Introducing Prattley Bridge

I have previously made reference to a 4mm scale side project with my Dad that is currently occupying my model making time and keeping me away from my 7mm scale projects.

My Dad grew up in Harrogate during the transition from steam to the early DMUs and for decades had a model of Harrogate in oo in the attic of the family home. A couple of years ago due to both being in their eighties, parents downsized to a bungalow in the same small town as us and there is no room for the layout.

In order to give Dad somewhere to run some trains, we’ve opted for a Branchline terminus layout to fit in their garage. With Dad’s eyesight not being what it was, I’ve been enlisted to help get it started.

From Harrogate, a branch one ran out to Pateley Bridge which had at one time, an end on junction with the Nidd Valley Light Railway serving the dam building railways in Upper Nidderdale. Not having the room to build a proper model of Pateley Bridge, we have named the layout Prattley Bridge after Dad’s late good friend and former work colleague Ron Prattley.

The layout will be 12ft long with a station, branch loco shed, goods yard, including the ubiquitous North Eastern coal drops and an exchange siding for the contractors railway. The layout will take advantage of the North Eastern style buildings that Hornby have produced in their Skaledale range.

Whilst initially set in the 1950s / 1960s period, Dad has been collecting stock to be able to run it in both North Eastern and LNER guises. We will also be bending history by saying that the reservoirs were enlarged with new dams in the 1950s extending the life of the contractors railway.

This will allow Dad to run plenty of the stock that he has and has allowed me an opportunity to indulge in a couple of the attractive industrial locos that have appeared in oo in recent years.

So far, I’ve assembled some Grainge and Hodder baseboard kits. Followed by laying all the track in recent weeks using Peco Bullhead track. It has taken a longer than intended period to get this far, the mojo has been slightly lacking combined with family commitments taking priority and finally a week out after I put my back out!

But I’m pleased to say that the track is all down and there will be a break for the next week (possibly two as it’s then half term). But after that I will be building the coal drops to fit the space I’ve cut in the baseboard and then wiring the layout up. Once the wiring is complete, the layout will head up to parents’ garage for Dad to work on. I hope to motivate myself with a deadline of the end of November to get the wiring done and the layout up to Dad’s. It’ll need plenty of work to make that happen!