Nigel Ashton’s 2mm Finescale layout, Drws-y-Nant, reflects over two decades of practical experience, design refinement, and lessons learnt from exhibiting its predecessor, Llangerisech.
From Llangerisech to Drws-y-Nant
It’s been around twenty years since the baseboards for Llangerisech were built. While they served well at numerous exhibitions, the experience revealed clear lessons-some positive, others less so. Among the successes were DCC bus bars using baseboard bolts, adoption of LED lighting in 2017, a cassette-based fiddle yard, and a transport system with padded handles and components that slotted together. However, bolted-on legs, time-consuming lighting rigs, and the need for more exhibition crew-particularly for a terminus-were noted downsides.
Drawing inspiration from the Epsom Club layouts and Jerry Clifford’s trestle and beam system, Nigel developed a lighter, faster-to-deploy support structure. Echoing the Colin Chapman philosophy of multi-functionality, trestles were re-engineered to be compact, flat-packing, and double as alignment guides. Eight trestles occupy just 14cm of packed depth, strapped in two neat stacks with Velcro. Combined with foldable girder beams and integrated height-adjustment using layered hardboard steps, the system allows for rapid and level setup without fiddly screw adjusters.
Planning and Design
The baseboards for Drws-y-Nant are longer and slightly wider than those of Llangerisech, but lighter thanks to the use of 6mm birch ply instead of 9mm. With raised trackbeds and less under-board electronics, overall weight has been reduced despite the increased size. Planning the layout involved referencing historical Ordnance Survey maps via the National Library of Scotland, with dimensions cross-referenced using secondary sources. The station’s tight curve was slightly eased to simplify end-of-board returns.
The track plan was chosen for its operational interest and compact footprint. Although stations like Llanidloes were considered, Drws-y-Nant offered a better balance of features without overwhelming the scenic space. The scenic section measures 9 feet, with matching fiddle yards allowing future flexibility. Notably, the layout includes complex prototype trackwork at one end-possible only in true finescale.
Innovations and Construction
Vehicle animation was tackled using the Magnorail system, an off-the-shelf magnetic drive similar to the Wenfordbridge-style homebrew versions. The end boards form part of a segmented octagon, cut using jigs and bench tools for consistency. These bolt together to form near-self-supporting return loops, with a single trestle and new adjustable insert providing mid-point support.
The fiddle yards combine cassette storage with through lines, offering hands-free operation for passing trains or those returning via loops. This enables one-person operation during shows while allowing a second operator to take a break. DCC is used throughout, with point control by servos or Cobalts, connected via stationary decoders. Baseboard bolts again carry the DCC bus, avoiding extra cables.
Presentation and Operation
The control panel is positioned at a front corner for public engagement and good visibility. Route indicators use CML Tower LEDs for the main board, with additional, more prominent LEDs at the fiddle yard ends for visibility across the layout. Unlike Llangerisech, where information panels were heavy bolt-ons, Drws-y-Nant will use lightweight versions that hinge up as side protectors in transit. The backscene will be a single roll-up unit, removing sky joins and speeding up setup.
Lighting uses the same LED units as Llangerisech but mounted with a new slot-in bracket system. Only two units are needed, cutting down both bulk and assembly time. The result is a layout designed to maximise train movement with minimal staffing and a quick get-in/get-out time at shows.
While Drws-y-Nant is less suited to home operation, it excels at exhibitions-the primary aim from the outset. Llangerisech will continue to serve as a prototypical-speed home layout, but the new build represents a more refined and exhibition-friendly approach rooted in real-world experience.
More Information
Epilogue
Drws-y-Nant is the product of lessons learned and ideas refined. Where Llangerisech carried the weight of first attempts, this new layout shows the benefits of clarity in purpose: light to handle, quick to set up, and built with exhibition running at its core. It demonstrates how thoughtful design can turn practical constraints into strengths, offering an elegant solution to the perennial challenges of portability and presentation.