Dorridge Station

Thanks to my interweb problems, which were only fixed late yesterday, modelling time has been pretty much non-existant this week. So instead I bring you a photo of Dorridge station taken nearly a week ago.

Last week I had the "opportunity" to stay in the office until around 7:30pm. That meant I missed a train home by about 5 minutes and faced the prospect of an hour on Solihull station. It's a nice place but you don't want to be there forever. Anyway I was hungry. Luckily there was a train to Dorridge a few minutes later and I remembered seeing a chippy from my seat.

The small cod & chips was excellent and once I'd finished, my slightly greasy fingers took this shot from the footbridge. In my opinion it's turned out very well. The evening light and rain combine into a most pleasing image.

Modelling details abound. For example the canopy is a sympathetically modernised version made from square tubing (there's probably a technical name for this) and pressed metal. Along the front is a UPC fascia. If you knew no better you'd probably think it was original.

All the steps have brightly painted edges and the handrail colour contrasts with the brick walls - in in the name of improved access for the visually impaired. In a similar vein, a noticeboard hides the loop antenna broadcasting direct to hearing aids.

Modern platform furniture includes a permit to travel machine (surely an easy thing to model) and lots of pot plants, also in modeller friendly square tubs. In the distance are some bike lockers. You can probably get etched versions of these but some plasticard would do just as well.

The station itself backs on to a row of shops and a hotel, including the chippy. It marks the edge of the Centro area so traffic is mainly multiple unit based but Voyagers can also be seen belting through, hence the yellow platform lines. Quite a bit of freight is pulled by those things that look like Class 59's but are more modern. There's also a fair bit of PW activity at the moment as well. As a model it would certainly be an appealing prospect.