No, it's not the name of a spy novel or a weekend TV show, it's my first ever attempt at building a route for upload to the DLS. Except this is not a route, it is a 4-board module. So if you ever needed a 4-board-shaped hole to fill in your route, Kelston Park could be just what you require. Work is progressing fairly well and I hope to have the Park ready for upload to the DLS in July. Here is the unfinished map:
Beginnings
The name 'Kelston' originates way back to the days when I had a model railway layout. The railway was a simple affair due to space constraints and consisted of a fiddle yard-terminus set-up, with a small branch going to a mythical place called Kelston Manor, also served by the fiddle yard. I had always imagined what Arcadian splendour must have awaited those who took the train to this place, and now I am creating it with Trainz.
A Tour of the Park
Visitors to the park can enter the grounds in two ways. They can either take the dirt path up to the hall or jump on a train. The drive up to the hall is out of bounds to visitors. We decide to walk to the hall, passing the railway station on our way:
This station was built especially for the Earl of Kelston by the Southern Railway Company to be his private boarding point for train journeys around the country.
After a short walk, we arrive at the hall and its gardens. Built in the 18th century by the master builder, tafweb, the hall is essentially Georgian in character, and was for many years home to the War Department and later the Ministry of Defence. Between the 1920's and 1950's, Kelston was an RAF airfield, later passing to the USAF at the height of the Cold War. In such times, access to the park was forbidden to visitors.
At the rear of the hall is the Oriental Garden. The name is somewhat anachronistic these days yet it has stuck. The centrepiece is the Stupa or Pagoda, which was sourced from local materials rather than the Far East.
Finally, we come to the engine shed behind the Oriental Garden. Kelston Park is somewhat unusual in having a full-sized standard gauge railway running through it, yet it was built to this size for expediency. It was no pleasure line either, but constructed to bring coal in to run the house. The Earl wisely realised that he could avoid the need for his own locos and stock by building to the same gauge as the national network, and got the Southern Railway to do all the hard work! Later, he would use the connection to transport his racehorses around the country. The connection to the outside world was severed in the late 50's, and the line now terminates at the eastern lodge.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are quite a bit of grid areas remaining, but there will be progress reports in the coming weeks. On this map there will be a large 'brownfield' site at the top right hand of the map: this is where the airfield once stood. I aim to use it as a showground, though of course there are many uses you can put it to. You could also join the Kelston Park railway to your existing line. Whatever you do I hope you will enjoy Kelston Park when it arrives on the DLS in July. Stay tuned for progress reports.
Best wishes,
Padster

Beginnings
The name 'Kelston' originates way back to the days when I had a model railway layout. The railway was a simple affair due to space constraints and consisted of a fiddle yard-terminus set-up, with a small branch going to a mythical place called Kelston Manor, also served by the fiddle yard. I had always imagined what Arcadian splendour must have awaited those who took the train to this place, and now I am creating it with Trainz.
A Tour of the Park
Visitors to the park can enter the grounds in two ways. They can either take the dirt path up to the hall or jump on a train. The drive up to the hall is out of bounds to visitors. We decide to walk to the hall, passing the railway station on our way:

This station was built especially for the Earl of Kelston by the Southern Railway Company to be his private boarding point for train journeys around the country.
After a short walk, we arrive at the hall and its gardens. Built in the 18th century by the master builder, tafweb, the hall is essentially Georgian in character, and was for many years home to the War Department and later the Ministry of Defence. Between the 1920's and 1950's, Kelston was an RAF airfield, later passing to the USAF at the height of the Cold War. In such times, access to the park was forbidden to visitors.



At the rear of the hall is the Oriental Garden. The name is somewhat anachronistic these days yet it has stuck. The centrepiece is the Stupa or Pagoda, which was sourced from local materials rather than the Far East.

Finally, we come to the engine shed behind the Oriental Garden. Kelston Park is somewhat unusual in having a full-sized standard gauge railway running through it, yet it was built to this size for expediency. It was no pleasure line either, but constructed to bring coal in to run the house. The Earl wisely realised that he could avoid the need for his own locos and stock by building to the same gauge as the national network, and got the Southern Railway to do all the hard work! Later, he would use the connection to transport his racehorses around the country. The connection to the outside world was severed in the late 50's, and the line now terminates at the eastern lodge.

Conclusion
As you can see, there are quite a bit of grid areas remaining, but there will be progress reports in the coming weeks. On this map there will be a large 'brownfield' site at the top right hand of the map: this is where the airfield once stood. I aim to use it as a showground, though of course there are many uses you can put it to. You could also join the Kelston Park railway to your existing line. Whatever you do I hope you will enjoy Kelston Park when it arrives on the DLS in July. Stay tuned for progress reports.
Best wishes,
Padster