DAY-TO-DAY RUNNING
‘Aberayon’ provides opportunities for “mineral traffic, general goods, parcels and passengers on the basis of what comes down must also go up! The size of the loft dictates what can and cannot be done, and to work the layout as realistically as possible requires almost 100 movements for a prototypical day and it takes me almost a month to complete. The object of my layout is to provide day-to-day running of trains from either the LMS or Great Western to diagrams which I can operate single-handed. The points and signals are interlocked and visible on the two illuminated control panels. The locomotive studs are much larger than necessary and the LMS and GWR fleets alternate quarterly. My LMS locomotives depict most of the classes that worked in and around Coalville in the late 1930s and early 1940s. They are complemented by three industrials of South Leicester colliery. At some time or other most have been either built or improved by Nigel Smith. Some have been worked almost daily for over 20 years. “The layout was converted to DCC sound in 2016, making operations both more demanding and enjoyable. I operate it using Digitrax, as that’s the same system Kevin uses, so I can always call on him if I get stuck! I was surprised that I encountered fewer problems than I had expected and it was only these worries that held the conversion back for some years.”
l Remnants of the layout are still in Paul’s widow’s loft and are for sale. All of the locomotives and rolling stock have been sold – only the baseboards, buildings and scenery remain. If you are interested in purchasing the layout, contact Kevin Wilson using the form on his website: www. buckshillmodelrailwayin7mm.com/contact. html (quick link: https://bit.ly/2r4xgc4)