1996

Hewisbridge by 57 Study Group in 4mm

This layout is operated by the 57 study group, but owned by a founder member Ian Porteous. Hewisbridge represents a small country station somewhere in the south east of Scotland on a line that linked the Waverley Route and the East Coast main line. The floods of 1948 washed away the bridge making Hewisbridge a terminus (actually the garage is not big enough). This layout is intended to show a late 1950's BR layout prior to Beechings ministrations.

Isle of Man Live Steam by Brain & Susan Caton in 4mm

Brian's main interest is in the design and building at these marvelously engineered live-steam locomotives. The locomotives are gas fired speed being controlled remotely by a servo in the tender (the electricity is supplied conventionally to the servos by the track). Due to size limitations the locos are powered by a single cylinder piston valve engine mounted in the cab and therefore need a slight push to start in either direction. Locomotives with working outside cylinders are however under consideration. As if that wasn't enough, also on the layout is a 9mm Gauge (OO9) live-steam track upon which operate saddle tanks and live steam trams which are completely scratch built. The 4mm 'OO' Gauge gas fired locos use etchings externally to keep building time to a minimum though all of Brian's other live-steam locos in 4mm, 5.5mm, & 7mm scales are entirely scratch built, even the wheels in some cases.

Glenkelly by Livingston & District M.R.C. in N gauge

This layout is designed to be viewed in the round, I.E. there is something to view from all angles, with no Hollywood style facades or cutaways, although there is a hidden fiddle yard. If required it can be mounted against a wall. The rolling stock is provided by members is primarily LMS & BR. The layout is entirely factious.

Eglinton & Garnock (ironworks) by Mike Fleck in OO
This layout was designed to encompass the atmosphere of a North Ayrshire Iron works. No operations timetable is set although the operators like to 'keep things moving' to maintain a point of interest and stop the operators falling asleep.
Originally this layout was built in 1970 to generate funds for the then reformed Renfrewshire Railway Club. The rolling stock is a mix of kits and modified ready-to-run. The locomotives on show include Hunslett, Barclay, Avonside amongst others.

Howle Hill by Hawick and District Railway Society in 7mm
Howle Hill is a real location in the Forest of Dean, and there could have been a branch line built to serve a small coal mine. The colliery is off layout although many movements of loaded and empty coal wagons can be seen . Special features on the layout include a horse drawn tramway serving the canal wharf and a cliff face for the amateur geologists amongst us. The rolling stock is primarily GWR appropriate to the 1940's period

1997

Naliton Junction by Hawick and District Railway Society in 4mm(winner of the Hugh Mervyn James trophy). Naliton is a fictitious location somewhere in north east England between 1945 & 47. This terminus station has a short goods only branch leading off. The buildings are based on real NER prototype primarily found at Beamish.

Ballyfoyle by Ian Hallworth of Stockport in 4mm scale on 12mm gauge

Ballyfoyle captures the atmosphere of the County Donegal Railway. This was an extensive narrow gauge railway (3'0") which ran from Londonderry to Donegal. There were branches serving Killybegs, Glenties, Ballyshannon and Letterkenny, approximately 124 miles in total. All track is built in TT gauge with rolling stock and locomotives are from Ninelines & Blackwoods Minatures Buildings are all kit built.

Cockerton by Mike Fishwick in 4mm on 9mm track

Cockerton is the first station out of Darlington on the South Durham light railway's extensive narrow gauge network in Durham & north riding of Yorkshire. The line was originally opened in 1872 to link the large number or quarries operating in the Tees valley and the Stockton and Darlington inland waterway or the main line at Darlington

Friarton by Caledonian Railway Association in 4mm
Friarton represents a long vanished small quayside in Perth served jointly by the Highland & Caledonian Railways. Wagons containing mixed freight can be seen being unloaded on the wharf. All locomotives and rolling stock are scratch built and fitted with 'Kadee' magnetic couplers.

Pittsburgh by K Dickson of Whitley Bay in 2mm
This layout gives a flavour of the American railway scene with 4 continuous loops on 2 levels. The period is 1950's to the present date, showing the variety seen on US railroads. Scenic buildings vary from kits, as bought, to totally scratch built. Locos and rolling stock are representatives from all the major US manufacturers, some of which have been modified.

