In the world of narrow gauge modelling, few layouts combine atmosphere, craftsmanship and storytelling quite like Charmouth, a 7mm scale narrow gauge model of the fictional Marshwood Vale Railway. Created by David Taylor and first exhibited in 1985, the layout has continued to appear at selected shows and remains a landmark in the serious modelling of freelance narrow gauge railways.
Set in an imagined corner of West Dorset, the Marshwood Vale Railway runs from Bridport through a string of sleepy villages to Charmouth. While fictional, the route is rooted in real topography and plausible railway history. The line is imagined as having opened in 1885, built to a 2 ft 4 in gauge, with engineering inspired by Arthur Cadlick Pain, a civil engineer known for his work on the Culm Valley and Southwold Railways. The result is a convincing light railway capturing the rural, utilitarian charm of the West Country.
Charmouth‘s story was originally told in a series of articles in Railway Modeller during the 1990s, where David Taylor shared both the ideas behind the layout and his techniques. More recently, updates about Charmouth and its sister layout Bridport Town have appeared in Narrow Gauge and Industrial Railway Modelling Review.
Narrow gauge railways had long appealed to David, having spent time in North Wales as a child and encountered the work of P.D. Hancock, Derek Naylor and David Lloyd in Railway Modeller. His first attempt at narrow gauge modelling was in OO9, but it proved unsatisfactory. The kits were crude, the trains unreliable, and the results unconvincing. The popular ‘Rabbit Warren’ style left little room for the kind of realistic modelling he wanted to pursue.
Instead, he turned to scratchbuilding, deliberately choosing a scale and gauge with minimal commercial support. At the time, the newly formed 7mm Narrow Gauge Association and Peco’s first O-16.5 kits offered just enough to get started. It was the right choice, and he has never looked back.
The concept of the Marshwood Vale Railway evolved alongside the layout. The original idea was a Welsh slate railway, but the prospect of scratchbuilding dozens of slate wagons was unappealing, and early efforts at stonework were frustrating. Interest shifted toward railways like the Welshpool and Llanfair and the Southwold, with their timber buildings, corrugated iron sheds and unpretentious rural character.
A West Dorset setting offered the right blend of atmosphere and credibility. It is no coincidence that the Marshwood Vale Railway shares a landscape with John Charman’s Charford Branch and initials with John Ahern’s Madder Valley Railway, both pioneering layouts of their day.
Another key influence was the work of Arthur Pain, sometimes referred to as the Father of Light Railways. His low-cost, lightly engineered approach suited the concept perfectly. The result is a layout that feels rooted in time and place, without being tied to any specific prototype. Charmouth stands as a compelling example of how fictional railways can reflect the spirit of the real thing through careful observation, historical understanding, and artistic modelling.
Layout Design and Scenic Composition
Although modest in length, Charmouth is carefully divided into three visually distinct scenes: the station area, a central goods yard, and a coal yard with a level crossing. These are separated by buildings and scenic breaks that conceal transitions and help preserve the illusion of greater space. Between the locomotive shed and the starter signal, the line begins a steady climb at a gradient of 1 in 35, gaining enough height to cross the lane lane. This change in elevation adds visual interest and helps suggest that the railway continues beyond the confines of the layout, climbing into the hills. The design was inspired by the steep and visible gradients of the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway, particularly the climb out of Raven Square.
Structures were deliberately kept small to maintain a convincingly rural atmosphere. An early attempt to include a model of Charmouth’s real tollhouse was abandoned when it became clear that the building dominated the scene and felt out of scale. The only two-storey structure is the village shop, which effectively masks the entrance to the fiddle yard.
A six-inch scenic extension was later added to the station end, featuring a quiet rural lane and a disused level crossing. Though compact, this addition had a noticeable impact on the layout’s visual composition. It provided an opportunity to model heavily weathered, grass-grown track and derelict infrastructure, adding considerable atmosphere. The extension was entered into the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association’s diorama competition and was awarded second prize. Features such as a phone box, revised hedging, low-relief trees, and updated signage have further enhanced the scene’s realism.
Baseboards and Construction
The layout was originally built to measure just 10 feet 6 inches in length and was designed with portability as a key priority. It had to fit in the back of a Ford Fiesta, which dictated not only the overall footprint but also the baseboard dimensions and method of construction. Each baseboard was made with a plywood frame and a flat Sundeala top. Sundeala was chosen for its firm yet slightly absorbent surface, which provides quiet running and holds track pins securely during construction and maintenance.
Folding legs were fitted to allow quick and stable assembly at exhibitions. Despite these efforts, the completed boards were still fairly heavy, reflecting a compromise between portability and structural strength. Chipboard and planed timber were deliberately avoided due to their weight and poor performance in holding screws and fixings over time. Lightweight ply and careful bracing ensured a rigid and durable build that could withstand repeated transport and setup.
