Ashlands – 00 Gauge

Ashlands is a 4mm 00 gauge layout that is a former Hornby Magazine ‘layout in a weekend challenge’. It was originally built by the Hornby Magazine editor Mike Wild, Graham Muzpratt and others.

The layout is based on the Withered Arm with inspiration being taken from Ashwater and Dunsland Cross. Since coming off of the exhibition circuit, the layout ended up in Portsmouth before being purchased by a member of the society in 2020.

Since that time, a lot of changes have taken place including turning the viewing side around, changing the track plan to make it more prototypical for the Withered Arm and turning the layout into a tail chaser design to make it more friendly to DCC sound. All locos used on the layout are fitted with sound files.

The layout has had a new backscene, lighting gantry and control system built. The scenics are ongoing and this is the final part of the layout to be completed before Ashlands goes onto the exhibition circuit.

The track is all made by Peco using code 75 rail, the point motors are Cobalt by DCC Concepts which are now controlled by DCC Concepts S levers. the Dapol SR signals are also operated by the levers.

Route setting is used on the fiddle yard and 2 monitors are in the front of the layout to give information to the public. The whole layout is controlled by the Digitrax DCC system.