Figgton
This small branch terminus layout was started, but never finished, by former club member Brian Figg. Sadly Brian passed away recently and the layout was put in the hands of the Hazel Grove Society. A number of N Gauge modellers in the society decided that it would be a worthy task to refurbish and complete the layout, with the aim of exhibiting it in Brian’s honour.
So here we have a small country terminus, with all the expected facilities of goods yard, engine shed and a dairy, set somewhere in Southern/Western territory during the late 50s/early 60s. The trains come from Farish and Dapol with a few kit built items sourced from the usual suppliers including the N Gauge Society. Hands free shunting is available care of the DG coupling system. Track is Peco code 55 and control is conventional DC. Buildings are a mixture, but there are quite a few Metcalfe card kits on display.
So what have we done:
All the buildings were completed, detailing added to them and then placed on the layout..
A backscene was added too, along with the rows of shops and houses. One member added lighting to some of the shops.
The cattle dock siding was extended to allow for more stock in the yard.
The sector plate fiddle yard was extended to allow a loco and 4 coach trains.
Non working but posable signals have been added.
A bus depot was added. Lots of scenic detailing added. The road was laid.
A road bridge to disguise the entry to the sector plate was added.
The sector plate has been ‘hidden’
Refurbishing and completing Figgton is proving a good training ground for some newer members to acquire skills they never thought they had and older ones to keep their hand in !!
But now we want to take Figgton forward by adding a new section of baseboard and investigating taking the layout to DCC operation. We’ve got a new baseboard and we have acquired a Gaugemaster Prodigy DCC set, so we’re all ready to go!
We are also thinking of making the layout more Western Region – replacement signal box and signals to start with.
Figgton appeared at the 2023 HGDMRS exhibition where it was well received, Though we did have some operating difficulties on the first day, thank fully resolved by the second.
An invitation!
Of course we always need more hands to make progress, so if you are an N Gauge fan, please come along to the Club any Friday evening to see the layouts and lend us your support.
Most Team members also have a home layout (or two) some of which can be seen on the exhibition circuit. Our interests are wide ranging – steam era, transition era, modern diesels, both DC and DCC control, kit building and painting etc. We are always willing to offer advice and to help out with problem solving, so do come along to one of the club nights.
Work on the layout will proceed slowly in 2024 as we are concentrating on Arfleton, however if you’d like to help us take either layout on to the next level, please come down to the club and join in with us on these projects. Incidentally, Arfleton is another donated layout which is being refurbished as a training opportunity by the Team.