The scenic section was constructed with a shallow profile to reduce volume and ease handling, while wiring was kept accessible through removable panels and clearly labelled for straightforward troubleshooting. The entire construction approach was geared toward reliability and resilience for regular exhibition use, rather than the static permanence of a home-based layout.
Trackwork and Point Control
Track laying was undertaken in 1984 and is based on PECO O-16.5 flexitrack, extensively modified to improve appearance. All plastic webs between the sleepers were removed, allowing them to be straightened and spaced more realistically. The rails were detached and hand-curved to suit the layout’s alignment, then reassembled after the sleepers had been painted. Every sixth sleeper was fixed in place with a Hornby track pin, each hole pre-drilled to avoid splitting the Sundeala track base.
Although PECO O-16.5 flexitrack was available, their matching pointwork had not yet been released at the time of construction. As a result, all pointwork on Charmouth was handmade to replicate the appearance of PECO track. Code 100 rail was used throughout, laid onto 2.5 x 5 mm obechi strip sleepers—the same dimensions as PECO’s moulded plastic sleepers. The rail was fixed in place using PECO track spikes, and copperclad sleepers were added where additional strength was required, such as at board joins and within pointwork itself. This method proved so successful that it was later adopted again for the Bridport layout, with the only change being a switch to finer Code 80 rail and Roy C. Link (now KB Scale) spikes.
Ballasting was applied conventionally. Dry ballast was spread over the laid track and fixed in place using diluted PVA. While the glue remained wet, fine light grey-brown flock was sprinkled from above to soften the appearance and achieve a more naturally weathered finish. To avoid the overscale appearance typical of some commercial products, ballast intended for a smaller scale was used. Only a light application was made initially, as ballast tends to expand when wet and can creep up the rail sides. Further layers could be added later as needed.
Pointwork was built in situ using paper templates glued directly to the baseboard. Sleepers were cut from obechi strip, and the rail spiked using PECO track pins. A few copperclad sleepers were used in key locations for added structural integrity. The points are operated manually via a simple, reliable system of wooden rods running beneath the baseboards. These extend the full width of the layout, allowing operation from either side. The design follows a method developed by Pete Lindsay, itself inspired by Peter Denny’s long-established mechanical principles.
Electrics and Control
Electrical sectioning follows standard practice. Switches are housed in a removable control box, which can be mounted on either the front or rear fascia and plugged in with multi-core cable. Controllers are also handheld and plug in underneath the layout, giving the operator freedom of movement.
A simple changeover switch is wired into the system to ensure that the controller’s direction switch always corresponds with the train’s actual movement, regardless of which side of the layout the operator is using.
Scenery
The landscape was built up using layers of insulation board and expanded polystyrene, carved and shaped to create convincing rural contours. These were covered with a coarse, pale-coloured type of carpet underfelt, salvaged from a workplace bin, which proved ideal for representing grassy ground. Its exact origin is unknown, but it had just the right texture and took paint well. Once glued in place, it was dry-brushed with various green acrylics to create a subtle, weathered effect. This method was adopted around the time underfelt was becoming popular for scenic work, replacing older techniques such as dyed sawdust.
Roads, tracks and other hard surfaces were formed using a mix of Polyfilla and sawdust applied over the underfelt. This created a slightly rough, uneven texture that suited the rural setting and helped blend structures into the surrounding landscape.
Bushes and undergrowth were made from rubberised horsehair and teased-out nylon scouring pads, finished with various ground foams from Woodland Scenics to add colour and texture. These materials were applied carefully and with variation to avoid repetition and give a natural, overgrown appearance.
A particularly effective feature is the lane leading up to the gated level crossing, with the Dorset hills just visible on the horizon. Although the nearby sign reads “No Gates,” the crossing is gated. The gates open away from the road and are there to prevent livestock from wandering onto the railway, rather than to control road traffic, which is minimal in this setting. This arrangement is similar to the crossings at Castle Caereinion and Cyfronydd on the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway. The distinctive road sign was based on artwork kindly supplied by Gordon Gravett, taken from his model of Ditchling Green. The rest of the sign was scratchbuilt from brass components. Similar examples are now available as white metal castings in the S&D range by Dave Sutton.
A small white metal lever frame stands at the station throat, controlling the main running line pointwork and signals. The frame is from the Springside signal box interior kit and is mounted on a Plastikard base. Point rodding is made from brass wire, with etched cranks and white metal stools from Sprat and Winkle. Ground levers are used for other turnouts, and the scene is completed by a Phoenix Stationmaster figure watching over operations.
Accessories across the layout came from a wide range of sources. Figures were by Phoenix, with platform clutter from Duncan Models, S&D and Springside. Fencing was from Scalelink, the letterbox from Langley, and the gas lamps were produced by Mike’s Models.
