‘Aberayon’s’ history by Dr PAUL GLOVER

I’ve been modelling for over 60 years, and “I have collected models that reflect my interests, including all sorts of transport subjects: planes, ships, automobiles and particularly 7mm:1ft scale trains, concentrating mainly on England’s post‑grouping period. The GWR stock suits the ‘Aberayon’ section of the layout and the equivalent LMS stock reflects my time in the coal industry and its operations in and around the Leicestershire collieries, which I remember clearly first‑hand. At that stage of my working life all the interconnecting main lines in this area were operated by the LMS, so the layout shows my version of typical day‑to‑day operations as they used to be. I acquired Kevin Wilson’s 7mm scale fiddleyard‑to‑terminus exhibition layout ‘Aberayon’ in the early 1990s. I had the idea of incorporating it into my 37ft by 12ft loft which accepts an operating height of 2ft 9in and allows for a 5ft radius main line loop. It is easier to keep the layout in the loft. For me, operating in a shed or outbuilding would be more difficult (and colder in the winter). This adoption of ‘Aberayon’ allowed Kevin some much‑needed space to begin work on his new project which was eventually to become ‘Bucks Hill’. Many people have lent a hand – including Kevin Wilson, the late Carl Legg, Adrian Newsom (electrics), Mike Morris, Dave Merrill (signals), the late Richard Chown and latterly and, most prominently, Paul Bambrick (upgrades and landscape work). Peter Sylvester, Simon Hill and Martyn Welch have also made substantial contributions.