This location was chosen for many reasons : 1) I know it reasonably well (LLandudno ,if you'd not already guessed !!) 2) Important junction giving good operating potential 3) Great scenery opportunities 4)Still exists 5) Good web history coverage and many more.
The major decision in modelling a large location like this is HOW TO GET A QUART into a pint pot or in my case HOW TO GET A GALLON into a wine glass !! What do you include? what do you leave out? what do you compromise? what do you downscale to fit ? some of these questions are being answered as time goes by.
How do you plan a layout like this - next question ?? - Truthfully , this layout started life in 2003 as a French HO layout based on Cognac (a busy station/freight yard) in Charente and I had a very carefully thought out trackplan drawn on graph paper ! . When I moved in 2005 , I decided to expand and changed the theme to an electrified main line based on the Paris-Toulouse line. The graph paper went 'out the window' and was replaced in parts by guesswork !! In late 2005, Hornby released the first of their newly acquired Jouef & Lima range - I was expecting prices to be similar to their UK ranges - but I'm afraid they were significantly higher.
I decided to change from HO to OO to take advantage of UK loco prices and much larger choice.
So Llandublo is born ! - Follow it's progress at the hands of a keen AMATEUR. (perfectionists may only view this site through rose-coloured spectacles !)
Here are a few photos to brighten the page
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River bed laid , painted with water based acrylic mix then varnished twice - more varnish to come
View of the river and castle looking towards the Junction station - plenty of years work to do yet but I'm pleased with this photo !!
River area looking good now (one's opinion)
Track now fixed - Castle & bridge construction can now start in ernest. I'm told by management that this is a Winter hobby so may take a while !!
