Whittingly - What next?

Since the Rail200 event at the NEC National Festival or Railway Modelling, Whittingly Hospital has lived in its box in the garage. It was always intended to be the basis of an operational layout, not simply a diorama, so it is time to think about the transition. 

As a reminder, this overhead shot shows the layout as built within the Rail200 rules - which limited not just baseboard size, but overall height and the position of the front, disconnected, through track. The buildings were all constructed to fit within the available footprint and height limit. 

So here is Plan A. This was my original concept. The track layout is modified with a left-hand point by the end of the platform connecting the 3-way point to form a crossover, but otherwise the scenic area is unchanged. I would replace the backscene with a taller one, and add a cameo-style lighting pelmet. 

The key changes would be off-stage. To the left, a short extension gives a little more head shunt room beyond the platform canopy, and lengthens the two sidings through the buildings. On the right, a fiddle yard both provides for a change of train and completes a run-round loop with the 3-way point. I'd sketched a turntable yard, though if that doesn't look like it would work a sector plate would do. A train of 2 6-wheel coaches or 3-4 wagons and loco would be 15-18".

In this plan, the Rail200 challenge entry is kept largely unchanged, which minimises the work involved, and there are no board joins in the scenery. The downside is that only about half the layout length is scenic, shunting will go off-stage, and during key movements such as running around the loco can't be seen. 

Plan B is more ambitious. The extension to the left has become scenic, allowing the loco to be seen beyond the station canopy. A second board to the right provides the rest of the run-round loop and a point "on-stage", as well as the off-stage fiddle yard. This means pretty much all operation will be visible, and makes the scenic length around double that of the fiddle yard. 

The downsides are the complexities of extending the existing buildings. The engine shed would be particularly problematic, as sketched it crosses a board join, but the current structure is well fixed down and has an angled rear that is incomplete. I'm not sure how well the scene on the right-hand board works, messing up the balance of the existing scene without really adding to it. There's also an inconvenient backscene join, and it's harder to store. Finally, the resulting layout has lost the connection to the Rail200 challenge by growing well beyond its original size. While technically better, it would be better not starting from the current layout. 

Let me know what you think!

Glyn Valley Tramway Loco Shed.

April's BRM magazine shows another of my projects as a step-by-step guide. This one is is a Dapol laser-cut card kit for a narrow gauge engine shed. 

The prototype for the model was the Glyn Valley Tramway engine shed at Glyn Ceiriog, and still stands and can be seen on google streetview. 

It's a fine kit that makes a nice model. A first for me was using colouring pencils on the brickwork, which has worked really well. I modified assembly to allow the roof to be removed, and sat it on some card to lift it so my Glyn Valley Tram loco fitted through the door. I suspect the prototype was measured from current ground level, which might be equivalent to what was once rail height! 

It's nice to have a building kit that is intended for narrow gauge models. It will hold 3 009 locos, and would suit layouts in many different settings.

Steyning WRG Exhibition 2026

The Wealden Railway Group exhibition in Steyning yesterday was the first external show for the Sussex Downs 009 Group layout, Much Ditheryn. It was at the group's own members' day show last year, and has been to a previous members' day and an Amberley railway gala as an under-construction demonstration. 

The day didn't start well with two electrical issues, traced to loose/broken wires, but fortunately we resolved those quickly. We also had some issues with running as we found locos and stock that struggled with the gradients, curves, and possibly track imperfections, some adjustments may need to be made. However, most troublesome vehicles had been swapped out by soon after opening, and once we got into a rhythm things went well. Although lacking the finishing touches, it looked good and received some nice comments, and set-up and breakdown went well. 

Another new layout I was looking forward to seeing was Chris O'Donoghue's Caravanserai (009), set alongside the Nile in Egypt. It looked great, full of interest and very different!

The WRG show often has a good selection of NG layouts. Simon Hargreaves brought Dead Frog Basin (009), a delightful Inglenook which has been nicely completed and framed in an Ikea APA box since I last saw it. 

Giles Barnabe had built Ashleworth Quay in about 5 weeks. The premise uses "OO" for a 4' gauge line - OOn4 perhaps? It's compact and attractive with a clever backscene that really sets the scene. Sadly, perhaps because of its short development, it suffered from running issues. 

Ian Roberts had yet another 1:32 scale 16.5mm gauge layout, this time an island in the North Sea.

This large scale (SM32?) industrial layout by Les Coleman was "dead rail" (radio control). 

On to the standard gauge. Andrew Knights showed his new O-gauge shunting layout, I guess it's a micro layout in that scale!

London Road Sidings, a very compact shunting layout in OO by Terry Kempton.

A diesel depot (OO) by Tim Farmer.

Sidlow (OO) by Ian Buck

N-gauge tram layout that fits in a motorbike back pack by Mike Potter of Budget Model Railways.

Polbream, a very small but delightful scene in N by Tom Lloyd, featured in April's Model Rail magazine.

As always, a good friendly show with lots of chat.