Layout dilemma

The hill and incline materials are coming together nicely. After totally divided opinions on the building materials we went with what we've got available i.e. polystyrene sheets covered with papier mache (kitchen towel and PVA). We also visited a model rail fare in Darlington as pictured (topping up our caffeine intake) where we picked up some bargains identified on our google+ wall post...

Today we collected our parcel - 75th anniversary Hornby Mallard WITH bevelled LNER which our previous mallard train was lacking causing Andrew sleepless nights. Now we are faced with a new dilemma. What era do we interpret through our model layout and which station should our layour centre around?? The problem lies in that the Duchess is LMS and majority of other locos followed the LNER route. Options we have considered...

a) Not to run the Duchess on our layout at displays. Heart breaking.
b) Squeeze in multiple geographical areas in one 00 gauge layout which reflect on LNER & LMS routes. Overly ambitious. 
c) Develop an imaginary steam heritage station on which a variety of steam trains can run. Unrealistic. 

So far option c seems to have several advantages - less pressure on reflecting on a snap shop in history, we get to create our own moment in other words, more freedom. It is a sort of compromise as we can be quite fastidious when it comes to getting things right and prefer to have a point of reference.

If anybody has any ideas or experience of layouts which celebrate the age of steam we would love to hear from you! Alternatively a station which all of these trains may have passed in an era when all of them were all of theme were active - calling all historians! Did the LNER / LMS route ever meet?

Current loco status

• Sir Nigel Gresley
• Mallard (x2 as we repurchased a 75th anniversary model to get the beveled LNER font)
• Golden Plover
• Duchess of Sutherland
• Flying Scotsman
• 2009 Hornby Collector Club 43209 Loco