[pilotfriend]

Here are a few photos of County Gate, a freelance layout of part of the proposed extension of the railway to Minehead.

hotel entrance

hotel terrace

County Gate good and coal yard

overall view of station

station closeup

East Lyn viaduct

East Lyn viaduct

East Lyn viaduct

Glenthorne Harbour

Glenthorne Harbour

more photos on
County Gate gallery

JdF

 

[PeterPug]

Superb. I know this is really a railway site, but where did you get the old cars / automobiles from?

 

[clive hayward]

Beautiful modelling and pictures, thanks for sharing this wiyh us.

regards

Clive

 

[frame69]

Superb! I've pondered over this piece of work many times on the net and in my mags.
Given the modellers previous appointments its not surprising that this layout should be of top quality,this has been one of my favourites for a long time...great stuff.

 

[pilotfriend]

Thanks folks

The cars are kits supplied by

Autocraft

P D Marsh

and

Langley

regards
John

 

[pilotfriend]

here are some photos of the rolling stock

2 of the 5 Manning Wardles

'Exe' prior to painting

These are Backwoods kits, heavily re-engineered for better reliability

re-engineered Backwoods Lyn

Mallet 'River Avon'
based on two Bachmann class 08 shunters

Mallet 'River Brue'
based on two Bachmann class 08 shunters

Railcar 100 and River Brue

railcar 201 'Atlantic Airstream'

Glenthorne Harbour Authority Loco 1 (Hunslet Backwoods)

Glenthorne Harbour Authority Loco 4 (scratch built)

one of the two Glenthorne Harbour Authority 4-6-0 Baldwins

Glenthorne Harbour Authority No 2 (rebuilt Victor Sandy River kit)

Glenthorne Harbour Authority railcar (built from 3dPerfect coach etches)

 

[pedromorgan]

hello there

Welcome to the forum

i was admiring this layout at expoNG before christmas i think. it looks as good as good in the flesh as it does in the pictures. it was difficult to get anywhere near it though!

Peter

 

[pilotfriend]

Hi Peter

We had a hell of a job operating it at Expong too...we were given so much less space than promised that things went from bad to worse. We are at a number of shows this year so you may get another opportunity.

regards
JdF

 

[dwb]

Absolutely brilliant

Thanks for posting these photos

David

 

[neil_s_wood]

Hi John, welcome to the forum. That is one brilliant layout. Very impressed.

Great buildings and scenery.

cheers

Neil

 

[David bigcheeseplant]

County Gate is confirmed to apear at Railex in Aylesbury on 23rd & 24th May this year full details http://www.rdmrc.nildram.co.uk/railex2009.html

 

[pedromorgan]

QUOTE (pilotfriend)We had a hell of a job operating it at Expong too...we were given so much less space than promised that things went from bad to worse. We are at a number of shows this year so you may get another opportunity.

I didnt want to say so but you all looked pretty flustered behind the layout. I asumed that the gremlins had set in!

I look forward to seeing it again (and getting a bit closer this time!)

Peter

 

[pilotfriend]

Expong was hell! Despite a very clear agreement concerning the needed footprint for the layout, the rear fiddle yard was pushed so close to the wall that we could not access it. You may have noticed that the layout is largely operated by a bunch of grumpy old men who should not eat quite so much! This meant that we could not reach even our track cleaning equipment and we were unable to do running maintenance, so operating got increasingly problematical!

Some of the locos were damaged (one beyond repair) due to the impossible working conditions.

The lesson learned by us was that if requirements have been agreed in writing by an exhibition and one actually finds on arrival that this is not the case, it is far better to pack up and leave rather than try to soldier on.

Since the untimely death of Dave Brewer of the Greenwich club, those left behind have a lot to learn about dealing with exhibitors!

Make yourself known to us next time and I shall make sure you do see the layout better.

these are our show dates for 2009:

April
18th & 19th Crawley Model Railway Society annual exhibition

May
16th & 17th Trainwest Melksham, Wiltshire
23rd & 24th Railex 2009 Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Aylesbury

June
13th & 14th Chatham and District Model Railway Club exhibition

October
23rd to 25th Eurospoor (Netherlands)

November
21st 22nd Warley Show NEC Birmingham

best regards
JOhn

 

[madon37s]

Hi that looks like a stunning layout John and as I will be attending Warley again this year I shall definitely be looking at this one.

Thanks for the excellent pictures.

Kind regards

Paul

 

[steam-driven boy]

Hi John,

Just wishing to add my congratulations on producing such a fine example of the railway modelling craft, truly artistic in execution.
I too have been following this project on the web and in print, I'm aware of some of your other fine work but the L&B is probably the line that does it for me - I've planned three layouts based on the line and then allowed myself to be diverted away from such plans, but would never (of course) have been able to produce anything remotely of this standard - that could well be why...

.
I have accomodation booked for the Railex weekend so I'm hoping to be match fit for that opportunity to see the results of your skill and artistry for myself.

Regards.

 

[Brian Considine]

Excellent - thanks for the pictures.

 

[Madkitten]

I love this layout, i think the design and contruction is wonderful.... The entire model looks extremly real and has given me a real insentive to increase my modelmaking standard even more. There are not many layouts that can be said to be truly "a work of art" yet country gate easily manages that accolade!!!!

Havent managed to see it for real yet - i expect pictures dont do it justice and its even more impressive in real life!! I am extremly impressed with your foliage and fauna and your amasing buildings!

well done brilliant modelmaking!!!

Best Wishes,

Nikki

 

[pilotfriend]

You are all very kind. Actually, at present, we are negotiating with a major gallery to display County Gate as 'process art'.
We shall see.......
regards
John

 

[spottydog]

Hi John

Never in the history of "Grumpy Old Men" have I seen such a layout.

Being well old enough to be a member of your Institute ( my wife says I already am!)and recently returned to this wonderful pastime, "County Gate" has inspired me, ney confused me, as now I don't know what I want to do next. Your scenery is ......what shall I say....... what many of us aspire to!

Are the backdrops photos ? They are very effective.

A super layout, well done.

Spottydog

 

[pilotfriend]

Hi Spotty Dog

Welcome to the 'Institute'!

The back drops are indeed photos...

see

backdrops

some may like to see some videos taken with a minicam on a wagon

County Gate operating at exhibition

view from observation coach

'Lyn' crosses the viaduct (1)

'Lyn' crosses the viaduct (2)

a drive up the harbour branch

rides behind 'Lyn'

regards
JdF