Tormouth Quay
4mm Scale '00' - 1950's to 1960's
Originally intended as nothing more than an up-market test track, it took on a life of its own and has gradually become a fully-featured mini “shunting-plank” layout which has developed out of all recognition over a number of years.
It depicts the slowly-decaying dockside area of a small coastal town sometime between the early 1950s and late 1960s. Traffic has declined, warehouses lie empty and tracks unused, but a small fishing fleet battles on, its catches still being carried to market by train. On the railways, numerous small diesel shunters are being brought in to replace the remaining steam locos, and examples of these can be seen in use here. Although not based on any specific prototype, it draws inspiration from Weymouth, Plymouth, Looe, Bristol etc.
Tormouth station lies off-scene to the right and is connected to the rest of the rail network by the single-track branchline at the rear of the modelled area. Traffic for the quay is worked into the goods yard at the station and then tripped out from there by one of the small locos designed especially for this type of work. The quayside line continues off-stage past the derelict warehouse at the left of the scene to serve further industries, so some wagons will be worked straight through.
Track is hand-built, as are most of the locos and rolling stock. Buildings are from a variety of sources, but mainly scratch-built, card-framed with suitable facings.
A Roco “Multimaus” DCC system, “Tortoise” slow-motion point motors and “Sprat & Winkle” magnetic couplings take care of the operational aspects.
Please stop and chat – we don’t usually bite and sometimes we are almost normal!