Scaleforum 2009 - Burntisland - East of Scotland 4mm Group
Firstly, pronounciation: "Burnt - island", situated on the north shore of the estuary of the River Forth; in the Kingdom of Fife,
in fact. Burntisland played a key role in transport history, for it was here that the first roll on/roll off ferries entered service.
The ingenuity of Thomas Bouch was responsible for the moving bridge connecting ship to shore. Prior to the building of the Forth Bridge, these train ferries, and the associated passenger ships, formed part of the link between Edinburgh and the east coast of Scotland.
The section seen previously at this exhibition showed the passenger terminus, the yard throat, where the line took off for
the train ferry, and the connection to the roundhouse. This is a dockland site, so the quay walls are a quay(!) feature, with
the imposing stone terminal building behind.
The original layout won the Scalefour Society competition to build a layout in 18.83 square feet, and the Group has been able to progress enlarging the layout and tackling the many fascinating features of the wider site. So they now present the original section with the significant additions of the Train Ferry, with its pioneering moveable bridge, the Forth Hotel and Stables, the West Dock with working hoist and turnplates, and a number of buildings.
The historical period: well, 1883, what else? The first Tay Bridge had fallen four years before, but No. 224 had been recovered, and - for evermore known as The Diver - she can be seen on the layout.
This period has meant considerable research into train operation and signalling of the period, as well as pretty well
scratchbuilding everything.
The period chosen enables the Group to show passenger trains connecting with the ferries, and the freight activity on and off the train ferries. So there will eventually be much shunting, and hence DCC has been selected to cope with all this
anticipated movement.
