Criccieth

[Graham]

Hello all

I thought that I would use my first post to say 'Hello' and to let you know I've become a WRRC member this month.

My main interest is Criccieth Station but I have an interest in railways in general, mainly steam.

I plan to make a 4mm model of Criccieth in The Grouping period but at present do not have the space. I hope to have resolved that issue next year.

I look forward to lively discussions on here.

Cheers
Graham

[Graham]

Hi Noel

Thank you for the welcome.

Gauge... that's the dilemma! I have not been an active modeller at home for quite a long time although I do regularly get together with a few friends and an 00 'club layout'. I have a fair amount of stock, track, and other items from years ago, all 00 and all boxed away at present. Some of it is very old and not to a good standard but some is more recent and could probably be brought up to a reasonable level of detail. At the moment I am unsure whether to stick with what might be termed quality 00 or whether to re-wheel the better items and switch to EM. Whatever I decide there will certainly need to be some new engines and stock to enable an accurate portrayal of my chosen subject. I don't think I have the time or patience to move to P4.

[Graham]

Hi Noel

Thanks for the thoughts. Yes I am aware of the EM and P4 societies. Didn't know there is also an 00 one.

Hi Nigel

I have done a small amount of track building in the past and would consider building the whole layout in this case. Commercially available components would help with the harder bits such as crossings of course. Peco may be an option - it depends on the space I eventually* have for the layout and what compromises I need to make with the track plan. The prototype is on a curve pretty much from end to end so set track would be an issue but if I straighten things out then Peco could probably be made to work. Period is the Grouping, I'm trying to get a more specific date but need more research into the date of a station building revamp. Sometime in GW days the main station building was extended.

*A house move is likely in 2019 and until that's happened I won't know where the railway will be.

[Newport_rod]

Commercially available components would help with the harder bits such as crossings of course.

If you do consider the P4 route then the Exactoscale point kits might be a good option. They might not follow GWR or Cambrian practice, but they do look good and if there are suitable kits in their range then they do make life easier.

[Graham]

Thanks for that Rod.

There are a lot of unknowns for me at the moment as I don't know what sort of railway room I will have. All I can do at the moment is as much research as possible.

[Tanat Valley]

I would start by working out how much space the prototype takes up. Criccieth’s layout is long and thin! I know of very few photographs of the goods shed and yard. I do have 2 postcards, taken from the castle, which show all of the layout in the Grouping period. Of interest are the coal wagons in the yard. Both are Wigan coalfield wagons as it would appear to be the nearest source of house coal so would have come in via Afon Wen.

[Graham]

Hi Alan

Thanks for the post. I see you are "my" line steward. Haven't got time right now to send a long post but will be in touch with more info sometime next week.

Regards
Graham