Pen-Y-Bont

[060]

After 5 years and 30+ exhibitions it was time to think about a replacement for my 'G' scale 45mm gauge Hambleden Valley layout.  It had to be something different. The only criticism I heard was that it was too big to run indoors at home, but could not be left outside in the garden, so neither an indoor layout nor a garden railway. Hambleden was unique in using radio controlled live steam locos on an end to end layout involving lots of shunting of rolling stock. So this time it had to be a 'round and round'. However it also had to be different from the usual offering of unballasted track, a nod to scenery and out of the box rolling stock.

 

The new layout, called Pen-Y-bont, was going to be 16mm scale on 32mm gauge track and be based in Welsh slate territory.  However, the unique feature this time was going to be that all the scenery was going to be from real plants, growing in soil and it would be left outside all year, except when dismantled and transported to model railway exhibitions in the back of my van.

 

Would it work - it remains to be seen....................

[Dinmore Manor]

An interesting concept, got a few pictures to go with the words? 

 

 

[060]

OK Due to the design brief, no wood could be used in the baseboard construction. So like Hambleden, the starting point was polycarbonate roofing sheets to which was bolted 2in deep plastic plant trays. These were fitted with 2in expanded foam insulation sheets painted matt black.

 

 

For exhibitions, the layout will rest on the beams and trestles used for Hambleden

 

 

Test setup. The seed trays with the conifers were lated replaced with long plant trays. The backscene boards are plastic sofit boards.

 

 

The track is Peco SM32

 

 

The foam sheets were cut to the track plan, leaving spaces to fill with soil for planting.

 

 

More to follow....................

 

 

[Marly51]

I am fascinated by your approach! I want to build a small layout for the garden, but it would have to be able to be dismantled to avoid the severe winter weather conditions up here in the Northern Highlands! I would probably build a permanent railbed and find some way of fixing the track, which is not permanent! Possibly combine some real planting, like yours, with some kind of weatherproof back scene in places? Your scenery reminds me of those living roofs, where mosses and houseleeks thrive!

[060]

Another couple of pictures, this time on track ballasting. As the area the model is set in is Welsh slate territory, I used slate for ballast.  I made my own from a bag of slate chippings from the local garden centre. Pieces of slate were crushed with a club hammer and then sieved to remove the larger pieces.  It has consolidated over time and shows no sign of washing away despite of lot of rain this winter.

 

 

 

 

Next time I will get on to the planting up of the layout using alpines chosen for their small leaf size.

 

 

Edited October 30, 2021 by 060
update

[060]

The key to the success or failure of this design concept is in the planting. Over time the alpines continue to spread and have crossed over from one baseboard to the next and I think will eventually hide all the joins between boards.

Here are a few pictures taken last summer.  Depending on what month this layout is viewed, its appearance will change from all green through to a profusion of pink, blue and white flowers in the height of summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The biggest problem so far - birds.  I need to keep it covered with netting to stop the birds ripping up the moss looking for grubs.

 

 

Edited October 30, 2021 by 060
update

[Zigzag Canyon]

I'm really excited to see how this develops - especially toting a growing system from the garden to shows.  It would be nice to have growing plants on my indoor line. Thanks for the inspiration! 

[060]

From the outset, this was designed to be a portable exhibition layout.  I have dismantled and reassembled the layout several times and the boards slide into a rack mounted in my van to transport it in the same way as I do Hambleden.  Hopefully when exhibitions return you will get to see it, but probably not until next year.

 

Here are a couple more photos from last year of the layout set up on trestles in my garden

 

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2021 by 060
update

[Zigzag Canyon]

Have you managed to run a Slomo + RC steamer on a switching layout that includes a small grade? I'm used to trying to keep my garden railway dead level, but those were before the Slomo. Now I'm building an indoor layout - inspired by Hambleden - and a small switchback is enticing. Thanks!

[Nearholmer]

This layout is a work of genius and art.

 

I've often wondered if this could be done, and you've done it!

