have-been” on the East Coast Main Line about 1961-2.  When the Great Northern Railway surveyed its line from Grantham to Retford one early proposal was to pass through Newark to the West of the town centre.  In addition the LNWR promoted a line from Bottesford through Newark to reach the East Coast. The line from Newark to Bottesford was actually built by the GNR to connect with the LNWR.

Farndon Road depicts the GNR station at Newark, Farndon Road, with three through platforms and a bay serving the LNWR branch.  The East Coast Main Line has the usual procession of expresses, locals, and fast fitted freights  with the Grantham to Teesside iron ore trains as the only heavy slow goods, while the Bottesford line sees a local London Midland Region service, some of which continue Northwards to join the ex-Midland Railway Nottingham-Lincoln line.

Buildings have been researched in the local area and are mostly from Newark itself.  The loco shed is of LNWR origin, modelled on Market Harborough, and mainly houses local power, though an ex-LNER pacific or V2 acts as standing pilot, on loan from Grantham and changed daily.  There is no turntable as we have assumed a triangular junction with the Midland line off scene.

Motive power is mainly steam, though we’ve stretched the frame to allow the Tees-Tyne Pullman to be Deltic-hauled on occasions.  The yard is shunted by small diesels as well as the more usual J50 or J52 classes.