4.16. Gorre Water Tower
Perhaps more than any other, this area of the layout went through significant changes during the life of John Allen's layout. Gorre's earliest configuration consisted of a cattle pen and a very different station than we're used to seeing.
After the more familiar Gorre station replaced the first one, a water tower appeared—the same one that was seen briefly in Daphetid along with the first station.
With the layout's first expansion came an elaborate engine facility, featuring Allen's celebrated enginehouse.
Like Allen, I went through a couple of versions for the water tower, originally choosing a laser-cut kit from Micro Trains. As per usual for me, I made many modifications along the way. As it happens, this was the first structure I built for the layout.
After a while, I came to feel it wasn't a good fit, so I switched it out for Micron Art's brass #1001 "Water Station" which, just like their #1005 "19th Century Water Station," suffered from a great many design flaws.
Most of my attention was focused on the tank's supporting structure. I made a jig to solder parts from an N Scale brass detailing kit together with brass bar stock to make the legs and braces. I also soldered new platform beams to the bottom of the tank assembly.
The result was more in keeping with John Allen's water tower, even though it wasn't officially part of the original layout.
