Description based on material supplied by the layout owner
Chewton Mendip Chewton Mendip is a small intermediate station on the Somerset & Dorset Railway's little known Priddy branch. Built during the latter part of the 19th century, the branch left the Bath Extension at Chilcompton, passing Emborough and Chewton Mendip, then on to Priddy. Never much of a success, the residents of Priddy finding it easier to travel the shorter distance by road to Wells, the quarry at Emborough and the Brewery at Chewton Mendip providing more traffic. As a result of economies during World War 1, passenger services beyond Chewton Mendip were withdrawn, the line onto Priddy only remaining for the sheep fair, and a small amount of freight. The layout is built to 4mm fine scale, with a track gauge of 18mm, EM gauge. Plain track is S.M.P, pointwork handbuilt mainly on copperclad sleepering. Buildings are mostly from Wills and Ratio kits, with some modifications, or scratchbuilt using Wills components. Scenery is a mix of Woodland Scenics, Hornby, Noch and Heki, trees being mainly Heki and stone walling Hornby ‘Scaledale'. Locomotives and rolling stock are kit—built from a variety of manufacturers, locos are etched brass, wagons and carriages mainly plastic. The layout has a boxed presentation, and is front—operated as this makes it convenient for home use. | ![]() ![]() |