- “00” Scale
- Space required 22′ x 6′
- Operators 4
- This layout is available for exhibitions. See News
- 4mm Scale OO Gauge
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- J94 68047 on loan from Darlington shed.
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- The Coal Drops
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- Farmer Giles delivers his sheep in the early morning.
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- 61244 “Strang Steel” runs round its troop train.
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- Fresh targets bound for Otterburn.
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- Sulzer Type 2 D5108 waits to depart Alwinton Yard with a pick up freight for Tyne Yard.
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- V3 67636 arrives with the evening Parcels train.
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- 67636 heads back to Newcastle.
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- J94 68047 shunts the yard at Alwinton after dark.
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- Nightshift for the Signalman at Alwinton.
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- Track circuit and signal testing.
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- One of Alwinton’s Servo controlled semaphores.
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- Signals 2 to 4.
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- Servos for Signals 2 to 4
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- An underside view of servos opreating uncouplers, turnouts and signals.
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- One of the home made Track Circuit PCB’s
Built by: Mike Scott & Tony Lambert
History In the 1880s the North British Railway built several lines across rural Northumberland in an attempt to tap into the lucrative mineral and commercial traffic along the east coast and Tyne valley. One of these got as far as the village of Rothbury before the proposed route was blocked by the North Eastern Railway. This layout supposes the North British actually got further up the valley of the River Coquet to Alwinton and beyond eventually reaching Hawick.
The Model Construction of this layout was started by the late Mike Scott and it was his wish it should be completed. Tony Lambert has continued construction, rebuilding parts of the layout from the ground up to test new ideas and electronics that were not available when the layout was first designed. The layout features DCC operation, full signalling and computer assisted control using MERG and home designed circuit boards. JMRI software connects the layout to a computer. This provides interlocking for points, signals and route control and the layout lighting. A computer fast clock controls building and layout lighting to simulate 24 hour operation together with sound effects. A touch screen is used with virtual switches instead of a normal control panel. The layout depicts a typical small Ex North British branch line station as it might have looked in the early 1960’s era of British Railways. It consists of the station buildings themselves and associated facilities including facilities for handling the military traffic including troop trains generated by the nearby Otterburn Ranges and Training area. Ammunition, foodstuffs, mail, vehicles, coal and oil comprise the inbound traffic, with mail, ammunition salvage (Expended shell and cartridge cases together with their associated packing materials), and weaponry comprising the outbound traffic. Local traffic consists of agricultural products, livestock and associated local passenger traffic. Locomotives and stock are typical of those used in North East England during 1964 when steam and diesel worked together. We are currently working on a new layout that can be used to extend Alwinton.
Page last updated 6/09/19