MOORTON BOTTOM YARD Scale 4mm - 1ft. Gauge 9mm ('009') by Paul Windle

Size: 5ft x 1ft 8ins (1.5m x 0.5m) (plus operator space). Operators: Three (normally).Transport: One car.

Around the back alleys of Moorton meanders 'the tramway', linking the various stations together. From this a short branch connects to the Moorton Canal, where an interchange for stone traffic was created, below street level, at the town basin.To reach the warehouses, at street level, it was necessary to construct a hydraulic wagon lift.

By the mid 1930s, when the model is set, the stone traffic has ceased. However, the warehouses served by 'Bottom Yard' still provide some traffic for the tramway.

As the track layout is very restricted by the small site, several short trains visit each day delivering coal and raw materials as well as finished goods for transfer tp road transport at street level. The yard is also used for staorage of spare rolling stock, some of which, in true narrow gauge tradition, has not moved for years!

Generally traffic is handled by the Roth Valley Tramway's Sharp Stewart tram locomotives, although various internal combustion 'contraptions' appear from time to time .Also, completely illegally, non-tramway fitted steam locomotives sometimes negotiate the tramway (when the local bobby is not looking!).

Cramped little goods yards were once a common feature of urban railways, but are now just a memory. Perhaps you remember seeing such a scene; if so, we hope will enjoy our representation of the past.

Ref: Railway Modeller May 2007.

This layout can be seen at the following Model Railway Shows:

11th & 12th September 2010: Woking

23rd & 24th October 2010: Cardiff

4th & 5th December 2010: Darlington

15th & 16th January 2011: St Albans

26th & 27th March 2011: London (Ally Pally)

30th April & 1st May 2011: Porthmadog

17th & 18th September 2011: Boston