Why?

Why build this layout?

We were in the process of packing up and storing many of the things we weren't likely to need for a while, in preparation for putting our house on the market and moving. I wanted to be able to carry on modelling in the interim between, preferably to be able to run the odd train, but without doing anything too "involved" eg: hand building track, complicated electrics, modifying or building locos and rolling stock, etc.

I had already built some some Scale Model Scenery Micro Layout Baseboards; these are designed to fit (in pairs) into the 22 litre Really Useful Boxes sold for storing wrapping paper, which has the bonus that should I need to quickly dismantle and store my efforts, it's really easy to do so, as (hopefully) will be transport to shows etc. I had purchased some Peco Setrack sections and four points to play with my old Tri-ang, so it looked like this project was going to be 16.5mm gauge. While I have a stash of kits and parts for 0-16.5, the project I have in mind for that scale is very much "involved" as there are several loco kits to build, so something more RTR was called for.

Why H0 German...and why Era IV?

I've had an interest in German model railways since my Dad brought me a few items of Fleischmann rolling stock as well as catalogues etc., when I was in my early teens. In recent years, I'd collected several H0 scale building kits, scenic features and vehicles, often at bargain prices. The two things that led to the choice of late Era IV were the acquisition of about 20 cars, vans, etc., mostly suitable for the mid-late 1980s very cheaply, and the discovery that a local model shop had a number of Fleischmann and Roco freight vehicles at low prices. A bit of research online showed that the 798/998 class railbuses were still in common use in the late 1980s as were Class 211/212 centre cab diesel locos and Class 333 (Köf 3) kleinloks, all of which I like and are usefully small. 

Why call it Schinkendorf?

For the last decade or so, I have worked in the ticket office at Ham Street Station on the Southern route between Ashford and Hastings; and have now lived in Hamstreet (same place with the words run together) for nearly five years.

A literal translation of Ham Street into German is Schinkenstraße...however, this in reality is an area in Mallorca rather well known (perhaps notorious?) for its nightlife, so I plumped for Schinkendorf (Ham Village) instead.