Local volunteers help bring spectacular model railway back home

Based on the station's appearance between 1928 and 1934, this large model railway layout, containing 28 scratch-built model trains was created by Reverend Jonathan Oldfield who was a native of Derbyshire, born in Ashbourne and brought up in Biggin, where he lived until starting work, initially as a primary school teacher.

It took him several years to put togetherand has received great acclaim from modellers from Cumbria to Leeds, and around Bentham, North Yorkshire where he lived with his wife Claire, after retiring in 2020 as Rector of Slaidburn, in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire. He died earlier this year from bowel cancer.

Claire contacted the volunteers recently through one of Jonathan's modelling associates and friends, Malcolm Herbert. She was very keen for the layout to return to Buxton and wanted to donate it to a suitable group in the town. Sadly, there's not enough room to safely display it at Buxton Station - in fact, the volunteers had to remove another model after a passenger fell into it.

Chairman of FoBS, Dave Carlisle explained: "We couldn't offer to host it, nor find anywhere else suitable in Buxton, so got in contact with heritage railway volunteers at Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, to see if the layout could be safely placed in their mini-museum at Wirksworth. We thought that there ought to be enough room to run the computer-controlled trains, showing them at their best."

Claire Oldfield added: "The idea works brilliantly for everyone, I'm so pleased and proud that Jonathan's wonderful layout will make it back to Derbyshire for public display. He knew about the Ecclesbourne line, the longest of its kind in Derbyshire, as a result of frequent family visits. During his life he built several layouts, starting in childhood on the dining room table and has always been passionate about all things railway. His attention to detail was second to none.”

Eric Hills, Trustee of Ecclesbourne Valley Railway said: “We are excited to be chosen to provide a new home for this marvellous collection and layout at Wirksworth Station. The layout will be available for the community and schools to visit. Its new home will encompass the sight and sounds of Derbyshire railways of years gone by with interactive tasks for visitors to experience.”

The model layout consists of many exceptional trains and wagons and measures an impressive 100 ft2. The E-V Rail volunteers hope to have it in Derbyshire soon, in accordance with Claire’s wishes. Eric Hills plans to move the layout down from Bentham in the next week or so and have it fully operational early in summer.