Famous shed inspires layout

It seems the old Wedderburn railway goods shed is an inspirational piece of architecture.

It was made famous by the Grahame Sydney painting July on the Maniototo 1975, and now it has inspired a further creation, a model train layout.

Model railway maker Malcolm Cotter, of Christchurch, was in Cromwell at the weekend displaying his layout of the Wedderburn railway as part of the Central Otago Model Society's model railway exhibition.

The layout, which took him nine months to complete, has the Wedderburn goods shed as its centrepiece.

"That jolly green shed - there's no escaping from it," Mr Cotter said.

He took two trips to the restored shed, which is on the Otago Central Rail Trail, before completing his version of the railway at Wedderburn.

"People who have seen the layout at exhibitions often comment that they've seen the painting, or they're locals who know the area or they've been on the rail trail.

They're always interested to see how I've captured it."

"You do take a bit of artistic licence, though."

Mr Cotter's work was one of 14 different train layouts in the exhibition.

Model society president Andrew Snodgrass, of Alexandra, said it was the fourth time the show had been staged in Cromwell.

The two-day exhibition attracted about 600 people.

"The kids especially are just fascinated by them," Mr Snodgrass said.

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