The G scale model railway at Bredgar is one of the most popular exhibits with all ages. Like the railway outside, it is built to narrow gauge standards. Our scene is a hybred of scenes in Austria and the UK – a magical imaginary place!
The models used are from the LGB range produced by Ernst Lehmann in Nuremberg, Germany, Since it was introduced in 1968 the LGB range has become the world standard for garden model railways, but very few layouts are as complicated or scenic as this one.
As all railway modellers know a model railway hardly ever gets finished, scenery can take forever and there is always some little item that can be added. Construction of the scenic framework and trackbed commenced at the end of August 2001 and the layout went into operation in its basic form at the first public event day of the following year. All went well, and the trains all performed as expected. Since it was first opened in 2002 the railway has grown bigger than anyone thought possible. More track, more trains, more features, more buildings and more scenery continue to be added – where it will end is anyones guess!
After making the basic railway operational we have carried out a continual programme of improvements, with the addition of buildings, a mountain section with cable car and a hot air balloon. A large extension was added during the winter period 2005/6 allowing for the addition of a rack railway, tramway, a funicular and wood yard. Recently brought right up to date with a “local water company” unsuccessfully repairing a bust water main!
Look out for many novel features. See how many you can find. Talk to our friendly operators and find out if you have spotted them all.
June 2026 major issues:
After 20 or more years of running the rack loco became very unreliable. It was quite jerky on the way up and extremely jerky on the way down the steep slope at the front of the layout. It was decided to investigate the problem and we found the main gears from the motor and the intermediate drivetrain to be very badly worn. The loco was then placed on the layout in a position that looked like it had been derailed by a fallen tree. These are some of the pictures of the “derailment”.
Of course, you cannot start re-railing the loco until the passengers and rolling stock have been removed. This coach is being “secured” by part of the breakdown gang so that it doesn’t roll back towards the scene of the derailment.
Here we see the loco with the old motor and gear train still installed with the new components sitting on the table in front of the loco. This was the condition of the gearing that we found inside the loco.
Here, we have a close-up of the new motor and Gear train installed, the other photo shows the old components in front of the loco.
An alternative version!!!
Due to a combination of severe wear on the driving components of the rack loco and a tree that had come down across the railway line, probably by a CAT1 storm, the loco jumped the rails and became derailed.
(We know that a cat regularly walks across our railway as we find wagons knocked over and trees flattened where it has been resting, hence the CAT1 storm!) The passengers assisted the breakdown gang in pushing the coach back along the line a little way where a member of the breakdown gang chocked the wheels to prevent it from rolling back towards the scene.
The loco was recovered to the model railway workshops where it was stripped down and rebuilt with a new drive motor and gear train. After an initial running in period passenger services to the top station have now resumed.