Westford

Modellers Group

Ingredients

When constructing this layout, much use was made of the many fine products produced by our country's model railway manufacturers. In the next few paragraphs I hope to describe our layout in terms of products and materials used, and to provide links, where these exist to the relevant manufacturers and traders. This page is an experiment, and will be continually developed.

If you know of a link that I have missed, please do E-mail me with the link so that I can update this page, thank you. Click here to E-mail me.

Disclaimer: The following appraisal is that of satisfied customers only, we have no connection whatsoever with the companies mentioned. Errors and omissions, should there be any, are unintentional, and will be corrected if bought to my attention.

Most of the products were purchased from our 'local' model shop, Mainly Trains of Watchet.

Start of traders list.

With the exception of the small signal box (which is a kit) all of the buildings are scratch built using Slaters Plastikard (plain and embossed) and Microstrip. The window frames in the main station buildings are white metal castings from the Langley range. The canopies are all scratch built using Plasticard with Slaters moulded plastic valence.

Street furniture (telephone boxes, pillar box, street lights etc.) are from the ranges of Langley, Springside and Dart castings. The road vehicles seen on the layout are a mixture of kits from various sources (Langley, Springside, Airfix/Dapol ,Transport Replicas Etc.) and off the shelf models. (EFE).

The population are from Preiser, and mainly Airfix/Dapol, with some cast figures from various sources.

The working signals are mostly scratch built from brass tube with etched and cast components from Model Signal Engineering. The 'dummies' or ground signals are non-working castings by Springside models. Other line side details are by Cooper Craft, Langley Etc..

Rolling Stock:

A refurbish/replace programme is currently in progress, with much of the proprietary items of rolling stock being remodelled or replaced by similar kit built models. Most of the Mk1's on the layout have had new Comet sides added with roof vents and other details from the ranges of Comet and ABS castings added. With one or two exceptions, the loco fleet are kit built, coming from the ranges of DJH, K's, Wills Finecast, Puffers and Churchward models. There are a few Proprietary (Bachmann) locos to be seen, some have had new chassis fitted, all have been super-detailed and weathered.

Goods rolling stock are minly from kits, with examples from Parkside Dundas, Airfix / Dapol, Ian Kirk, Ratio, Slaters, Cambrian and Cooper Craft

The coupling system used on Westford is that produced by D.G. Couplings, now owned by Model Signal Engineering. This system we find ideal for an exhibition layout, providing easy coupling and uncoupling with out the "big hand from the sky" approach.

Track is a combination of home built and ready to lay 'flexi track' by SMP (Scale Model Products), the home built track is of soldered construction using code 75 Nickel-Silver bullhead rail soldered to ready cut pcb sleepers. Points (turnouts or switches) are similarly constructed, mostly built in situe. The track is laid on cork sheet and is ballasted with fine granite ballast, held in place with diluted PVA glue.

SMP products are available from Mainly Trains.

Airfix/Dapol

Dapol Website Link

The Airfix model railway KITS range was taken over by Dapol a few years ago, I think the kits are now made in batches as some items disappear from the market from time to time. Plastic kits for Loco's, BR Wagons, People and Station/Line side Furniture.

4mm scale

Dapol Limited
Lower Dee Mill,
Llangollen, Clwd.
Phone: 01978 860584 Fax: 01978 861928
E-mail

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ABS Models

White metal kit range for Wagons and Accessories, Components etc.
Also a few loco kits and Trams.

4mm scale (also produce kits in 7mm scale)

a•b•s models
36, Feild Barn Drive,
Weymouth,
Dorset, DT4 0ED.
5x 1st class stamps for catalogue.