Barry and Penarth Model Railway Club

Former Members layouts - C: Helstow

This is one of the layouts built by the late Brian Scoulding. It was sold some years ago and is no longer available for exhibition by the club. However, we hope it will be shown in its current form at the Brian Scoulding memorial model railway exhibiton we are holding on Sunday July 6th 2008.

Helstow is a portable OO gauge layout depicting an imaginary terminous in the West Country, where the Southern and Great Western Railways meet. The name is a combination of Padstow and Helston.

This layout is now under new ownership and is available for the exhibition circuit. It was on show at Aberaeron in August of this year and will be exhibited at the Club's Open Day this year.

A major new feature is an extension board with a scale model of the Dare Valley viaduct. This was one of the few Brunel wooden viaducts outside of Cornwall and took the Vale of Neath line over the Taff Vale line above Aberdare. Hence coal on the viaduct would be exported via Swansea Docks, whereas coal on the Taff Vale finished up in Cardiff Docks.