Cwm Hir Quarry Workshops. 7mm scale
and associated vehicles and machinery.
Cwm Hir Works
The photos show Paul Connor's fine workshop buildings made from plywood with a scribed and painted plaster stone simulation. The roof is removable to add interior details.
Scroll down for further details -
The Upper Workings & Incline
The walls of the upper part of the model will be developed as a quarry area incorporating incline winding house, cutting sheds and blast shelter. They will be made using different thicknesses of card to create a less regular slate effect.
The Caban
The latest building. More to come on the upper level.
Latest News:
Two new road vehicles and a fabulous lathe arrive at the quarry works.
The works lorry. A 1924 Russian AMO F15 to make a change from the ubiquitous Corgi 1929 Thornycroft.
Yes, the cab is that tall and narrow.
It needs a CC, JC or FF registration plate for Snowdonia.
A range of 1/48 scale machines available from the USA
The new Lathe for Cwm Hir is only 62mm long. Truly amazing quality!
If you want any of these machines please contact me as I may import a small batch of them for discerning modellers.
To contact me please "fill out my form" at the top of the page
Locomotive, Bulldozer & Wagons
A modified Bachmann Gas Mechanical Side Rod Loco using Backwoods Miniatures etches and castings.
PECO Fletcher & Jennings 0-4-2
under construction. Unlike Talyllyn No1, this version has only a simple spectacle plate and no footplate under the saddle tank.
The excellent Tamiya Komatsu G40 Bulldozer (1/48 scale)
Slab Wagon made from Hornby wheels with axle points filed off and set in slots cut in 12mm x 10mm hardwood. A thin axle keeper strip is glued over the slots. Thin stripwood is then glued on top.
The quarry face:
The new quarry face will carry either a Blondin or a cable incline over the pit with a slate wagon hanging from it. An intermediate tramway level will pass from one tunnel along a narrow ledge and into another tunnel at the back of the rock face.
Cwm Hir Slate Quarries.
The name Cwm Hir is Welsh for a long valley. It is also an invitation to 'come here' to see the model.
This 7mm narrow gauge layout was the brain-child of my friend Paul Connor. who had long wanted to build a simple quarry workshop layout inspired by the famous Welsh National Slate Museum, Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales.
Paul started with the main workshop buildings using plaster plywood carefully scribed to represent slate and finely pained to suit. He then invited me to help with an extension and the building of various walls. We agreed to experiment with various techniques as a demonstration layout to encourage youngsters to 'have a go' at building using cheap or even free materials. The rest of the slate walls were constructed of off-cuts of photos mounting card (approx 1.5mm thick) Thousands of random size bits were chopped up with a hand guillotine (much safer than a craft knife) A backing board of card had the bottom edge coated in PVA glue and a row of 'slates' stuck on. The next row would follow and so on. I find this very relaxing as it takes so little thought. I would suggest it as a form of transcendental meditation or self hypnosis for relief from this stressful lifestyle we now lead. The 'Great Wall' was built between 6.00am and 7.30am over about three mornings before breakfast. For such a large structure I had no aching arms or crushed fingers as would have been the case in full size construction!
The model is still under development and makes an interesting demonstration unit at exhibitions. Our moto is 'cheap and cheerful'
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