Buildings
The buildings reflect the plain, functional character of rural West Country branch lines. Early examples were built from 4mm plywood, often as complete shells, which made them heavier than ideal for a portable layout but exceptionally robust. Cladding materials included embossed plastic sheet for brickwork, stripwood for timber framing and a variety of textures for corrugated finishes. Roofs were formed from thin plywood or foamboard, covered with strips of high-quality writing paper, typically Basildon Bond, with care taken to avoid the watermark, to simulate slates. These were later embossed and painted with acrylics to complete the effect.
The station building was constructed from foamboard with a stripwood frame and clad in Slaters Plasticard, featuring brick and timber detailing. Its design follows the pattern of a typical small rural station, with a gate leading directly from the lane to a low platform. Facilities included a waiting room, booking hall, ladies’ room, toilets and a small general office.
A notable structure is the long wooden carriage shed behind the platform, accessed by a siding that runs behind the station and crosses the lane in the foreground. This was the first building constructed for the layout in 7mm scale, built from 1/32-inch birch plywood with stripwood framing. The plywood was scribed to represent vertical planking and stained with diluted Humbrol Track Colour. To prevent warping, the removable roof was made from two aluminium sheets supported by internal formers and clad with Slaters Corrugated Plasticard. Its design was loosely based on the standard gauge shed at Helston, scaled down to 5mm/foot to suit the narrow gauge setting. The shed’s length was determined by the need to house the original stock, three Peco four-wheel coaches.
The engine shed, located near the footpath crossing, has taken on a visibly weathered appearance over the years, so much so that it has occasionally been praised as a convincing model of a dilapidated structure. In truth, the lean and warping are the result of real ageing rather than deliberate modelling. It was originally built straight and square, with a shell made from 40-thou Plastikard. Corrugated Plastikard was laminated on both the interior and exterior, with cosmetic timber framing added inside. A solid 4mm plywood internal roof was intended to keep the structure stable, while the visible roof is formed from aluminium sheet laminated with further corrugated Plastikard. Doors, louvres, smoke vents, and structural details were built from a mix of thin plywood, basswood and Obechi strip, chosen for their realism and texture.
Beside the shed stands a tall timber-framed water tower. The tank itself came from an early Mineral Valley Tramway kit, one of the first to be distributed by the newly formed 7mm Narrow Gauge Association. The original Welsh-style stone tower supplied in the kit was replaced with a timber version to better match the layout’s setting. A coal stage nearby completes the scene.
Tucked into the goods yard is a small corrugated iron hut, serving as a combined yard office, store, and messroom. Although clearly cramped inside, the staff appear to have made the best of the space. The model is based on the former fitters’ workshop at Aberystwyth on the Vale of Rheidol Railway. Construction is from plywood, clad with Slaters Corrugated Plasticard, and fitted with scratchbuilt doors and windows.
The goods shed is loosely based on the one at Welshpool, at least in terms of overall shape and size. Lacking clear reference material during construction, the exterior was clad in vertical timber planking to match the carriage shed, with sliding doors of original design. It was only later that the real shed’s doors were discovered to be mounted internally. The structure is entirely wooden, made from plywood and stripwood, clad with planked basswood sheet and stained with diluted Humbrol Track Colour. A plywood and stripwood roof was finished with Slaters Corrugated Plasticard. Weathering was achieved using soft brushwork with black and white powder paint. A small, slightly ramshackle canopy extends over the track at the rear. In hindsight, its position near the front of the layout and relatively large size have made it visually dominant. It was once considered for replacement with something more modest, though this never came to pass.
Hurlock’s Stores, one of the layout’s most recognisable structures, was based on a real shop and neighbouring buildings formerly located in a village just over the border in East Devon. These were spotted and surveyed shortly before demolition, and their compact, practical appearance made them an ideal choice to flank the level crossing. The shop and adjacent buildings mark a shift in construction method, prompted by the influence of Bob Barlow’s Inkerman Street project for Model Railway Journal. The heavy plywood shells were abandoned in favour of ultra-lightweight foamboard, clad in Howard Scenics embossed card brickwork. This range was chosen for its subtle texture and realistic finish.
Hurlock’s is the only building on the layout with an interior. The shop fittings are built into a foamboard drawer that slides out from the rear, allowing access for detailing and maintenance. Inside are shelves, a counter, and a selection of white metal castings from the S&D range representing stock. Windows were scratchbuilt using Slaters Microstrip applied to clear plastic sheet, another salvaged material of unknown origin.
Window frames across the rest of the layout were similarly made from clear plastic sheet and styrene strip. Wooden features such as the goods shed, fencing and platform surfaces were built from stripwood and basswood, stained with diluted Humbrol Track Colour and weathered with powders.
