Copyright © 2002-2009, Crawley Model Railway Society [June 09]
‘Littlehaven Belt Line’
3.5mm:1ft Scale
HO Gauge
Click image to view track plan
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Littlehaven Belt Line is an H0 switching layout, with industrial and harbour
scenes, based in the USA West Coast post 1945.
The lightweight plywood baseboard is only 1.37 x 0.42m (54" x 16.5").
Fitting in all the builder's design requirements - industries, harbour and
jetty, oil depot, small passenger depot and a diamond crossing - into the
confined space was quite a challenge. The whole layout is on one baseboard
to simplify setting up at exhibitions and avoid alignment problems. Anything
longer than 1.4m is too unwieldy.
The trackplan is based on 150mm units, the length of a switcher or 40ft car.
Trackwork is Peco code 75, with many points drastically trimmed to fit.
Points are operated by wire in tube and sliding switches that also change
frog polarity. The buildings that disguise the 450mm (18”) sector plate and
stock changing cassettes are three Walthers Cornerstone series suitably "cut
and bashed".
The ballast and scenic materials are from Set Scenes. All locomotives and
stock are from American manufacturers, fitted with Kadee couplings and
weathered to varying degrees to represent a hardworking line in its
declining years.
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