Cutlers Junction 00 (Scenic Test Track)

The old club “Glasgow” 00 gauge layout has been remodelled into a 9ft x 18ft layout renamed “Cutler’s Junction” after the farm where we are situated. The layout is currently in its second incarnation being a double dogbone type layout. This allows members to run long trains over track that is about 142ft from start to finish. As no stock is held at the Club, the original large fiddle yard has been removed with the ability to have a small five road storage road added to one end, for the busy times!.

2022 Update

The branch line originally connected to the ‘Quarry’. The Quarry has now been dismantled and put into storage, which has opened up a large are for Club projects. We now plan to connect a 4 lane fiddle yard, which will provide access storage for stock not in use. Work currently being undertaken:

  • Branch line from Cutlers main area, extended to connect with new fiddle yard complete with control wiring to the new isolated section.
  • Base boards being cut and fitted.
  • First section track and points laid and control wires, switches and bus bars in progress.
  • The two remaining base boards, track and wiring to complete.
  • New controller and remaining bus bars all available and ready to be fitted.

2021 Update

Despite the lockdowns, some members have been able to pop into the Club to continue work on the layout. The new trackplan has now all been laid and wired, all that remains is connecting up and testing. One of the of the objectives in the redesign on Cutlers Junction, other thanm ease of access, was that all control (wiring, points, etc.) should be at or above board level. As we are all not getting any younger(!?) the ability to work on/repair/fault find, without the need to be scambling underneath baseboards was of importance. To this end you will find that all point motors are on top of the baseboard, using tube and wire where needed and easily accessible. Similarly, mini trunking has been fixed to the front of the baseboad edge, which will house all the wiring. Many members are uncertain when it comes to wiring so having it visible means explanition is esier to do. Also rather than a ‘control panel’ full of switches and lights, mounted in the top of the mini trunking adjacent to points you will find the corresponding switch, the same has gone for isolating sections where required.

Nearly all the track and all of the points (mostly electrofrog) were from the original layout only the R4 curves were purchased new. To keep things simple, sections like the High Level Loop and the Factory Siding (in the town area) are powered/isolated by the use of relays, resulting in the need for only a switch to operate, again these are on the surface so members can see how they operate as well as being easy to service. It is worth pointing out that as the Clubroom is a refurbished barn there are numerous oak beams and their support posts, so a handheld controller will be used and the operator will have to ensure they have selected the correct route before sending any train off!

Scenic work on the Station/Town end has progressed as there is only one siding in that area. Large buidings, a road viaduct, and small hillside all help to take your eye of the fact that it is all curved track. At the other end of the layount contains the station throat, junction for the branch/fiddle yard, high level loops, and goods yards, the high level loop not only gives somewhere to ‘hold’ a train, but provides the opportunity to have various bridges to break up the view of the curves. The goods yard has only four sidings but they are well spaced out (as was the case in real life).