David's 0 Gauge stuff

[David Holman]

Going through my 0 gauge stock to get it ready for the Club layout's appearance at the the Chatham Show next month, thought it might be of interest to share what I got up to in the years prior to 2012, when I started modelling the Irish scene.

 After initially dabbling in EM gauge and then 7mm NG I eventually moved to 0 gauge with a Light Railway layout called Loose End - a Colonel Stephens essay of which there are no digital photos available, but which appeared several times in the Modeller from the late 90's.

 The next project was somewhat grandiose - a 10m x 4m oval, with a high level secondary line, modelled on the Marks Tey - Cambridge line which also included a low level goods yard. It was all way too big for a solo project, so eventually it got scrapped, but not before I salvaged the buildings to create a more sensible terminus-fiddle yard layout. It was called Eatonswell - an adaption of Eastanswill, which was the name Charles Dickens allegedly gave to Sudbury in Suffolk in the Pickwick Papers. 

 Very much BR 1950s Eastern Region, I built a far bit of stock, which has been confined to either boxes or my display cabinet for far too long, so it will be nice to run some of it again. Below are some pictures covering a selection of views of the layout.

 

 

 The station was a fairly accurate copy of Chappel & Wakes Colne - chosen because of its two level design. I used Howard Scenics embossed brick papers, painted with water colours

.

 The goods shed was a standard Great Eastern design, while a row of matings were inspired by those at Hadleigh and Snape. The loco shed was Saffron Walden.

 Pride of the line was my B17/6 "Nottingham Forest". My home town club, the loco itself did work in East Anglia. The Gresley Brake 3rd is a Kirk kit.

 Proof that I'm not entirely averse to ready to run models are the two shunters. Both are Bachmann Brassworks, which came unpainted in those days. The 08 needed a fair bit of detailing, but is a nice runner, while the 03, which also runs well, simply got a paint and weathering job.

 At the other end of the scale is this Waggon & Maschinbau railbus - because it was scratch built. A real challenge with all those complex curves to say nowt about the curved front windows.

 

 Finally, for now, one of my favourite models, the George England Wantage Well Tank. I'd started building it for Loose End when, very fortuitously Model Railway Journal ran a series of articles by Laurie Griffin as a scratchbuilding project. Even better was the fact they produced a range of castings to go with it. Building this little loco taught me a lot and gave me the confidence to later tackle a D16 4-4-0, leading eventually to all my Irish stuff.

 One day, I really must build a small shunting layout so this pretty little engine can run regularly again.

 Hopefully more stuff will appear later.

 

[Galteemore]

Wow what a treat! Love Shannon - live about half an hour from her old stamping ground.

[leslie10646]

Lovely work, David, especially the buildings.

While I agree with @Galteemore that the Wantage Tank is delightful, it's the "Footballer" pic which caught my eye, almost a 12 inches to the foot photograph. Congratulations!

[Tullygrainey]

A real pleasure to see these pictures David and a lovely selection of locos, all up to your usual high standard. That pic of Nottingham Forest is particularly effective and hats off to you for that scratch built railbus - some very skilful panel beating there! I can understand your affection for the little well tank. A real charmer. More please.

[Mol_PMB]

Wonderful stuff! Having been brought up in Essex and familiar with Chappel and the Sudbury branch as well as other local branch lines like Braintree and (former) Maldon, I think you have captured the atmosphere very well. 
And Shannon looks superb!

[David Holman]

Thanks folks. Have occasionally thought about moving the wheels out on Shannon, but the loco is so tiny, there just isn't room.

[derek]

Fantastic stuff David. Great to see. Agree with Leslie, the buildings are phenomenal. Thanks for sharing 

[David Holman]

Eatonswell

 This layout was built in the early 2000s, in a pre-digital age - for me anyway. Hence most of the pictures here are photos taken of my article in the April 2009 edition of RM. Eatonswell was my first attempt at 'mainline' modelling, trying to depict a secondary line in East Anglia in the 1950s, as shown in the map below.

 The scenic part of the layout was about 16ft x 2'6, divided into four split level boards as shown below.

 As in many of my schemes, even in this relatively large area, it relied on off scene sidings to develop the scene, though as I wrote at the time a 16ft scenic section out of a total run of about 70ft wasn't exactly good value for exhibition managers. The eventual intention was to grow the scenic areas over time, but it soon all became too much to organise. Might have worked as a club project, but not a solo one!

