Henley on Thames initially opened in 1857 as a broad gauge 'feeder line' from Brunel's Great Western Main Line at Twyford. Since then it's gone through numerous changes like converting to double track, converting to standard gauge, and eventually converted back to a single track line. Being operated solely by GWR it encountered an interesting mix of traffic, as despite it being just a branch line Castle and Saint hauled expressed from Paddington frequently terminated at Henley (with the coaches shunted into its impressive array of carriage sidings) and the engines travelling round to Reading Shed where they could receive the appropriate attention - as whilst there was a shed at Henley it was only suitable for much smaller engines (with an array of mostly panniers and Metro tanks allocated there through its 46 year history). Various goods trains also terminated here with the usual varying loads like cattle and coal and also the more unusual loads like boats arriving by train into Henley's goods yard. Henley on Thames also sported quite an impressive over roof at the station to cover the 3 platforms (4 if count both sides of the bay platform).
If you've ever visited Henley on Thames station recently and you're reading this, you could be quite forgiven for thinking I'm making all this up as currently the station is wildly different, with it now being a single line branch with not even as much as a single set of points along the entire branch (other than those to get on the line). It's quite sad looking back at the history of it and comparing it to the single platform that now resides.
If you're interested in seeing how it's changed, you can visit THIS THREADfor some pictures from the last day of BR steam at Henley.
Anyway, history lesson over. I've constructed the boards with an eye to eventually exhibiting them - if I ever finish it enough!
and have laid the track
wired most of it
Installed the point motors,& partially wired those up
and have begun the arduous task of ballasting.
I ran the first train (I pushed it check all joints and points were alright), and naturally it had to be the Western's finest
and the pride of my fleet (even if it is just a free running model for double heading) GWR Castle Class, 5069 'Isambard Kingdom Brunel'
Hopefully the updates will come a little more abundantly than some of my previous project! But more wiring, more ballasting, and platforms are the order of the day for now!
Cheers
Ben
ps Also, a thanks to Neal Ball, who is also modelling Henley-on-Thames, for providing me with a little bit of help. You can see his layout HERE
) and what better way to celebrate than with a party of pannier's? (the black one is slowly being converted to a wartime pannier!)
very nice collection of chocolate and cream stock there 
