I have always had a soft spot for the Inverness club's exhibition as it was there in 2008 that Breitenfurt -
Ost — or, as it was then, Breitfurt — was first seen by the public; a loosely knit station and two
loose tracks round the back. It was all manually operated and there were more crashes than any railway could
tolerate which led to the decision to incorporate automatic route control. What a difference from today.
Now the scenic side of the layout is pretty well complete. Two obvious items outstanding are the
completion of inter-track ballasting and the replacement of the street lights with some that are more
appropriate. So Inverness has seen the layout develop from ad hoc to something near the
end product. What comes next, I do not know but for certain it will be in a larger scale.
Scales
Z = 1:220, 1.4mm/ft • International N = 1:160, 1.9mm/ft •
British N = 1:148, 2.06mm/ft • TT = 1:120, 2.54mm/ft •
• H0 = 1:87, 3.5mm/ft • 00 = 1:76, 4mm/ft • P4/S4 = 1:76.2, 4.22mm/ft
• 0 = 1:45, 6.78mm/ft.
Bahnhof Breitenfurt – Ost, Stand 13 – Z scale by Chris Manvell.
(Click thumbnails to see full size images.)
Breitenfurt – Ost is a freelance Bavarian mainline station around the turn of the 19th/20th
century. The station acts as terminus to commuter traffic and as the junction for a small branch line
which disappears into the hinterland. The trains run come from several of the old Länderbahnen (state
railways) as well as the later DRG (Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesselschaft). The loco shed is home to a number
of restored very early Bavarian locomotives.
Image 1: Overall view of the layout as seen on approaching the exhibit.
Images 2 & 3: While a local train stands in track 1, and an express draws into track 4, a through
train rushes past
on track 2. In the background a freight train eases its way down the steep gradient.
Images 4 & 5: Aerial views of the up end of the busy station.
Image 6: A quiet scene in the loco servicing area.
Image 7: Restored Bavarian locos are brought out from the shed for an open day.
Image 8: View along the exhibit from the down end of the layout.
Further images may be available on
the club's website (pending at 2012/10/26).
Other model railway layouts at the exhibition to follow, piecemeal.
Big Boy's Toys, Stand 5 – O scale by Graham Swanson, Inverness MRC.
An American 3-rail (Hi-rail) layout running Lional and MTH trains. The digitally controlled locos all have
working lights, sounds and generated smoke.
Dunbuisin, Stand 10 – OO scale by Moray MRG
Representing a harbour terminus in north-east Scotland the early 1960s (in the last days of steam)'
Dunbuisin carries, in one hour, a typical day's (or week's?) traffic seen on such a branch.
Eastleigh, Stand 9 – OO scale by Perth MRC.
Representing a period of decline the Eastleigh loco facility yard and shed is based around BR Class 26s and
is a shunting layout. The whole model was completed in just two weeks between visits to other exhibitions.
The Hythe, Stand 2 – OO scale by Elgin MRC
Another layout set in the transition period as steam was phased out. The layout is unusual in that it is
designed to be able to be used with analogue (DC) or digital (DCC) power.
Llangoch, Oakwood and Cramdin, Stand 11 – OO/N scale by Joe Skinner
Joe Skinner seems to come up with a new layout every year. Here he exhibited three of his recent layouts,
which varied in size from Cramdin (24" square) to Oakwood (8ft square).
Images 1 & 2: Llangoch.
Images 3–7: Oakwood, and
Images 8–11: Cramdin.
[More photos of Cramdin can be seen as Littleton Abbey in the
Moray MRG's March 2012 exhibition. (Opens in new tab/window.)]
Maltby/Lower Mandible, Stand 3 – OO scale by Inverness MRC
An old favourite this. Maltby is a mining town on a branch line which, in addition to passenger and coal
traffic serves a small industrial estate. As the line leaves the station, it branches and one line passes
through a tunnel to Lower Mandible (whoever thought up that name?) with its single platform and small goods
yard after which it disappears into a cutting to a fiddle yard. Like several other layouts at the exhibition,
it is placed in that time when steam was rapidly disappearing from our railways and diesels were taking over.
Rockfield Road, Stand 8 – British N scale by Inverness MRC.
A modern era station somewhere on the West Coast mainline in the 2000s. It is the club's latest N scale
having been purchased from club member Eddie Reffin.
Teeside Steel, Stand 12 – O scale by RAF Kinloss MRC.
Winner of Best of Show trophy
The model is based on two companies - South Durham Steel and Iron Company and the Cleveland Bridge and
Engineering Company which used the steel for the construction of bridges, chemical plants and other
major construction projects.
Thomas, Stand 4 – O scale by Graeme Swanson, Inverness MRC.
A three rail O scale layout featuring theRev. Awdrey's Thomas and friends. Very much for the children. Note
the massive controller powering the Lionel, MTH and Williams models.
Wallacetoun, Stand 15 – British N scale by Dundee MRC
It's the mid 1970s and, at last, the railways management decided to clear the bottleneck between Usan and
Montrose on the main line to Aberdeen by reviving the old route between Stanley Junction and Kinnaber
Junction, thus .enabling the development a the railhead into East Perthshire and North Angus. Wallacetoun is
named after William Wallace who was reputed to have lived iin the area.
Also present were
Dingwall Model Shop. RC models and spare, Bachmann & Hornby stockists. They have a wide range of plastic
and wooden kits as well as various scenics and assorted new model railway items
.
Jim Baguley Supplies of DVDs, books and ready to run OO scale, kits, cars lorries & railway
accessories
.
Keith and Dufftown Railway. K&DR information, books, DVDs & second hand railway models
.
MacKenzie Models. An excellent range of models, including railway stock, die casts, boats & accessories
plus modelling materials, scenics and tools
.
WHMR Supplies. Suppliers of model railway trains, scenics & accessories. New and used items bought and
sold
.