 Indeed, the only thing that made it work in the first place was the innovative idea of making each 180 degree curve in two sections of different radii, so they could 'nest' with each other for storage and transport.

 RM staff did a nice job on all these drawings and likewise the actual track plan.

 As can be seen, the goods yard was at a lower level and fed by two separate fiddle yards, which used cassettes. Overall then, this supposed solo enterprise actually needed at least five operators, though with that level of help, we could get it set up in about ninety minutes and back in the van  in about 30.

 Apologies for the poor quality of some of the photos. I'll do some up to date ones as stuff is being got ready for the Chatham Show this year.

 The photo was taken after the layout became end to end, in which form it managed several shows because it took up much less space.

 All things being equal, nearly 20 years on, it is nice to reflect on what, while ultimately a bit of a blind alley, still looks pretty good and actually ran well too [it was DCC by the way]; shame it was all a bit too big for me to manage...

 

 

[Galteemore]

Fabulous work David - really high standard of work and lots of scope for operation. Don’t take this the wrong way - I’m glad it didn’t prove an enduring project or we’d never have had Arigna/Belmullet/Northport/Fintonagh/Swillybegs. The Eastern Region’s loss is our gain!! 

 

[David Holman]

 Back from a week in near 40c Umbria, Italy. Lovely area, but no sun tan as spent all our time in the shade. Anyway, now for Eatonswell Mark 3.

 After the initial oval and then the end to end with cassette fiddle yards, it was obvious that the format was impractical, not least because baseboards 4' long and 2'6 wide were desperately unwieldy. So, buildings were removed, track lifted and baseboards scrapped. The new layout was terminus-fiddle yard: four 3' 9 x 2' scenic boards and a 5' fiddle yard. There was a small additional scenic board which took the station building, at right angles across the end of the track. 

 The fiddle yard still used cassettes, but this time I employed separate loco and train cassettes. The former could easily be picked up and moved to the other end of the train, while the latter only needed sliding back and forth. The 5' overall length meant there was enough room for a tender loco and three 52' bogies coaches.

 So, here we see the original station, at right angles to the tracks, creating a nice terminus.

 

Looking the other way, you can see there was a single main platform, with a bay just beyond, while in the foreground is a double loading dock.

 Moving further along, we see the goods shed siding and the rest of the bay platform. This was mainly used for my Derby Lightweight DMU and W&M Railbus. Further pictures of these below.

 The final section of the layout had a run of maltings, severed by their own siding, while at the front edge was the loco shed, based on the one at Saffron Walden.

 After the trials of the Mark 1 & 2 layouts, this version proved eminently more manageable - five and a bit baseboards [all with integral legs] against sixteen, while also being capable of solo operation, though two or three people were better. With point and signal operation all being wire in tube, wiring was fairly simple. It only did five shows, but was certainly one of my better efforts until the Irish bug bit in 2012 and Eatonswell was sold - though I did keep the stock. More on the latter next time.

 

[David Holman]

 Pride of the line was undoubtedly B17/6 4-6-0 Nottingham Forest. Was born there, so have always followed the club, while 61666 was a regular visitor to East Anglia. The model is an etched brass kit and by some margin the largest loco I've built. Quite a complex job, with its outside valve gear and fully lined BR Brunswick Green, it is been a showcase model for the last ten years, but am tempted to run it at Chatham later this month

 The other mainline passenger loco was this D16/3 4-4-0. After the Wantage Tank, this was my first big scratch build and for some reason I chose one with the decorative splasher valences, just to make it even more difficult..

 The big goods engine is a J17 0-6-0. Another etched brass kit, its long coupled wheelbase has meant it grunts a bit going through 6' radius points, but I've always liked the design.

The Waggon & Maschinbau four wheel railbuses were used a lot in East Anglia, so decided I'd try and scratch build one. All those complex curves made it quite a challenge and then [Sodd's Law of course], a rtr one came out soon after. Still - its mine and no one else's!

 Forgot to mention that the layout used DCC control. No sound [way too expensive], indeed got away with one amp chips designed for 00, but as none of my locos drew more than 0.25 amps things were [mostly] fine. However, blew several of them because didn't insulate them properly in etched brass bodies - still better £15 quid than over a hundred...

 It was the Bachman Prodigy system, which I still have...

