A general overview shot of 'Midand in Bristol'

A close up of 1761’s innards.

‘Midland in Bristol’ is my entry into the Model Railway Journal Cameo Competition, finished in May 2019. It’s 6’ long and about 18” deep at its widest point. It is based on the Avon Wharf docks in Bristol around the turn of the last century. Inspiration for it has mostly come from Midland Record No 30.  I have so far built an 0-6-0 tender engine from a Mercian kit with much refining and added detail. It includes radio control from Red Arrow, with the battery in the tender, driving the Mashima motor through an ABC gearbox. I am, however, aware that this would have been far too large an engine for the docks; it struggles on some of the tight point-work and may well be confined to running in with a train only. I am also in the process of re-building an ancient 0-6-0 tank from a Slater’s kit; adding radio control and an ABC gearbox. This one will be built with plenty of side-play to negotiate the track-work. Although the minimum radius was intended to be 6’, I think some of it unintentionally dips below that!

I’m looking forward to getting to grips with the rolling stock - my existing stock of about half a dozen wagons, mostly 3-plank opens, is being re-built with sprung w-irons and lots of weight, new stock will be built which will be about half a dozen 5-plank opens - by far the most numerous Midland wagon seen on the docks.

The wooden buffer stops at the dock’s edge.

Midland Railway 0-6-0 tender engine; a Mercian kit with a lot of extra detail. Resplendent in a simplified Johnson livery, as running in 1907 but just prior to re-numbering as 3153