Amberworth
Scale: : OO9 Gauge (1:76)
Period: 1800s-2000s
Region: Southern / Private Owner
Locality: North Downs / South Downs / Surrey Hills
Size: 8ft x 2ft
System: DC
Amberworth is a Narrow Gauge line, situated in the Surrey Hills/ Downs area of Southern England. The line serves the local chalk and lime pits in the area. The inspiration for the layout comes from two notable locations in the north and south downs — Betchworth, and Amberley. This inspiration also allows the layout to not have the Welsh vibe that most OO9 layouts tend to have.
The layout is built on two Grainge and Hodder 600mm x 1200mm boards, and boasts a reverse loop, hiding entry to the fiddle yard, which also doubles as a Vee style station to allow trains to pass each other. The radii of the curves allows for the more longer bogie coaches to graciously negotiate the curves.
The pointwork uses Peco streamline electrofrog points, with the main track being Peco Code 80 Flexitrack. There are a total of five Setrack points used on the layout, these are the four for the fiddle yard, and the one lefthand one at the top of the balloon loop, which will be hidden under the scenic tunnel/ hillside.
On the second board, the scenery is planned to be rolling hills, akin to those viewed between Reigate and Guildford. On rounding the corner, towards the second entrance of the fiddle yard – also hidden by a tunnel portal — is a Lime Kiln siding, with a passing loop for passenger and goods trains to cross paths.
The ends of each board feature a stub siding, which will allow us to extend the layout in the future. This will allow for the layout to be operated in an L or a reverse L configuration, with the extension boards being able to be fitted to either end of the layout.
The station is situated inside the balloon loop, and is a means for controlling the amount of trains that are in use on the front of the layout at any one time. The first train will come into the balloon and come to a stand, then the second will be able to exit the fiddle yard, and come to a stop in the other platform half. The balloon loop will be regulated via a reverse loop module, and can if need be, be isolated and the layout run as a normal ovular style one.
Control will be via conventional DC controllers, most likely to be sourced from Gaugemaster Controls. All the point work, aside from the four points located within the fiddle yard will be electrically operated, the remaining four will be hand operated as they will be unseen by viewers.
Rollingstock for the layout is entirely member supplied, with some being specifically built from kits for use on the layout, and as such, some of the engines have been given names akin to the real life areas the layout is based upon.