MODULAR MODELLING WITH THE 16MM ASSOCIATION
Building a large-scale railway can be a solitary occupation. However, this doesn’t have to be the case as Gareth Jones explains how the 16mm modular system works and how we can all get involved and build our own modules.
Since its inception at the 2013 National Garden Railway Exhibition in Peterborough, the Modular Layout concept in 16mm scale has matured well. The inspiration and driving force behind it was a mental image of the biggest layout at a show with many live steam trains in operation at the same time.
We managed to achieve this in 2018 at
Peterborough by some margin, with a massive construction comprising modules from Wales, Scotland and England. The following year we eclipsed that with an even bigger setup!
One thing that I hadn’t foreseen when Daniel and I had that initial little stand on the corner of one of the aisles, was the number of solid and lasting friendships that would be forged. Many who signed up that April day have become lasting supporters of the concept and true comrades.
There were initially two geographical concentrations of modules, a roughly central one (organised by myself ) and another in the East of Scotland. Later, the South Oxford group organised its new layout to be built to Modular Standards, as did the
Hants group, who went one step further and added 45mm to the 32mm of the majority.
The one other exception is John Wenlock’s street set of boards, which incorporates 45mm gauge track-powered trams. His boards predominantly feature the wonderful buildings built by the late, great Steve Atkinson of Hull.
The actual standards are listed on the 16mm Association website and are meant to be used as a guide rather than a hard and fast “you must”. I’d rather people thought of the concept as a number of mini layouts, of any length, whose combined length is a multiple or division of the standard 1200mm (not 4’, which is a different measurement and has caught some members out). How it achieves this is up to the individual builder. I would consider a nicely-made 600mm long level crossing diorama a module if it could be successfully connected to the rest of the layout.
A good example of the above is the mini layout “Glendreich”, built originally by the West of Scotland Area Group as an oval on 7-off 4’ x 2’ boards. This little depiction of a typical Scottish Whisky Distillery is fascinating and, as I said then, would make a super addition to the modular concept.
As it happens, one of the Modular members is also a member of the WOSG and had inside information that the layout was being retired soon. It had attended most of the Scottish shows, some several times, and the core members were tiring of long trips down south. I registered my interest and was told, if you want it, you can have it.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, the layout now lives in a friend’s barn in Wales, suitably shortened by a couple of inches to 3.6m long, now on folding legs to bring it to the 950mm baseboard height and with some narrow little boards built so that the front track centres are now 150mm from the baseboard edge. It took only minor track changes to allow a running line along the whole length of the front. The beauty of the conversion is that it can still be operated as a stand-alone layout, which it has on a couple of occasions, being ably assisted by the original builders!
It’s fabulous to see how the member’s imagination is being manifested in 1:19, and three dimensions. Bridges are popular – mainly overbridges thus far. We have a tall, “mini Chelfham”, a superbly-detailed British style girder by Malcolm Shaw and an African minimalist steel girder estuary bridge on multiple piers by Nigel Town. Flexibly, this can be used as a two-board set up or be three boards long, with an infill. This scene has been more recently supplemented by a superbly curving loop station, which is suitable for coal-fired loco mid-run servicing. We have pubs, canal scenes, harbours and a huge coal chute construction.
Stations and engine sheds are also very popular. One of our members, Gloria Whitbread, has added a superb working garden allotment next to her husband John’s station with real growing plants. This has a thriving greenhouse and exquisite hanging baskets, the size of a 5p piece, which needs genuine watering!
It was relatively recently that Tony Bird created an ingenious little set of modules doubling up as a lifting flap allowing access to the centre of an oval set-up. He is a very popular man to those whose limboing careers are over. Catherine Lewis has constructed a little bit of Holland on her boards, complete with windmill, cycle paths and thousands and thousands of tulips.
The choice of materials used for construction varies considerably. Again, no “rules”, only that the ends of a set of boards can be clamped successfully to the end of the next person’s contribution. We have aluminium, planed wood, plywood, water-resistant MDF, even foam-board with a suitable fire retardant covering. Leg construction varies too. Height adjustability is useful, hall floors are very variable in flatness. There are a few of us who have the facilities and have built bare baseboards for others.
