An aerial view of the prototype-based N gauge Exeter Central.
Note the Blue Era well to the fore, and the scratch-built Pacer beyond the canopy.
Since 1974, the club has built several layouts, some successful, others less so! But that is probably true for all modellers....
Although our early layouts were aimed initially at allowiing our members to run trains on club nights, we held our first exhibition during our first year of existance, and the bug of exhibiting has gradually taken hold since then.
The last 30+ years have seen dramatic changes to railway modelling, with the standards of both ready to run (RTR) and kit / detail models being transformed. Although our membership has changed over the same period (only a few of us remember those heady days in the Farnham Maltings), we have always tried to encourage both beginners and those wishing to develop new skills.
We have not got many photos of the earliest layouts, but we have included a few images of previous N and O gauge layouts. Happily both of these went to "good homes" rather than simply being scrapped. Which seems a much more appropriate end for a good friend.
We are sure you will bear in mind that the O layout Pilot Bridge was started about a decade ago, while the N gauge Exeter Central was begun nearly a quarter of a century ago! The available products, and expected standards, have moved on.
Follow the links on the left for more images
An aerial view of the prototype-based N gauge Exeter Central.
Note the Blue Era well to the fore, and the scratch-built Pacer beyond the canopy.
A detail from the freelance O gauge Pilot Bridge.
It was designed to explore the emerging potential for atmospheric modelling in this scale