OK so here's a question which has been on my mind recently. My own layout has now attained a reasonable seniority in the 009 field but it certainly isn't the oldest.
So.
To tax the memory of our long-standing members, historians, archivists ( ;D) etc, what is the oldest 009 layout in REGULAR operation?
I reckon that the Craigcorrie & Dunalistair and the Dovey Valley have got to be among the front runners.
Over to you...
The C&DR doesn't count as it has been rebuilt more often than the FR's Prince. Some parts are over 42 years old, but it's not the same layout it was 25 years ago, or 35. In addition it has been in storage a few times.
I think the L&TR has been in existence in more or less the same form for a longer time.
Now there's an interesting point because that probably puts the Dovey Valley and the L&TR into a similar bucket - I believe Dovey has spent some years out of use and certainly over its 36 years the L&TR spent a couple of years in the early 80s out of use after we'd bought the house and more recently spent time not only out of use but also in serious danger of having a closure notice and abandonment order served on it by its Directors.
I don't know exactly the date of inception, perhaps one of the Sussex Downs members may be able to confirm? Phil Savage's Vale of Tallynog has been around for a great many years, and appeared in some of Michael Andress's books around the early 1970's so I suspect it was probably built in the late 60's and is still wheeled out from time to time for exhibition appearances.
I think this may be a contender for the titles?
Mick
Quote from: tedp on January 21, 2012, 21:48
"...I think the L&TR has been in existence in more or less the same form for a longer time."
Good point Ted - you're right; apart from a couple of point replacements, a re-work of the ground cover from Peco to Woodland in 1980, general refurb work and the re-development of Llanmynach station yard and building of the chapel in 2002, the L&TR is practically unaltered from the day it was built. Shame it spent a few years gathering dust, albeit during its time out of use it was never dismantled nor was it in storage. I think Mick might be on to something - Phil's layout could well be a strong contenter.
I have a Jouef/Playcraft preformed 009 layout that was made in 1967.
That still works fine and looks as it did 45 years ago. It even has its original box that states it is a
Only just saw this thread, must not forget the following.
Dwffyr, still in use and the quarry section still on the exhibition circuit with Tan Yr Allt.
Dwffyr was built in 1976/77 and Tan Yr Allt in the late 1980s.
Crummack Valley circa 1982, has just started on the exhibition circuit again, after a revamp.
Rothampton is over 20years old and started life as a 3mm Irish NG layout.
It is now on the exhibition circuit as an 009 layout
Stan.
Many thanks to Stan and Brian for these last two additions.
I must say it's very pleasing to hear of layouts which have survived their builders receiving a new lease of life and still being treaured and used. Sadly the L&TR would be too big and complicated to fall into that category!
I will also add that as I mentioned in 009 News Pete Wilson has his 1980 creation
Hi,
I would like to put forward a (bit of a) case for;
Bassendale .. !
As far as we can tell it was constructed circa 1976, it may have been earlier, but didn't feature in RM until much later (Dec '91).
It has pretty much remained unchanged since first constructed, the track has been re-laid as it was mistakenly diagnosed as rusty! when infact it had only been weathered!
The track configuration and the scenery is pretty much as constructed.
However we don't have any of the original rolling stock.
Does the layout have to include original stock to qualify?
It is now on it's third owner, second generation and all in the same family.
I realise it might not been well known to the society, as the two previous owners weren't memebers of the 009 society.
So whilst I realise it's not the oldest, I feel it should/could be considered an elder statesman/contender?
Stuart
For those that are unfamiliar with Bassendale here are a couple of Mick Thornton
Since the last posting on this topic part of PD Hancock's Craig and Mertonford has come to light namely Dundreich. The layout as it is now will date from about 1974/75 but on looking at olde photos it is clear some parts of the current Dundreich are from an earlier era. [Well the C&M was rebuilt twice]. Some of the oldest bits may well date back into the 1960's but of course PDH is no longer around to clarify history for us. Not in continuous operation as Dundreich is only part of the larger layout dismantled in 1987.
Part of the Edinburgh and Lothians MRC's Caeredwyn dates from the mid 70's.
Malcolm
Avyn -A-Llyin has been on the exhibition circuit since October 1989 (out every year) and apart from a few point renewals and an extra track in the fiddle yard it hasn't altered much. At present undergoing a slight scenery revamp ready for Wakefield in November/December.
One thing that has changed is the quality of the rolling stock, replaceing some of the stock which was built for my brothers previous layout Llandovnodd which was on the exhibition circuit 1982 - 1989.
Andy
Quote from: Crichworkshop2000 on July 23, 2012, 22:58
Avyn -A-Llyin has been on the exhibition circuit since October 1989 (out every year) and apart from a few point renewals and an extra track in the fiddle yard it hasn't altered much. At present undergoing a slight scenery revamp ready for Wakefield in November/December.
One thing that has changed is the quality of the rolling stock, replaceing some of the stock which was built for my brothers previous layout Llandovnodd which was on the exhibition circuit 1982 - 1989.
Andy
Ahh a modern layout then!
As I mentioned the 1967 Jouef pre-formed 009 layouts are older.
The late Jack Carter
My little Austrian coffee table layout was completed in August 1972 and is still in the living room, although normally covered with books and papers.
Regards
Peter Dale
So it looks like apart from the 1967 pre-formed Jouef layouts Peter Dale has the oldest so far.
So any advance on August 1972
QuoteThe questions that both Pitztalbahn and Roy
Still in existence, but not operational is my 1971 ELR exhibition layout - well threequarters of it at least, it had 2ft chopped off the end to fit into a car when I was moving once. It dates back even earlier than that but not as a OO9 layout. In its varied life it used to be an Part of our N gauge club layout and before that someone's model of Crianlarich lower ! It later got incorporated into a larger home layout.
All the original coach still survive plus most of the original goods stock, but the original locos were mostly wrecked in an accident returning from an exhibition.
I've been thinking about reviving it, but it's stashed in someone's cellar back in the UK - the trip back to collect it would probably cost as much as building it from scratch in new, better materials.
Tom