Cwmmawr and Coedbach…

Whilst helping to operate my friend Paul’s ‘Maple River’ at the ‘National Exhibition of Railway Modelling’ I noticed something in the procession of brown boxcars against the neutral backdrop. It wasn’t the operation but the dance itself that was entertaining…

Around the same time I had been lost in day dreams of the end of the Burry Port and Gwendraeth railway in the 80s and early 90s resulting in the creation of a cut down 08, a rake of HEA coal wagons and  ore recently a Class 37. Overlaying the dance upon this very different prototype I could see the procession of ‘the same but different’ HEA as another form of Paul’s brown 40ft box cars.

Despite a wish to recreate the whole branch with its distinctive low bridges and intimate level crossings I recognised that I would be more likely to find a home for a shelf layout, and a compact one at that - so the main focus in sketching were schemes that depicted either Cwmmawr or Coed-Bach in some form.

Shuffling loads and empties may not set the operational world on fire, but it is the movement of these distinctive, characterful red and grey wagons themselves that is the focus here. I could see this layout displayed on the shelf, then brought down to the desk or table to be enjoyed in a game like manner, perhaps shared with a friend over a good coffee (or beer). A talking point, an enabler to collaboration and the catalyst to flowing conversation.

This idea, of creating a display that can be operated isn’t unique to N - the same concept could apply to larger scales… perhaps even O. My shelf layouts have been sat on tables and conversation has flowed. The missing piece has been a simple shared operation to facilitate a close connection with good friends over our shared interest, our shared passion in the art of railway modelling.

Until next time more soon…

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