Narrow Gauge North

2024

A 009 layout by Darren Hedges
Scale 009 (4mm/1ft)
Gauge 9mm
Size 5’ x 1’

Draig Goch is one end of a fictional 2 foot gauge railway somewhere in North Wales.  The general idea is that in the late 1880's local quarry owners got together to build a railway from the coast up the valley serving several slate and granite quarries along its route, with a couple of copper and lead mines.  Narrow gauge was chosen to reduce the cost, and it was decided from the outset, that a passenger service would be provided for the local population.

The railway and the quarries it served were moderately successful until the late 1940's when the area fell on hard times.  With the steady closure of the quarries that it served the railway found it harder and harder to make ends meet.  With the line facing total closure in 1955, a group of enthusiasts from the North West and Yorkshire, inspired by the unexpected success down at the Tallylyn Railway, formed a preservation society, with the aim of keeping the railway open.

 

Since the group took over the line has gone from strength to strength, increased traffic levels requiring the sourcing of stock from other lines.

 

The layout consists of a terminus station with single platform, and run round loop, a siding serving a goods shed, and 2 sidings serving the coal yard.  A three road sector plate is provided for the fiddle yard.

 

Track work is by PECO, and the points are operated by Tortoise slow action point motors.  Buildings are from the WILLS range, painted in the house colours of cream with brown doors and windows.  Most items of rolling stock are hand built from kits, together with a few ready to run items.

 

The layout is owned and operated by a member of the South Yorkshire group of the OO9 Society.