Phatbob

E-mail: bob.hawes@gmx.co.uk Telephone: (01925) 231497 Mobile: 0779 163 4702 Bodmin Generally – An impression of Bodmin General in 00 Layout Details for Exhibition Managers Layout Location; Warrington, Cheshire. Scale / Gauge; 76:1 16.5mm gauge (“00 Gauge”) Dimensions; 18’ by 2’ (5500mm x 610mm) [+ 4’ (1200mm) behind for operators] Scenic Length; 12’ (3650mm) Transport; 2 Private Cars Travelling; Distance no object, but overnight accommodation is required for journeys exceeding much more than an hour. Operators; Four Insurance Value; £4000 Layout, £4000 Rolling Stock Power Supply; 1 power point of at least 5A Lighting; Supplied. Barriers; Essential. Tables & Chairs; 1 large or 2 small tables behind the fiddle yard please if possible. No chairs required as we have our own stools. Programme Entry: Bodmin Generally is based on the original Bodmin General Station in Cornwall. The terminus station opened on 27th May 1887 and became a junction on 3rd September 1888. It changed little up to the time of its closure to passenger traffic on 30th January 1967. In its day it was, for its size, quite a busy terminus with lines coming in from Boscarne Junction, Wadebridge and Padstow to the North West and Bodmin Road (now Bodmin Parkway) in the South East, with both passenger and goods traffic from the two routes. There were through china clay workings where the loco had to run round and split its train before proceeding to Boscarne Junction. The full train was reassembled at Bodmin before proceeding onwards to St Blazey. There was a small loco facility and a two road goods yard with a sizeable goods shed. The following paragraphs were written by the builder, Brian Stenning who sadly passed away in 2014. The layout is now in the care of his friend Bob Hawes and operated as running in the summer of 1963 using his own rolling stock. “I wanted to build a Western Region layout based on a prototype station. Preferably, a small branch terminus, and after searching for a suitable track design I finally decided on Bodmin General around the late 1950s, early 1960s period. I have adapted the track plan to suit the board size and whilst I have tried to make the buildings as near to the prototype as I could, with my limited modelling skills, I soon realized that I would have to settle on buildings that are similar but not exactly prototypical – hence the name Bodmin (Generally). I hope the purists will forgive me.” The base-boards are constructed of 9mm MDF on 2” x 1’’ softwood frames. All trackwork is PECO Code 75 on a cork base and ballasted with granite chippings. Points are controlled electrically with PECO point motors. The station building is constructed using at least three Ratio station building kits suitably adapted, whilst the signal box and goods shed are also slightly modified Ratio kits. The engine shed is scratch built using, in the main, Wills materials, as are the platform, retaining walls and the bridge. Woodland Scenics materials have been used for the majority of the landscaping. The layout is operated to a sequence based on the working timetable for the summer of 1963. Rolling stock modified proprietary or kit-built and is fitted with Kadee couplers which are remotely uncoupled using magnets laid in the track. Photo by Bob Hawes, his copyright. Photo by Ian Bob Hawes, his copyright. Photo by Bob Hawes, his copyright. Photo by Bob Hawes, his copyright. Photo by Bob Hawes, his copyright. Photo by Ian Lampkin, his copyright.

E-mail: bob.hawes@gmx.co.uk Telephone: (01925) 231497 Mobile: 0779 163 4702 Appledore – a Devonshire finger of the withered arm in 00 Layout Details For Exhibition Managers Layout Location Warrington, Cheshire. Scale / Gauge 76:1 16.5mm gauge (“00 Gauge”) Dimensions 18’ by 15” (5500mm x 380mm) [+ 4’ (1200mm) behind for operators] Scenic Length 18’ (5500mm) Transport 2 Private Cars Travelling Distance no object, but overnight accommodation is required for journeys exceeding much more than an hour. Operators Four (4). Insurance Value £6000 Layout, £4000 Rolling Stock Power Supply 1 power point of at least 5A Lighting Supplied. Barriers Essential. Tables & Chairs 1 large or 2 small tables behind the fiddle yard please if possible. No chairs required as we have our own stools. Programme Entry: History: Appledore, in North Devon, was originally served by the Bideford, Appledore and Westward Ho! Railway but this closed in World War one. The rolling stock and track were recovered for the war effort. The layout is based upon a fictitious history where the London and South Western Railway built a new line from their Bideford station to Westward Ho! and Appledore mainly to tap in to the ship building traffic. Later on the LSWR added a direct link towards Torrington allowing clay trains from Meeth and Passenger trains from Halwill Junction to run directly to Appledore. The Southern Railway rebuilt the station to cater for increased holiday passenger traffic. The Layout: The layout was built in the early 1980’s by Ian Lampkin and since then has undergone numerous changes including an increase in length from the original size. It is set in the early 1960s era. A line serving the shipbuilders has been located to the front of the fiddleyard along with a street scene, with a china clay unloading point served by the track going off scene at the rear of the layout. Most buildings have been scratch built from plastic sheet. Some of the street side buildings have been kitbashed from Dornaplas building kits. Plain track is by SMP Scaleway with turnouts being scratch built. Rolling stock is a mixture of kit built and modified ready to run. Operation: All rolling stock is fitted with Kadee couplers and magnets hidden within the track. This allows handsfree uncoupling. The layout is run to sequence based on the working timetable for Torrington with services extended to Appledore. The layout portrays two alternate years, 1961 with steam traction and 1964 with diesel hydraulic traction. Photo by Steve Flint. Copyright PECO Publications LTD. Photo by Steve Flint. Copyright PECO Publications LTD. Photo by Steve Flint. Copyright PECO Publications LTD. Photo by Steve Flint. Copyright PECO Publications LTD. Photo by Steve Flint. Copyright PECO Publications LTD. Photo by Ian Lampkin. Copyright Ian Lampkin. Photo by Ian Lampkin. Copyright Ian Lampkin.