A 7mm scale finescale layout available for exhibitions across the country. See below for description, specifications and contact details.
The layout is attending the following shows in 2025:
Embsay and Bolton Abbey "Hunslet Gala" - 27th to 29th June
Rapido Railex - 19th to 20th September
Bury, Thorn & Sons is a 7mm/ft, 32mm gauge layout representing a small portion of a fictitious tar distillery set somewhere in the West Riding of Yorkshire in the late 1950's to early 1960's, with the rest of the works and the British Rail exchange sidings being located 'off scene'.
Most of the motive power is R-T-R, repainted into the house colours of desert sand, with three of the locomotive fleet coming with the layout in this condition and the rest slowly being repainted with the assistance of friends far more skilled in this work than myself! There are also some kit-built, from a number of suppliers including Judith Edge and Mercian Models, and scratch-built locomotives including a 1929-built Kerr Stuart.
The majority of the locomotives are fitted with DCC Sound, with some locomotives operating without sound while they await upgrades as funds allow.
The rolling stock is a similar mix of R-T-R and kit, with some of the tank wagons also livered in BT&S schemes.
Traffic consists of inbound tar in square tank wagons, with the refined products leaving in Class 'A' & 'B' tankers, loaded using the equipment in the rear right hand corner of the layout. General merchandise and barrels are also transhipped in the large warehouse and workshop units along the front of the layout.
The layout was originally constructed by Dave, also known as 'Ruston' on RMWeb, a prolific industrial locomotive modeller, before being sold to Matt Fowles in 2014, from who I purchased the layout from in 2020.
The vast majority of the layout is Dave's work, with running repairs being the order of the day between shows rather than wholesale reworking. A significant amount of work has been put in during my ownership to rewire the layout and build transportation boards to make the layout more resilient to travel and exhibition use, with the grateful assistance of a friend for the construction of the transportation boards.
If you think you've seen this layout before - it featured in the December 2014 edition of Railway Modeller!
Trackplan kindly provided by and remains in ownership of © Railway Modeller / Peco
Length: 12.5ft
Width: 1.5ft (not including operator space to rear)
Controlled from: Rear
No. of operators required: 3
Sockets required: 1 for extension lead
Tables required: 1 x 6ft
Base location: Lancashire
The layout travels in my own vehicle, so no hire fees are charged.
For any other queries - or if you would like Bury Thorn & Sons to attend your show, please get in touch on the email at the bottom of this page.
(Repalce AT with @)
