Ray Williams

HO Continental

 

This compact layout was designed to alleviate the stresses at the end of a day’s work by allowing me to capture memories of walks between Filisur and Glaris in Switzerland, watching the trains of the Rhätische Bahn going by. At least, that was the plan but after three years, this is still a work in progress. The layout takes up little more space than that of a single bed (on which it normally lives) and yet by careful design, six different trains are able to move around following an automatic sequence so that no more than half a minute passes without a train appearing or disappearing.

The bright red of the RhB stock, mostly Bemo, contrasts with the green and greys of the landscape. Rocks in the river bed come from Switzerland allowing the rock faces, of polystyrene and polyfilla, to be colour matched. The buildings represent buildings seen in the area and are derived from Kibri and Vollmer kits. The trains run under catenary, mainly Sommerfedt with some modifications, which has to be properly tensioned using springs in the tunnels!

Although the layout can also be operated manually, automatic operation allows me to speak to you!

R Fogel

N Gauge

 

The fictional station of Blackdale lies some two miles distant and some two hundred feet above the village of the same name that it serves.

Located on the proposed but never built link between Long Preston and Lancaster, the line branches off from the main line between Long Preston and Giggleswick prior to the junction for the Settle and Carlisle railway, then runs west towards Lancaster, serving several small villages and hamlets in that area.

Run by the Midland legion of BR, the majority of the traffic consists of cross- country freight and stopping passenger trains. A local service runs from the bay platform west towards Lancaster at regular intervals. A small amount of freight is marshaled here, usually from the regular pick-up goods trains that serve the station.

A wide variety of locomotive power can be seen on this layout, both steam and diesel, and it is often used as a secondary line to gain access to the west coast. This sometimes brings visitors to the area, so unusual locomotives and stock can be seen on occasion.

 E Mitchell (Rainhill M.R.C)

OO

This is a fully automated model of Blackpool’s famous trams.  It is loosely based on Blackpool’s North Shore, in the area around Bispham.  Viewers will recognise many of the trams they have seen there, past and present.  The operator will be happy to answer any questions on ‘how it works’

http://www.rainhillmrc.org.uk

T Gee

4mm/EM

CHAIRMAN'S CUP WINNER

This layout is the latest in series dating back over 20 years, portraying the railways of the north Nottinghamshire area.

It is based on the Lancashire Derbyshire and East Coast Railway, which had it’s hub at Langwith Junction. It has been assumed that a small passenger station was built on a short branch from Langwith to Church Warsop. The main purpose is to serve Warsop Main Colliery (represented on the backscene).

The layout is set in the mid 1920s, when the change of ownership from the GCR to the INER had taken place.

Nearly everything on view has been made, either from raw materials (scratch building) or from kits. EM gauge uses the same size as commercial models as a basis, but the track is wider, to bring it nearer to scale

G Hand

4mm/00

 

A line from the LSWR at Bideford to Clovelly was authorised by Act of Parliament in 1898 but was never built  We have assumed that it was built, with a later kick-back extension to a Royal Naval establishment further along the coast at Hartland Point.  If built, the line would have been operated by the LSWR, then later the Southern Railway and finally the Western and Southern Regions of British Railways, like the other ex-LSWR lines in the area to Bideford, Barnstaple and Ilfracornbe.  In fact the track plan is based on the original 1881 layout at llfracombe. The period depicted on the layout  is late 1940s to early 1960s. This is the layout’s first exhibition, so we are expecting plenty of questions

 Peter Goss

4mm/00

  

During the early part of the last century summer excursion passenger traffic from West Yorkshire used to pour through the East Yorkshire market town of Market Weighton on the way to the east coast at Bridlington using the Selby to Driffield line.

The number of trains had reached such proportions that the NER considered building a spur northwards from the Beverley line at Cheny Burton to the Hull to Scarborough line to ease the pressure on the congested and steeply graded Driffield line. Had it been built it would have passed by Etton.

The layout typifies 1960’s North Eastern practice, and is single-track ‘end to end’ fiddle yard to through station.

P Cordingley (Shipley MRS)

4mm/00

 

http://www.shipleymrs.co.uk/

 BMRC

4mm/00

 
 

This layout is not the first project of the B.M.R.C. in which we have taken a Midland Railway proposal that never came to fruition and carried out the proposal in model form.

When the Midland built the Grassington Branch from Embsay Junction their intention was to carry on right through into Wensleydale to link the North Eastern’s cross country line from Garsdale on (he Settle - Carlisle to Northallerton on the East Coast Mainline. Tile branch however never got further than Grassington, (that is until the B.M.RC. got to work.) so here is the Grassinton Branch Extension as it might have been in the late 50’s to early 60s.

