A Scottish business which supports some of the world’s most impoverished children, has created a scale model of the famous Aberdour train station to help with fundraising.
Pop Up Designs, a family run enterprise based in North Berwick, which creates and sells wooden gifts and self- assemble kits, has now added a 1/76 scale version of the picturesque Fife station to its catalogue and, at £50 each, expect it to sell well.
The station is a popular stop off point for both tourists and railway enthusiasts journeying to Fife and famed for its summer floral displays.
Opened in 1890, the Category B-listed station still retains many of its original design features which have helped it to become a past holder of the best station garden award, while in 2018 it scooped the gold as best Small Station of the Year at the National Rail Awards.
Former school teacher, Andy Cox, who set up the charitable company in 2012, hoping to help a couple of children’s from the profits made by producing small wooden gift, has seen the business blossom in recent years.
He said the idea for a scaled model of the Fife station came from one the company’s railway enthusiast customers.
“We supply a customer with bespoke designs of stations which he sells on to other enthusiasts and the suggestion came from one of his clients,” Andy said.
“A 3D printed version of the station would be too expensive and time consuming to produce but using the laser cutter using 3mm plywood sheets worked a treat.
“We only added it to our product list this week and have already sold a couple which is great.”
The station design has even attracted the approval of Aberdour Community Council with Ian Fleming, community council chairman praising the model’s “ astonishing detail”.
Ian added: “It looks fantastic.
“Aberdour station has a rich history and is a focal point within the village and something residents are very proud of.
“It will be wonderful to see built model on display a the Heritage Centre, which is fittingly located within the main station building, when it is allowed to reopen.
“There’s already been huge interest amongst locals since details were put on social media this week.”
Originally a part of North British Railway, Aberdour station is accessed via the Forth Rail Bridge which opened just months before Aberdour.
In later years the station was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway and currently operates as a Scotrail station on the main line from Edinburgh to Aberdeen.