[Horsetan]

The J17 wheelbase was something like 9' x 9', which almost gives the GNRI "V" and VS's 10'6" wheelbase a run for their money.

That said, the J17 ultimately wasn't the biggest as the J19 and J20 were even more substantial.

[Galteemore]

5 hours ago, Horsetan said:

The J17 wheelbase was something like 9' x 9', which almost gives the GNRI "V" and VS's 10'6" wheelbase a run for their money.

That said, the J17 ultimately wasn't the biggest as the J19 and J20 were even more substantial.

Wheelbases are interesting things. The GNRI A class goods engine has the same wheelbase as an LMS Duchess, which was most useful in sourcing coupling rods! Great photos David, we are most grateful to have your talents employed modelling more arcane stuff now….but that Nottingham Forest does deserve a run out.

Edited July 8 by Galteemore

[David Holman]

Ready to Run?

 Well, sort of: several items were bought when I was made redundant from Kent Education in 2011, though it must be said I was back at work the next day, but this time as a consultant. Such are the ways things still work around here, years later!

 First up were a couple of diesel shunters from Bachmann Brassworks. Nice models, but they came unpainted and the 08 in particular only had basic detail.

 It certainly ran well straight out of the box, but [I think] Modern Traction Kits did a detailing pack. Opening the latter, you were met with the words 'commiserations on buying the 08'. Well it didn't look that bad to me! Turns out the shape of the body is wrong - it should taper towards the top, but instead is very square. 

 Nevertheless, the details were very comprehensive, with many tiny parts, often etched in stainless steel, so I set about adding as many as possible, though a couple got vaporised when I had my resistance soldering unit on too high a setting... A full paint job was required too, plus transfers from Fox.

 The 03 was pretty good straight out of the box, including some nice cab detailing, but like the 08 was in unfinished brass. Nowadays you can get both shunters for much less, ready to run. The 08 starts at under £200, I believe, but hey, these are both mine and I had a pleasant time working on them.

 The next purchase was much more of a problem child. Another Bachmann Brassworks, this time a Derby Lightweight two car DMU. On the face of it, another nice model, but the more you looked, the more you realised was missing, or even just wrong. Not good for £400 - and remember this was 14 years ago.

 First of all, there was no interior at all, while the more I looked at the windows, the more I really didn't like the very plain toplights. The under frames were very curious, The original units had two power cars, as they were intended for West Yorkshire, but those that worked in East Anglia had only one power car, due to the easier gradients. However, it was what was put underneath on the model which was really just odd.

 Lots of battery boxes [mostly in the wrong place] and what look like two electric motor casings, as opposed to diesel engine blocks. So, everything was stripped off and after a visit to the North Norfolk Railway to check out their preserved example, I set about trying to improve things. The picture below shows what was achieved by re-arranging the etched boxes and adding one or two castings, including a couple of large engine blocks.

 

 The non motor coach under frame was a much simpler affair, just needing some sturdy trussing made from plastic sheet, plus a brake cylinder and a couple of battery boxes.

 That  just left the body work. After making up a full interior [lots of seats and a few passengers] for each coach, I then decided to cut out the toplights and make new ones from plastic strip. No small task given all those windows, while I also had to add glazing bars to the cab front windows. The original Derby units didn't have them, but it was soon found they were needed as the large expanses of glass developed a tendency to crack due to vibrations. A complete paint job was required too of course, plus the transfers, with the 'speed whiskers' in particular really bringing the model to life.

 Despite the faults, overall, it was a nice model, with some neat details, not least the corridor connections. You might just see I enhanced these with jumper cables which can be easily connected once the model is on the track. I calculated that the model needed over 400 separate pieces added [many of these for the windows], but I think it has been worth it, not least because, like many, I have fond memories of grabbing one of the seats behind the driver's cab to see the road ahead. Indeed, I once had a cab ride to Bleanau Ffestiniog in one. 

 Like all the models pictured the DMU is sitting on Northport Quay and it is interesting to see how two 63' coach units dwarf the station.

 The final two models in this post were bought ready made from a fellow club member, Both are Connoisseur kits [always very good], but were painted in LNER livery, so I redid them in BR black, followed by some weathering, especially the F5 2-4-2T. The 0-6-0T is one of the J69 'Buckjumpers'

 So ready to run maybe, but definitely not straight out of the box.

[Mol_PMB]

Really impressive what you did to upgrade the old Brassworks models.

