BARRY WEST POND (Alwyn Annels)
This 00 gauge layout was commenced in 2009 when Alwyn was living in Cardiff and was a member of the Cardiff Model Engineering Society (CMES). It is based on the railway network in the vicinity of Barry in South Wales and reflects the infrastructure and rolling stock present over the period 1985 to 1996. The name is based on the lagoon artificially created from an intertidal inlet from the Bristol Channel when the Barry docks and the causeway to Barry Island were built in 1889 and 1896 respectively. This lagoon was, however, infilled with domestic and commercial waste by the mid 1950s and thus allowed the creation of the World famous Barry or Woodhams Scrapyard. Here over 300 steam locomotives were stored of which 213 were taken away for preservation at various times until its final closure in 1989.
The layout measures 19’6” by 11’ and the track-work includes the up and down lines to Cardiff via the main station, a rail connection to Woodhams, a series of sidings associated with the main loco shed, a preservation railway line to the old Hood Road goods shed (now part of the Barry Island Tourist railway) and the railway connecting the main line to Barry Island across the causeway. These latter lines lead to a six track fiddle yard along the entire length of the layout. Most of the buildings are scratch built from Plastikard and include the old Barry Docks pump house and power station, a well known feature of the area.
The Digitrax Super Chief Extra system provides DCC control of locomotive movements and mainline point motors (Traintronics – TT300) using hands-free throttles (Duplex Radio Transeiver). All other point motors are a combination of Peco solenoids and DC powered point motors produced by a member of CMES. All points are Peco Electrofrog points. Two control panels control point setting and LED lights indicate routes open.
Locomotives are dominated by variants of Class 37 diesels, two with sound, which provide the motive power for ‘merry-go-round’ coal trains. However, the presence of the preservation railway does allow a range of steam engines to visit including City of Sheffield and City of Truro, the former with sound.