Locomotives
The locomotive fleet of the Marshwood Vale Railway reflects the same ethos as the layout itself: freelance, plausible, and practical. While some engines were conceived before the railway’s final concept had settled, all have been selected or adapted to suit the imagined geography and history of a rural West Country narrow gauge line in 7mm scale. Many are built from scratch, others are kit-based or modified, and all display a high level of thought and individuality in their construction.
Each locomotive was chosen for its compatibility in both size and character. The design philosophy places strong emphasis on visual harmony across the fleet, ensuring that nothing appears too large, too modern, or out of place for a small, lightly constructed railway. The fictional background of the Marshwood Vale provided flexibility to model locomotives that are credible without being constrained to specific prototypes
| No. | Details |
|---|---|
| 1 | |
| 2 | River Char? Malachite Green |
| 3 | “River Asker” |
| 4 | “Bodicia” 2-6-2T |
| 5 | Baldwin 4-6-0T |
| 6 | Baldwin Black |
| Single Farlie | |
| Baldwin 50hp gas Mechanical, kit by Neil Sayer. Railmatch GW Indian-Red | |
| – | K1 Garratt |
| BHTC | “Victoria” 2-6-2T Hunslet tram engine similar to the War Department design. Railmatch Indian Red, GWR Loco lining. |
Hunslet 2-6-2T “Boadicea”
Hunslet 2-6-2T “Boadicea” was the first entirely scratchbuilt locomotive for Charmouth and remains one of the most characterful. It was intended to resemble a Hunslet WD 4-6-0T, but was built on a Lima 2-6-2T GWR Prairie Tank chassis. The body was made from plasticard and the boiler from aluminium tube, with various cast fittings sourced from the Exeter Model Shop.
The original Lima chassis proved inadequate. It lacked the smoothness of a Portescap-powered mechanism and didn’t allow for the preferred outside frame appearance. A new chassis was constructed using nickel silver inside frames with Romford wheels on extended axles, driven initially by an open-frame motor and later replaced with a Portescap. Cosmetic outside frames of plasticard were attached to the footplate and remain with the body when separated.
Coupling and connecting rods were made from code 65 bullhead rail, with nickel silver bosses soldered on. Crossheads were commercial castings, and other parts were scratchbuilt from bits of brass. Despite its hasty and improvised origins, the locomotive ran reliably and continued to perform well in service.
The plasticard bodywork, although quick to produce, lacked long-term durability. Rivet detail became worn and the cab proved fragile. This experience led to a preference for brass and nickel silver in later builds. The dome and chimney were upgraded as modelling skill improved, and the pony trucks were weighted to reduce derailments.
Paintwork consisted of Humbrol Malachite green over Halfords grey primer, applied by brush. PC Models’ LMS lining was used, with nameplates and works plates from Peter Thatcher. The crew came from ABS. Unexpectedly, Boadicea bore a resemblance to the Bideford, Westward Ho and Appledore 2-4-2s, an accidental but fitting echo of real West Country prototypes.
Single Fairlie Vulcan
Vulcan is undoubtedly one of the most talked-about locomotives on the Marshwood Vale Railway, largely because it remains unpainted. This was never the intention. The locomotive had to enter service before it was finished, and its bare metal body was polished to protect it from corrosion and fingerprints. Over time, Vulcan developed a deep metallic shine that became something of a trademark. Many visitors insist it would be a shame to paint it, while others remain perplexed by its appearance. At one show, it sparked a lively debate amongst onlookers who entirely ignored the rest of the layout.
Originally intended for a Welsh slate layout, Vulcan is a freelance Single Fairlie that evolved over time. The original closed cab was replaced with an open-backed version once a detailed backhead had been installed, then immediately obscured. Other refinements included new dome and chimney castings, and the power bogie was replaced when the first proved unreliable. The resulting locomotive bears a passing resemblance to the front half of Moel Tryfan joined to the rear of Taliesin, riding on a Taliesin-style bogie.
Constructed entirely in metal, Vulcan followed the Mike Sharman modular construction method. Instead of a traditional split between chassis and body, the model is built from a series of sub-assemblies that bolt together. The core is a stepped footplate made from copperclad circuit board, which also carries electrical connections between bogies. Side tanks, boiler, smokebox, and firebox are all separate, as are the cab, bunker, and backhead. The bogies and ashpan are bolted on beneath. This modular method makes disassembly for maintenance straightforward and has since become standard practice for further locomotives.
Detailing is extensive, including moving regulator and reverser handles, rotating brake gear, and numerous etched and turned brass fittings. Accessories such as handrail knobs and a re-railing jack were sourced commercially, while nameplates were custom etched by Peter Thatcher.
