By Mark Pollard
Scale 7mm/1ft, 0 gauge
The layout come around by accident ! The woodwork was made to be part of a model I have of a roundhouse called Old Elm Park, but when I added the box to the front the turntable was to far back to view. So I was left with a box 4 ft by 16 inches ….. what to do with it ? Fellow members at my local model railway club were interested that this layout is 4ft by 4ft and I rose to the challenge to built an even smaller O gauge layout !
I have always had an interest in industrial steam locos and the first locos I built in O gauge were of Industrial designs but I did not have a suitable layout to display then on so the Quarry View idea was born. I also thought I could prove that it is possible to build a small O gauge layout which is entertaining to operate.
With the Peco set track O gauge points the track layout was planned and the first thing built the turntable from a Kitwood Hill models kit, this saves a lot of space. The turntable is lined up by eye and controlled via a Gaugemaster panel mounted controller. The points are operated by Peco point motors. The track work is weathered to look suitably used around the shed area.
The idea is that the scene is of an industrial engine shed in a rural location probably at a quarry in the Chiltern Hills where locos are stabled between duties.
I recently exhibited the layout at our local club summer show and was surprised how entertaining it was to operate though the day shunting locos back and forth and moving a few wagons around. Many visitors were also interested what can be built in a small space and the detail which can be added.
The track is ballasted in the traditional way with 50/50 water/p.v.a, the rock on the layout is ‘real’ rock ! As the layout is so small it does not really add to the weight and the layout can be transported in the boot of the car. The layout is self contained with a hinged lid that has LED lighting, the control panel is built into the side of the back scene. I use a Lenz DCC system, I have not got round to fitting sound to nay of my industrial locos as yet.
The locos are a mix of kit built from Agenoria, Mercian and 85A kits and a few RTR models which are weathered and or repainted. A few are also named after family members. The large rabble tank ‘Littleton No 5’ I built many years ago as I used to see the loco running at the Avon Valley Railway, I believe it is now in the overhaul queue.
The little Planet diesel loco built from a Taff models kit will fit on the turntable with a wagon .. just .. which adds an operational dimension of getting supplies or fuel into the shed. The whole layout is a shunting puzzle.
The scenery is made from the usual supplies from woodland scenics and most of the details are from the spares box. Fencing is make from strip wood and the bulldozer is a Japanese WW2 military model weathered and painted in a more work like colour. The yard lamps all work with LED’s. Real coal is used crushed up and slums etc are made with static grass applicator.
The layout made use of a spare baseboard, gave me a quick working layout while also building a bigger project and some where to display my collection of industrial motive power and has proven to be fun to operate along with showing what can be built in a small space.
As a member of our local model railway club Maidenhead, Marlow MRC it was good to exhibit the layout recently and see how much interest visitors to to the exhibition were in it.
Marlow, Maidenhead & District Model Railway Club 