The Clydach Railway was my first exhibition layout. I have modelled a preserved narrow gauge line in a modern setting.
The layout represents a fictional preserved tourist railway situated somewhere on the coast of north-west Wales. I imagined that the original line was built to carry slate from quarries in the mountains to the port of Aberclydach. After commercial operation ceased, the Clydach Railway Preservation Society took over the ownership of the railway in 1954 and re-opened it. The line later expanded onto the trackbed and bridges of a standard gauge branch line which had closed in the 60's.
The new section was opened in 1979 and since then passenger numbers have grown, new stock has been built and now the Clydach Railway (Rheilffordd Clydach) is undoubtedly one of the “Great Little Trains of Wales”. The layout was featured in Railway Modeller magazine in Nov.2010 and also in the May and June 2012 issues. A wide variety of stock is run on the layout representing a variety of narrow gauge lines. Locomotives include a number of Garratt articulated designs. There are two stations on different levels with inclines and an impressive girder bridge across a river estuary. The layout also features a colourful beach scene and many other scenic details.
Clydach has received many awards over it's lifetime
Clydach was featured in Railway Modeller in November 2010, and May and June 2012.
Although I am now based in Somerset, friends from Oxfordshire have regularly helped me operate the layout at exhibitions.
Click to go to the photo album for The Clydach Railway.
Click to see a video of The Clydach Railway.
If you want to know what it would be like to experience a ride on The Clydach Railway in one of the company's diesel locos, click here
Clydach is no longer available for exhibitions, but videos and photos of the layout will still be accessible via the website.
Exhibitions attended
- Narrow Gauge South 2010
- Beds & Bucks Open Day 2011
- Abrail 2011, Abingdon
- Wiltshire Group Members Day 2011
- Small & Delightful Railway Group 2012
- Oxfordhsire Narrow Gauge Modellers Open Day 2012
- Expo NG 2012
- Letchworth 2012
- Newbury 2013
- Nailsea 2013
- York 2013
- Welsh Highland Railway Super-Power 2013
- Didcot 2013
- Barnsley 2013
- Astolat 2014, Guildford
- Macclesfield 2014
- Luton 2014
- Wigan 2014
- Chelmesford 2014
- Warley 2014
- Doncaster 2015
- Basingstoke 2015
- Cheltenham 2015
- Woking 2015
- Tring 2015
- Tolworth 2015
- East Anglia 2016, Huntingdon
- Trainwest 2016, Corsham
- Derby 2016
- Chatham 2016
- Farnham 2016
- West Camel 2016
- Stevenage 2017
- Solent 2017
- Compton Dundon 2017
- Loughborough 2017
- Peterborough 2017
- Spalding 2017
- Fareham 2018
- Warners Virtual Show 2020
- Gaydon, Oct 2021
- Highbridge, Aug 2022