narrowman

Updates on this layout is now on my website: tonysmodelrailways.co.uk Tony

All I have done is added the factory/mill as an art gallery, removed the graveyard and added some new buldings, and I'm currently repainting the backscenes, as the original printed paper had cockled... Then I'll be adding as many suitable cars/lorries/buses and stalls to give it the impression of an special event at the railway... Tony

UPDATE: 23rd OCTOBER 2018 I've been making some radical decisions!!! My layouts will now be Coombe Bridge (009), Hockenhull Platts (O9) and Colorado Heritage Railroad (On30). and my Gn15 Sandhills Estate Railway. Work will stop on my other layouts, which may be sold or just stored. I'm waiting for the expected bad weather to come and pass, before emptying my shed, lining it and placing Coombe Bridge in there, with Colorado Heritage runing around the sides of the shed (10'x8') with a 'duck under' across the shed door. Forks Trestle will be across the opposite end to the door, which should fit with enough space for two curves to join two 4 foot boards each side towards another curve across the door. The shed will be covered by CCTV and my alarms will be upgraded, but the stock will not be kept in there, but kept in the house (as usual) after 'play' has finished. The electric heaters will also be reinstalled ready for some (but probably not that many!!!) sessions during the winter season!!!.

I've dropped the Snow Leopard Scientific Expedition, which will give me time to concentrate on modelling, especially Coombe Bridge. So I'll be getting on with it shortly... Tony

Bother!!! - relatives who were coming on Saturday, now deciding to come Sunday. Probably were stuck on the M25!!!! So I could have attended on Saturday, but now it's too late!!! Bother!!!! Hope you have a good time at the show... Maybe next year!!! Tony

Yes, it has two methods of making a "roundy-roundy". the first is to start from the siding that leads to the second board and follow the track up to the top of the layout, then through the tunnel, where the track runs down to the exit you started from and so one. The second way is to start at the bottom go through the first tunnel, then there a point (seen through the inspection hole, lower right) which joins the track running down from the top tunnel and the train will exit the tunnel by where you started!!! At the back of the layout, there's a loop that trains could be held, while another train can be released and exit the lower tunnel mouth!!! Loads of operational fun!!!!! I'm looking forward to getting it ready for exhibition, but looking at the very tight clearances within the layout, I'll have to be very selective with locos and stock, so no Garretts and the like... Tony

It appears it was based on a Cyril Freezer plan, but modified to incorporate a roundy-roundy "avoidance" line!!! The gap on the lower right is where the panel fits over to cover the "track maintenance" area... Thanks for the info from club members!!!

This was an Ebay win in 2011 and is an unfinished 4'x2' 'Rabbit Warren' style 009 layout. I was told it was based on a Cyril Freezer plan in a 1960's RM, so I'd like to know which issue it was in or which Peco plan book it may be featured in? I wondered if Cyril suggested what it should be used as? slate mine? or whatever... and I would like to finish it off and get it on the exhibition circuit! All the track works, so I just need to sort some of the electrics, then ballasting and scenics can commence, but as what? Tony

Cardigan This article shows the area in more detail and shows how near the line runs to the tidal river. https://www.welshwildlife.org/wtsww-news/wetland-trail-closure/ and no, the closure isn't to relay the railway back, but to repair the paths of the Wetland Centre... Tony

The SSSI I was refering to was the one across Teifi Marshes which is from past the Welsh Wildlife Centre to Cardigan. which uses the old trackbed of the railway under the new 'flyover' into the area of Cardigan station/goods yard, which is now an industrial estate.

Anyone going from RMweb? Tony

yes it is!!! just found it on http://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/events Sat 25th - Sun 26th - Corris Railway Society - Model Railway Exhibition The Plas, Aberystwyth Road, Machynlleth, Powys The Corris Railway Society's annual exhibition will feature models in various scales inc vintage Big-Big Trains and Tri-ang TT. As might be expected there will be a good narrow gauge presence with models in OO9, 7mm and 16 mm scales. Trains will also be operating on the Corris Railway, 4 miles from the exhibition venue.