Vulcan performs well and has proved reliable over many years of exhibition use. Its unusual construction and appearance continue to divide opinion, but its design is robust and practical. As one of the standout locomotives of Charmouth, it combines strong performance with a character all its own.
The Baldwin
The Baldwin 4-6-0T is one of the most powerful and rugged locomotives on the Marshwood Vale Railway. Built from a Wrightlines whitemetal kit, this engine represents the type of war surplus locomotives that might realistically have been acquired during the 1920s. The kit itself was originally designed by another manufacturer and later improved by Wrightlines. It presented several design challenges, including the use of an American-style high-pitched boiler and bar frames, but proved rewarding to build.
The original kit was designed for an old-fashioned X04 motor and Romford gears, both of which were unsuitable for the build. Instead, the model was adapted to use a Portescap motor mounted invisibly within the boiler. The gearbox, modified and extended, was hidden within the firebox and drives the rear axle. This arrangement allowed the cab and the area under the boiler to remain clear, preserving the open appearance characteristic of the prototype.
Additional modifications included drilling and filing the bar frames to open out the etched gaps, adjusting the frame height, and reconfiguring the cab floor. Pickups were fitted to both the driving wheels and the bogie, with a fine nickel silver wire acting both as a power bridge and a spring for the bogie.
Photographs of preserved Baldwins imported from India provided valuable reference material for additional detailing. These inspired upgrades to the valve gear, connecting rods, expansion link, and other fittings. The model was built using a series of sub-assemblies that bolted together, following the builder’s now-standard construction method.
The cab was heavily detailed with a new backhead, pipework, firebox door, and driver figure. The cast roof was replaced with brass, and the floor was finished with wooden planks. Baldwin works plates were supplied by Peter Thatcher.
Once assembled, the model was painted with Halfords grey primer, followed by Humbrol black. The underframe was picked out in red oxide and weathered with a mixture of dry-brushing, powders, and paint to replicate the appearance of a hard-working locomotive.
Though built from a kit, the Baldwin has been thoroughly reworked and stands as a testament to careful modelling. It performs exceptionally well, and its squat, purposeful form is a visual highlight of the layout.
Hunslet 4-4-0T River Brit / River Char
This locomotive is based on the design that Hunslet tendered for the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway and carries one of a trio of names inspired by local rivers. The original intention was to build three identical locomotives named after the Brit, Char, and Axe. The names did not roll off the tongue quite like Exe, Taw, and Yeo, so the prefix “River” was added for clarity and character. Only one has so far been completed, with custom-etched nameplates and Peter Thatcher-supplied works plates.
The loco’s high centre of gravity and long overhang might have made it unsuitable for the L&B, but on the Marshwood Vale’s less demanding route, it found a natural home. The graceful lines of the prototype proved too appealing to resist.
Construction followed the now standard method of bolted sub-assemblies. This example used Alan Gibson’s outside frame wheel system, which allows for any gauge by adjusting wheel positions on plain axles. Although the system offers flexibility, it proved less robust than preferred, and future builds will likely revert to Romford components.
The frames are permanently attached to the footplate and buffer beams to maintain strength. Axles are fitted with square hornblocks sliding into milled slots, held in place with a keeper plate disguised as an equalising beam. Electrical pickups were initially fitted to the top of the wheel treads, causing poor running due to accumulated dirt. Repositioning the pickups greatly improved performance.
The loco’s bogie uses split frames and axles for power pickup, with Gibson plungers doubling as springing. It will negotiate curves down to two feet, and the layout’s ruling radius was set to 30″ accordingly.
The body is constructed in sub-assemblies including boiler, tanks, cab, and motion. The tanks and cab front form a single unit built from soldered nickel silver slabs. The detailed backhead is Blu-Tacked to internal spacers. Livery is Malachite Green, matching Boadicea, though some additional detailing and weathering remains to be completed.
Kerr Stuart Diesel Phoenix
This diesel locomotive began life on a second-hand Bachmann Plymouth chassis. Around the same time, a drawing of the Kerr Stuart diesel used on the Welsh Highland Railway appeared in Narrow Lines. While accuracy could not be guaranteed, the drawing looked plausible and the chassis’ wheelbase was spot on. A single grainy photo in one of Boyd’s books provided the only other reference.
Construction was an exercise in straightforward metalwork. The body was built from sheet metal with plenty of riveting and soldering. The original livery of Malachite Green has since been replaced with Crimson Lake, brush-painted using Humbrol enamel.
The Bachmann chassis performed extremely well, and while pickups were added to the centre wheels, their impact on running was unclear. A failed motor was later replaced with a Mashima 1620 can motor, which delivers a reliable crawl and a satisfying mechanical growl thanks to the complex gearing.
