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Scenery Showcase: Gorsebank Farm

By Jess, 26th September 2025 | Scenery Showcase

Introducing Gorsebank Farm!

For our Scenery Showcase, we're diving into the wonderful, idyllic world of Gorsebank Farm, created by one of our very own: Railway Modellers Club member Andy Moore.

In the heart of the countryside, tucked away in a fold of rolling green hills, lies a miniature world of farming life—a place where every stone wall, cobbled lane, and weathered rooftop tells a story of generations gone by, yet still hums with the rhythm of the present day.

As you wander through the little farmstead, the first thing that greets you is the scent: damp earth mingled with the rich aroma of silage and straw stacked neatly by the barns. A faint tang of rust and oil lingers from the machinery parked beside the sheds, while the sharp, grassy sweetness of freshly grazed pastures drifts in from the fields beyond.

The sights are alive with quiet detail. Sheep scatter across the fields to the right, their bleats carrying on the breeze, while a collie darts along the dry stone walls, eyes sharp as it shepherds stragglers back into line. A farmer leans on the gate, his cap pulled low, while his neighbour hauls pails from the pump, the clink of metal echoing softly in the still morning. In the muddy yard, hens scratch for stray grains, their feathers bright against the grey slate of the roofs above them.

The old corrugated barn, streaked with rust and patched from years of weather, shelters tools and feed. Outside, wooden pallets lean untidily against the wall, a silent testament to work left mid-task. Nearby, a Land Rover idles, engine ticking, its smell of diesel curling into the air as another villager readies for a delivery down the winding track.

The tractor rumbles into the yard, trailer piled high with golden hay bales, the sweet, dry scent drifting on the breeze. With a hiss of brakes it halts by the barn, and soon the thud of bales hitting the ground echoes across the cobbles. Dust rises in the sunlight as hens scurry to peck at loose chaff, while neighbours share a laugh at Gerry’s joke about needing it for his pigs. For a moment, the whole farm hums with the easy rhythm of work and camaraderie.

Gerry is feeding the pigs and the air there is rich with the earthy, unmistakable smell of straw. Gerry chuckles at their antics, leaning on the gate with a kind of quiet pride—these animals are more than just livestock to him, they’re part of the daily rhythm of his life. The steam from their breath curls into the cool morning air, mingling with the distant bleating of sheep on the hillside, as Gerry whistles a soft tune, content in his work.
As Gerry leans on the pigpen gate, watching his pigs root noisily through their breakfast, Farmer Trevor ambles over the yard with a basket cradled in one arm. The faint cluck of hens still echoes from his coop, and the eggs inside the basket are warm, their shells flecked with straw. “Thought you could use a few extras,” Trevor says, passing the basket through the gate. Gerry nods gratefully, setting it down on a nearby barrel. The two men fall easily into conversation, their voices low and steady, mingling with the grunts of the pigs and the distant bleat of sheep from the hillside.

They talk of weather first—as all farmers do—comparing notes on how the rain has softened the fields, then shift to the price of feed and the trouble with a fox that’s been sniffing about. Trevor chuckles as Gerry recalls one of the pigs chasing the farm dog clear across the yard, and Gerry grins at Trevor’s story of a hen that insists on laying in the wheelbarrow. Their laughter carries on the breeze, blending with the hum of life around the farm, two neighbours bound by land, livestock, and the simple rhythm of shared days.

Further down the lane, a larger truck with a canvas cover rumbles over the stone bridge, the sound of tyres crunching gravel and the splash of water from the stream beneath.

The stream, spanned by the gentle curve of a humpback bridge which occasionally supports rumbling vehicles, offers a quiet retreat on the farm. Its soft babble and the reflections of the morning or evening sky create a serene atmosphere, far from the bustle of daily chores.

Locals and farmers alike are drawn here at dawn and dusk, taking slow walks along the banks to breathe in the fresh air, watch the wildlife, and enjoy a moment of calm.

Life here is modern, yet timeless. Mobile phones occasionally buzz in pockets, but hands are busy mending fences, feeding animals, and stacking hay. Children clamber up walls to watch the sheepdogs at work, their laughter mixing with the clatter of buckets and the lowing of cattle in distant barns.

Visitors who step into this tiny world find themselves immersed in a tapestry of colour and sound: the deep greens of pasture stitched with stone-grey walls, the chatter of villagers woven through the bleats and brays of animals, and the ever-present sense that life—though small in scale—is brimming with warmth, toil, and tradition.

Watch a video of Gorsebank Farm and see it come to life…

Scale Model Scenery YouTube channel

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Build a farm with livestock on your layout or diorama!

Fancy having a go at building a scene like this on your layout? Andy's used a lot of our own kits and detailing accessories, so we've put together a diagram and a shopping list to show you what's what…

Diorama base is approx L: 86.5cm W: 61cm H: 17.5cm (tallest level)

Buildings:

Accessories:

Scenery:

Building kits in OO scale:

Building Kits in N & O gauge:

Accessories:

Scenic materials:

Comments(2)

Mark Homer - 26th September 2025

Stunning build like the video it’s so down to earth Ty

David Fielding - 27th September 2025

Scale model scenery do some great model farm buildings and accessories. I would love to see a slightly newer style of cattle shed, and a typical west country herring bone milking parlour. These type of models would also compliment the older buildings.

VAT Number: 197817254 Registered company: 09285642