QLD – 0197 – Layout of the Quarter - Cable Wharf – TCH 151

 

A ‘OO’ Model Railway based in North Wales in the 1950’s.

 

Photos by John P.

 

Some years ago when I was considering building myself a new model railway I decided that I wanted something more than just a set of tracks on which to run a collection of trains.

 

I had recently dismantled my previous layout “Mentor” a British outline double track mainline operation, which had no specific allegiance to any British Railways region. Most of the stock I owned could be seen running on the Midland Region of BR in the 1950s-60s plus I had some Western Region items.

 

Figure 1 - Ex GWR 56xx No 5658 heads towards the brewery head shunt ready to shunt wagons into the brewery sidings.

 

A recent home move dictated the new layout had to be portable and fit the space available. The donation of old base boards from a fellow BRMA member who had recently moved back to the UK was timely and helpful. Constructed out of 7mm ply with 3in x 1in & 2in x 1in pine framing, these were duly modified to give an area of 16ft 6in x 1ft 10in on three boards each 5ft 6in long.

 

What to build? With the size of the area available it was going to be a branch line of some kind. Following an inventory of the rolling stock and any other items on hand (funds were very tight at this time), I decided on an ex GWR branch line in North Wales. This allowed for Midland Region trains coming down from Liverpool and also made use of my Western Region small locos and stock. One other reason, I had four EFE buses in Crosville livery which operated in the North Wales area. Looking at the maps of the Ruabon area I found this area had all the elements I wished to model, a canal nearby and on the line from Liverpool to Chester which gave both Midland Region and Western Region workings. As Ruabon was a through station I created a fictional branch line from Ruabon to a new Station, ‘Ruabon East’ serving ‘Cable Wharf’ on the canal.

 

Figure 2 - In the distance a Standard 2-6-4T crosses a level crossing heading away from Ruabon East with a goods.

 

There was a list of items I wanted to include on the new layout; it had to have a canal, plenty of shunting to provide operational interest and a means to store as many trains, set up ready to join or leave the scenic area, as possible. I designed a train turntable at one end onto which I was able to get nine roads with the middle three each capable of holding a train comprising three 57ft coaches with a small tender loco. At the other end, I included a station with three platform faces and a two-road goods yard, with one road going through a goods shed and the other for the local coal merchant complete with coal staithes. Unfortunately, there was insufficient space to fit in a cattle dock.

 

On the middle board I have a canal basin with a bond store and local merchant’s warehouse. Coal is also shipped from here to a mill further down the canal which even in the 1950s does not have a road or rail connection. Two tracks on the wharf plus the goods sidings and three platforms can keep the operator very busy. I have developed an operating timetable and occasionally there can be three trains in the station area at one time.

 

Figure 3 - Standard 2-6-4T No 80002 enters Ruabon East with a passenger service from Ruabon.

 

Based on the fact the layout is portable, it was not long before I was invited to an exhibition. The first show was at the Graceville State School organised by BRMQ.

 

Figure 4 - The attractive terraced houses that line the road that climbs the hill to the level crossing that crosses the disused branch to Stark Raving.

 

The first exhibition with a new layout shows up most of your design short comings! Following the show I made some changes including building an extra board (factory board) to add more shunting opportunities on the other side of the station. This could only be used at exhibitions. By this time, I had got the exhibition bug and I started to get more invitations to show the layout. A move of home gave me more space and the factory board became a home feature. I still had 3ft of space available, so I built a small board to insert beside the canal to give a longer run from the fiddle yard to the station. This extended the layout to 25ft which it remains today.

 

 

I have enjoyed showing the layout over many years, the last time it was shown was at the Gold Coast Show three years ago as the club’s display. Since then it has been in storage. However, I recently started doing some repairs so I can use it at home. Please enjoy the photographs which were taken by my friend John P. a few years ago.

 

Figure 5 - Ex GWR 61xx large prairie tank stands on the remains of the disused branch to Stark Raving awaiting its next turn of duty. To the rigAht and at a lower level a Drewery shunter shunts in the brewery sidings.

 

Figure 6 - A goods crosses the level crossing over the High Street by Ruabon East station.

 

Figure 7 - Ex GWR 57xx pannier tank rests in the loco siding in between shunting duties whilst diesel shunter D2000 passes by in the background.

 

Figure 8 - Preserved motor torpedo boat 389 rests at the wharf on the canal. This is an unusual vessel to see on a model railway and adds to the variety of modelling. Meanwhile in the background a range of wagons wait to be loaded.