Phoenix may have been a pragmatic build, but it adds a distinct industrial flavour to the Charmouth locomotive fleet and is proof that modest beginnings can produce surprisingly characterful results.
Carriages
Passenger stock on the Marshwood Vale Railway has evolved significantly over the years. The earliest efforts used modified Peco four-wheeled coach kits. These simple plastic models were enhanced with continuous footboards, interior partitions, basic seating, and glazing. Initially delivered in bright, factory-finished colours, they were repainted into crimson lake and white to suit the line’s preferred aesthetic. These coaches served reliably until being replaced by more ambitious six-wheeled models, but are still occasionally seen in storage at Bridport.
The current mainstay of the passenger fleet is based on early Cleminson underframe six-wheelers from the Manx Northern Railway, chosen for their short length (30 feet), charming proportions, and square-cornered panelled bodies. These include an all-first, all-third, brake-third, and brake-composite, all built using styrene sheet with laminated sides, scratchbuilt panelling and internal partitions. Each vehicle carries a different livery on each side: crimson and ivory on one, and red oxide on the other. This allows operational flexibility and visual variety using simple cassette turning in the fiddle yard.
The models use functioning Cleminson flexible underframes, where each of the three axle ‘trucks’ moves independently to navigate curves. This system, refined through experimentation, runs smoothly and quietly, and provides the visual character of traditional six-wheel stock.
Interior details include tissue paper upholstery, painted blue in the all-first saloon, and seating throughout. Glazing is provided via clear sheet plastic, with droplights framed in thin styrene strip. The coaches are weathered with dry-brushed white powder paint and dusting.
The passenger brake van, also based on a Manx Northern vehicle, was modelled from photographs of a preserved body and uses a brass and copperclad underframe, which bolts to the plasticard body. Its paintwork mirrors the other coaches.
The only bogie coach on the line is a brake composite built from the Roxey Mouldings etched brass kit for the Manx Northern ‘Foxdale’ coach. This four-compartment vehicle includes a guard’s compartment and van space, making it ideal for short one-coach trains. Assembly followed the kit instructions with added internal bracing and posed some challenges in soldering. It carries standard Marshwood Vale livery (one each side) but must run a particular way due to footboard clearance at Charmouth.
These carriages, especially the Cleminson six-wheelers, have won awards including the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association’s David Lloyd Trophy for Passenger Stock and embody the railway’s blend of historical inspiration, practical design, and home-built ingenuity.
Earlier liveries, including two-tone versions and custom lettering, were applied by hand using fine brushes and acrylics. Lettering has been produced using PC Models and Mabex transfers, with weathering carried out using white powder paint and dry-brushed washes. The vehicles are detailed internally with simple partitions and passenger figures, and use removable roofs for access.
The Cleminson system, which keeps wheels aligned on tight curves, is based on prototypes from the Isle of Man and Southwold Railways and uses pivoting axle trucks linked by brass rods. Cassette turning in the fiddle yard enables use of either livery side without manual handling.
Overall, the Marshwood Vale’s carriages demonstrate how accurate historical reference, careful construction, and creative compromise can combine to produce a distinctive and operationally flexible fleet.
| Railway | No. | Description |
|---|---|---|
| MVLR | 3 | Manx Northern Railway |
| 4 | Brake Composite. Roxey Mouldings etched brass kit for the Manx Northern Railway’s “Foxdale” coach | |
| 5 | Composite. | |
| 6 | Brake | |
| MVR | 8 | |
| MVR | 7 | Brake |
| MVR | 14 | Third Class Tramway Coach |
| MVR | 15 | Brake. Scractchbult Red Oxide. (Former BHTC No.4) |
| BHTC | 1 | First. Tramway-style balcony-ended coaches Branchlines for the Irish Clogher Valley Railway without the clerestory roof. varnished teak livery |
| BHTC | 2 | Third |
| BHTC | 3 | |
| BHTC | 4 | Brake Van |
Wagons
The goods stock of the Marshwood Vale Railway is a carefully curated collection that blends freelance designs with scale models inspired by the Welshpool & Llanfair, Southwold, and Vale of Rheidol lines. The aim has always been to maintain consistency in height, proportion and overall style, with all stock running on OO gauge wheels from manufacturers such as Gibson, and fitted with standardised Airfix and Fleischmann couplings.
Many wagons are built using traditional craftsman techniques, employing fine-grained plywood, stripwood or basswood for the bodies. Underframes are often fabricated from brass channel for added strength and longevity. Several vans and brake vans are based on early 7mm Narrow Gauge Association kits, including examples from the Mineral Valley Tramway and Narrowcraft ranges, which make use of colour-coded timber, white metal fittings and well-illustrated instruction sheets. Vans with working doors allow for photographic cameos and operational interest during exhibitions.
