The two sides of Twywn...

Passenger operation doesn't often feature in my cameo layout schemes. It is more the forlorn and tired sidings and spurs of our network that appeal to my creative side - and hence those that appear more often...

Through my exploration of the Cambrian N scale project I have become immersed in the coast line to Pwllheli. The peculiar anachronism of the route was the longevity of the pick up goods famously serving the Cooke's explosive works at Penrhyndeudraeth but also fertiliser to Pwllheli and coal along the coast. Even after the Barmouth bridge was closed to diesels in the early 1980s the pick-up ran as far north as Tywyn, the roads not being suitable to abandon this valued local service and the goods yard at the station featured a number of merchants in to the period.

This would appear to make Tywyn a good choice for a medium sized cameo layout in N, or heavily cropped version in OO. The combination of a little shunting with passenger traffic is about as much as you can hope for on the Cambrian in the BR blue era. In my usual style I've somewhat compressed the site to squeeze the various elements into a much smaller space, closing the distance between the platforms and the road over bridge, as well as keeping the concrete footbridge between platforms as a stage left exit. I included the wharf and a representation of the preservation movement, but in my mind I'd model this in a somewhat earlier period, perhaps 1950s, so as to preserve the 'run down' feeling I'm going for and negate the requirement for narrow gauge models in N scale!

A recent trip to the Talyllyn allowed me to take a few photos of the station area. I hadn't realised just how far the station was from the road bridge. In my heavily cropped and compressed version this horizontal distance traveled is much reduced, but that echoes our experience of the train - rather than  by foot. As trains accelerate from the station the time taken to travel past the wharf is not the same as that experienced by the casual observer.

 

It might be a better idea, to adopt a less compressed version and omit the Talyllyn's Wharf, ending the right hand stage at the road over bridge with it's distinctive mix of brick and girder construction? This would allow a little extra distance for trains to run between station and road, and the pair of tracks can extend into the off-stage area to allow the 'pick  up' to shunt the coal siding.

Whilst the Cambrian as a whole is a very scenic route, the stations are not compact affairs - and combined with the period of my interest there were only small yards at Pwllheli, Porthmadog, Penrhyndeudraeth and Tywyn. Whereas in my previous musing of Minfford where some artistic licence kept the slate sidings open for occasional traffic, this scheme doesn't stretch reality rather it just crops and compresses it to fit our space. The feel of the location as a curious blend of standard and narrow gauge memories for me creates an interest and connection that goes beyond the 'modellable' to recreating something of a nostalgia. Perhaps this scheme may do the same for you?

If you have a layout idea but need help working it into a workable scheme my layout design process starts from £160 and will guide you through a series of searching questions to result in more than just a track plan. Get in touch for personal proposal through the contact form here on the website (in the menu), Facebook or the forums.

Until next time, more soon...

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