Blackbow was my first proper attempt at a model railway after (teenage) years away from the hobby. I have included this history as my current layout is based around the same fictional Blackbow branch line and I wanted to reference to where my ideas began. The layout was built incredibly cheaply and with very limited room at home. It was a micro layout, at 3 x 1 ft with a 2 x 1 viewing area. The fiddle yard consisted of 2 single sidings entering the upper and lower sections of the layout, with a small rat run in the viewing section linking these parts.

But to start at the beginning, with a kind gift of a Gaugemaster combi and the purchase of some points and flexitrack I began to think about the base design, and having stumbled across the excellent and “simplez†Metcalfe building kits, the idea of a layout combining one love, the GWR and another, a cold pint of cider, began to develop. And so Blackbow was born. Having purchased the Metcalfe Brewery and Factory kits I began to put together the trackplan. I wanted to avoid the traditional use of a tunnel portal or bridge for the exit to fiddle yard, so judicial placing of the large brewery building allowed concealment of the 2 entrances. I also wanted to provide some gradient on the line as with only 2 x 1 ft of viewing space available I hoped this would increase the feeling of space.

The box was constructed using chipboard for the base, with ply edges and 2x1 bracing for the legs and frame. In hindsight, a lighter material for the baseboard would have been preferable for the many trips up and down stairs as the layout lived under the bed. I used some MDF to build up the gradients with cork laid underneath the track. The control panel was constructed from ply and a mimic diagram, created in word, was added for placing of the 2 switches required for isolation. I selected Peco track and electrofrog points and with my dubious soldering skills the track was laid for testing using my trusty, old 08 I had bought with some birthday money as a boy. All worked well however, I had made a mistake with the short 1 wagon run round loop. I had chosen to use a left and right handed point as opposed to Y points and found that my lines did not separate sufficiently for the run round to be completed. With very limited funds for the project I was not in a position to purchase fresh points hence I was required to force the lines apart a little un-naturally. This worked but even some of the shorter wheel based stock was required to run on the lower part of the loop.

With the track laid, edged with a rust red (a little too red to be honest), and running well, my attention turned to scenics. Fortunately, as I was considering my background, an issue of Model Rail magazine was released that included a free short 4ft background. It was perfect for my requirements and was immediately pasted on to the layout. I had also looked a putting together some brickwork and paved flooring using Excel and so within a short period of time my layout had internal walls next to the lines and suitable flooring for a busy Brewery. Then came my first ever attempt at ballasting. I purchased some n gauge granite chip ballast, which was spread evenly between my freshly laid brickwork and I used the traditional pva/water/Fairy mixture which was pipetted in to hold all in place. This was all remarkably successful for my first attempt however, I soon felt that the granite looked a little heavy for the line. I decided not to change it but kept this in mind for the future.

With the addition of some pipe cleaner trees, a few lichen bushes, a Langley crane and plenty of barrels and bottles from the same supplier the layout really began to take on a pleasant feel. My stock continued to grow and through the process I had really begun to reimmerse myself in the world of model railways.

I learned a lot from this little layout about what looked good for n gauge. I was happy with the slightly sparse, uncluttered feel and appreciated that point motors would be a good idea for the future. The line soldiered on few a few years with the odd detail added from time to time, but with a longing to run passenger stock and a change of house giving a little more room (5 x1!), a new plan came to mind.

Final pics