1998

Hudson Road by Jon Grant of Sunderland MRS (winner of the Hugh Mervin James Trophy)

Hudson Road is a development of Jon's previous layout Hudson lane N.E.R., parts of Hudson Lane have been incorporated into the new layout which is again an N.E.R line set in the winter of 1917/18. The layout was built to allow improved shunting facilities to those of Hudson Lane, extra loops were added to allow the goods yard to be shunted without blocking the main line. The wartime conditions dictate the traffic seen on the line, a variety of military trains can be seen carrying troops, ammunition, guns and the like on their way to the western front. Jon has benefited from several years experience on Hudson Lane. The buildings are constructed from card and Plasticard, with a mixture of white metal and plastic fittings. One building to keep clear of however, is the ammunition factory cleverly disguised as a farm machinery manufacturer. Look out for the DANGER signs!

Monkswood Mill by John & Jane Jacobs of Towcester
 
Monkswood Mill gives its name to this railway station alongside the river. Recently abandoned the mill is in good condition and gives an interesting feature to the layout. Monkswood station is heavily used with passenger services making frequent stops. The freight yard, although small, is intensively worked.
Most of the track has been hand-built, with a fair selection of differing makes of locomotives and wagons.
Most of the scenic work has been completed by Jane, who made the buildings using the 'Linka' casting system. The church is a replica of one to be found in Whittlebury, Northhants.

Tramstop, by D Allinson of Darlington.
Tramstop is a layout with a split personality, depending on your imagination it is either Blackpool or London, Tooting Broadway (or possibly both!). The layout features automatic start/stop using custom built circuits. Most of the rolling stock are conversions of Hadfields or Tower Kits, although one or two are scratch built, one tram is even etched brass.

Katami by Raven M.R.G.

 
Katami is a Japanese rural layout in Hokkaido. This layout was designed to be entertaining rather than prototypical, so the Japanese flavour was chosen to deter rivet counting.

Copperas Hill by Phil Baggley of Workington
 

This imaginary group of sidings set on the West Cumberland coast post 1945 forms a busy freight operations. Moving steel, brick, tar and other local industries to and from the port and elsewhere by rail. Buildings are constructed from both card & DAS modelling clay, the grass is dyed carpet underlay, the cliffs from casts using Woodlands Scenics moulds. When shown this layout was using temporary stock (what was available and to hand, although it is intended to replace rolling stock with more prototypical items as time permits.

Lutzen by D.J. O'Rourke of Peterbourgh in 3.5mm

Lutzen is somewhere between Nuremburg and Berlin somewhere between 1920 and the current date. This scene hasn't changed significantly enabling a variety of rolling stock to be used from Bavarian, Prussian, DRG, DB through to modern image. The layout took about 7 months, using formed polystyrene covered with polyfilla. The buildings are kits available everywhere. This layout featured in Continental Modeller, Oct. 1995

Eivis by N Glencross & P Lightle of Sunderland MRS in 4mm
Eivis is a branch line terminus based on a Scottish prototype, however as the builders have leanings towards the North Eastern region of BR, this is the prime emphasis behind the layout. The period is 1960, with a mixture of ready to run, kit & scratchbuilt rolling stock. Signals are being converted to working ones, buildings are predominantly scratch built, although the loco shed is a heavily modified continental kit

1999

Acton Mainline is situated on the GWML route travelling west out of Paddington and the layout is set in the modern image period 1989-91. Operations represent Intercity Main Line and Network South East suburban services, plus Railfreight movements from all regions via the North London Line. Acton yard is a terminal for Foster Yeoman Aggregates, and its activities also include the Redland Tiles Speedlink service and a point where stone trains divide for forwarding to other depots.

Wynder by Clydeside M.R.C. in HO scale

  
Wynder represents a small town some 30 miles form Chicago in the USA. The 'Santa Fe' and 'Canadian National' share the trackage through Wynder as they make their final run into Chicago. The model is urban in nature with buildings from end to end built using a variety of construction methods from modified kits to scratchbuilt.

Changchum by Richard Hobb of Warrington in 3.5mm scale
Changchum is a model of a locomotive shed in north east china. Even now China makes significant use of coal fired steam power. Locomotives modelled range from the large QJ 2-20-2, to the RMM 4-62's and the KF class 4-8-4 built by Vulcan Foundry in Newton le Willows. The KF's were starting to be withdrawn in the mid 1970's, incidentally the Chinese government gave a KF to the National Railway Museum. The period is early 1990's, the coal tower was demolished in 1996. Locomotives are American & European prototypes heavily modified to give a Chinese 'appearance'.

