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2008 Nottingham Model Railway Exhibition: Les
Pritchard Trophy
Birmingham Model Railway Exhibition 2008 ; Best in show
Southport 2008:
Best scenics in show
Wigan 2008: second best in show (voted by exhibitors)
Crawley 2009: best in show (voted by public)
Genk 2009 best in show
Warley 2009 best narrow gauge layout in show
Brighton Modelworld - Gold award
County Gate is available
for booking in two or three day shows.
County
Gate is a 009 scale model of a fictitious extension to Minehead
of the famous Lynton and Barnstaple narrow gauge railway.
The route was actually surveyed. It is a 'railway in a
landscape' and great care has been taken to get the
countryside correct for the time of year. It
is modelled at around midday on 7th June, 1935.
The Lynton
and Barnstaple Railway was different from other British
lines, being operated as a main line on narrow tracks. We
compress time at County Gate County Gate gets quite busy
with trains crossing.
We have
accurately modelled all of the original rolling stock and
have also added some 'might have been' equipment which
could have been provided had the line actually run to
Minehead.
The layout is essentially two layouts in one. The
main Lynton and Barnstaple line and the end to end branch
line to the harbour. Great care and research has taken
place to ensure that the model truly represents the mid
1930s.
Operation
of the main line is now controlled by an
advanced DCC system which will allows for automation with
a laptop computer using Railroad and Co software. This is
of advantage to exhibition managers as we now require very
few operators at exhibitions. A large display screen shows
slide show interpretation of the trains arriving at the
station and also concerning the history of the L&B and how
the layout was built. There is ambient sound and also some
train sounds.
A short
video of the layout at exhibition can be
seen
here.
County Gate on exhibition - click to enlarge
The first
section features the Glenthorne Hotel and is largely scenic
(the track passes underneath).
Glenthorne Hotel
The second
section is the station of County Gate, where a branch line running down to
Glenthorne Harbour also starts.
a scene from the County Gate
station
The third section features the
East Lyn Viaduct.
looking
down the main line towards the viaduct
The forth section represents
Glenthorne Harbour which brings in mostly coal and features a scale 1898 steam collier 3ft
long.
the collier 'Glenthorne
Rose' offloading coal at the harbour
Click here
to see complete track plan
Click here
to see a photo tour
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our
needs as an exhibitor |
County Gate
is privately owned and has taken 11,500 hours to build. It
is extremely delicate. In order to operate the layout
correctly and safely we have laid down our detailed
requirements for exhibiting below. We do realise that these
cannot be completely met at all venues and should there be
some problem we are prepared to discuss options.
County Gate footprint 2009
The owner
and builder of County Gate is disabled and uses a mobility
scooter. We need a 39" unobstructed access at the rear for
mobility scooter access.
We much
prefer being situated in an island rather than against a
wall.
The layout
is now operated automatically with the exception of some
coal trains that run from the harbour. Equally, we
expect that the facility is 'disabled friendly' and is
provided with a 'disabled friendly' toilet not too far
away.
The
sections are supported by quick build display frames which
support the lighting pelmets. These are assembled at the
back of the trailer and the heavy baseboards are lifted
onto the stands at the trailer and are then wheeled in to
the display hall. We need ramp access to the hall with a
smooth surface from the trailer. If there is a small sill
into the hall, we require additional help to lift the
sections over it. The trailer size is 5M X2M X 2M. We
require the help of three fit persons to help unload and
load and the help of one person to set up and break down
the layout.
transport trailer
We require
the provision of two 13 amp plugs . We can supply RCD
plugs when required.
We also
require the provision of two tables (which cannot be placed in
the grey access areas) and four chairs.
Some of the
County Gate team still smoke (stupid though it may be). If
it is not allowed to exit the building and smoke outside,
we will not be able to attend!
We
now only have one or two helpers who come with us to
offload/setup/operate/load County Gate so it is
essential that the host club does offer the additional help
to load and unload. This is in any case a cheaper option
for the exhibition as less hotel accommodation is needed!
The
disabled owner requires a ground floor hotel room (if there
is no lift) and scooter access to hotel reception area and
room. He is not prepared to share a room with helpers.
We require
that the layout is insured at its quoted value throughout
its transit from our home and during the show and during
its return. The exhibition organiser is required to confirm
in writing that this is the case.
The
insurable value of the model is £75,000 and rolling stock
£12,000.
We require that a suitable barrier is provided.
We are unable to
bring our own as the weight limit of the transport trailer
is maxed out.
Many
exhibitions provide barriers of different kinds. The
barrier has to allow the free passage of a mobility scooter
between the layout and itself.
The model
railway is transported in a large bespoke trailer. Hire cost
per day is £60. Fuel cost is calculated on the average fuel
consumption to pull the heavy trailer at 11 miles/gallon.
At times, fuel costs may be needed for a second car. The
layout is loaded and unloaded from the trailer at our home
by local farm workers and we have to charge £40 for that
service.
Time to
offload and assemble the layout to operating condition is 4
hours. If the layout is brought in and assembled for Friday
night, a reasonable food allowance is expected or food
provided on site at reasonable cost.
Hotel
accommodation is also expected to be provided. If the
travel distance exceeds three hours (average speed 40mph) an
option to stay Sunday night is needed. County Gate lives in
North Herefordshire, near Ludlow.
The
locomotives are presented in two distinct liveries.
The Lynton
and Barnstaple locomotives are built from etched brass
sheet kits supplied by Backwoods Miniatures and are
faithful replicas of the prototypes when running in
Southern Railway livery of the period.
