Ruyton Road Revisited. What to do with an old classic

[marc smith]

Those who know me, will know I don't usually buy or acquire layouts.
But a few years back, I became aware that Ruyton Road had been for sale for some time, and was in danger of being dismantled.

Now to my mind - Ruyton was a real classic layout. I recall seeing it for the first time (early 90's) along with my good pal @wenlock

when we visited the Cardiff MR show in Splott (Yes, there is a place called "Splott").
I'd already seen Rodney Hall's superb minimum space "Llanastr" and that had fueled my imagination
But Ruyton Road was THE layout that convinced me to think small, and that micro layouts were the way forward for me

So I acquired the layout from its' previous owner. He had bought it from John Spencer (RIP mate)
And that current owner no longer had space for it, and said he was moving upscale to 7mm - to help his eyesight (I know what he means)
 

For those who haven't seen the layout. It appeared in MRJ Number 75. Way back in 1994, and the stock appeared in a later issue.
I would recommend the article, it's a great read. There is a little YouTube footage of it out there too  

So I needed to revamp / restore some of the scenery, plus I wanted to build a new fiddle yard
The old one was very very heavy, given its' small size. In fact the layout is also much heavier than you might expect.
I think John was trying to build something strong enough to drive a real train over! lol
Also, the fiddle was past its' best, as was the fascia (The fiddle & fascia had been stored somewhere damp, I think) - so more work needed there

 

Years back, I recall discussing the layout with John. He was such a nice gent - always polite & friendly, and he had a great sense of humour.
I always enjoyed meeting him at shows... and was fortunate to meet with him on quite a few occasions...

We chatted about operating potential. John thought that there was no way of adding operating interest.
In his MRJ artlcle, the backstory to the layout, was that a quarry, further along the line had been prospected - but never built.
I suggested he open said fictitious quarry in the form of adding an extension cassette, beyond the station platform.
This being for goods only, certainly the quarry, but perhaps some farm / produce related traffic too....

Enough rambling. Here are a few pics, some after I'd started work on it, some after
Oooh, I've added a (removable) backscene too - as the layout never had one...
More on my own backstory later..... It involves friends of powerful MP's, scandal and bribery!
Oh, and the son of the Lord of a nearby manor... who likes trains  

[Gilbert]

Nice to see this Marc....keep the fots coming...

Chris

[marc smith]

The above pics were before addition of the backscene or cassette.
Here are a couple more, since building of extension cassette & backscene...

I've added a few trees (still not convinced about one of them!) to help "hide" corner joints in the backscene
And I've added some mud footpaths. I've also taken a little of the greenery away,
and added some detritus & rubbish. The railway, though it became more important (briefly) is again becoming more run down
The single siding in the yard is also used as a store for some PW items; old sleepers from elsewhere on the system for re-use,
rusting bits & pieces of track parts etc etc

[Geoffrey]

This was always one of my favourite layouts .Its good to see some more of it .

[Windjabbers]

Nice to see this layout still going,  Remember the article in MRJ and seeing it at Expo EM (I Think) years ago. 

 

Look forward to see how you develop it.

 

David

[The Johnster]

Good to see this old stager has a home in the area.   And it is a 'living' layout, not preserved as a museum piece, as you are altering and developing it.

 

I sympathise about the back story.  I was sent home from the maternity ward with the working class people by mistake and am, as any of my old bosses including Peter Lord will affirm, ideally and congenitally suited to a life of absolute idleness.  It was all hushed up of course and justice has never been done, but I believe my real parents live in a big gaff at the end of Pall Mall.  

 

Jim Callaghan bought me a beer when he was PM, but I noticed one of the aides actually paid for it.  

Edited May 13, 2020 by The Johnster

[marc smith]

I've been working on the cassette at the far end of Ruyton.
The exit is disguised with a van body. It was decided that Ruyton Road needed some additional storage
So the platform was slightly extended, and an ex GWR van was placed on the far end of the platform....
A handy help to disguising the extension, along with a tree and some other greenery
This is not quite finished - I'm building it up gradually - I don't want to overdo it.....

Meanwhile, with the single coach passenger train parked in the loop, a pannier tank does some shunting, so that the empty milk tankers can be taken to the dairy later in the day...
Having run around it's carriage, the pannier reverses onto the train - it's a few minutes late.... as usual!

[marc smith]

I've done some work with the scenery. Some of the bushes, grass and weeds needed some work - they were fading here & there, and looking a bit tatty.
I also removed some of the bushes, particularly from the foreground. This has helped "open out" the space a little.
I wanted to add some muddy paths through the field in the foreground, and some earth patches here & there.

As the line was constructed by the S&M Railway, and the good Colonel Stephens, much of the trackwork either needed relaying or repair,
to ensure the heavier traffic from the quarry would be able to navigate the line.... This was done on the cheap, and patch-up repair work was commonplace...
A class 08 shunter was due to deliver the monthly supply of Gunpowder to the quarry
But the foreman decided that a delivery of recycled sleepers and sleeper chairs should be used as a barrier wagon
Highly irregular! - no one on the board could have heard.... or perhaps they turned a blind eye?
 

[LBRJ]

Oh jolly joys!