I've got one of those 08's stashed somewhere, which I repainted in blue with wasp stripes, but I wasn't aware of the detailing kit at the time.

I seem to remember trying to get a load of marker light options working on DCC but getting it wrong and blowing the decoder. Electronics not my strong point!

[David Holman]

Parcels Stock

 I've always had a thing for parcels stock - it is probably down to the variety that could be seen in a single train, so I built up a decent sized rake, along with the option of adding a parcels van to a short passenger train, which I also like.

 First up is a Southern Railway GUV. These seemed to turn up all over the country for parcels and newspaper traffic. Mine is the Slater's kit & very nice it was too to build.

 Next we have an LMS bogie GUV. Another nice vehicle with its short bogie wheel base. Unlike the Slater's kit [mostly plastic], this one, from Wagon & Carriage Works is mostly etched brass and white metal castings, so it rather heavy.

 The LNER full brake is much lighter, being an Ian Kirk plastic kit. Fairly basic [and therefore requiring a bit more work to be presentable], these kits were nevertheless very cheap and good value. Getting the roofs to sit properly could be a pain though.

 The LNER pigeon van was either D&S or W&C again, hence mainly etched brass and white metal. Back in the day, racing pigeon traffic could be quite substantial. Below that is an LNER horse box, from one or the other of those stables [pun intended]. 

 

 So, a nice mix of shapes, sizes and roof lines, which when added to vehicles like fitted vans, milk tanks and the like, makes a classic Eastern Region 'Stock Train', which I'm hoping to run next weekend at the Chatham Show, behind either my B17 or D16.

Coaches

 Quite an eclectic mix, mainly because passengers trains on Eatonswell only ran to three coaches, or two and a parcels van. First up is a pair of ex Great Eastern corridors. They were D&S kits bought not just because I liked them, but also because MRJ ran a couple of articles on how to build and detail them. On Eatonswell, they usually ran with the SR GUV behind my E4 2-4-0.

 A trio of Gresley 'short' bogies next. The composite was scratch built in plastic card and strip on Wayoh bogies, while the pair in 'blood & custard' are Kirk kits. The B17 used to work these - a bit of a down turn from previous express duties, but it was often the case of them being relegated to local trains once the B1s and Britannias arrived on the scene

 Finally, a couple of Thompson suburbans. The brake 3rd is scratch built [Wayoh bogies again], while the composite is another W&C kit. They often ran with a horse box, hauled by the F5 2-4-2T.

 

[David Holman]

Freight Stock

Pretty much everything is either from kits by Slater's or Parkside. Apart from paint, both types come complete, including transfers and and generally easy to build, even for a beginner. I was very much making them when Martin Welch was sharing his weathering techniques in Model Railway Journal. His seminal 'Art of Weathering' appeared at the same time & even nearly 30 years later, remains my go to book on the subject.

 

 

First up, a mix of open wagons that formed the basis of an unfitted goods train. My J15 was used for this, as I deliberately made it a steam brake only loco, meaning the buffer beams were completely uncluttered with hoses and just had three link couplings - ideal for working by the Great Hand From The Sky. A method I still like, by the way, but it is not ideal when operating from the front at exhibitions.

 No 1950s layout is complete without a few steel minerals. Very much followed Martyn Welch's teachings for these. You paint the rust colour on first, then [when dry] cover it with Maskol. Once this has gone off, paint the top coat [wagon grey]. When this is dry, take a fine pair of tweezers and pick off the Maskol, hence leaving the rusty patches underneath the top coat, often with some nice peeling edges too.

 Now some specialist vehicles in the form of cattle wagons, a container flat and a petrol tank. More about the tanker later.

 I built a fair selection of vans over the years. The unfitted ones usually went with the J15 and pick up goods, while the fitted vans made a train of their own. That said, the fish and meat vans above, usually got included in the 'stock train' mentioned in the previous post.

 There are three brake vans, essentially LNER based, though the one above also became a BR Standard.

 Finally, the milk tankers. Three Slater's six wheelers, these are certainly not for a beginner or the faint hearted. Probably one of the most complex wagon kits available. Part of the reason for this is that everything in the under frame is on show, plus there are lots of fine details. These are real mixed media kits involving plastic mouldings, etched brass, lost wax brass castings, wire and other fittings. The build is further complicated by the way the tank is arranged. You'd think it would be a tube with cast/moulded ends, but no - the tank comes in three sections, split 120 degrees longitudinally. There's some lovely fine moulding, but when sanding those joins flush, you have to be really careful not to scrub it off.