We have been privileged to attend some great venues these last eight years. As well as
the National Garden Railway Show in Peterborough, we have attended the Yorkshire group’s show in Elsecar Heritage Centre a couple of times. A really interesting place that has attractions for non-railway partners, too.
Statfold Barn “Giants and Miniatures” is a regular on the calendar and always well attended. A particularly social two-day event with onsite bar and entertainment for the exhibitors. This organisation has, in my view, the finest collection of narrow gauge locomotives in Britain. The museum includes a dedicated Hunslet area, for they own the name and rights.
As for preserved railways, we have set up in front of Llanuwchlyn Engine Shed on the Bala Lake and at Minffordd Yard “Maenofferen Shed” for the Ffestiniog’s fabulous Hunslet 125 event. It was brought home to me that the concept was here to stay when we had two different modular layouts being exhibited on the same day three years ago, Peterborough and Dundee, and two independent Modular Layouts side by side at the last Exeter Show in 2019.
We have also exhibited at conventional multi-scale Shows, such as Warrington and other specialist events like Stafford G Scale. On a purely indulgent level, we have also had one-day Modular meets, just for our own enjoyment! Held in church halls, these have been very relaxed affairs and always followed by a meal and a catch up.
As mentioned above, the Peterborough Show Layout in 2018 was the biggest layout we had built at that point and featured a working harbour with real water. A large oval and single line was the consist, we tried a first in an Intensive hour with six engines in steam at the same time for a full hour. This included harbour shunters and station pilots.
So complex and vast was the model, that we were forced to carry a ‘token’ (yellow duster) on the single line section to the harbour. Alan Mcfarlane came down from Scotland with working signals and interlocked level crossing gates on his mini set up. This proved to be a reconnaissance on his part prior to the full-scale Scottish invasion the following year with proper working signals, blocks and bells. A further Scottish connection on the layout that year was the celebrity Roundhouse Silver Lady, which had found fame traversing the 70 mile Great Glen in Scotland, Fort William to Inverness. Something the real thing had never managed to do.
This had the visitors 10 deep around the layout. It was unfortunate that the Biggest Little Railway team had forgotten to remove the oversize rack railway friction cog from
Catherine Lewis’s Dutch tulip garden. the centre axle, resulting in the loco being unable to negotiate points. We had to employ catchers on every junction to pick it up and set it on its way. People crueler than I pointed out that this was just like the record attempt, derailing over every slug and pine needle.
The following year, the new Roundhouse Double Fairlie was the eagerly awaited attraction. The crowds were of a similar size watching it easily haul its authentically long train of FR bogie coaching stock.
As for the future, I can see Modular expanding in different directions.
For example, a group of members might want to get together and produce a collection of modules all having the same “house style”, using a common set of materials, colours and textures. This to create a large and impressive, believable railway, perhaps end-to-end, quarry to port or similar.
Others might want to create working features, which fascinate young and old. There has already been talk of a working slate incline, although whether this goes above or below baseboard height is open to discussion.
An idea ripe for development is to create an alternative and complementary set of
standards that suit smaller prototypes with tighter minimum radii and less generous clearances. We are a very broad church.
My son Daniel wants to extend his harbour scene and use proper 1:19 Vessels – so any boat builders who would like to come on board would be most welcome.
One thing we are actually short of is baseboards with simple scenery – no more than an undulating field with a cow at a fence watching the trains go by. There are some that enjoy the relaxation of a conventional oval, with the possibility of simultaneously talking to interested members of the public (so long as there are no other locomotives running!).
A growing number of members like the thought of running a layout prototypically, controlled by blocks and bells.
An enterprise with a distinct purpose running passenger trains and freight with actual full and empty trains. For those who know their 16mm layouts, imagine an indoor Peckforton or Wynster Valley? The beauty of Modular is that all of these can be fitted together when required.
Considering our situation of lockdown at the time of writing, we have a reasonably full 2021 calendar. The National Show in Peterborough is due to go ahead in Covid Compliant form, June 26th. On the same day, there may be a Modular contingent at Statfold Barn. Further ahead, Leigh (Lancs) on the 18th/19th Sept, also an invitation to the Exeter Show, 30th October. Please introduce yourselves at any of these venues if you find the idea of becoming involved, interesting. We are a very friendly bunch of guys and gals! ■