I have started on my first layout and, after months of thought (with a strong element of putting off the start) I have decided to avoid lots of difficult choices by modelling a real place but one that has never had a railway. To justify putting one in needs an alternative history to justify the difficulty of building one, even a narrow gauge line.
The location is Clovelly, in North Devon. The time is the early 1950s and the alternative history is that the War Department in WW II determined that they needed a harbour with rescue and escort capabilities for the entrance to the Bristol Channel for eastbound convoys.
The need for a port between the small harbours of North Cornwall and the larger estuaries of North Devon and Somerset left only one choice, Clovelly. There was however a major problem, Clovelly has only one road in and out, and that is steep and winding. Not easy to get large lorries with essential stores down. So I have supposed that a railway (narrow gauge) was the answer.
Access to the harbour is problematic, not only was there only one road, the only way to the harbour was through an archway in the Red Lion Hotel! So the railway would have to run through the Hotel yard onto the quayside, which needed a jetty built over the beach to provide deep water moorings for seagoing vessels, even if they were small tugs and MTB s.
In this way I have arrived at a layout that can only fit in the space available and removes all the concerns over what a NG terminus needs as only what is essential and what can be fitted in can be modelled. Of course this does mean that all the buildings must be scratchbuilt.
So I have made a start, setting out on a steep learning curve. The layout will be DCC as I am starting out, it will be set after the war when tourism is coming back and that justifies some passenger traffic and commercial traffic from the dismantling of the Naval Base and from fishing.I have a tram engine for haunting, a double Fairlie for goods traffic and a railway for passengers. I am supposing that most terminus facilities are at the other end of the branch at Bude, which then links to the GWR/Southern Railway.
If there is any interest I will post occasional pictures and comments. Of course any suggestions would be very welcome.
Sounds like an interesting idea. As a newcomer to 009 and about to start a layout myself I would certainly like to see progress on your layout.
What size will the layout be?
Cheers
Richard
Thanks for the reply, as a beginner with minimal carpentry skills I utilised a plain door to make the layout on, so the size is approx 7` x 3`. I have used A1 sheets of artists mounting board to fabricate scenery, mainly the harbour walls and I will also use it to scratch build the houses, the hotel and lifeboat station that characterised Clovelly. More details as it progresses.
Mike,
Sounds interesting and quite a challenge for a first layout. From memory you'll need a lot of cobblestones! Is it your first layout ever or do you have experience in other scales/gauges? Please do keep posting on your progress.
Paul C
This is my first ever railway layout although I have been a modeller on and off since I was a boy. This is on a scale I have never attempted before and it is daunting. Why I chose NG I don't know, everything has to be kit built, or scratch built unless you want to build continental or North Somerset models.I must be a masochist!
Not bad at all! A good theme for a layout - I suppose the locos came from other railways? You could do with some industrial steam locos for the climb out of the harbour terminus. Or a few 1950s diesels.
Thanks Ted, guidance is always welcome, especially from one of the hobby`s experts, I have a Double Fairlie and a small continental steam loco (Lilliput) but no diesels, except for the railcars. I suspect that I a suffering from a typical beginner's syndrome, trying to do everything at once! I have the layout, scenery, scratch built buildings, teamwork, ships, engines, railcars and rolling stock all being built by just me all at the same time. I don't get bored but also I don't see any quick progress either!
Mike
Don't forget the Society has the second hand sales. Get in touch with Brian G for the sort of wants you may require to run on your layout. Anything he sends out to members is always test run before dispatch. You don't have to build your own stock to get started and if you can visit one of the area groups or their open days held up and down the country. You can ask for advice first hand from fellow modellers, get ideas and also see what is available.
Roger
Since you do have some rolling stock, I would first concentrate on a layout plan. Think of train lengths you want to run and make sure trains of that size will go up the incline, and can be handled in the station. And don't overdo the amount of track!
Then you'd need a baseboard built and set up, and the track put down. Note that 7x3ft is quite large to handle, so I would advise very lightweight scenery. Then test the track extensively with the stock you have before trying any scenery.
This has several advantages. One is that you will be certain the layout works before you continue. The next is that you will have a working layout, as scenery building takes a long time. If you don't have a working layout, interest is sure to flag.
Additional rolling stock - as Roger says it is a good idea to look at the second-hand sales list of the 009 Society. Some useful items will surely turn up.
Good luck, and let us know how you are doing. If you have questions, don't hesitate to put hem on the forum.
From one new OO9 modeler with a vision to another, best of luck and please keep us up to date!
I am interested in this "tram engine for haunting" that you already have. Is it a spirit burner? :laugh:
That's my tablet`s spell checker, it speaks a different language to me I'm sure. I did mean the tram was for shunting!
I'd like to see a model of a haunted tram engine though!! I did once see a layout with Holmes, Watson and a Pepper's ghost arrangement, so that a transparent spook appeared and vanished in front of the great detective. Perhaps that's one for Angst, where ghosts have equal rights.
Quote from: Paulc on November 27, 2013, 18:28
Perhaps that's one for Angst, where ghosts have equal rights.
Ghouls might, I don't think ghosts do! There's a difference between the undead and the dead..... :)
Quote from: miketurnham on November 27, 2013, 18:03
That's my tablet`s spell checker, it speaks a different language to me I'm sure. I did mean the tram was for shunting!
Well, that's rather an uneducated spell checker, then!
At last an update. Over the last few years I have been planning the layout. After many track plans and three baseboard I have started again. The baseboard is much lighter, only 6 x 2`6" (I am still not metric as my thumb`s first joint is 1" and not a convenient cm measure. So far the dock walls are part finished. I have a part completed railcar set, almost running and some of the new L&B trucks, so I am thinking of making this an extension (invented) of the L&B rather than a narrow guage line from the SR terminus at Nude. Photos to follow.
That damned spellchecker has struck again, for Nude please read Bude as there is no naturist beach there, as far as I have seen!
Mike, Bude had a 'natural' beach served by a narrow gauge 'sand' tramway. I thought you might have extended this inland to replace the Bude canal and carry passengers!!! All the best, Colin.