Brymbo

“Brymbo” is a 7mm/foot combined standard and narrow gauge industrial layout based on the Brymbo ironstone works near Hook Norton in Oxfordshire, which existed from 1900 until 1946. The works consisted of a network of 2 foot gauge lines feeding ironstone to the calcining kilns from the nearby quarries, and had standard gauge lines to take the calcined stone away to the parent company in Wrexham, Wales.

The layout will consist of 5 boards, making a total area of 5 feet deep by 12 feet 6 inches wide, and be DC controlled. At the moment 3 boards exist with 2 more about. to be constructed. The vast majority of the trackwork, buildings, locomotives and stock are (or will be) scratch built. The narrow gauge track is made using p.c.b. sleepers and is to 14mm gauge (0-14), i.e. true 2 foot gauge. Photographs show various views of the current state of the layout.

One project has been the scratch building of 25 identical iron ore trucks (or trams), for which a collection of special jigs and fitments had to be made.  A further batch of 15 is in hand.

Three narrow gauge locomotives now exist, two Hudswell Clarkes and a Hunslet, with a further two Hunslets to manufacture. A standard gauge Manning Wardle 0-4-0 will be used to shunt the yard.

A large collection of industrial buildings has been needed for the project, as will be seen in the accompanying pictures. All the buildings have been made using Slaters Plastikard, have modelled interiors, are lit and are populated by S and D figures and accessories.

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