 I think there is about 50 hours work to finish one of these tanks, which makes the recent ready to run versions an absolute bargain.

 Hopefully, I'll be able to post pictures of this stuff, in action on the Club layout after this week's Chatham Show. Thursday is moving day - breaking the layout down and transferring it all to the the venue in the No5 Covered Slip. Friday will be getting everything running, with last minute fettling, while on Sunday evening it all has to go back to our Clubroom in a cellar under the Ropery.

 Wish us luck!

 

[Tullygrainey]

I keep forgetting to look in this corner of the forum! An absolute joy to browse through all these images David.

[David Holman]

Thanks Alan. We had over 2300 visitors at the show and on the Club layout, most of my stock ran really well - especially as most of it had been in boxes for the last ten years. The Type 1 diesel, E4 2-4-0, J69, DMU and 08 shunter ran all weekend racking up a whole kilometre each over the two days. When we switched to dcc, the B17 and F5 also performed nicely.

 Indeed, it was very rewarding to get these models out again and am really tempted to build a new layout to run them at home from time to time. However, work on the Irish projects beckons and am looking forward to getting back to some modelling again, especially with all the inspiring stuff on this forum .

[David Holman]

Loose End

 This was my first standard gauge 7mm scale layout. It was very much a Light Railway, with a mix of Colonel Stephens, Wantage, Wisbech & Upwell & Brill Tramways, to name but a few.

 The track plan was a mirror image of Wantage Town - ideal, as it is just over seven feet long, even in 0 Gauge. Track was Code 100 fb rail on copper clad sleepers, with points made by Marcway of Sheffield. It was built in the late '90s, so pre-digital as far as photos are concerned, but a fair few of the techniques went on to be used in my Irish layouts. Indeed, the light weight looking track even caused a few people to ask if it was broad gauge!

 Loose is a real village, just south of Maidstone, while the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway planned extension would have passed this way. Most of the buildings were based on actual ones in the small town of West Malling and I really went to town on the fine details, especially things like shop windows. Being Kent, there had to be an oast house of course. 

 Locos and stock were very much based on Light Railway practice, ranging from Manning Wardles to a Wisbech tram [complete with face and Toby nameplate]. A Wantage Mathews tram was joined by other oddities as I developed my kit and scratch building skills. See what you can identify!

 The layout went to quite a few shows, but I could only manage about three a year in those days, due to work. Everything was [very] analogue, with wire in tube point control, three link couplings and operation from the rear. I learned a lot, not least balancing scenics in a small space via careful use of painted back scenes. Pictures below are photos of photos, so may not be the best, but overall the layout looks pretty good and worked well too.

 I was very pleased with the scene above, where the join between the painted road and the actual surface where the car is blends nicely. 

 The layout was sold in the late noughties to a chap who lived near my Mum in Newark on Trent. I went on to build a small extension for him, featuring a hop garden. I also made him a Colonel Stephens railbus. Later, he sold it on & last time I heard it was living in a barn somewhere in France.

 By the way, an outline of my plans for a new 0 gauge layout will be appearing here soon.

 

 

[Galteemore]

Fabulous stuff. Real echoes of Fintonagh/Swillybegs here. Although I am a little alarmed to see you drifting down the primrose path of 32mm again……;) 

[David Holman]

Really enjoyed reacquainting myself with what are still nice models and have been promising myself I'd build something for my Wantage tank for several years. So, parallel projects and am certainly not done with all things Irish!

[Tullygrainey]

On 27/7/2025 at 5:29 PM, David Holman said:

Loose End

 This was my first standard gauge 7mm scale layout. It was very much a Light Railway, with a mix of Colonel Stephens, Wantage, Wisbech & Upwell & Brill Tramways, to name but a few.

 The track plan was a mirror image of Wantage Town - ideal, as it is just over seven feet long, even in 0 Gauge. Track was Code 100 fb rail on copper clad sleepers, with points made by Marcway of Sheffield. It was built in the late '90s, so pre-digital as far as photos are concerned, but a fair few of the techniques went on to be used in my Irish layouts. Indeed, the light weight looking track even caused a few people to ask if it was broad gauge!

