http://www.southyorks009.org.uk/
WOOD END
An end-to-end Narrow
Gauge railway layout in 4mm scale – 9mm gauge (009)
Wood
End is a portable end-to-end model railway layout in 009 scale
on baseboards just 6 ft by 2ft 2ins. It was originally built by Chris Ford and
Nigel Hill in 1999/2000 and exhibited in the south of
Coal is emptied from Bagnall
wagons at Wood End, while the Kerr Stuart shunts as passengers wait for the
next train
It
has been featured in two magazines, Model Rail in September 2003 and Railway
Modeller in January 2004. It proved very popular when shown at the 009
Society “Little Trains in
The GV tram engine and modified VoR coaches wait for custom at
The
layout forms a U-shaped run with a scenic break in the middle, and no fiddle
yard, a fact which always raises comment. This can be simply explained in a
prototype sense; most narrow gauge lines in this country are self contained and
go from A to B. That is what happens here: it goes from Wood End to
Paul Windle Pecketts. The production model on the left and Paul's
visiting pre-production model 'Skiddaw' on right
It
is formed of three baseboards, two long boards of 45" x 11.5" and the
corner section of 26" x27" (This last board having been enlarged
since original construction). Since original building there have been some
scenic changes made to the layout, it has been re-wired, points formerly
controlled by wire-in-tube from the top of the baseboard, are now remotely
operated using SEEP motors, and electro-magnets for uncoupling have been added.
It is lit by
6 hidden 12v halogen kitchen lights (powered by their own transformer) in a sky
blue painted canopy which is fixed through the centre of the scenic break.
European outline stock visits
Quiet times at
Traditional
scenic materials are from the usual suppliers, Woodland Scenics, Green Scene etc, with
the addition of some unusual but readily available items such as tea-leaves and
Hebe twigs from the garden. Much of the ‘hardware’ is adapted Wills kits: the bridge railings, the
goods crane, farmhouse, the petrol station (much bashed greenhouse), and
various bits from the oddment box. However the original builders made a rod for
their own (and subsequent owners’ – should they wish to continue in the same
vein) backs by building most of the buildings and walls from individual pieces
of 4mm card strip cut to represent single stone slabs, to build rough stone
walls. The effect is however spectacular, particularly the retaining wall on
the curved section.
Stone station buildings and derelict winding house at Wood End
Most
of the buildings at Wood End are of a similar construction, the station building
(added since the original build) and store (the original station building), the
disused winding house (the well-like structure). Thankfully, this type of
building reduces as the line moves away from Wood End to imply that more stone
buildings were built near the quarry source of the stone. There are less stone
buildings at the Brook Side end and most are of timber construction - the
engine shed, station shelter (card, plasticard), and
the water tower and goods shed (matchsticks, bashed Wills kits). I have
extended the engine shed siding into the shed to increase loco storage
facilities. I have added backscenes from Townscene and Peco to the previously blue-painted scenic
divides.
Kerr Stuart diesel shunts wagons in the goods siding at Wood End, whilst the
Passengers await the next train after a quick rain shower at Wood End
Coal yard and crossing at Wood End. The slate fence is plasticard.
Wood End
Goods yard and station at Wood End
Some
of the stock is that used by the original builders, the Kerr Stuart diesel
still chugs around with some original wagons. One of the
Cub Scouts set up their camp near the
farmhouse
Sheep slow up traffic on the road
As
for me - I am a relative new-comer to 009, and I had been looking around for
suppliers of track, stock etc at reasonable prices, after having to pay silly
prices on eBay for what turned out to be poor quality items. I joined the 009
Society in May 2006 and noticed in their magazine that a small group of local
members were trying to re-form the South Yorkshire Group. At what I believe was
their third meeting I met Allan Martin (from whom I bought Wood End),
Activity around the farmhouse
So
what of the future? I was attracted to 009 by its flexibility in design
particularly the ability to build layouts or parts of layouts in modular form,
so that a good, but small exhibition layout can be created, but which can be
extended and developed as space and the imagination permits. Wood End is an
excellent starting point. Whatever development may take place I like the idea
of always being able to retain the flexibility of being able to work an
interesting layout in a relatively small space.
So who forgot to shut the door?
The
layout is available for exhibitions. I can be contacted for further information
by email at stephen.penn@zen.co.uk
or by phone on 01757 611318.
Wood End at "Little Trains in
….and
at the 009 Society EGM in
I
live in
Steve
Penn