 

Presumably no shows yet. It will be interesting to see how its atnds up to being vibro-massaged ithe car/van on the way to and from, and how fellow exhibitors react to you watering it.

[Woody C]

I missed this thread before now but WOW!!! The whole concept is brilliant, the execution is superb and the results are simply stunning! When you see a layout like this you simply have to stop and just catch your breath!

[060]

Thanks Guys

regarding zigzag comment, I have run a slomo fitted loco up a 1 in 20 gradient with no apparent change in performance. The slomo only really controls the acceleration and de-acceleration rate, not the overall running.

 

I have already successfully transported the layout to a small exhibition as a test and all was well. Here it is loaded in the van...

 

 

And at the exhibition...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2021 by 060

[Zigzag Canyon]

Thanks! And the exhibition layout looks terrific!

[060]

Been building some rolling stock, but not in the manner most might do, I dislike pristine stock and love rust.

 

An etched brass slaters skip wagon:

 

A pair of plastic skip wagons

 

 

and a Slaters etched brass slab wagon

 

 

 

[060]

slate wagons:

 

[Nile]

Very nice, what did you use for the rust effect?

[060]

It's iron powder, bought on the internet. The wagons are left permanently outside on the layout in all weathers, so naturally rust. You can speed up the process with copper sulphate solution or other acids.

 

 

[060]

First frost of the winter and the vegetation continues to spread. Not much of my homemade slate ballast left on show now. Compare with the earlier pictures

 

 

 

 

 

I wonder what this winter will bring

 

Edited November 2, 2021 by 060
remove duplicate picture

[Giles]

.... but still looks enchanting.

[ManofKent]

Fascinating design concept and expertly executed.

[YK 50A]

I saw you at the Midlands Show today, absolutely remarkable and by far the most interesting layout (to me).  I wondered if you could give me a rundown of what you planted?  I know there were a lot of Thymes and some Pratia Pedunculata, but then my memory fails.  Many thanks.

[060]

Aplogies for not replying sooner, I have only just noticed your post.

Thank you for you kind comments.

I have tried many different alpines on the layout, some have survived well, others have died.

This past winter has been hard on the layout that lives outside in the garden all year. We had a period of excessive rain which made the soil very wet, it then froze in temperatures down to minus 8 deg, followed by a month of no rain and then just recently more excessive rain again.

The Thymes have survived all this the best. There are several varieties such as Bressingham Pink, Russetings and Hartland Gold.

The next most prolific is Leptinella, again several varieties, the commonest was Platts Black but this suffered badly from the minus temeperatures, but there are many signs of new shoots now as Spring progresses.

As you say, there is Pratia Pendunculata in two varieties, Alba, with white flowers and Blue Star with pale blue ones.

A good ground cover with tiny leaves is Mentha Requinii, also known as Corsican Mint. This has proved very hardy, unlike Solerolia (Mind your own Business) which has died completely this winter. A couple of others that have died are Sagina and Scelranthus

Others have had varying degrees of success. These include various Saxifrage, Sedum, Asperulia, Raoulia, Isotama etc.

I have tried to choose alpines with the smallest leaves. This is difficult when ordering on-line as the descriptions always refer to their flowers, not their leaf size. Ice Alpines have been a useful source. But mostly I have bought them from a variety of garden centres and garden shows so that I see them physically before buying them.

Some of the conifers at the back will need replacing this summer as they look to be dying very slowly. Other alpines have been easily replaced if they die, I cut out a circle of soil and drop in a replacement.

Hope that helps, the layout will be at the Peterborough show next wekend.

 

[YK 50A]

That's wonderful, thank you for the very full and helpful description.  I've got a lot to go on there.  Coincidentally, I picked up the March edition of Garden Rail from the Vintage Carriage Trust magazine room yesterday (I cancelled my subscription a little while ago as I rarely got round to reading it).  Funny what you wrote about MYOB.  For some it seems to take over the garden, most of mine died this winter as well.  I'll say hello at Peterborough.  Again, much appreciated.