Our Layouts
The club currently owns 4 layout in various stages of completion. Two are built in situ at our clubroom and two are able to travel. At the moment, all of our club layouts are OO gauge (1:76). Please find information on each below.
The Club Layout
The as yet untitled 'club layout' was the first layout started by the founding members of the club in late 2019. It is a twin loop plan with an additional board for a terminus station. In the center of the loop will be a small goods yard and a large scenic section. The layout is DCC controlled and OO gauge.
The layout is still under construction, all progress has been halted as we have been unable to access the hall due to lockdown.
![20210422_202712[1]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/df05c7_622c0cfe95ec400baf2853f70d99806c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_476,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/df05c7_622c0cfe95ec400baf2853f70d99806c~mv2.jpg)
The Albert Cox Layout
This layout was kindly donated to us in its completed state by the sister of the late Albert Cox. The layout is not based upon anywhere in particular but Mr. Cox appears to have had an affinity for the Great Western and its influences appear around the model. Apart from some work needed to recommission the layout after transport it was largely completed and has provided us with a place to run trains while we work on the other layouts.
We have started the process of adding an extension to the layout. Mr. Cox served in the Merchant Navy, so the extension will be based around a harbour. This will also allow us to display Mr. Cox's model boats. The original layout is a single loop, with fiddle yard and sidings, DCC controlled. The extension will be analogue and DCC switchable to allow somewhere for members who do not run DCC to operate their models.
South Wigston
South Wigston is the club's first exhibition layout. We are currently at the early build stages. It will consist of a 4'x2' scenic section flanked by 2 2'x2' fiddle yards, with the ability to expand in the future. The layout focuses on a very small part of the complicated triangular junction at South Wigston. We are focusing on the section that would have been Wigston Parva station and was rebuilt as South Wigston station on the Ex-LNWR mainline between Leicester and Birmingham.
We have not decided upon a set time period for the model, the fact the surround buildings have not changed much in the previous 100 years helps to add to the ambiguity of the era. However we will be using the staggered set up of the minimalist, modern station as our inspiration.
The Children's Layout
The Children's Layout is based upon the ubiquitous Hornby trackmat. It was the club's first travelling layout and has appeared at several local events to help promote the club rooms and the club. It gives us a place to introduce the younger members of the club to model railways and give them a place to display the kits and creations they have built proudly alongside their model trains.
