Sutton's Point

Sutton’s Point - Steve Moor's 40 x 1 layout

The dual inspiration for this layout came with the October 2004 issue of “Mixed Traffic” – the quarterly magazine of the 3mm Society. Inside was an invitation to all members to join the “40 x 1 challenge”, an interesting reason to build something new for the following year’s AGM. Secondly a challenge of sorts was set by the editor, John Sutton, claiming in his editorial that there was a lack of original thinking amongst modellers (generally, not just 3mm). His particular beef was with layout design…

A fascination since childhood with railway running along the road, track set in the tarmac, was a starting point for something different. This is a feature rarely modelled well and offered the chance to develop an industrial setting, say a dock area. The trackplan of such places usually makes little sense to the casual observer and the multiple diamond crossings at places like Great Yarmouth and Aberdeen could offer a challenge all of their own. The 40x1 rules meant the layout had to be operable so the ultimate challenge now was to come up with a trackplan that had several crossings, fitted in the space and could be shunted.

Much doodling later and a workable plan was conceived with construction commencing in February 2005 using conventional methods. 12mm gauge track, chaired in the open and copper clad under the road. Point control by slide switch and lengths of rail under the baseboard. Polyfilla mixed with black powder paint for the tarmaced areas. Unfortunately there was insufficient time to make proper buildings in time for the AGM – some hastily constructed Bilteezi types were used – but a subsequent invitation to a local exhibition has encouraged me to see to this. The photos show the current position with about 1/3 of the layout done, the remainder under plain grey “architectural” type buildings, which will gradually be replaced as time permits.

Photos by Steve Moor

Last updated: 18-05-21