DENBIGH residents that have been in the area long enough will recognise a current display at Denbigh Museum – of the town’s former railway station.

Denbigh Railway Station, built in 1860 for the Vale of Clwyd Railway, was built of limestone, mined at Graig Quarry, 15 miles from Denbigh.

The station completed the Clwyd railway line that included Ruthin, Mold and Rhyl.

The period 1938-9 was the busiest in the station’s history, with over 100 train movements recorded on a normal summer Saturday.

John Brendan Davies, who dedicated around six years to building the model of the Denbigh station, said: “I was brought up in The Hope & Anchor Hotel, Vale Street a couple of hundred yards from Denbigh Railway station. The sound of steam trains, shunting, uncoupling was an everyday occurrence we took for granted.

“We often went to the station before going to the Grammar School to meet our pals, arriving from outlying villages such as Bodfari.

Mr Davies, who began collecting model railways as a child in the 1950s, but had not tried at building his own model until the Denbigh station, said: “I had an idea for many years that when I had more time I would have a go at constructing a model of the station.

“I eventually started about five or six years ago. It slowly took shape in my attic.”

During this time, Mr Davies build the model railway, but struggled to find the design of the track-side layout of the station, until he came across a drawing of the station on the Internet that allowed a true-to-life model of the station.

Some features of the model are not historically correct, as Mr Davies said: “All of the engines, carriages and wagons are [from] my original 1950’s models. They are not particularly accurate models of the time and possibly not of the type using the Vale of Clwyd Railway.

“From their condition, you can see that they were well played with!”

However, most features of the model are correct, including miniature posters on the walls of the station at the time, the former Denbigh creamery and a public men’s urinal, both situated at the bottom of Vale Street.

The model is also accompanied with photos and history of the railway.

Gwyeth Kensler, chair of the Denbigh Museum Board, said: “We are very proud to have this wonderful model of an iconic station. The level of detail John has inserted is just remarkable.

“We’re extremely grateful to John for his invaluable contribution. I hope that in 100 years’ time people still come and marvel at this model of the Victorian station.”

Denbigh Museum is open on Mondays and Thursdays from 2-4pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 12-4pm.

For more information contact the museum on 01745 814323.