Two of the most prominent open wagons are based on Southwold Railway prototypes, constructed from birch ply with individually scribed planks and fitted with riveted brass or Plastikard strapping. Others include freelance coal wagons and bolsters using milled timber planks, chemically blackened brass strapping and, in some cases, removable loads. These loads are typically formed from Plastikard or balsa blocks, finished with crushed real coal to achieve a realistic texture; there is, quite simply, no substitute for the real thing.
Private owner wagons, while rare on narrow gauge, are not without precedent. The Welshpool & Llanfair, Southwold and Glyn Valley lines all featured examples, and a handful are represented in Marshwood Vale’s fleet. One such model is lettered for R.B.J. Cox & Son, a Bridport-based coal merchant that operated until recent years. The deep red-brown house colour provides a welcome contrast to the otherwise muted tones of the wagon fleet. Although the livery’s accuracy is uncertain, its style is reminiscent of the well-known J.L.L. Peate wagons on the Welshpool & Llanfair, suggesting these are in part intended as tribute models.
Other notable wagons include a shortened Welshpool & Llanfair brake van, loosely inspired by Bob Telford’s OO9 designs and built from ply with Slaters Microstrip framing. A transporter wagon based on the Leek & Manifold Railway was also constructed, but later retired from regular use due to its disproportionate appearance in relation to the layout.
Recent additions to the fleet include several white metal kits from Dorset Kits, offering detailed models of W&L-style coal wagons, opens and bolsters. These kits provide full internal detail for running unloaded and allow adjustment of ride height and components to match existing stock.
Weathering and detailing methods are guided by sources such as Martyn Welch’s The Art of Weathering and early Model Railway Journal articles by Chris Crofts. As a result, the wagon fleet, though varied in origin and method, maintains a consistent and believable visual identity that supports both photographic and operational realism.
| Railway | No. | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake Van | |
| 2 | Brake Van. Mineral Valley Tramway kit. | |
| 3 | Brake Van | |
| 4 | Open Scratchbuilt using thin plywood with riveted brass strip for the metalwork | |
| 5 | ||
| 6 | ||
| 7 | Open. Scratchbuilt in 1/32″ birch ply. | |
| 8 | Convertible goods/cattle van | |
| 9 | Open. Scratchbuilt in 1/32″ birch ply. | |
| 10 | ||
| 11 | ||
| 12 | ||
| 13 | ||
| 14 | Van | |
| 15 | Van. Scratch built to match a limited-edition basswood kit from the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association. Timber and canvas roof. | |
| 16 | Van. Limited-edition Narrowcraft (1 of 3) basswood kit from the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association. Irish-style corrugated iron roofs. Sitting on a PECO OR40 Plastic Wagon Chassis Kit. | |
| 22 | Open | |
| BHTC | 1 | |
| BHTC | 2 | Open. Welshpool style from Dorset Kits. Darker grey, Humbrol 27 |
| BHTC | 3 | Open. Welshpool style from Dorset Kits. Darker grey, Humbrol 27 |
| BHTC | 4 | Open. Welshpool style from Dorset Kits. Darker grey, Humbrol 27 |
| X 2 x sheeted open X 2 x Bogie Bolster X Open | ||
| 3 | R B J Cox & Son. Coal Wagon. Scratchbuilt in 1/32″ birch ply. | |
Fiddle Yard
The fiddle yard for Charmouth has gone through several stages of development. The early versions were compact and located behind the goods yard scenery on the third board, but they soon proved unsatisfactory. They were too small to accommodate growing stock, awkward to operate, and slow during exhibitions. These shortcomings led to a complete rethink of the design.
The current arrangement uses a cassette-based system, developed specifically for exhibitions. Instead of conventional trackwork, the fiddle yard consists of a smooth plywood deck onto which individual stock cassettes are placed and slid into position. Each cassette is made from aluminium angle mounted on a plywood base, forming a guided tray that securely holds a locomotive, coach, or group of wagons.
A simple interface aligns each cassette with the scenic track and provides power. Only the cassette carrying the powered vehicle needs to be live. When a train arrives, the running section is live and the receiving loco cassette is isolated. This ensures that the train stops in exactly the right place without relying on operator judgement, especially when working from the opposite side of the layout.
Longer trains are assembled by connecting multiple cassettes using simple mechanical clips. This allows three-coach formations to be managed with ease, while shorter cassettes handle locomotives and individual vehicles. Goods stock is managed on dedicated cassettes long enough for a full rake including a brake van, matching the capacity of the station loop.
The fiddle yard is supported by folding legs and features a removable lid, creating a self-contained box for storage and transport. This means it can be packed quickly and fits easily in a small car. The design includes working space for stock preparation, load changes, and wheel cleaning, removing the need for additional tables or lifting stock during a show.
