Is it one, or two railways? Well it does have two names but then so does Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, another famous duo from Yorkshire. So what’s the story then with this layout duo?
Well, these are two Yorkshire Group layouts that both started out as their own separate layouts, but as time has gone on they have joined forces to become one large, interactive layout with multiple working features and some very interesting trackwork.
The layout can be found with a mix of live steam and battery diesel locos, either working set areas or moving materials or passengers around the line. Trains can often be found passing each other in passing loops, or heading into sidings to allow other traffic to pass. Trains might even come to a halt, if our lifting bridge is up to allow for those pesky narrow boats to trundle by.
The layout features a number of industrial settings, from history and the present. But these are not just static scenes or dioramas, oh no. We do things a bit different around here.
Mining
Two working mines are featured on the Dixon Green layout. A mine shaft is worked by a headgear with the cage being lowered and raised, often while you’re not watching it.
And that’s likely, as you’ll be watching the the little tipper being hauled up the drift mine from the depths below. Up it comes, all the way to the end of the gantry when… well you’ll have to come see the layout to find out!
Rest assured however, you’ll be watching the mine being worked for some time, just to try and work out our magic bottom less pit!
Biofuel Factory
In the modern age, digging deep into the earth to extract 1000s year old carbon in coal form isn’t really the done thing anymore. But keeping heritage railways running for future generations is extremely important. So on our Sead-Y-Parc layout we have a biofuel factory, which is taking in rapeseed from the fields above the factory and processing it into a solid fuel briquette. Worked by small diesels, tipping linkages and a very long conveyor belt. This factory is a hive of activity.
Not only that, but this biofuel factory is a representation of real work being done by a Yorkshire Member to hopefully secure the future of steam railways. He’s just thankfully working on a slightly larger scale.
How it Started
“Why don’t we make a small screnic layout, to be put near the entrance to the Yorkshire Show” someone said back in 2006. We have a small space, lets make something to fit there.
Well in 2007, it made its debut at the Yorkshire Garden Railway Show in that exact spot. 5m long by 2.4m wide (Yes that’s small for our scale). A simple circuit with a terminus connected by a triangular trackwork. Well detailed and just the size needed. Done and dusted you’d think? Leave it at that, we’ve fulfilled the brief.
Well… it’s grown a bit since then. As, each time we stand back and look at it, we think ‘We could add a bit here, a bit there’. ‘How about we do this feature, or make this on a new board?’.
I mean, what’s another board or two?
As of today we’re a 37 baseboard layout which can be built in multiple formats. The small layout by the entrance is now the largest layout the Yorkshire Group has. I guess that’s what you get when you have a group of people passionate about modelling anything interesting which can be linked to railways.
Team Effort
Building this layout to this size has been a real team effort, and that’s before you consider moving it between shows and operating it at each one.
Phil, the team leader of this group of layout enlargers, has the hardest job by far – keeping all us lot in check. Not only that, he’s also the baseboard builder and transportation for the layouts. Which means you’d think he’d be most opposed to adding more boards, but he’s one of the worst offenders!
David H (sadly no longer with us) has made most of the buildings and structures seen around the layout. A huge part of the look of the layouts is thanks to his tireless model making skill. With buildings on nearly every board of the layout.
Rob (self imposed Chief Electronics & String Officer) along with Stuart (Chief Mechanical & Elevator Officer) have brought the layout to life, even before anything is run on it. By providing movement and working features to many of David’s buildings and structures, the layout is a hive of activity even without trains running.
All supported by our highly experienced team of layout Uppers & Downers. IE those who manage to put up and take down the layout for each show. Often without the instructions for the very complex letter and numbering system we use for the base boards (We often think Phil is testing us by hiding it mind).
All this effort so we can run trains, and even then we often hand over the controllers to keen young visitors to our layout. As starting that interest in the hobby early, secures the layout team for the future!
Layout Size
One clever thing about these two layouts, is the number of formats they can be built in. Many of the baseboards which make up the layouts have matching ends, allowing them to be put up in different positions. Along with a number of other optional boards, this allows the layout to grow or change direction. Meaning the layout can often be made to fit in around other venue features, stand or stalls.
While these options below are our most used options. Please do let us know if you have a specific area, size and shape you need. As we can often come up with a combination which will work for you.
U Shape - 12m x 7.07m
U Shape - 11.1 x 7.07m
L Shape - 12.3m x 12.35m
L Shape - 12.3 x 11.4m
Long & Thin - 18.55m x 3.65m
Book This Layout
Are you interested in having this layout at your own event? Please do get in touch as we're happy to discuss options for bringing this, or any of our other Yorkshire Group layouts to your event.