The layout was built between two already existing fiddle yards and 90° curved non-scenic board, which needed only slight modification plus the scenic treatment, The station and goods yard follow the prototype track plan although a certain degree of condensation in length has been necessary to get a manageable Size.

The track disappearing under the wooden footbridge leads to Skirethornes quarry from where stone was transported for roadway construction.

As for the extension northwards, the line on leaving the station (which was the terminus) crosses (he main road between Threshlield and Grassington on the level, and passes by the well-known Baxter’s Confectioners shop. Speculation, was that, had the line been extended this shop would possibly have been demolished - however on examining OS maps and researching the actual area, we believe that the single line could have passed by the shop without any need for such measures.

This shop has therefore been modeled more or less as it was in the chosen period. As the extension is supposed to join the NE Region line in Wenslydale, Locos and stock from both North Eastern and Midland regions will be seen working on the line.

Please feel free to ask about the layout, and perhaps offer further information if you can.

 http://www.bradfordmrc.org.uk/

Barnhill MRC
Bristol

4mm EM

 CUP WINNER

Kingsfield is a fictitious town nestling in Oxfordshire 15 miles west of Oxford. The population of the town is approximately the same as Oxford and has grown in a similar manner over the years. The local commerce comprises of metal fabricators, breweries, timber merchants, and other similar small to medium industries. Some of these were served in earlier years by the canal, which runs through to link with both Gloucester docks and the river Thames. There is a strong farming community surrounding the area, and also a nearby racecourse. The Great Western Railway served the town, with a terminus station built in the late 1800’s. This connected Kingsfield with Swindon and the Great Western main line to Paddington, South Wales, and the West Country, and a local branch line also served the nearby village of Fairford.

It wasn’t long before the Midland railway that was extending their routes south, intersected the Great Western at Kingsfield with their own main line. This provided a direct link between Birmingham and Bournemouth, causing the station to be re-developed with through platforms, and a junction being added. As years passed the traffic steadily increased, with both through and terminating services of both passenger and freight to serve an ever- growing community. With the increase in traffic, the yard and engine shed grew with an additional building being added to the sheds to accommodate the ever increasing ‘diesel locomotive’.

The period modelled is from 1948 to 1965, so steam and green diesels prevail. The model railway has been built using items that can he purchased readily from any model railway outlet The track is Peco 100, ballasted and painted with track colour, ‘SEEP’ point motors are used to operate them, with power to the track being fed through Gaugemaster hand held controllers. All the buildings are built from kits & nearly all the rolling stock is straight out of the box, but may have been weathered or detailed slightly in some way.

Please feel free to ask questions to any of the operators regarding the railway and you are more than welcome to take photographs.

G Harrison (North Flyde MRC)

4mm/00

 

Langley Mills is a semi-fictitious modern image layout based on operations along the Midland Mainline in the East Mid lands area

Although the town of Langley Mill does exist (it is about 10 miles west of Nottingham). The station there is little more than a bus shelter, hut with the application of a little modeler’s licence (obtained 1995) we have mapped out an alternative history for the area

The story goes that during the industrial revolution a number of wealthy mill owners established businesses in the area in order to take advantage of the newly constructed railway as a way of transporting their produce to London.  With these new industries. Langley Mills developed to become a thriving tow n alongside its bigger neighbour Nottingham

Following the decline of the textile industries the mills became derelict, and some were demolished, however some remained and have been refurbished and taken over by new industries, including a rather cryptically named manufacturer of Industrial Sealers.

However because of its excellent communications links, being close to both Ml and Midland Mainline. Langley Mills has retained its prosperity to such an extant that the regional distribution depot for Royal Mail’s delivery service has recently been built close to the station.

Other recent additions include the new stadium for Langley Mills Rangers who are doing very well in the upper echelons of’ Division 1 If you‘re lucky there might even he a game in progress.

Stock on the layout varies depending on the era being portrayed but comprises a selection oft the freight. passenger and engineering stock seen throughout the East Midlands from 1983 to date.  Most of’ the stock is from propriety companies such as Lima / Bachrnan / Hornby / Heljan but most have had additional detail or weathering applied.  There are also kit and scratch built items to look out of especially the ’Freight Rover Liner.’

If you would like to know anything about the construction techniques of the models on display (or just fancy a chat) please feel free to ask one of the operators (we don’t bite).

 BMRC

7mm/0

  

Oxenhope is on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway and runs 5 miles up the Worth Valley between Keighley and Oxenhope.

The line was built in 1867 by local mill owners and operation given to the Midland Railway then the London, Midland and Scottish Railway In 1924 and British Railways in 1948.

British Railways economy drive closed the line in 1962 but local people decided to buy the line and formed a preservation society. Without this precedented move, we would not have this heritage steam railway to enjoy today.

