| Layout Guide |
Dinas Mawddwy was an important market town at one time, with claims to a14th-century charter, but it is now no more - and no less - than a highly picturesque village, just off the A470 between Mallwyd and Dolgellau. It has a historic inn bilingually named the Llew Coch/Red Lion and a few doors away a stone cottage serves as the local branch of the Midland Bank.
The old-world atmosphere owes much to the fact that the main road bypasses the village, which is encircled by steep-sided wooded mountains. The lofty Bwlch y Groes Mountain road at 1791ft, is the highest road in Wales, clawing its way over remote uplands north-east of Dinas Mawddwy towards Llanuwchllyn and Bala.
Meirion Mill Weaving unit and mill shop with tweeds, tapestries, rugs, coats and other products is housed in what was once part of the terminus for the now defunct Mawddwy Railway. Pont Minllyn, just inside entrance to the mill complex, is a grass-topped packhorse bridge built in the 17th century by local rector.
The Mawddwy railway (standard gauge) ran between Cemmes Road and Mawddwy, a total distance of 6m 63ch. The line was constructed in 1866/67 by Edmund Buckley who later became Sir Edmund Buckley. The line fell into disuse in 1908. It was re-opened in 1911 by the Cambrian Railway and was absorbed into BR (Western Region) in 1948. The last freight train ran on September 5th 1950 and the line closed in July 1951.
The layout (erectable in two sizes, 16' x 3' or 24' x 3') depicts Dinas Mawddwy station in the GWR period around the 1930's.
A "blog" on the ongoing build of the layout with photos can be found here:
http://forum.gn15.info/viewtopic.php?t=5305
Additional 4' required behind layout with space for small stock table suitable for "0" gauge stock.
Requires 3-4 operators. Transported in Transit diesel minibus; expenses determined when booked.
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