MEMBERS LAYOUTS

Many of our members have their own layouts.

Some of these attend exhibitions - whilst others stay at home.

Information about some of these layouts is shown below.

MORTON YARD (SM32) - PETE BLAY

Pete's layout utilises Hornby 0 Gauge Tinplate track to represent a field railway type system.

The board is just 4ft x 3ft but Pete has packed it with an engine shed, goods yard and many scenic items.

Some of the items are scratchbuilt, some re-worked from toys and some 3D printed.

Most locos are radio controlled and many children young and old have enjoyed having a go when the layout attends exhibitions.

Aerial view of Morton Yard

Simplex

Have a go!!

Lamp hut

SEVERN MILL (NG7) - JOHN BROOKES

John has several layouts, Severn Mill depicts a factory with its own internal narrow gauge railway system. All the buildings, scenery and most of the 'non-locomotive' rolling stock are scratch built and weathered to suggest a grubby industrial scene.

The layout is built to a scale of 7mm/ft (0-16.5 now becoming known as NG7). It is 2.5 metres long.

The layout is totally self contained and provides for some challenging shunting, but it is also compatible with the modular systems of the Heart of England and West Midlands groups and, when combined with other modules, provides a useful source of traffic.

Mixed goods runs past one of the industrial buildings

Train of tippers with diesel traction

Narrow gauge industry - nicely modelled

Bagnall with mixed goods

LINTON STATION (NG7) - GARRY MOORE

Garry's “interprertation” of Lynton & Lynmouth station, has been under construction for many years. The layout measures 8 feet by 2 feet, constructed as open frame using 2” x 1” timber.

Although intended as a “permanent” layout, it has been designed to be easily dismantled into easy to handle sections if necessary.

The layout is wired for conventional analogue control, and includes a control panel. .

Trackwork is standard PECO 0-16.5 (NG7) track, with pointwork electrically switched by standard PECO solenoid motors using an “electric pencil”.

Kadee couplings are used for “hands free” operation, with the position of uncoupling magnets set from the start of construction.

The layout showing the progress on the goods shed and station platforms

RTR L&B items from Lionheart

The goods shed under construction

Overview of the layout showing the open frame construction

HIGH LODGE (009) - JACK GARBETT

High Lodge is half fact half fiction - set in Thetford Forest where a narrow gauge railway existed briefly between 1918 and 1922.

Jack plans to bring the layout onto the exhibition circuit once finished.

The aim with High Lodge is maximum operational interest & movement in a small space.

The layout is standard DCC but controlled wirelessly (including points) via smartphones.

Overview of the layout

Dorothea shunting a brake van

A quiet moment at platform 3

The Caravan

PINE TWIST (009) - STEVE HARROLD

Steve says he first became interested in 009 after buying an Egger Bahn set in the 1980’s.

The bones of a layout were stated around the 1999, based on 5ft x 2ft board with provision for a small village and a quarry, connected by a looping inclined track crossing a river.

A softwood 2” x 1” frame was covered in 9mm Sundeala, with a river gorge cut into it and a looping trackbed. This was soon found to be far too steep, and the layout went into storage for about 20 years as life got in the way.

The layout came out of storage in 2022 - with a replacement incline at 1 in 50.

Having created a sloping village street winding up from the harbour, the first row of cottages was cut from mount board and glued with UHU. These were also liberally coated with Polyfilla, sanded and scribed, then painted a variety of colours in Humbol enamel. The next 2 terraces were cut from mdf, a little tricky cutting window apertures, but much more sturdy. Windows are mostly by Wills, with ratio gutters and drainpipes.

The layout remains a work in progress, with the focus recently being on the station yard/harbour area.

Steve still has a couple of old Egger locos, although these have been joined by more modern Bachmann RTR items.

The layout showing its compact nature with lots of scenic interest

Early stages of construction shows the twisty trackbed

The harbourside village during building

Scenic interest includes some nicely modelled bridges

AMERY TOWN (009) - PETER BELL

Peter has a number of small 009 layouts.

Amery Town is Peter's original terminus, (dating from the late 1970's).

When the terminus was replaced, Peter couldn't bear to throw it out, and recently revamped it for exhibition use as a reopened line for a group of enthusiasts.

Buildings are Alphagraphix card kits, which have aged well, and give the high street a suitably run down appearance. The station is scratch built.

Amery Town often hosts some of Peter's quirky items of rolling stock including railbuses and track maintenance vehicles.

The layout measures just 30 inches by 8 inches, meaning it can be easily transported.

A view along the layout showing the town

Twin railbuses approaching the station across the level crossing

A view of the station with the Maudslay Railbus

Urgent demand for the station facilities!