Alton Model Railway Group

Members of the group have built and exhibit (frequently in some cases) their own layouts.
Below are a selection of these layouts.

Welles

00 scale, built by Alton Model Railway Group

Started as the club's first layout in 1983, Welles is based on Wells, Tucker Street station in Somerset. The groups first two members had sentimental attachments to the region and felt a typical GWR country branch line terminus would be a good subject on which to base a layout. The scale and gauge of 4mm and 'OO' was chosen as offering the best compromise between size and affordability combined with the availability of appropriate stock and kits.

The layout is operated with a variety of goods and passenger trains in either the immediate pre-nationalisation period (about 1945) or British Railways (Western Region) 1950-1960.

The layout was built with Scaleway track and points and is approximately 12ft by 2ft with a small turntable fiddle yard. The layout's structures are based upon typical buildings from the region including the goods shed from Wells, Tucker Street (still standing, but now used as a billiard hall) and the station building from Bamford. Various members of the club constructed these buildings.

In 2004, the Group passed Welles on to members Steve Cook and Denis Stevens to carry on exhibiting it as a private layout.

Layout contact: Denis Stevens, 01420 489608

Hayling Island

00 scale, built by Richard Pretious

The first exhibition layout built by group member, Richard Pretious, this '00' layout is of Hayling Island station, and is frequently recognised by members of the public as so.

The layout has been subject to selective compression in order to fit into the space available (the complete layout including fiddle yard is only 13ft by 2ft). The layout successfully captures the atmosphere and surroundings of the original line.

The layout is operated with mainly proprietary stock in either British Railways or Southern Railway periods. Buildings are scratch built replicas of the originals and the layout is fitted with operating signals.

Richard once won the club modelling competition by entering Hayling Island. The rules were subsequently changed to stop him doing it again.

Layout contact: Richard Pretious, 01420 88005

Thomas' Junction

00 scale (mainly), built by Richard and Mark Pretious

This is a Thomas and Friends layout once again built by Richard.

All the characters that the kids like to see are there including Duck, Percy, Diesel, James, Gordon, Toby and of course Thomas. Not only do you see the characters from the Thomas the Tank engine books but many characters from other children's television programmes can be spotted in the most unlikely places.

Layout contact: Richard Pretious, 01420 88005

Sandy Lane MPD

OO scale, built by Denis Stevens

This representation of a fictitious diesel depot loosely based on Old Oak Common is Denis Stevens first exhibition layout, and has been successfully exhibited for a number of years.

The Diesel locomotives used on the layout are mostly detailed ready to run units. Peco track and points have been used with the addition of a Fleischmann turntable.

The layout is designed to show diesels that run on all regions of B.R. from 1960 to the present day.

Layout contact: Denis Stevens, 01420 489608

DS&RP Railroad

G Gauge/Gauge One, built by Richard Pretious and Denis Stevens

The DS&RP Railroad is a showcase of American Modern Gauge One and American/European Narrow Gauge.

The layout runs with passenger and freight trains in both Continental and American.

The American/European Narrow Gauge is controlled by DCC

Layout contact: Richard Pretious, 01420 88005; Denis Stevens, 01420 489608

Bembridge

OO scale, operated by Mark Pretious

Bembridge was the eastern most station on the Isle of Wight located some 2¾ miles north east of Brading Junction. The line opened in 1882 and was closed in 1953 due to declining traffic. In the 1920's with the introduction of the Adams O2 Class tanks the sector plate was increased in size from 16'5" to 25' to accomodate the longer wheelbase engines. In 1935 the Southern Railway decided to make the line one train working so there was no need for signals. The signal box is effectively a ground frame and was operated by the fireman to allow the engine to run round its train.

The line was mainly operated with the Beyer Peacock 2-4-0T, Terriers and later the O2s; this also included a push-pull operation. During any quiet period of the day the duty engine would leave its train at Brading or Bembridge and perform shunting duties at St. Helens Quay. Coal wagons would also be propelled from St. Helens to the coal siding. The long siding was used to store rolling stock when no other space was available locally.

Layout contact: Mark Pretious, 01420 88005.