Welcome to the
SUTTON COLDFIELD
RAILWAY SOCIETY

This layout has been constructed to allow scale length trains to run at scale speeds and to encourage audience participation from people of all ages. It represents a stretch of mainline somewhere in the Midlands with long holding loops on the up and down slow lines.
Due to the nature of operation of the layout, universal standards are used throughout as strength and simplicity of operation are important considerations. Most buildings are kit built and everything on the layout could be built by a determined newcomer to the hobby.
Sutton Folly has been on the Exhibition Circuit since 1997 and many children and adults have enjoyed operating the layout. The public are actively invited to drive the trains, change the points and signals and indulge in some gentle shunting. This gives the operators plenty of time to discuss railways in general and modelling in particular. So come and have a go at driving your favourite locomotive on a scale length train and feel free to ask any questions about the layout or the hobby in general. The operators may not know all the answers but they will know a man who does.
This layout is available for exhibitions and open days of two days or more.
It is designed for hands on use by children and other members of the public.
The public are allowed to drive trains, change signals and points and perform simple shunting maneuvers. Our enthusiastic team are happy to advise and encourage youngsters. Everyone knows that a happy child means a happy parent who will spend more time at your show and who may well return to your exhibition at future date!
We regret the layout is not available for one day shows.

For exhibitions within 100 miles of Birmingham we have access to a Ford Transit. Therefore expenses would only be the cost of the fuel. Journeys in excess of this would require van hire and overnight accomodation.

Using dual gauge track to HO and HOn3 standards the plan is based upon a junction between the D&RGW railroad standard gauge mainline between Salida and Leadville and the narrow gauge Colorado & Southern branch line to Twin Lakes and Aspen. With an elevation of around 7,500ft the scenery represens the typical pine forest and rugged mountain outcroppings in the area, with actual photographs of Colorado used as the backdrop.
The facilities at the junction include a turning wye with a centrally located depot for the branch line; a small engine facility, stock yards and a switch back branch to a small logging area and mine. Whilst this is freelance, it is typical of many of the railroads in the Colorado area during the early part of the 20th Century.
The motive power on the layout is steam with the occasional first generation diesel, a Galloping Goose on loan from the RGS and a model of the famous 1930's Burlington Zephyr.
All this is operated using DCC control with onboard sound in the majority of the locomotives and localised sound for environmental effects.
The layout is self-supporting with lighting, sound and various historical displays.
It is transported in one car but does require a second vehicle for extra operators.

Ullapool is a fishing village on the shores of Loch Broom in North West Scotland. Its main claim to fame is being the nearest port on the Scottish mainland for Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. The line to Ullapool was deemed feasible on the projected trade and the authority for the 'Garve and Ullapool Railway' was granted on 14th August 1890. The line was to leave the Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh line just north of Garve station and was to be operated by the Highland Railway Company, becoming the gateway to the Isles. The scheme failed in 1893 however, due to insufficient funds. It was revitalised in 1897 but subsequenty failed again for the same reason. Kyle thus became the rail connected port for Stornoway but the extended sea crossing reverted to Ullapool for onward connection by road as this was both quicker and more economical.

The layout depicts the station as it might have been, assuming the increase in trade was realised and that the Beeching axe had failed to fall on it. There is a short freight only branch to serve the docks and to take goods down to the ships. The station is modelled as it would have appeared in the 1980s and 1990s. This enables a wide amount of rolling stock to be used depicting various eras during the period. Most of the stock is proprietary and buildings are predominantly modified kits.

The failure of the South Devon Railway to promote a crossing of the River Dart beyond Churston in 1861 led to the town of Dartmouth becoming unique in having a railway station but alas, no railway!

This model endeavours to depict how things might have been if Brunel's original attempt to persuade the Lords of the Admiralty of the necessity for a bridge across the Dart had been successful. On view is the compact terminus with a typical late 1930s summer service.

Oakley is set in Shropshire and is a station that might have been if a branch line had been built from the junction which served both the G.W.R. and L.M.S.; then this terminus would have been ideally located at the head of the valley.
The branch is used by both companies which accounts for the mixture of stock hauled by varying locomotives. The stock is proprietary, some of which has been modified or detailed so as to suit the 1930's period.
The layout which is normally operated by three people, is controlled from a central console having mimic diagram with route setting. The operating semaphore signals are interlocked with the points.
The schedule on which the layout operates comprises some forty steps and is intended to represent a typical day starting with the departure of the early morning workmen/parcels train followed by various passenger and goods trains.

The layout depicts an American short line operating in Southern Oregon. The main diorama is of Martins Mill Depot and its associated sidings. The second diorama shows Thompson Loggers Sidings and Palmers feed mill. Stock is modified and weathered ready to run. Buildings include scratchbuilt and adapted kits.

The layout measures 13’ long by 1’ wide. However, because of constant track centres on each board, the fiddle yard can be fitted directly to Martins Mill to make a layout only 7’ long by 1’ wide.

The Inguana Government Railway is a freelance model of a British Colonial railway built to a scale of 3/8” to 1 ft running on 32mm gauge track. This represents a prototype track gauge of 3ft 6ins, which was a common standard for British Colonial railways such as this.
The portion of the line modelled represents the terminus of the line at Portmanteau, which is the principal town on our imaginary island of Inguana. From here there is a frequent diesel and steam train service to Steamer Point which is represented by the fiddle yard.
The buildings are all scratchbuilt and are based on actual structures from various ex-British Colonial railways. The rolling stock is converted from various ‘O’ gauge and Timpo items. The population has been converted from Britain’s figures and Tamiya kits. Peco track has been used throughout.