Archive 3: Mollington Road OO…

In this series of 'Archives' today we take another look at a box layout contained in the same footprint as yesterday's Vowchuch but instead standard gauge, Mollington Road...

Initially I had in mind this would be a dock-side harbour layout with inlaid track work inspired by the systems at Southampton, Weymouth and Birkenhead. However over time it evolved to be a more generic industrial setting, with structures inspired by some of those at Devonport. It has become a useful photographic stage for my models, but as yet has not been exhibited - although I do hope to take it to Warley on the Planet Industrials stand in future.

Just two Peco Code 75 short Y turnouts and some bull-head track mean limited operation, but it's not that which has limited it's use, rather it's box storage, which means it's more effort to get it out and run trains and much easier to just plus in Pont-y-dulais or turn on Beaverbrook.

That said I enjoyed the structure modelling and the methods I practiced on building the cambered road surface will prove useful on Beaverbrook. It remains a lovely neat little experiment, and I hope shows what can be done in standard gauge in a small space without becoming a caricature or un-plausibly small goods yard or canal side basin yard!

The period cars and natural light in these photos do lend an awful amount of character and I've enjoyed looking east the layout again. I will plan to get it out for a play again, before too long. Until tomorrow, more soon...