Canal Street by Clyde M.R.C. of Lanark in 4mm finescale
 
Inspired by layout designs for an industrial setting by Iain Rice, Canal Street is a freelance 4mm/16.5mm gauge finescale layout. The layout was designed to fit in the load space of a Rover 200 which three members had at that time. After two changes of club rooms work progress slowed and by the time the layout was completed no none had a Rover. However the layout was completed using the original plan

• The lowest level is the canal of the title, complete with the remnants of a narrow gauge line serving the canal and associated premises.
• The mid level consists of a double track line crossing the canal on one of the 5 scratch built bridges on the layout.
• The top level represents part of a busy urban warehouse / factory complex intensively operated by short freight trains.

Kingston Regis by John & Jane Jacobs of Towcester in 4mm narrow (9mm) gauge.

In summer 1912 Kingston Regis, is busy as normal. Kingston Regis is a small prosperous town, initially overlooked by the railways it was served a 2'3" narrow gauge line in 1902 to connect to the nearest branch line some 8 miles away. The railway is prosperous, judging by the traffic. Obviously this is all fiction; the layout is 4mm, using 9mm gauge track, using hand built track & pointwork. The rolling stock is all kit built.
The buildings are all model on real world prototypes, built by Jane using the Linka casting system

2000

Port Lairge by Richard Chown (winner of the Hugh Mervyn James trophy) in 7mm
  

This layout started life as prototype to test all rolling stock prior to building the big layout, which never got built It is designed to fit inside a conventional car and travels extensively. The prototype is a fictional Irish seaside city around 1900. Traffic movements are primarily freight, some of which are to the cattle market which backs onto the city square. Occasional passenger movements are allowed! Coal, which formed a substantial element of freight movements but is was treated as a high value commodity and was kept in locked sheds.
The layout features sound effects that are synchronised on locomotives created using the Pacific Fast mail sound system.

Gum Stamp & Snowshoe Railroad by Des Norman, Perth in HO 3.5mm
This small layout (7'6"x 1') shows there is always room for a layout, its normal home is on wall brackets in Des's workshop, but could easily stand in a corner or a Trophy board when not in use. The prototype is the early 20th century US backwoods, running geared logging locos and short freight cars. The operation of the layout is 'challenging' due to the lack of run round facilities, train lengths are restricted by gradients & lengths of headhunts and limited siding capacity - but it works.

Cheadle by Macclesfield Model Railway Group in P4
Cheadle is a P4 representation of the real North Staffordshire terminus of that name, produced by the Macclesfield area group of the Scalefour Society. It is nearly true to scale, but due to the limits of the MMRG clubroom not quite. The period is 1900-1928 and the layout runs with a mix of prototypical rolling stock

Nairdrie by Clyde M.R.C. in 4mm / 16.5mm
   
Nairdire is Nearly AIRDRIE, but not quite, the Caledonian Railway station of that name that disappeared in the 1960's. The layout is designed to be a modular system that can be used in a variety of configurations. The station is scratchbuilt using the original plans, with the stones and slates used being individual pieces of card. We have now disposed of Nairdrie.

Wansbeck Road by Mike Simpson in 2mm finescale

This is an attempt to create a 3d railway scene of the Durham area in the 1957-62 period. Although some of the models on the layout are based on prototype structures, although it is entirely a work of the builders imagination. This layout has evolved over the last 11 years, and is still developing. Plain track is made using 2mm Scale Association plastic track base, all buildings are scratch built. All locomotives likewise, or have substantial scratch built modifications. Rolling stock is generally made from kits or modified ready to run.

Port St David by Forth M.R.G. In 7mm
Port St David developed to demonstrate 7mm modelling in restricted space (24' x 3 ') The layout represents a GWR location in the late 1930's to early 1950's It contains all the features you would expect in a busy small branch station, including station buildings, a cattle dock, loading bay, coal staithes and a private siding to the box factory. No attempt is made to run to a prototypical timetable. Occasionally long distance express locomotives are seen on the branch line.
The structures are either scratch built or assembled from kits. The lineside structures are scratchbuilt or kit built. The accessories, goods yard clutter and figures are form various manufacturers including Phoenix, Omen, and Invertrain.

Beaugegard by Jack Southern of Gateshead in HO/3.5mm
Beaugegard is a rural branchline in Georgia, USA. Its main purpose is to service the large kaolin processing plant. Also featured is a propane gas company and cameras co-op store. The period is 1970's before the Southern merged with the Norfolk & Western to form the Norfolk Southern.

