Irish Finescale Tony Miles Adavoyle P4-21mm gauge

[Mayner]

Currently in the care of the South Dublin Model Railway Club the current layout is the second iteration of the Adavoyle layout started by Tony Miles in 1963.

Tony pioneered Irish finescale modelling in 4mm, he developed his own track and wheel standards from the prototype around the same time as and independently of the Model Railway Study Group who developed P4.

The majority of locos and stock originally used on the layout were either scratch or kit built, tender locomotives were powered by a large motor in the tender powered on the split chassis/axle pick up system, with power transmitted to the loco driving wheels by a carden shaft driving a gear box on the loco extremely powerful, some locos also had working inside valve gear

https://www.templot.com/GNRI/adavoyle.htm

[StevieB]

I had the pleasure of seeing it at Tony’s home many years ago along with other members of the old Worcester Circle. A truly memorable day but no photos!!?
Stephen

[Galteemore]

Tony was an incredible modeller - I think he’d been exposed to Irish railways via service in WW2, and he applied military precision to his modelling. I didn’t know him but my dad always spoke highly of him. Like JIC Boyd, a very committed Christian man and I think a lay preacher to boot. Don’t know if - as Boyd did - he carried a surplice on all his travels so he could join in worship with the local parish choir! 

[Mayner]

Tony invited in to the operating area behind the 2nd layout when he 1st exhibited it at the Bristol Show in 1978. I don't remember whether I asked a question or made a comment or simply recognised an Irish accent, but I was invited immediately in behind the layout something that never happened at another exhibition.

I was living at the time in London but later moved to Shropshire (for a short while) not realising Tony was living nearby in Ludlow. The Adavoyle layouts appear to have been a colloborative rather than an individual effort first on Merseyside and later the Welsh Marches, I think at one stage he was involved with the Aberystwyth Club on the West Coast of Wales quite a distance away.