Chagford exhibition layout

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Martin Wright

Chagford exhibition layout

Postby Martin Wright » Wed Jul 05, 2017 5:42 pm

I have acquired a superb P4 scale exhibition layout called 'Chagford'. It was part of a large model railway collection that I purchased recently. The layout depicts a fictitious GWR branchline between Okehampton and Chagford in Devon. It has a 'Scalefour Society' sticker so therefore I assume it must have been built/exhibited by one or more of your members.
It is an end-to-end layout 20ft in length x 22 inches wide (620cm x 55cm approx), comes in 4 sections and includes custom made legs and overhead lighting. It is too big for me to accommodate so it has to be sold. I would like it to go to a good home, an individual or club that can appreciate it and possibly exhibit it to show to others.
It has lots of interesting detail there are small scenes to be studied throughout the layout. It features two stations, Okehampton and Chagford plus goods yards, warehouses, scenic areas and much more. The is one through line with assorted branches off to sidings plus a shuttle line at one end. The trackwork appears to be all handmade and the buildings all scratchbuilt. It has a nice control panel with track diagram plus single controller. The points are all motorised with slowmotion action and the wiring between each section simply fits together with DIN plugs. There are also 2 packs of movement cards for exhibition operation.
The layout is built to an excellent standard, it has been in storage so will need some tlc and fettling but otherwise it is ready to run. It is impossible to do justice to it with just a short description so photos and details can be provided on request.
It also came with a nice collection of kitbuilt and modified RTR GWR locos and rolling stock which I would consider selling with the layout to keep it all together.
Coincidentally I see there is a photo of a layout called 'Chagford' elsewhere on this website but it does not appear to resemble my layout so I assume that it is an entirely different layout with the same name.
Anyone interested is welcome to contact me here or I can provide phone/email for further details, photos etc.

markdavy
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2013 7:12 pm

Re: Chagford exhibition layout

Postby markdavy » Sun Jul 09, 2017 5:02 pm

Martin,
This layout may have been built by my friend Brian Lewis, owner of Timbertracks and a few years ago C&L. Brian is of course a member of the society, but does not have a logon to the S4 forum, so I'm responding on his behalf.
Brian's layout was 20 feet long and (unusually) had a fiddle yard in the centre. There was a milk depot at the back and a building named 'Treacher' on the left as viewed from the front. He sold the layout in 2000.
If this is his layout he would be very pleased to hear from you. His contact details are on the Timbertracks website.
Mark

stayhi128
Posts: 24
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 1:33 pm

Re: Chagford exhibition layout

Postby stayhi128 » Sun Jul 09, 2017 7:18 pm

Hey Ho! After being a member of the S4Soc for more years than I can remember, finally I get to post something on the forum......

Could this be my layout? It certainly sounds like it could be. Anyone who knows my layouts will be aware that I fill them with interesting little cameos. And that, together with the two stations makes me think it could be. I lost track of it, after I sold it. I certainly have room for it. There would be no problem in siting it the other side of the room from Tetbury, the P4 layout Mark and I are currently working on.

I would be please to hear from you Mr. Wright. You can contact me at brian@lcpinternational.co.uk or 01275 852 027

I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards

Brian Lewis

Martin Wright

Re: Chagford exhibition layout

Postby Martin Wright » Mon Jul 10, 2017 10:54 am

Hi Mark and Brian.
Many thanks for your posts, it's good to read about your memories of the layout and it's a nice surprise to hear from the original builder!
From your descriptions I am pretty sure it's the same layout. It does have a middle fiddle yard and 'Chagford Dairies' milk depot etc. It has been well looked-after by the previous owner who may well by the gentleman who purchased it in 2000.
I'm sure you would like to see some photos so I have sent an email directly to Brian
Kind regards
Martin

stayhi128
Posts: 24
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 1:33 pm

Re: Chagford exhibition layout

Postby stayhi128 » Mon Jul 10, 2017 11:53 am

HI Martin,

Many thanks of the pics. There has been a small amount of rebuilding and painting, but it certainly is the layout I built - probably about 1996. I sold it in 2000 to someone who lived about 20 miles further down into Somerset. He presumably disposed of it to your man in Staffordshire.
It does look a bit 'unloved', but a few weeks work could bring it up to scratch. Some of the buildings do look a bit crude - I do things better now.

It was built to be a shunting layout and it was very easy to operate. And that was its downfall. Operating bores me after a short while and the logical track layout meant that, after about half an hour operating, I began to pray the roof would fall in, or someone would press the fire alarm....... The next layout I built, (which I sold to Nigel Smith of Omen miniatures), was designed to be a real pig to operate. This was mainly because the goods shed and cattle dock were on the opposite side of the main line from the coal yard and gas works private sidings. It went to S4um in 2000. I wonder if anyone remembers it?

Thanks again - I really enjoyed seeing it after such a long time.
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