This was one of my favourite layouts back in the day - Its so good to see it back

[marc smith]

12 minutes ago, LBRJ said:

Oh jolly joys!

This was one of my favourite layouts back in the day - Its so good to see it back

 

Yes, I'm glad I took it on, and pleased to be tinkering with it.
Back in the day, it was one of my faves too  

[marc smith]

Wow - it has been over a month since I last updated this thread....
Anyhow, I've been doing a little more scenic restoration and additional work.
I added a low relief (well, flat actually!) building at the far end of the layout - this I think is the dairy which lies beyond Ruyton Road

I've also nearly finished the fascia / surround / frame. As it happened, I had a small spare cabinet light, and it wasn't quite enough to cover the layout adequately
So I've borrowed one from my night-time "Wales, Rails, Rain & Steel" layout (as I don't operate it in daytime mode much at all.
With both small cabinet lights on, the light covers the whole area much better and evenly

I've also added a hut, some greenery, and a high back wall, at the back of the fiddle yard
Generally, I prefer to do this sort of thing, to disguise the join between "layout proper" and non-scenic fiddle area...
The hut & greenery act as partial view-blockers, and the overgrown rear wall helps convince the eye that there is more layout beyond the bridge
Some pics to help explain

EDIT: Please forgive jeweller's screwdriver in the fiddle yard.... but with some stock on the track, you wouldn't see such things
unless of course I leave coffee cups there

Edited June 30, 2020 by marc smith

[marc smith]

Here is the far end of the layout. The line now extends to a quarry and a dairy (It's just a cassette though really, of course)
The platform-level grounded van body and trees help disguise the exit to the cassette. Some greenery and a road vehicle help hide the fact that the baseboard ends here, I hope

I've been adding Sprat & Winkle couplings to some stock, and re-gauging some wagons to EM standards
plus I EM'ed a Brake Van and added a guard and a working tail light. I bought the lamp kit on eBay ages ago
It needed a bit of hacking about with the brake van floor - but it's a simple enough fit. Quite pleased with the van anyway

[NHY 581]

Morning Marc. 

 

Lovely to finally catch up with this. 

 

Have you done anything else? 

 

Rob. 

[Captain Kernow]

I've always liked this layout and saw it once in on of the Bath shows (in the Pavillion). I chatted to John Spencer and I'm sure I recall him saying saying (either then or in his article), that he used some clippings from his beard for some of the bushes?

 

[MrWolf]

I remember the MRJ article on this layout years ago. It was one of the layouts that got me thinking about building a once independent line of my own.

Great to see that you are using and improving it which will keep it interesting too.

[Gedward]

An oldie but goodie.

[marc smith]

Just wanted to add - now I've revamped the scenery, added a (removable) backscene, done some "tweaking", added a cassette for through running and rebuilt the fiddle yard. For reasons of moving house - Ruyton Road could do with a new home, and is for sale for a reasonable price (with the caveat that the new owner takes good care of it & keeps this legendary layout for posterity)

[wenlock]

I'm sure you're sad to see it go, an inspirational layout that deserves a good home!  Perhaps the solution is to keep the layout and move to a bigger house

[marc smith]

40 minutes ago, wenlock said:

I'm sure you're sad to see it go, an inspirational layout that deserves a good home!  Perhaps the solution is to keep the layout and move to a bigger house

 

Well, no takers yet @wenlock
I would like a bigger house, sadly however..... I'd probably end up with even less modelling space anyway lol 

[keefr2]

I'd love to take it on Marc, John was a good friend of mine in Swansea MRC days but we'd lost touch and it was a terrible shock when I learnt of his passing in the MRJ obituary. Unfortunately I fear I wouldn't have the skills to make anything run reliably in EM.....

 

Keith

[marc smith]

I've got some stock I could let go with the layout Keith. I will keep some of my EM stock (as I've a really small plan... for when I eventually have space again / post house-move) But there are a few things I'd let go with the layout.

Note, I don't have any of John's original stock from the layout though (I have been asked a couple of times) - my intention was always to run the layout in later years -  as if, by some miracle, the line had survived... up until the early 60's

Edited May 24, 2021 by marc smith

[keefr2]

I've replied to your message Marc,

 

Keith

[marc smith]

More snail's pace "action", towards the end of Ruyton's days....
A class 08 rearranges wagons in the tiny yard. A gunpowder van waits beneath the bridge, it is bound for the quarry beyond the little halt and the quarry is now unable to extend it's workings much more - it's too close to the village of Ruyton XI Towns for the comfort of some residents as it is!

And perhaps underneath the road bridge is NOT the best place to leave such a railway vehicle - There's a spotter on the bridge, and he's well known to the locals, to have the occasional cigar  

I always liked the bridge at Ruyton - I based the bridge on my own "Ogmore Road" very closely on it......

Edited May 24, 2021 by marc smith

[D602bulldog]

Hi did you sell the layout?

[marc smith]

On 26/05/2021 at 20:15, D602bulldog said:

Hi did you sell the layout?

Hi @D602bulldog - apologies for the late reply. I only just saw this post...
Yes, it has gone to a new owner. I'm sure the layout will live on - it's such a classic.