This page is intended as a showcase for WMRS members' layouts, providing information, photographs and details for exhibition managers.
St Mark's Yard | Cherry Orchard | Ronsthorpe | Chica
St Mark's Yard (The Rat Hole)
Tim Neale
The inspiration for this small, freelanced American HO switching layout came from an article in the Model Railroader a few years ago, about an area of Los Angeles where the trains literally moved between, and even through, the fruit warehouses. The Southern Pacific crews called it The Rat Hole. The catalyst was my son, hence the name, when he wanted a Santa Fe locomotive to replace Thomas and Co. St Mark's Yard is the result, although instead of fruit warehouses I have used Walthers' Paper Mill as the basis for the buildings. All the track work, buildings and rolling stock is proprietary, although the manufacturers may not necessarily recognise some of their products. To provide some variety, there are two periods of stock operating, Santa Fe blue period, up to mid-70s, and after the merger between the Santa Fe and Burlington Northern in September 1995. I have tried to give the layout a West Coast flavour, although I am not convinced that there are any paper mills in LA! However, the layout has been built for entertainment, and I have a fully paid up modeller's licence!
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The layout was never intended for exhibitions, although it was designed to be fully portable. It made its first public appearance at the Western Model Railway Society's show in 2004.
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The layout is 100" x 26" (254cm x 66cm) approximately including control panel, which can be front or rear mounted, but usually rear mounted for exhibitions. The layout has a lighting pelmet with 4 spotlights which stands approximately 7' (212cm) tall. It has viewing along the whole of the front edge. It requires one power socket as I bring a distribution board. Power for control and points is supplied by a Gaugemaster transformer pack, layout building lighting is provided by an H&M unit.
The whole layout (including stock) fits in the rear of a Vauxhall Cavalier hatchback and no van hire is necessary. The number of operators required is two.
If you are organising an exhibition and are interested in inviting this layout, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Tim Neale (Member of Western Model Railway Society
162, Waverley Avenue
Twickenham
Middlesex
TW2 6DL
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More Photos
Click images for the full size versions.
WMRS Chairman, Ron Bailes, concentrating hard with a tricky switching
manoeuvre
on Tim Neale's St Mark's Yard whilst at the Beckenham Model railway show in October 2008. Tim looks on.
[Photos taken by ex-club member Dick Carter]
Click images for the full size versions.
Top Left - Athearn FP45 makes an appearance on St Mark's yard during the Northolt Club's show in September 2008.
Top Right and Bottom - The Rock Island makes a takeover bid at St Mark's Yard during the Northolt Show 2008.
[Photos: Tim Neale]
Click image for the full size versions.
Top - New hut on St Mark's Yard.
[Photo: Ron Bales]
7mm scale, based on industrial narrow gauge in the 1960’s, first shown in 1995 and is now being shown in its extended form.
Click images for the full size versions.
Layout History
Cherry Orchard was first shown in 1995 in its 12’ format. The layout is based on the industrial narrow gauge railways as they looked in the 1960’s. The idea for the layout came after a visit to Cherry Orchard brick works in Essex in 1992. Sadly, the works closed in early 1995.
In the 1960’s there were many brick works up and down the country that used narrow gauge railways to move materials and finished products around the clay pits and works.
Click images for the full size versions.
Left - Class 24 loco on the standard gauge section.
Right - Narrow Gauge.
The extended layout portrays the brick making process from the clay pit to final transport to the rest of the country. A new section, 34’ x 2’ has now been added to the rest of the layout.
The layout is still based in the eastern part of the country but is not a copy of the brick works at Cherry Orchard.
Cherry Orchard Track Plan - Click for full size version.
Layout Details
Size (area req): 38’ x 6’
Table required: 1 small
Self supporting: Yes
Overhead lighting: No
Barrier required: Yes
Power supply: 1 x 13amp
Insurance: £8,000
Operators required: 3-4
Expenses: Cost of petrol and Hire Van
Viewing: Front only
Scale: 7mm
Gauge: 16.5mm and 32mm
Click images for the full size versions.
Click images for the full size versions.
The above photos show progress on the new baseboard for Cherry Orchard, which will be shown at the St Albans show in January 2009.
The track work has now been installed and fully tested. The goods platform and outbuildings are now fitted with the ballasting about to be started.
Cherry Orchard appeared in the December 2011 issue of British Railway Modelling.
2mm scale, based on the Eastern Region of the British Rail Network set in the early 1980's.
Click image for the full size version.
Layout History
Ronsthorpe was first shown in the mid 1990's. The layout is based on the Eastern Region of the British Rail network of the early 1980's located in the Grimsby area of the country. The layout takes ideas from different locations over the Eastern Region from Southend up to Peterborough.
Ronsthorpe appeared in the April 1992 edition of Railway Modeller
For more details, contact Ron Bailes
Phone: 01908 318921
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HO gauge Rock Island, based in South Illinois – Built by Peter North – now acquired by Ron Bailes.
Layout History
Chica is a small town in South Illinois in the late 1950’s and served by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway (Rock Island). All the buildings on the layout are either modified kits or scratch built. Lots of small detail is added to the layout and many working items abound.
The layout size is 5’ x 4’ and has been shown at the CMRA show Stevenage in 2017 and soon to be featured in the Continental Modeller.
For more details, contact Ron Bailes
Phone: 01908 318921
(The e-mail address above is an image to prevent it being harvested by spammers, you will need to retype it into your e-mail client).