 Loose is a real village, just south of Maidstone, while the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway planned extension would have passed this way. Most of the buildings were based on actual ones in the small town of West Malling and I really went to town on the fine details, especially things like shop windows. Being Kent, there had to be an oast house of course. 

 Locos and stock were very much based on Light Railway practice, ranging from Manning Wardles to a Wisbech tram [complete with face and Toby nameplate]. A Wantage Mathews tram was joined by other oddities as I developed my kit and scratch building skills. See what you can identify!

 The layout went to quite a few shows, but I could only manage about three a year in those days, due to work. Everything was [very] analogue, with wire in tube point control, three link couplings and operation from the rear. I learned a lot, not least balancing scenics in a small space via careful use of painted back scenes. Pictures below are photos of photos, so may not be the best, but overall the layout looks pretty good and worked well too.

 I was very pleased with the scene above, where the join between the painted road and the actual surface where the car is blends nicely. 

 The layout was sold in the late noughties to a chap who lived near my Mum in Newark on Trent. I went on to build a small extension for him, featuring a hop garden. I also made him a Colonel Stephens railbus. Later, he sold it on & last time I heard it was living in a barn somewhere in France.

 By the way, an outline of my plans for a new 0 gauge layout will be appearing here soon.

 

 

Wonderful! Like your Irish layouts, it really projects a sense of place with its array of typical buildings. I think if I'd just seen the pictures unattributed, I'd have recognised it as your work. 

[David Holman]

Interesting you say that Alan, because it is certainly the case that well known artists are often recognisable by their style. Not suggesting I'm comparable to the likes of Renoir or Monet (!), but even us humble modellers have own way of doing things that amounts to something similar, be it because of the colour palette, construction methods etc.

 Your own work certainly has a definite signature to it, as does that of several other folk on this forum, especially those, like your self, whose recent posts have certainly inspired me to have a go at model buildings again.

 Those Loose End buildings were all made of various thicknesses of card (no foamboard then) and covered with Howard Scenics embossed card. The latter quite innovative at the time and certainly an improvement on computer chads (remember those?) as used by Iain Rice and Bob Barlow. I actually painted each brick individually (I know!), using "light red" water colour and a very fine brush. Not sure if Howard Scenics card is still available, because it could still have its uses and preferable to scribing DAS clay for brickwork in some circumstances.

 Long grass at that time was a similarly laborious process, using teddy bear fur. No soft toys were harmed in the process. Indeed, still have part of a roll of the stuff somewhere. Thank goodness for static grass machines.

Edited Monday at 19:58 by David Holman

[Tullygrainey]

When you reflect on it, the range of materials and techniques available to us has expanded hugely over the last decade or two, perhaps giving the lie to the often voiced opinion that the hobby is in decline. Interesting, and exciting too, to speculate how things might continue to develop over the next decade or two.  So long as it doesn't result in AI-driven 3D printers producing complete layouts in response to a sentence typed into a computer by the modeller. That would be the end of the hobby as we know it! Even then, I'd like to think there'd still be a few of us occupying our own little time warps, making stuff from raw materials.

[David Holman]

 So, time to come clean about my ideas for a new 0 gauge project...

 As I've said earlier, it all comes down to rediscovering all my stock that has been languishing in boxes for the last ten years or more; that and a fascinating article in the latest Model Railway Journal called "A tale of Three Stations or more..." 

 As you can see, it combines Iain Rice style design, with one of his favourite subjects, an East Anglian byway. Very much a 'part layout' [with a fiddle yard taking the place of half the loop], it appealed to my limits of a 6'9" shelf space, expanding to the 11 feet footprint of Northport Quay and Swillybegs' trestles and beams used for exhibitions.

 It also got me looking back through my books on East Anglian railways - especially those by Dr Ian Allen, John Brodribb and Peter Payne. From these, ideas rapidly coagulated into I scheme I felt could meet my needs:

• A single track line with a siding leading to a private branch, in particular a small set of exchange sidings
• The 'main' line could run things like my diesel railbus for passenger traffic, together with short freight trains that could exchange traffic with the private sidings

 In the 1950s, an East Anglian branch freight could be as little as one or two wagons and a brake van, hauled by anything from a D16 4-4-0, J15/17/69 0-6-0s, F5 2-4-2T through to Class 15/03/08 diesels. The private sidings would be perfect for my ex Wantage            0-4-0WT, or a Manning Wardle 0-6-0T. All of which I have, of course, while among my 40+ wagons are pretty much all the types I might need in terms of vans and opens, plus the essential brake vans.

