I am fairly new to railway modelling and I am working up a layout concept. I wonder if anyone is aware of (or has built/is building) any layouts incorporating a narrow gauge museum.
I was inspired by the plans the Vale of Rheidol have for a museum as well as the Moseley Trust and Amberley. My view was that I could either model something wholly fictional with liveries and stock to suit, model something replicating reality (which would pit my perfectionism firmly against my lack of experience and skill) or strike a balance. I also thought a museum with a running line would allow me to build models of all sorts of locos and rolling stock in authentic liveries but with a ropey excuse for having them running/displayed together
This might suit:
http://www.statfoldbarnrailway.co.uk/
Many 009 layouts are based on the preservation era by the variety of stock they run, so could be called Museum Lines! ;)
It is a great way to provide the backstory for an eclectic mixture of stock. Also for anyone preferring their locomotives to look in 'showroom' condition, or even a mix of pristine restored and dilapidated as yet unrestored locomotives. It is also a very good excuse to have far more locomotives that would ever be commercially viable on a working railway.
No need to worry about anachronisms either - it could be set in the present but showing a 'Victorian theme day' if you wished. The structures could be equally varied too with containers and portacabins next to restored original buildings, even buildings that have been transported from one site to another (as is the case near home where Oldmeldrum Station was moved to its new location on the Deeside Railway.) There are endless other possibilities for buildings: converted factories, warehouses, marts, buildings from closed standard gauge lines, though to a purpose built modern steel shed.
You can probably tell the idea occurred to me too. It was seeing Eric Bogle play at Rothienorman Village Hall which I understand was converted from a somewhat incongruously large and out of place bus depot for such a small place and thinking the Airfix bus depot could be enlarged and serve as a NG railway museum. I'm sure there used to be such a kit, but I can't find it. (The idea occurred while waiting for the concert to start, not during, I might add as is was really excellent.)