Much Hammering Gauge 1 model railway layout was built in the mid 80s by members

of the Chiltern group of the Gauge 1 Model Railway Association, an international

association for modellers of Gauge 1 trains, known as the Premier gauge it uses

a track gauge of 45mm. The majority of the members run live steam locomotives in their gardens.

Members of the Chiltern group wanted to demonstrate and promote Gauge 1 to the

public at model railway shows. There already existed a large main line layout

that featured long steam hauled express trains which, due to its size was only

exhibited once a year at a national model railway show, this layout took around 20 plus members

5 days to erect.

Much Hammering used electric locomotives and represented a typical British country

branch line terminus. 5 or 6 people could erect it in a few hours and it was small

enough to visit many exhibitions which it did throughout the late 80s and the 90s,

winning many prizes in the process. Being electric it was more acceptable

to exhibition managers in these perhaps over cautious times!

Sadly the membership wasn't getting any younger and enthusiasm waned as the Millennium

came and went.The layout needed around 5 people to operate it and the Chiltern group

approached the Pitstone Green Museum to give the layout a permanent home. The Museum

originally housed the layout in its short form in the Nissen hut.

Over the winter 2007/8 the museum volunteers purpose built a new building to house

the layout at it's full length and the railway has been running there since the beginning

of the 2008 season. Ownership of the layout was eventually passed to the museum and

a complete rebuild of the two extreme ends of the layout undertaken. The operating

system was changed to Radio Control only making it easier and more reliable

to operate. We are always looking for more helpers to run Much Hammering

and welcome addional locomotives.