Enfield Town Model Railway ClubRetired or Dismantled Layouts Section Swanbourne
- '00' Scale by Tony Minty
Swanbourne is a '00' gauge layout which represents a fictitious seaport/holiday resort in Dorset near the entrance to Poole harbour. Train services consist of local stopping trains from Bournemouth, semi fasts from Southampton and through portions of expresses from London. The latter are often worked by large locos including Bullied Pacifics while the local trains are in the hands of tank engines of both pre-group and BR standard types. There is also a little freight traffic to and from the docks. I do not make any claims to Swanbourne being a finescale layout, for many off the shelf items and kits have been used in its construction, but I hope it will convey the atmosphere of the Southern region as I remember it in the early sixties. The layout is 14ft 6in long, is in four portable sections, and has been designed so that it can be operated from either side. Track is Peco code 100, and most of the buildings are plastic kits from the ranges of Wills, Ratio, Peco, Coopercraft and Airfix (now Dapol). Slaters Plasticard has been used on some items. The small scenic items also include the products of Merton, Preiser, Faller, Hornby, Woodland Scenics and Langley. Trees are by Heki and some of the small boats are Kibri kits. Buses are from the Corgi and E.F.E. ranges while most of the cars and small vehicles are restored Matchbox toys of the original series. Work on the layout was started at Easter 1998 and it is now reasonably complete, but there is always scope for more fine details to be added. In the near future this will include a few more bushes and bits of foliage. The harbour area will have to have a few seagulls. By the time that you read this, those things may have been done. Text and photos
© T. Minty Tony has other layouts and a lack of space at home caused him to decide reluctantly to scrap Swanbourne. Other layouts built by Tony include "Dolgoch Falls" and "Abergwynafon". Ed. 27th Jun 05
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