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An 00 British railways (Eastern Region) layout by Ely MRC member Brian Smith TO BOOK THIS LAYOUT PLEASE CONTACT BRIAN SMITH.
Gillsbrook is a 4mm OO layout set on a fictitious former Great Eastern Railway branch in the late 1950s/ early 1960s during its period of British Railways operation. The branch is on the Essex/ Hertfordshire border and features rolling stock and locomotives typical of the period. As with most branches at this time the freight traffic is dominated by domestic coal which was still being burned abundantly by local people being outside the London smokeless zone. Steam operation is on its lasts duties and diesel is now starting to appear.
backgroundThe layout was conceived several years ago and is loosely based on Widford on the Buntingford branch. It was designed to fit into the back of my car at the time and leave space in the back for a small passenger. Over the years the layout has travelled many miles to shows including a move to Portugal for a year. A replacement is now in the planning stages as it is now coming to the end of it exhibition life. When set up the layout occupies a space of 9 feet x 1 foot. It is free standing and has its own legs. Operation is from the rear and an additional space of 3 feet is required . A single power supply is needed and the layout has its own lighting.
operationThe branch is operated using tank engines and small tender locos as was typical of this type of line. Most of the locos are kit built with a few modern detailed ready to run locos as well. Most of the stock is also kit built or heavily detailed ready to run. Wagons vary but are mainly Parkside or Airfix with a few scratch built or hybrids'. Couplings are all scale three link as this gives a realistic look to operating. Also this allows prototypical operations to go on, such as chain shunting and fly shunting. The layout has a small fiddle yard at one end . The aim is to keep something on the display area at all times and shunting movements to add interest. There is a small station and goods yard with stabling facilities for a small loco in the head shunt.
Exhibition details
TO BOOK THIS LAYOUT PLEASE CONTACT BRIAN SMITH
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