Northwick- 4mm scale mainline terminus
Northwick is a popular 4mm scale mainline terminus that has been refreshed and improved over many years.
This is the largest of our ‘00’ layouts and is a mainline terminus to fiddle-yard project Representing a “might have been” seaside resort on the Bristol Channel.
The late BR late steam / diesel transition era gives scope for a wide variety of trains.
The station has three platforms, a goods yard and a servicing point where locos can be turned and prepared for their return journey. An additional baseboard is under construction to provide a branch-line junction between the station and fiddle yard and will provide another source of traffic.
The layout has been off the exhibition circuit for a few years and this has enabled track alterations. An important one being the construction of a double slip to permit easier access to the yard and engine facilities.
Rewiring, in conjunction with the track alterations, has enabled the introduction of MERG ‘CBUS’ control system. Arrivals and departures are set by ‘one-push’ route selection switches, the yard and some other local movements retain manual push button control.
Northwick are led by an energetic team and additional members to the group are welcomed.
Like all our Club Layouts, you are invited to run any stock compatible with the track and power system.
Just arrived:
A pair of boiler transport wagon sets.
The upper pictures, the red set, are of a 290Ton ‘Boiler EB’. The lower, grey set, was built by BR in 1955 by constructing 2 new well sections and re-using 2 existing chassis from former LNER wagons to form a 240 ton boiler set.
Both the wagon sets, one of each pattern, with loads, have been constructed from plastic sections and handcut plastic sheet, except for minor commercial items such as wheels. The ‘heat collector’ spikes on the tube casing are individually applied brass wires, glued into holes. No, we don’t know how many there are. Click each picture for full size view.
Built by Club member, Tim Thomas.
The Prototype
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
The loads accurately represent the ‘Waste Heat Recovery boilers, or ‘Economisers’ that were installed in power station main boiler flues, to utilise the heat passing over the outside of them for higher overall efficiency.