 The design I've come up with builds on the MRJ article of '3 stations in one' - indeed I think I've identified at least six. Allow me to explain:

 The sketch plan shows the single track through line running across the front of the scene. On the right hand side is the main fiddle yard [I'm thinking cassettes at the moment], which will be no more than 30" long, enough for a small loco and three wagons, or a tender engine and two. Don't need anything longer, as the Iain Rice rule of maximum train length being no more than a third of the scenic length demands this. At the other end will be an 18" length of plain track - enough to hold the railbus before its return journey, or indeed a loco with a parcels van or two. There were a lot of light engine movements or loco and brake van in East Anglia at this time.

 The main line will be Peco bullhead track, but the private sidings will be flat bottomed, Code 100 rail on copper clad sleepers to help emphasise a lightweight look. All four points will be Ys: in particular the Y points offered by Marcway of Sheffield. Have used these many times, because they are such space savers. A 6' radius Marcway Y is just 12" long, compared to 18" for the Peco one. As you can see, there is half a run round loop [the right hand fiddle yard does the other half], plus a siding with a small loco shed and a kickback siding.

 The key to the multiple personalities lies in the shaded area in front of the back scene. This will hold a range of exchangeable 'jigsaw' pieces [another Rice idea] that will mean I can change the personality and purpose of the layout over time.

• Initially, this will probably be just a section of low cutting, with open scenery behind - very Fenland, in fact. A couple of trees should hide the exit to the fiddle yard. In this form, the private branch could have at least three forms:
  • an agricultural line, such as the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway or the Benwick branch
  • An army depot
  • An airfield branch - both of which were common in the area and offer a wide range of traffic

 However, if this scenic area is replaced by buildings, then there a several ideal prototypes which could be used:

• Maltings and granary - am thinking Snape in particular, which had its own BR operated branch, but there were plenty of others with nice buildings such as Hadleigh, Saffron Walden or North Elmham for inspiration. I particularly like the archway at Snape, where in reality, wagons were shunted by horse or road tractor. In my case, it makes a nice scenic break which I can use in the other concepts below.
• A jam factory. Yes, really - the Wilkins factory [still open today] on the Kelvedon and Tollesbury Light Railway was rail served, albeit by the branch goods, but there were enough sidings on the site to merit a private shunter instead of horses.
• A dairy. There was a rail served one at North Elmham. Same idea as above, while I do of course have three, six wheeled milk tankers...
• An engineering works. Think Garretts of Leiston on the Aldeburgh branch. Makers of agricultural machine, including traction engines, they had their own shunter. The works is now a museum that is well worth a visit.

 As I have a bit of a history of re-imagining my layouts [Arigna Town to Belmullet, Fintonagh to Swillybegs], building in some interchangeability very much appeals. 

 So, there we are. Am already working on lists of materials - mainly timber for baseboards, plus electrics and track work. One of our Chatham Club members works for a timber merchant, so a shopping list of pre-sawn 6mm birch ply is already under way. I still need to make a wiring diagram for both layout an its integral control panel, plus play around with things like pelmets and fascias to frame the view.

 For now, with hopefully a few more weeks of summer to enjoy, nothing is likely to be started before the autumn, while both Northport Quay and Swillybegs have exhibitions coming up. However, knowing what I'm like, there is now a real itch that needs scratching! Be assured, that once I do get started, you'll read about it here. Indeed, perhaps I ought to get out that roll of lining paper and draw out the plan full size - just to check clearances and so on, you understand...

 By the way, if anyone out there fancies using or adapting any of these ideas for themselves, feel free. 6'9 in 0 gauge shrinks to less than 4 feet in 00 and 2 feet in N. Never say you don't have enough room for a model railway! 

[Galteemore]

Now that is rather nice. Like the flexibility being built in, too. 

[Northroader]

I’d be inclined to ditch the right hand crossover, just a straight entry into the back siding from the fiddle yard through just one point out of the loop?
On due consideration, you would lose the private siding aspect, so maybe not, perhaps something like Ruyton Road, plus the engine shed?

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/154530-ruyton-road-revisited-what-to-do-with-an-old-classic/

sorry, I always think Iain Rice added at least one more point than necessary, now that Whitley could lose a siding, and keep it all compact and less points, and… (why don’t you just shut up, Bob?)