They are;
2-6-2
Manning Wardle L&B 'Yeo'
2-6-2
Manning Wardle L&B 'Exe'
2-6-2
Manning Wardle L&B 'Taw' (experimental using Grafar/Bachmann
class 08 chassis)
2-6-2
Baldwin L&B 'Lyn'
2-6-2
Manning Wardle L&B 'Lew'
We have also included four
units that could have been built in the era, had the
railway actually gone as far as Minehead
0-6-6-0
Mallet 'River Avon' scratch built on Grafar
chassis
0-6-6-0
Mallet 'River Brue' scratch built on Grafar
chassis
4-6-4 'Axe' freelance North British scratch built on
special compensated chassis (under construction)
diesel
electric articulated railcar No 200 scratch built
diesel
electric articulated railcar No 302 scratch built
The
locomotives that operate the coal branch are in brick red
livery. Two were scratch built by the owner in the 1970s.
They are;
0-4-0 0-4-0 K1 Garratt scratch built
(1970)
4-6-0 Baldwin scratch built
(1970)
2-6-2 Hunslet
Backwoods kit
2-6-4 Baldwin
No 2 much modified Victors
Scale Models Sandy River No19 kit
railcar No 100 scratch built
The
coaching stock is built using etched brass sides
and ends, and the goods stock is kit built.
Should you
have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact
us by
email
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this is a comment from a visitor at an exhibition
Thank you
for bringing the layout to the exhibition yesterday, the
photo's really don't do it justice, seeing it in the flesh
so to speak exceeded my expectations. I know my modelling
will never come close to your standards however I've
encountered people who call themselves professional
modellers and produce work nowhere near your standards
(one of them charging very large amounts of money for his
work which is mediocre at best.) There is no question as
to your skills however I have also seen some extremely
well executed models that lack the one factor that your
layout has - believability ! Having stood in various
positions at various distances yesterday taking direct &
sideways looks at the layout it has the rare quality for
me of being somewhere I could imagine myself walking
around. Quite a few people these days use "drivers eye"
cameras mounted on trains to video their layouts, one
thing I'd personally like to see is such a miniature
camera mounted on say the end of a piece of dowel or
plastic tube and "walked" around a layout at scale eye
level or "driven" in a vehicle rather than just the view
from a train, likewise a sideways mounted camera on a
train to give a passengers eye view, yours is the first
layout I've seen since having the idea where I instantly
thought "I'd love to see the results of it being done on
this one" Your layout is more than a model, it is a 3
dimensional miniature work of art and as I said a
believable place and landscape. On at least a couple of
occasions yesterday I had trouble seeing where the trees
ended and the backscene began and had more of a feeling of
looking into a landscape from a distance than of viewing a
model, well done Sir ! If you don't end up with a
wall full of awards for your work something somewhere is
very wrong indeed !
To be honest I'm
lost for what to say. I'm glad to have been able to see
the layout for the first time under the conditions
yesterday rather than at a large exhibition where it would
be a case of fighting through the crowds to get a glimpse.
Your work is at least equal to Pendon, long may you
continue to produce it. Well, thanks for reading this,
that's enough waffle from me, thank you once again for
bringing the layout yesterday and allowing us all a sneak
preview of what I'm sure is going to wow the exhibition
circuit.
All the
best, happy modelling,
Dave
Rhodes
other comments
"I will mention the following
as they all had something un-paralleled for me compared to
most layouts you see at the average show: County gate for
its sweeping view with an incredibly effective backdrop,
the viaduct and valley is stunning modelling"
Duncan
"Possibly the most convincing
narrow gauge layout in the world (as Carlsberg might have
said)?"
Tim
"That is pure, magnificent
artistry. Simply awe-inspiring, the way in which
background and foreground appear to connect and make the
scene more realistic..."
"Simply incredible. "
"I must say i always find
this to be one of the best looking layouts i have ever
seen! "
"This layout is just
brilliant and has entered my list of all time favourites."
"I would just like to join
everyone else in saying - FANTASTIC."
"I have lived in Lynton on and off for some years (one day
will move back there) and have walked along the Lyn many
times, the way you have captured the feeling of the area
is stunning. Even though times have marched on, there are
still many places that look exactly the same now as then"
"I saw that layout in one of
the mags. and was forcibly struck by how much the railway
fits into (and not onto) the landscape. The station is a
masterpiece."
"Brilliant work by you both, although I wouldn't have
liked to have modelled each of those trees! "
"I saw this at Nottingham
show and I can confirm that it as stunning in real life
(more so).. it's all top notch but that backscene really
compliments the modelling.
Even if Narrow Gauge is not your thing, I'd recommend
seeing County Gate if you get a chance."
"A truly stunning layout, the
scenery is incredible topped off by an awesome back scene.
I really felt as though I was in the North Devon
Countryside, maybe on a walk and I'd just stumbled across
the line. Even without any trains running the layout would
be enjoyable."
"I've just seen this thread
for the first time - I am in awe. Take a little loco, and
make it as realistic as possible - Done. Then make a
layout for said loco, but make it to the same exacting
detail and realism level of said loco - All done.
Now, put on a backscene that beggars belief in it's
suitability and co-ordination - Done.
Everything that should be done to create a perfect
masterpiece in miniature has been done here.
A truely stunning layout, and one I wish I could see in
real life one day, until then, I will just oggle the
pictures in silent admiration."
"Jaw quite literally hits the
floor!"
"The line from Lynmouth to
Minhead was actually planned. When i was a member of the
L&B Somerset Group we acquired a copy of the drawings of
the proposed line. Somewhere i've got a copy of the book
of them we produced. It would have been a spectacular line
if it were built. I think John's model really does it
justice. I used to go mountain biking in the woods around
this area and it's instantly recognisable as North
Devon/Somerset!"
"Je
peux dire que County Gate est un des plus beau truc qu'il
m'ait été donné de voir ! C'est du grand art, et en plus
en 009. "
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