BAGNALL'S BRIDGE
Members Background
My childhood spare time, when not playing sport, was spent standing on an overbridge just north of Stafford station during the mid 1960's.
From there I could 'spot the elegant Coronation class 4-6-2's pulling the "Royal Scot" on the West Coast Main Line from Euston to Glasgow, and of course, branch line traffic out towards Uttoxeter, Shrewsbury and Woolverhampton.
This keen interest in steam locos stemmed from a Xmas present in 1953 consisting of a Hornby Dublo gauge layout, including the Coronation class "Duchess of Montrose".
I started more modelling during the late 70's early 80's in the hope that my son would take up the hobby. Alas no ! He even commandeered my 20' x 20' space for his Scalectrix !!
I thus shelved my interest until after moving to Cyprus in 2001, and although it can be challenging ordering parts from all over the globe, it's never as challenging as building the complete layout, which we all know, is never finished !ROGER CLAY.
Bagnall's Bridge Layout
The original concept was to incorparate interconnecting high and low level tracks. Unfortunately, despite keeping to the recommended gradients of 1 in 40, I could not get loaded trains to operate properly and thus developed two seperate levels, totally fictitious but set in the early 1950's with all locos, rolling stock, semaphore signalling and road vehicles applicable to the BR early emblem era. ( 1948 to 1956 )
As I am technophobic, the layout is analogue controlled with all points and signals electronically operated. Both levels are "run around" circuits.The low level twin tracks serve two express passenger trains with a loop at the station for one track, and the second track serves heavy goods and a milk train, with sidings into a dockyard. Incidentally one of the express trains is headed by the "Duchess of Montrose" running as well now as it did 66 years ago.....the traction on this loco is as good as, if not better, than any of my recently purchased locos although naturaly the detailing is not as good. The high level also has twin tracks running passenger, mixed traffic and light goods trains and has two siding areas one of which comprises a brewery, loco shed and cattle dock while the other is an MPD.
Scenery and trackside buildings are mainly cardboard kits from Superquick and Metcalfe with a few scratch built using Wills or Plasticard material.
Locos are from the Bachmann and Hornby range with some kit built models from SE Finecast and DHL. Rolling stock again is from the usual major manufacturers but with a large proportion of different types of wagon kits built from Parkside Dundas.
We hope that any keen modellers will not hesitate to come and visit or join our friendly select band of enthusiasts on the island. (see our contact section for details)
Contributed by:
Roger Clay