One important feature is the failsafe power system. If no cassette is present, the last section of track remains dead, preventing trains from running into the empty deck. Power is only restored when the cassette completes the electrical path. This arrangement is reliable and easy for guest operators to learn.
Although it might look simple, the cassette yard is the result of careful planning. It meets all the layout’s requirements, fits within tight space limits, and performs reliably under exhibition conditions. A low screen at the front provides a degree of protection without hiding the working area. Many visitors enjoy seeing how it functions, and at some shows, the cassette yard attracts more attention than the scenic section.
While other layouts may hide their fiddle yards behind tall screens, this one is open to view. The philosophy behind it is straightforward. The operational side of a layout can be just as interesting as the scenery, and if the design is sound, there is no reason to keep it hidden.
Weathering and Finish
Wherever possible, real materials were used. Coal is represented using actual crushed coal, while timber structures were built from real wood to take full advantage of natural grain and weathering characteristics.
Finishing techniques include dilute washes, dry brushing and powder-based weathering. Great attention was paid to colour variation, especially in ground cover and roads. Colours were observed from life and reproduced through careful blending rather than simply relying on premixed greys or browns.
Lighting also played a vital role in finishing. All painting was done under the same lighting conditions used at exhibitions to ensure that colours looked natural in their final setting.
A Living Layout
Charmouth is not just a display piece but an evolving model railway. Techniques and materials have changed over time, with earlier work replaced as skills improved and new methods became available. The result is a layout that reflects decades of learning and experimentation.
A companion layout representing the other end of the line at Bridport was later built. It features standard gauge exchange sidings, a more urban setting and a range of complex facilities, providing a strong visual and operational contrast to Charmouth‘s rural simplicity.
Although it was briefly offered for sale in 1999, David Taylor retained ownership and continued to refine and exhibit the layout over the following decades, enhancing its scenic detail and performance.
BHTC – Bridport Harbour Tramway Company
- The Manx Northern Railway, Dr. R. Preston Hendry & R. Powell Hendry, Hillside Publishing Co
- The Southwold Railway, A.R. Taylor & E.S. Tonks, Ian Allan
- Branch Line to Southwold, Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Middleton Press
- The Vale of Rheidol Light Railway, C.C. Green, Wild Swan Publications
- The Ashover Light Railway, R. Gratton & S. Band, Wild Swan Publications WANTED
- The Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway, Keith Turner, David & Charles
- On the Isle of Man Narrow Gauge, J.I.C. Boyd, Bradford Barton (photo album)
- “Narrow Gauge Rolling Stock (An Irish Railway Pictorial)” by Desmond Coakham, Ian Allan Publishing
- “The Clogher Valley Railway (Second Edition)” by Dr. EM Patterson (Additional Material by Norman Johnston), Colourpoint Books
- “The County Donegal Railways Companion (A Handbook for Modellers & Historians)” by Roger Crombleholme, Midland Publishing
- The Ashover Railway by Robert Gratton and Stuart Band (Wild Swan Publications) – level crossing gates (wanted)
Of these, the first has probably supplied the most information and is a definitive reference work on the subject of Irish NG rolling stock.
Other useful references are:
“The Irish Narrow Gauge in Colour” by Norman Johnston, Colourpoint Books
“The Last Years of The Wee Donegal (The County Donegal Railways in Colour 1950-59)” by Robert Robotham, Colourpoint Books
Exhibition History
It was exhibited widely from about 1985 to 1998.
- Small & Delightful, Shepton Mallet 2008
- Warley Show, 24th & 25th November 2012
More Information
- Taylor, David. “Charmouth.” Railway Modeller, vol. 46, no. 536, June 1995, pp. 242-248.
- Taylor, David. “On the Fiddle.” Railway Modeller, vol. 47, no. 553, November 1996, pp. 492-495.
- Taylor, David. “Improvements at Charmouth” Railway Modeller, vol. 49, no. 568, February 1998.
- Taylor, David. “The Locomotives of Charmouth.” Railway Modeller, vol. 50, no. 584, June 1999, pp. 284-288.
- Taylor, David L. “Rolling Stock for Bridport Town.” Railway Modeller, vol. 52, no. 604, February 2001, pp. 60-
- Taylor, David. “Charmouth Retrospective” Narrow Gauge & Industrial Railway Modelling Review, vol. 10, no. 73, pp. x-x.
Epilogue
Charmouth began as a portable layout that would fit in a small car and ended up as a quietly influential argument for believable fiction. Nothing here shouts; the persuasion is in the gradients, the cramped yard, the modest buildings, and the way trains work through a place. If you’ve ever told yourself there isn’t space, or that freelance means fanciful, Charmouth shows how close observation, restraint and good judgement can turn a suitcase of materials into a railway with a life of its own.