Porthgwain - N gauge costal branch

[TomJ]

Even though my main layout is nowhere near complete I’ve started another one! Because I can! But mainly because I had some wood, track, points and motors left over from another aborted project. The aim was to build a little layout (5ft x 9inch) that can live on the shelf and be played with on the dining room table. My 8tr expressed an interest in helping so that clinched it. It had to be ex GWR to fit my stock but I wanted something different from the usual West Country branch. Initial plans were based on a GWR version of Wantage. Then we went on holiday to Pembrokeshire and we walked the costal path to Porthgain

 

Up till the 30s stone was loaded into ships, and the ruins of the loaders and the narrow gauge railway serving them are still explorable. This was too good not to model! A bit different with plenty of shunting. 
 

The story is that as the quarries grew a light railway was built to take the stone away to the GWR Fishguard line. This was later taken over by the GWR itself who Swindon-ised some of the fittings. This is where we now see it in the 60s. A sparse passenger who general foods service but Stuka fairly busy with stone trains. BackRoomBoffin on here drew up a track plan which kept shunting interest up. 
That’s the backstory. Construction has started and I’ll put details and pics in the next post 

[TomJ]

A bit of construction has started - between the bigger jobs I’ve been working on some of the buildings, some of which I’ve upcycled from previous projects. 
There’s nothing special about the baseboard - 2x1 stripwood bracing with 9mm ply and a bit cut away for the harbour. Track is all Peco code 55 - next job is wiring 

the area at the front will become the harbour. At the back siding is a rake of partially built mineral wagons standing where the loader will be. 
 

The station is complete apart from interior and roof and is based on the timber structure at Abergwfinwi in South Wales, Chris Klein did some drawings in the RM for his 7mm layout Cwm Bach (that’s on here). Nothing fancy, plasticard shell with ratio windows and embossed timber. I wanted something that was obviously GWR but not at all grand. 
 

The goods shed is also from South Wales based on Glyncorrwyg. The engine shed is from Newcastle Emlyn, I could only find a few photos so it’s loosely based on. 
 

Next job is wiring and point motors. Not my favourite!

[TomJ]

And here’s the engine shed (couldn’t fit it previous post)

Its kitbashed from a Ratio carriage shed, helped with the curved roof! I built the rough shell years ago for a vague plan so I’ve updated it with fresh paint, new windows and doors and vents. I’m rather pleased how it’s turned out 

 

finally a rough draft of the track plan to give an idea how it all fits together. I’ve since added another quayside siding