FOXLEY

OOGauge By Steve Cramp

Foxley was built by Steve about five years ago. It took a year to complete, although there are bits that get changed every now and then. The layout is based around north west Leicestershire U.K., in particular the LNWR branch that used to run from Coalville to Loughborough. The layout is in 00 gauged and only measures 6 1/2 foot by 2 foot.

There is a four track sliding fiddle yard underneath the layout where the trains depart and gradually climb and turn through 180 degrees to emerge from a tunnel and in to the scenic part of the layout. The radius of the 180 degree curve inside the tunnel is 10 1/2 inches and although the curve is on an incline 7 wagon freights and 2 coach passenger trains negotiate it without any difficulty, derailments are rare. There are 2 tracks that emerge from separate tunnel mouths, one is the main line and the other is a quarry branch (both run back to the fiddle yard).

The scenic section has a run round loop, station, village area, fields, river, working water mill (scratch built with motor inside to turn the wheel), bridge with river underneath and five sidings two of which are sunken into the ground with just the rail tops showing.

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All the buildings bar the water mill are from kits, although most are modified in some way. Most of the stock is ready-to-run although there are about a dozen wagon kits. The foot bridge is made from match sticks divided into four strips, fiddly but effective. His locomotive fleet is restricted again by the tight curve inside the tunnel but comprises a Bachmann Ivatt tank, a Arfix 4F, an Hornby Jinty and a Dapol LMS Pug. The quarry branch and the number of sidings gives a lot of operational interest.

The track is all Peco small radius streamline points and flexi track. The points are operated via wire coat hangers which have been bent to the right shape and the ends filed down so as to fit through the holes in the points. The coat hangers are held to the underneath of the base board via cable cleats. Signals are Ratio and work through Ratio's spring loaded method. Although the design of the layout is control from the rear / view from the front and the scenic section is four foot high as with most exhibition layouts this has never been exhibited. This is mainly because of the size, he would need to hire a van to transport it as it is too long to fit in a car. Never the less, who knows, maybe one day. Steve is not a member of any model railway club, as finding the time is difficult.