Blast from the past - my old layout
Entry posted by Barry Ten
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Digging around on the PC I spent a few minutes looking through some of the better pictures of my old layout. For those that remember, it was the one I was developing when I first started on RMWeb, although by that point it only had a year or two of life left in it. For most of its existence the layout didn't have a name but towards the end it was officially Wyvant.
The layout fitted into a 14 x 6 room and began as a much smaller project, only about 8 x 6 in size. This utilised the boards built by my dad for my childhood layout, and indeed much of the track was salvaged and reused on this model. I started it in 1996, the year I returned to the hobby. Over the years, I extended the layout to occupy the whole room, changing the track plan and scenery many times in the process. I didn't set out with a realistic plan in mind, and even in its final stage, the layout had many unrealistic features. Other than not planning, I also made the mistake of not establishing stable foundations for the boards. I used wooden trestles, but the room was uneven and the boards never set truly level at any point in the layout's life. Also, the joins between the boards gave more and more trouble as the chipboard surface warped. That said, I had a lot of fun with it. It was my first layout that I built on my own (my dad had always done all the "hard stuff" like woodwork, tracklaying and wiring) so there was a huge learning curve. I was overjoyed the first day I got a Peco point motor to work, and even basic DC wiring was a challenge for me.
Here are some photos and comments:
The level crossing scene, one of the better areas of the model. Some of the scenery here is still pretty acceptable, in my eyes, and I always thought there was a good South Wales atmosphere to this bit. The pub was eventually recycled for use on Paynestown (now sold), while some of the other buildings have found their way onto the current 4mm project.
The station building, which was originally designed to span the tracks on an overbridge. I was never satisfied with this model and after suffering damage in storage it eventually went in the bin. It didn't take long to construct so was no great loss. Nowadays I wouldn't build a model without basing it on a prototype, at least to some degree.
Not a bad back garden for this cottage, which after some upgrading now resides on the new layout. I think the outside toilet ended up on Paynestown.
Looking over the main station complex, which was quite extensive for what was a relatively small layout. I still have the long footbridge, which took a lot of kitbashing and detailing - unfortunately I doubt I'll ever have a suitable model for it again. The background area was much less developed and never got far beyond this when the decision was taken to move house.
A hint of what might have been, with a goods on the elevated section - shades of Cardiff?
Back to the goods yard area, where this Metcalf goods shed now finds a home on the current project:
The station throat - subject to many changes over the years. This area looked OK in photos but in reality, it was a veritable roller coaster of undulating trackage, due to warpage. Most stock stayed on, some didn't!
Finally, back to the double junction which allowed the branch to join the mainline at Taffsill.
Looking back on it, the layout provided a lot of pleasure and challenges, and I probably would have carried on with it for a few years had not the house move intervened. Ultimately, though, the state of the boards would eventually have caused it to be scrapped, and it was perhaps for the best that it happened when it did. It was a sad day when I took a clawhammer to the boards in 2007, but within a few hours, I was over the loss and looking forward to my next project, when I could truly start with a clean slate.
I'd particularly like to thank Mikkel, as within a short while of my posting pictures of the layout on RMWeb, he kindly invited me to share some more on the GWR modelling forum. I was thrilled to be asked and very honoured to be able to show off the layout among examples of much better modelling!
Hope this has been fun, a bit of a trip down memory lane, and thanks for reading.
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