Blackpool Tramway Depot

[ZephyrRailways]

Hello RmWeb 

 

I've always held a fascination for the Blackpool Tramway. The nostalgic seaside atmosphere is unmistakable and the classic tramcar collection of the Heritage Fleet is one of the finest in the world. As the last first generation tramway of the United Kingdom, the Blackpool system is something special. For many years, I have wanted to create a model railway based in Blackpool. Motorising Corgi trams was an option I considered, but I felt they were too large for my current space constraints. 

 

I then looked at N Gauge, and discovered the acclaimed Thornton Gate by Tom Williamson. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/57611-thornton-gate-blackpool-tramway-sidings-in-dcc-n/ His modelling proved that N Gauge trams were a viable and exciting option for those wanting a fresh challenge. 

 

As I want to test my skills before committing to a full-size layout, I am constructing a micro layout set in Blackpool. I looked at a variety of options, and I have decided upon building a small section of a works yard/depot on the tramway. My inspiration comes from pictures of the disused Blundell Street Depot (some of which can be found on the Blackpool Tram Blog http://blackpooltram.blogspot.com/2013/07/blundell-street-depot.html ) as well as the permanent way sidings of Thornton Gate, and course Tom Williamson's impeccable rendition of the site in miniature. 

 

Here are a few images of the project. 

 

 

As you can see, my layout is the very early stages of construction. The "baseboard" is an old Chanel Perfume box, which is surprisingly rigid. The backscene board is a placemat! I don't think it was ever used anyway, and coincidentally the length of the box and placemat aligned perfectly! My trackplan is a typical fork like in many micro layouts. The scenics on the layout are going to be based on urban decay. Like Thornton Gate, my layout will make use of regular, reserved track which will be grassed over with foliage and debris. There will also be a scrapyard on the layout with two trams awaiting the cutter's torch. No N Gauge Tramway would be complete without the infamous Typhoo Tea Tram! My examples are being painted to resemble withdrawn Blackpool Standards. I have coated them in a cream base, and the green will be added soon. Then they will be heavily weathered to represent their status as condemned vehicles. 

 

I plan to create more Blackpool themed layouts, and I hope everyone can enjoy this thread and add suggestions, comments and ideas which may be useful! 

 

Best Regards 

 

Zephyr