A couple of months ago, I mentioned that my photos of Rev W Awdry's layout "Ffarquar Junction" were appearing in BRM. Well, while in Wales, I had the chance to shoot another of his models, the 009 "Ulfstead Road of Mid-Sodor".
To be honest, I didn't know this layout existed until the custodians of the OO model mentioned it would be there, but obviously, I wasn't going to miss out on the chance to grab some images.
These photos are now in the Jan-Feb 2022 issue of Narrow Gauge World.
Better still, the words to accompany them have been writen by Richard Awdry - grandson of Wilbert - and someone I hadn't met for many years. In fact, the last time we talked, Richard was a young boy who accompanied his dad sometimes to whereever we were exhibiting the L&WMRS Thomas layout. It was a shock to realise just how much time had passed...
Ulfstead was built in 1970, the year I was born, and is a very traditional "rabbit-warren" style layout. A type of model railway that had fallen out of favour, but is enormously entertianing for the general public, and can be built in a very tiny space.
Like Ffarquar, this is a model of it's time as well as being interesting because of the builder. I'm not sure it will be seen in public very often, so it you want to know more, you'll have to buy the magazine.