Purbeck
Purbeck illustrates the ball clay industry that existed on the Isle of Purbeck just south of Wareham in Dorset.
A degree of modellers' licence has been used allowing an attractive exhibition layout to be built, but there are models of some of the original locomotives and prototypical wagons along with the foreman's hut which can be seen next to the clay mine siding.
Several of the buildings have roofs that can be removed to reveal detailed illuminated interiors. The crane, dragline and turntables all revolve.
Those who are fans of Purbeck may be pleased to know that several locos together with various items of stock that used to run on the layout have also been acquired. This should ensure that, although under new custodianship, the layout still retains its original charm.
It's now the end of May 2025 and Purbeck has returned from its first outing since 2020, which was also the initial one with its new operators, at Brockenhurst.
As you can imagine, after five years in storage there were a number of maintenance issues to be resolved. Initially we are concentrating on the electrics.
Thus far we have serviced the locomotives, improved point operation by replacing one of the CDUs along with a point switch, together with fitting a new controller and ensuring that the fiddle yard cassettes have a good fit and electrical connections.
The next tasks are to improve the inter-board connections and replace a second ailing controller.
A degree of modellers' licence has been used allowing an attractive exhibition layout to be built, but there are models of some of the original locomotives and prototypical wagons along with the foreman's hut which can be seen next to the clay mine siding.
Several of the buildings have roofs that can be removed to reveal detailed illuminated interiors. The crane, dragline and turntables all revolve.
Those who are fans of Purbeck may be pleased to know that several locos together with various items of stock that used to run on the layout have also been acquired. This should ensure that, although under new custodianship, the layout still retains its original charm.
It's now the end of May 2025 and Purbeck has returned from its first outing since 2020, which was also the initial one with its new operators, at Brockenhurst.
As you can imagine, after five years in storage there were a number of maintenance issues to be resolved. Initially we are concentrating on the electrics.
Thus far we have serviced the locomotives, improved point operation by replacing one of the CDUs along with a point switch, together with fitting a new controller and ensuring that the fiddle yard cassettes have a good fit and electrical connections.
The next tasks are to improve the inter-board connections and replace a second ailing controller.
- OO9
- Analogue
Has been seen at:
- Brockenhurst - Sat 24 & Sun 25 May 2025
- Narrow Gauge North - 2020
- Mere & District -2019
- Perth Model railway Group - 2019
- Victory MRC - 2019
- Perth Green MRC - 2018
- Kendall - 2018
- Beds & Bucks Mark Howe Award - 2017
- Pewsey -2017
- Worthing 2017
- Bognor Best Layout - 2016
- Narrow Gauge South - 2016
- Weston Super Mare - 2016
- Bridport & District - 25 July 2015
- Cheltenham - 2015
- Warley - 2015
- Bridport & District Best in Show - 2014
- Weymouth - 2014
- plus 1 more
- Bridport & District Best in Show - 2013
- Chelmsford & District - 2013
- Fareham & District - 2013
- Kenavon - 2013
- Macclesfield - 2013
- Nederlandse - 2013
- Tolworth Show Train - 2013
- Wakefield - 2013
- plus 1 more
- Fareham & District - 2012
- Horsham 2012
- Romsey - Sat 3rd & Sun 4th March 2012.
- Shaftsbury & Gillingham - 2012
- Wakefield - 2012
- Burgess Hill - 14 May 2011
- Basingstoke - 2011
- Eurotrack - 2011
- Narrow but Nice - 2011
- Romford - 2011
- Southampton - 2011
- Taunton - 2011
- Wigan - 2011
- York - 2011
- Mid Essex - 2010
- Modellbahn - 2010
- Uckfield - Sat 17th & Sun 18th Oct 2009
- Wimborne - 2009
Next outing:
- None planned.
Note for Exhibition Managers:
Size - 11' x 2' 4"
No. of Operators - 3 to 4
Power points - 1
Below is a video, produced by Keith Tucker at the New Forest (Brockenhurst) show in May 2025, that features more than four minutes of Purbeck. It is the penultimate layout in the video, starting at 18:23.
If you would like to book this layout for your show, please contact us by clicking here.