2001

Aber-Wryst-Watch by Bob & Gwen Dawson of Yorks in O.16.5/7mm (Winners of the Hugh Mervin James Trophy)

Somewhere on the Welsh coastline, where it seems time has stood still and the inhabitants have time on their hands - sorry about the pun. Aber-Wryst-Watch is a 7 mm narrow gauge layout. It came about following the construction of a few buildings in 7 mm scale and Bob required somewhere to display them.

Shaw Bridge by Peter Leyland of Merseyside in EM/4mm

Shaw Bridge is an imaginary single track branch line of the ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire railway period the layout is based on the Lancashire side around the late 1920's, this way we can run L&Y and LMS liveries together though the line is only a minor single track branch there is much movement on the line with a steady flow of passenger and goods traffic.

Strath~Inch by Pentland M.R.G. Of Edinburgh in O/7mm

The Strath~Inch branch leaves the Mallaig extension at Lochailort and strikes southwest Moidart and passes through Inverailart, Roshven, Glen Uig, and Smirisary before arriving at Strath Inch beside the Sound of Arisaig, a distance of Fifteen miles. After all that you know that this a bit fictitious. The layout is set in the late 1970's and early 1980's with class 26's and 27's giving way to the 37's while an 08 performs the role of station pilot.

Cascade Falls by Forth M.R.G. Of Fife in N/2mm

Cascade Falls is on the transcontinental line from St Pauls in Minnesota to Seattle in Washington State. The layout is set in early winter with frost and a light dusting of snow on the ground.

Glynmawr by Derek Mundy of North Wales in O/7mm

Glynmawr is a fictitious location on the Taff Valley railway system as it would have been in the 1920 period prior to amalgamation with the Great Western Railway. The name in Welsh literally means Big Valley and the inspiration came from the book on Welsh Border rural life of a railway family in that period written by Raymond Williams with the title 'Border Country'.

Kitamitu by Raven MRG of Edinburgh in N Gauge

This layout is the successor to the original 'Katami' which was at Scale Rail in 1998 (hence the name 'Katami two'). It replicates some of the first layouts features but with some improvements. The representation is of a rural layout set in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan where the climate is similar to that of Scotland. The scenery is rugged and an early snowfall has come to the small station which serves a nearby developing ski resort.

SCOTGOG of Bo'ness

The team from the Scottish Gauge O Guild demonstrating planning a layout, building baseboards, laying track and building pointwork as well as building rolling stock and lots more.

Federal Street Yard by John Wright of Washington Tyne & Wear in Proto 87 scale

Federal Street breaks new ground in HO American modelling as it is built to the new Proto 87 standards, one of the first of its kind in the UK. Wheel and track standards in Proto 87 are almost an exact scaled-down representation of the prototype.

Hugh Mervyn James Trophy Winner :- Best in Show

Photo's © John Wright

http://home.freeuk.net/nmrabr/p87/home.htm

The Mike Sharman Roadshow by Mike Sharman in P4 (18.83mm)

Mike, as part of the Scottish 'Scalefour' celebrations, is bringing his 'Melange to Castle Brook. The latest in the progressive renewal of the end to end 'Museum' layouts of the 1830-1870 period.

Award Winner :- for Locomotives and Rolling Stock

Penrhiwceiber Twich by John & Owen Gibbon of South Wales in 'O' Gauge

This is a modern image layout based on a stone loading terminal and a wagon works. A working conveyor loads the wagons for collection and various shunting and mainline locos can be seen performing different tasks. The small station is served by DMUs.

Photo © C.M.R.C.

John & Owen are members of Association of Larger Scale Railway Modellers.

Bamburgh by Maurice Bramley of Barrow in Furness in Gauge 1

The layout was rebuilt from a layout (Norton ) built by the late Dougie Moorcroft of Taunton.( Exhibited at Scale Rail in 1996 ) Virtually all that remains from the original layout are the baseboards and the main buildings. Trackwork is commercial but most of the points have been hand built. The large buildings are made of thin plywood and the smaller ones from card. Stock is mostly scratch built with some kit built items. The layout is set in 1951 just before the branch closed.

Award Winner :- for Quality Running

Photo © C.M.R.C.

Maurice is a member of the Association of Larger Scale Railway Modellers.