Author

Mike Lloyd

Date

9th September 2013

Reading Time

3 minutes

Copenhagen Fields: Frequently Asked Questions

The Real Thing
Why Copenhagen Fields?
The layout is named after the park that sits on the top of Copenhagen Tunnel, the second tunnel, about a mile North of Kings Cross. The name Copenhagen Fields is from the Ambassador of Denmark’s residence in the 18th Century. This was a public meeting area and noted for rioting in the early 19th Century

Which way is Kings Cross?
Left hand end, as you look at the model.

What are the two tall towers on the layout?
The white tower (still extant) was a clock tower and offices for the Metropolitan (Caledonian) Cattle Market in 1852. This market avoided live cattle being taken to Smithfield Market. The other red brick tower is the EboniteTower – demolished 1983 – and was a chimney and water tank for testing hydraulic meters.

Where was the Ealing comedy ‘The Ladykillers’ filmed?
Mrs Wilberforce’s famous house was close by the southern portals of Copenhagen Tunnel: we do not have room for it. The out-takes from the film can be seen on the layout’s video display. The characters from the film are in the forecourt of the North London Railway (NLR) station whilst the private owner wagons in the goods yard carry the actor’s names.

Where does the Channel Tunnel Rail Link come out?
Just to the left of the NLR, parallel with the large viaduct.

Why is there an airship?
R33 flew around London a number of times after the Great War to advertise Government War Bonds. Our model is to an extremely small scale: at full size the airship would be 1/4 the length of the layout!

The Model
How old is it?
We started planning in 1983 and building in 1984. The northern end of the model was completed first and exhibited as a ‘work in progress’ from the early 1990s.

How many people work on it?
A core team of about ten people (some in distant lands), but anyone is welcome to help: come along to Keen House, the MRC’s HQ.

What standards are used?
The track and rolling stock are all made to 2mm fine scale standards. That is 2mm: 1 ft; 1:152. Track gauge is 9.42 mm gauge. This is similar to N gauge, except that the wheels and track are much finer.

Are the engines and stock hand built?
Many are scratch built and some commercial models are converted to fine scale standards using 2mm Scale Association components. Some of the engines have travelled 100s of real miles.

Why does the model look so large?
Partly because it is (9m x 3m), but also because we use diminishing scale in the background: the model reduces to 1:450 at the back scene. Look at the three pubs on the corner of the Caledonian Market and the churches at the front and back of the model.

What are the buildings made of?
Styrene sheet for buildings at the front, resin castings for many of the terraced houses and wood/cardboard for buildings towards the rear.

Why did you use brass strip at the back?
Our incredibly robust brass track is unique to the layout. Stock does not come off easily. Curves are rolled in a ‘mangle’ to keep the brass flat before laying. Costs are similar to commercial N gauge track.

How long does the layout take to set up?
Five hours to erect, two to dismantle.

How is it transported?
It all fits into specially made boxes and fills a 35cwt Luton-headed van.

Where did you get information from?
Original railway drawings, old photos, old maps and building surveys. However, the layout is an increasingly historic record of the area as many buildings have been demolished.

What period is represented?
Scenically, the model is set between the wars, but the stock on it ranges from the 1900’s up to WWII.

Is this the full size of the model?
Yes, it will not get any bigger.

When will it be finished?
Sometime.

Tim Watson