Our layout was 32’ now extended to 40’ ft long and is made on plywood baseboards. The track work is PECO ‘0’ gauge track, on a cork base. Remote point operation is provided by Tortoise slow motion point motors.

We are currently in the process of fitting stock with Dingham auto couplers. Landscaping is formed by polystyrene covered by ‘one strike’ filler and the usual scenic materials are being used to complete the layout and, of course, we are still working on buildings and some of the detailing of the layout.

If you would like to discuss our attempts, please feel free to ask.

http://www.bradfordmrc.org.uk/

Heywood MRG

0/16.5

Pen-y-ffordd is a 7mm narrow gauge layout running on 16.5mm track. The layout is not based on any particular prototype but was built to give the flavour of the welsh narrow gauge. The locos and rolling stock are either kit or scratch built representing a number of narrow gauge prototypes mainly the Ffestiniog, Talyllyn, Welsh highland and the long lost Glyn Valley Tramway.

All the stock is fitted with Kadee couplings. Automatic uncoupling is effected by strategically placed magnets located under the track.

Track work is Peco 0-16-5mm narrow gauge. The buildings are scratch built using foam board and Slater’s plastikard of various types.

The layout has been built by three members of Heywood model railway group and has taken two years to build.

If you have any questions about the layout please ask on of the operators.

http://www.hmrg.co.uk/

 B Cayton

009 Live Steam

 

This railway has come into being as a result of an exercise in sub-miniature live steam locomotive building, Having previously built many live steam locomotives for both ‘0’ and 00’ gauge 1 decided to develop a design for a reliable live steam locomotive to run on 9mm gauge but the physics of persuading a spirit flame to burn in a very confined space caused me to adopt 4mm’ 009 ‘scale as a basis for this locomotive. The design, which I originated, has been very successful from the outset and appears in two forms -- tram engines and saddle tanks. All are of 0-4-0 wheel arrangement. They have created much interest such that I have received requests from people to make them and they now appear in small numbers across the world!

The locomotives are free lance, methylated spirit fired, driven by a small piston valve engine in the cab. The boilers, which are superheated, hold 1.25mls of water and give the locomotives a run of about 7 minutes, a distance of about 190 feet, pulling two bogie carriages and a brake van. On level track they are capable of hauling a much longer train, adhesion being the limiting factor.

The model railway itself is purely imaginary and has been designed to put the locomotives through their paces with long gradients of 1 in 30 and very sharp radius curves. The whole project was inspired by the success of my I6.5mm gauge live steam Isle of Man Railway that has given very good running at many model railway exhibitions

Brian Howorth 

7.25" sit on electric

Probably the simplest layout at this exhibition, not even a point in site!  But this is one layout that children of all ages can RIDE ON.
Usually to be found in Thompson Park, Burnley, together with a selection of other trains, including steam.
If you require any further details on 7.25” gauge in Thompson Park or general information please ask one of the operators.

 G Woodnough

HO American

Roarkes Landing is a small waterside location, served by the Great Northern and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad companies, somewhere in the North West of America.
The landing is popular with fishermen, hunters and prospectors, as well as being a place for the employees for the Mount Dora Ore and Lumber Company to relax.
To the west of the landing, the boarded up entrance to Whitefish Tunnel can be seen. This line originally followed the shoreline until it was closed by a rock fall approximately two years ago. A survey team can be observed near the entrance, as it is hoped to re-open the line, in order to save trains taking the long detour through the northwest tunnel.
Above and behind the landing is Tattoo Ridge, home of the “Mount Dora Ore and Lumber Company”. Though all logging at this site has now ceased, ore is still loaded into hoppers here. Shay locomotives can also be seen bringing lumber down from the high country. Unfortunately, this type of location tends to attract certain “Camp Followers” so please do not ask about “Tug Boat Lils”.

Stephen Farmer

N gauge 2mm

Shawporte is my new layout set in North Staffordshire.  The name comes from the books of Arnold Bennett and is set in the period mid 1990 to present day.  Traction is by diesel and overhead electric.  In building this layout I would like to acknowledge Mick Tooth and Fred Johnson and special thanks to John Cox.  Please free to ask any questions about the layout or the rolling stock.

BMRC

OO

  

ASHTOM is a little known intermediate station on the coastal branch line on the Isle of Sodor. So little known that hardly anyone has heard of it, even Thomas gets mixed up when he is sent there.  You’re not likely to see the Fat Controller at ASHTOM so anything goes and quite a lot STOPS.

The only visible industry is the Sodor Kipper Company, which was built after the first catch of smoked kippers, was landed on the quay on the 1st April 1900 and something or other. So much far the serious stuff.  So - the layout was built with our younger visitors in mind and they are invited to take the controls and have a go...
Anyone get the anagram?

http://www.bradfordmrc.org.uk/