Is there one this year? I'm in Mach on Sunday, so I was hoping it was running this year! Tony

Cardigan. Tidal river setting. Goods yard. Harbour. Good freight and passenger, depending on what period your modelling... and if they reopen the line... modern image - although I'm sure they'll be lots of protests (including me!!!), as the original line runs through the wildlife trust's SSSI... Tony

Just found out that one of them was a small white-painted Ruston Hornsby 0-4-0 DM shunter - belonging to 'Lythgoe Bros Ltd' Tony

Unfortunately, I have no idea of what type diesel they were, so it makes it more difficult finding out where they went to and if they as still around? I was just told it was Southport, but it could have been Carnforth??? or anywhere |up North"??? Tony

Has anyone got a plan of a Hoffman kiln? I've been asked to build a model of the one at Minera, as part of the Minera Lime Works. I have a photograph of the kiln around 1965 and i'm sure I was told there was a small plan in MRC in the 1960s??? - or it might have been in another railway mag? I was hoping it had some measurements on it. Luckily, it's still standing an a park, so I'll have to go up there with a eight foot stick (marked into feet!) and estimate it!!! Regards, Tony (narrowman)

Hi, jonny, Thanks for that, I hadn't seen it before, although I had seen the SLS tour, through Brymbo and Coedpoeth up to Minera. When I was with a Jazz/Blues group, we used to practise in one of the houses by the Hoffman Kiln. There were two diesel shunters, which I think were called Pinky and Percy. I was told that they went to Southport (Steamport?) after the quarry lines were lifted. I'm considering constructing a layout based on one of the level crossings, with a fiddle yard each end... Berwig Halt might be suitable as the railway used to curve away both sides... I'll pop up there over the weekend, as it's a nice walk and the pub (Tyn y Capel) is very nearby... Tony

Although I moved back to the area in 1984, I originally lived in Wrexham and the group I was in ("The Take") used to practise in the Methodist Chuch in Lodge during 1965 (just opposite where the road came down from the level crossing) and often enjoyed steam locos hauling their loads up the hill into Brymbo. Later, when I had an Advertising Agency, Brymbo Steelworks were one of my clients, along with Cable Street. In those days, there were lots of Class 24/25 diesels around, along with Brymbo's internal diesel locos. I just wished I took some photographs!!! Tony

https://m.facebook.com/brymboheritageproject/ - might give you a more enlightened look at what's going on (along with a narrow gauge railway!

Steam and diesel from 1950 to closure, but especially 1965-68 I moved to Coedpoeth in 1984 and could watch the 24/25s (and I think a 47?) heading towards Brymbo from my upstairs window. Tony

Can anyone point me to a list of locomotives used on this line, as I'm considering constructing a layout based on the view from this line with the steelworks in the background, as nearly all of it has now been demolished - even the ground underneath it was subject to opencast coal mining!!!) - apart from the few buildings now being saved by Brymbo Heritage Project (http://www.brymboheritage.co.uk/) Kind regards, Tony

I was going to make the layout on a flat one foot (or more) board, but looking at my old layout, I feel that the three levels would make it more interesting to operate and to watch, so I may well construct it this way... Tony

Yes, the idea with the 009 hoppers might well work OK. I did a similar layout some years ago "Minera Quarry" - which was a 00/009 combination. The 009 line could drop the scrap from the tippers (more wire to operative them!) in front of where the bulldozer/tractor is located. The tippers wound have to be fairly heavy to stop them falling down the shutes themselves! I'll have to do some experiments with ramps/shutes/buldozers... Tony

Just putting together the idea for a combined 009/00 scrapyard layout, with 009 diesel shunters working alongside 00 standard gauge locos, both shunters and mainline Bo-Bos (Class 24/25 and 20). Trying to fit in a loading ramp that a bulldozer can move a load of scrap into 16ton minerals, just like in Caia Goods yard in the 1960s. I assume these made their way to Brymbo Steelworks to be melted down. Initial thoughts is to have a bulldozer on a solid wire and push it up the ramp. with "new" scrap being dropped in from 'off scene'... perhaps with a tipper reversing in and the back being lifted to dump the load. All done by wires? The 009 line would consist of a diesel and a rake of scrap filled hoppers, then re-appear as empties... The main area would be in a APA style box with fiddle yards each end... Tony ("enjoying" even more snow... 2" last night...)