PENFOLD PRIORY

It may be light and easy to transport to exhibitions, but ‘Penfold Priory’ punches well above its weight in terms of modelling quality. BOB WYKES of Bridgend Railway Model Group explains how the club struck the perfect balance of form and function.

Some layouts owe their origins to someone’s lifetime ambition to recapture childhood memories. For others, the inspiration can come from a chance encounter with a railway or stretch of landscape during a holiday. Sadly, the creation of ‘Penfold Priory’ was the result of neither. When we at Bridgend Railway Model Group sat down to discuss our next project, the key point of discussion was how the baseboard and its associated features should be as lightweight as possible, as none of us are getting any younger! The whole thing would have to fit inside our club room. We decided to use planed 10mm square edged timber as this would be light and unlikely to warp. Maximum train length would be three coaches, but we wanted lots of shunting potential, utilising three-link couplings. This rang alarm bells with me. Most people can uncouple with three-links but I had visions of spending ages trying to couple vehicles together as exhibition spectators bet more and more money on how long it was going to take! Luckily, my nightmare vision hasn’t come true, although the first few hours in the morning after a night in the bar can be quite trying! The fiddleyard was to be a ‘hands off’ affair, as damage is most likely to occur during handling. To minimise the risk, we decided to incorporate a manually operated turntable.

TAKING STOCK

When dismantled and boxed, the layout fitted into a standard Ford Transit-sized van. However, we had underestimated the extra space we would need for all our stock - and the necessary changes of clothes! We realised we’d have to hire a longer wheelbase vehicle. With all the discussion and working out done, it was time for the easy bit - the build! Our new project would depict a branch line terminus, with predominantly GWR stock, but featuring the occasional LMS service. A key criterion for the trackplan was that we would try to avoid long, straight sections of track. Baseboard construction was pretty standard, with softwood frames and plywood tops. Of all the fiddleyard techniques we’ve tried over the years, this version, built by former club

MAXIMUM TRAIN LENGTH WOULD BE THREE COACHES, BUT WE WANTED LOTS OF SHUNTING POTENTIAL

Above: Passenger railcar 27 is a detailed Tower Brass ready-to-run model.

Careful use of colour and tones gives ‘Penfold Priory’ a wonderfully realistic look, whether that’s the coal yard (far left) or the detailed Oxford Diecast Austin Low Loader taxi (right).

Left: Collett ‘61XX’ 2-6-2T No. 6110 is a Martin Finney kit and features an ABC motor.