7mm/O Gauge
Presented by Steve Wilkins
Newchapel Junction is a finescale O Gauge layout representing the post-grouping period somewhere in the Yeovil area where the SR and the GWR ran together.
The layout recreates the operation of a busy railway in its heyday with frequent arrivals and departures from the terminus station Newchapel Junction. The locomotives vary from main line express passenger and heavy freight engines to small branch line tank engines of both SR and GWR origin.
The train service consists of passenger and van trains, which leave the terminus, complete a few laps of the circle and then return to the terminus for their engines to be turned and run-round for the next trip. Freight trains pull-out of the yard at Newchapel Town, complete a few laps of the circle and then return to the yard for re-marshalling. Near-continuous shunting in the large good yard means that each freight train has many wagons exchanged before it leaves the yard for its next journey.
The layout is operated from 4 control panels and is entirely semaphore signalled. Moves between Newchapel Junction Station and the circles are controlled by block instruments which also convey train description. All the signals and points are fully interlocked, and those in the main station are controlled by a relay operated push-button entrance-exit panel.
Website – www.newchapeljn.co.uk