THE WOODY BAY GARDEN RAILWAY
IS RUNNING FOR AN EXTRA DAY TODAY*
SUNDAY 2nd APRIL
from approximately 10.30am to 4pm.
*Subject to weather dictated conditions. With possible showers forecast this might be a day of interrupted running.
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Remembrance Day 2022
Roll up! Roll up! Wotlark's Travelling Funfair in full swing during the summer months.
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Family entertainment that costs nothing. Enjoy!
Gateway for operators only! But the elevated layout over provides terrific eye level viewing.
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A train about to depart from 'Woody Gate' station on the WBGR. "All aboard!"
In 2023 our 16mm Group is holding regular meetings from April until the end of September on the Woody Bay Garden Railway, dry weather conditions permitting. Use of the layout is restricted to 16mm Association members by special arrangement, and L&BR volunteers.
The layout, featuring 'Woody Gate' station, has now reached completion apart from minor details.
A new 'level crossing' for 1:1 scale staff has been installed with access to the working area from the 'rest area'. It includes substantial steps at each side of the track. The rest area is now fenced off, acting as a parking space for runners' trollies and a place to sit and watch our trains go by during breaks.
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The lie of the land - a gentle slope - means that several views are offered from virtually eye level to knee level! So plenty of easy spectating for all ages!
Enjoying a distant vista of North
Devon's 'Holdstone Down' and the
rolling hills of Exmoor National Park, our 16mm:1ft scale garden railway within the grounds of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway's station at Woody Bay has now become a reality.
Whilst our members finance the scenic content and their own fuel consumption in raising steam, the layout's upkeep is supported, as our slogan says, through kind pocket money donations, however small, from our happy visitors. Thank you for your valuable company and support.
*No admittance charge *Free parking.
*New tea room *Disabled access
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Adding scenic work to the layout has now been completed. Above we see a farmhouse and pub built with the 'JigStones' system invented by our member Pete Chandler. All models are removed for any maintenance required during the closed winter period.
Above, 'Lew' hauls a passenger train past a collection of 1:19 scale model buildings constructed by member Pete Chandler using his 'JigStones'* self cast system which has been available to the hobby since 1992. 'JigStones' enables thousands of varied designs to be built using rubber moulds to produce as many stone effect components as one wishes, with wall blocks cast in rapid set cement (Wickes product is recommended).
JigStones is now produced and supplied by Bertram Heyn at modell-werkstatt.de, and is also available for 'G' scale.
*Pete is now retired and no longer has business connections with the JigStones product, but pleased to continue demonstrating what can be achieved, and offer guidance.
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Last summer a working village funfair (shown above) added colour to the scene on steamup days, weather permitting. We hope to include some of these working models again in 2023.
Not far away is a sheltered rocky bay of pure Devonshire charm. But we do ask visitors to please NOT touch our handiwork.
We usually have a selection of models running in turn during the day. When you return on your L&B journey from Killington Lane Halt, don't miss us! Just head for the loco yard viewpoint...and there we are on the grassy bank.
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The slightly larger scale of 7/8":1ft will also sometimes be running (left).
The next time you visit Woody Bay station on a steamup day*, weather permitting, we'll be there sharing our much loved hobby, and taking along a varied collection of our favourite locos and trains. Happy to answer any questions about joining this great outdoor pastime, the hobby can be expensive, but there are cash saving options which enable fun even if budget restricted.
Like most of us, many garden railway fans are now in their later years. This means that crawling around a true, down to earth, garden railway is not as easy to do.
The raised layout therefore fits the bill where our Groups' older fraternity are concerned. Kneeling on a sharp speck of gravel to couple up a carriage will not be an option!
Catering is close at hand at a brand new tea room. But hold fire on a cuppa when you alight from the train, turn left after crossing the track and you'll find the Garden Railway on the grassy slope. A picnic area is situated facing the layout...so whether bringing a packed lunch or enjoying refreshment from the tea room, you'll not go hungry!
A recently enlarged gift shop is housed in the main building, stocked with a host of souvenirs,
books, videos, L&B attire, mementos and ices.
Disabled visitors are well catered for with a dedicated parking area close to the
platform area and train departures.
The build from scratch...
The Two Moors Group and Central Somerset Group thank the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway and L&BR Trust Fund for their much appreciated support and co-operation in this project.
CENTRAL
SOMERSET
16mm GROUP
DONATED MATERIALS
We thank the following individuals and companies for donated or promised materials or equipment to assist the project.
Pat Brewer, Roger Gardner, Paul Fennon, Ken Povey, David Chandler, David Parmar-Phillips, Nigel Gettings, Chris Tilley, Laurence Poole, Jonathan Curtis, Dave Pinniger, Dave Barnett, Terry Bowden, Malcom Clarke, Richard Lingard, South Devon 16mm Group, Annelise Harris, Pete Chandler
SM32 track has been kindly provided by the L&BR as a result of a previously planned project
that requested donated items from the public. To those donators we present our thanks and hope that our use of them now completes the original goal in mind. Unfortunately it has not been possible to include 45mm gauge circuitry due to limited space.
Many thanks to all the above for their kind generosity.
...AND A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEER BUILDERS
Arthur Cole, Roger Gardner, Pete Chandler, Chris Tilley, Ernie Smith,
Terry Bowden, Nigel Gettings, Ken Povey, Laurence Poole, Paul James
and Phil Farr-Cox
PLUS ASSOCIATED ASSISTANCE FROM
L&B General Manager Stuart Nelhams and our Liaison Officer Pat Brewer
*If impracticalities arise the running will be cancelled. Please check here for advice on the day before starting your journey. The layout may be in use as part of maintenance or creative activities on other days, weather permitting and, as such, may not be presented in the full 'exhibition' mode of normal running.
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