Edited Wednesday at 09:47 by Northroader

[David Holman]

 Already on my third or fourth version and not convinced I've got the design right yet! Drawing it out full size on lining paper should help, so I can pose stock and add some basic cardboard mockups of buildings too.

 However, before any more on the new project, thought I'd finish off my early 7mm scale stuff by going right back to the beginning and 0n16.5. This was in the late 1980s, so not only are the pictures photos of photos, some are actually in black and white.  The layout was called Hawkhurst, High Weald and it appeared in the Railway Modeeller in 1991 and Narrow Lines [7mmNG Society Magazine] in 1994. The pictures below show the track plan and map of the concept. The latter very much a Colonel Stephens theme, being a narrow gauge line running across the Weald of Kent from Rye to Maidstone, replacing the Kent & East Sussex; with a branch to Hawkhurst for good measure.

 

 Construction was very 'old school', with chipboard on 3" x 1" softwood frames, though the fiddle yard used a newish idea of cassettes.

 Trackwork was hand made, using Code 100 fb rail on copper clad sleepers, the first time I had attempted this & not that successful if I'm honest, though the points gradually got fettled into something workable. There was also a small amount of 9mm gauge track, as I had bought the 0n9 kit of one of the Horwich Works 15" gauge shunters.

 Stock was very freelance, mainly scratch built plastic bodies on 00 chassis. Plastic water pipe worked for loco boilers, while chimneys were often 00 ones cut in half and then made longer with some brass tube. All very home spun, but being freelance I didn't need to worry too much about accuracy. The Lima 08 shunter was useful, with its outside cranks, while a GWR 2-6-2T was made into an 0-6-2T, with the front pony going to the 08 to make a 2-6-0T.

 Another loco disguised its old Hornby 0-6-0 chassis by having full side skirts. It is seen with a couple of transporter wagons [my first standard gauge models], as per the Leek & Manifold.

 Pride of the line was a Vulcan kit of the Hunslet ex Sierra Leone 2-6-2T. My first 'proper' 7mm scale engine, it was quite a leap of faith with its RG4 motor and outside valve gear - the latter seriously scary stuff, being held together with 14ba nuts and bolts. Probably beginners luck, it actually ran really well.

 Wagons and coaches were mainly built on  4mm Ratio under frames  with plasticard bodies.

 The buildings were all based on typical Kentish types, including a Wealden Hall House and the classic oast. Really went to town on these, using the same methods I later used on Loose End. The station building was based on an Arthur Paine design like the one at Hemyock.

 After debuting at the Chatham Show, the layout did several other ones, including Expo Narrow Gauge, possibly the last one held in Greenwich Library, before the show moved to Swanley. However I found that the chipboard started to sag, thanks to inadequate bracing, so after a couple of years, I carefully removed the buildings and the rest [including the track], went to the council recycling centre.

 I then turned my attention to standard gauge, with Loose End, though narrow gauge later featured in similar layout called Cranbrook Town, of which more next time.

 Hawkhurst taught me a lot, particular in terms of basic scratch building. I enjoyed freelancing too - trying to be faithful to general railway practice, without needing to worry too much about overall accuracy, while working in 7mm scale [albeit in narrow gauge] showed me  certainly got me hooked on larger models.

 

[Galteemore]

That’s very nice indeed. I’m sorely tempted by 09 - love the concept of a  15” gauge railway meandering through the landscape. Would be so easy with Kato mechanisms. Seeing stuff like the North Weald really doesn’t help me at all…..

[Mol_PMB]

Very nice to see some transporter wagons modelled. A particular favourite of mine. I have made a small fleet of those for my Om scale Swiss project. 

[Tullygrainey]

I'm a current member of the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association so I've just finished reading your original articles on the Association website. Inspirational stuff David! It's a great scale/format to work in, giving plenty of scope for flights of fancy as well as the considerable satisfaction to be derived from taking a ready-to-run model and making of it something completely new and original. You struck a very believable balance between prototypical reality and modelling imagination with that layout.  And that oast house is a triumph of patience and perseverance, as well as a masterpiece to boot!

[derek]

On 27/7/2025 at 5:29 PM, David Holman said:

Loose End

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excellent David as per usual. And "Clark and Kent" newsagents? Genius

[David Holman]

You can't see it in the photos, but the greengrocer was Edward King. Several excruciating puns in the headlines at the newsagents too.