Buttermere Mining Company 
Bill Flude O9 gauge 7mm scale
The Lake District is rich in minerals and the area around Buttermere had iron and copper mines. The Buttermere Mining Company extracts copper bearing ores from three underground mines. The mining company built an 18 inch gauge line in 1895 to carry the ore from the mines to Cockermouth, 10 miles away.
The line was originally worked by steam locomotives but internal combustion locomotives were introduced in the 1930s. After World War II the diesel power completely replaced steam. Enthusiasts have restored a couple of steam locomotives and these can occasionally be seen giving rides to tourists.
The layout has been designed to fit into a Ford Fiesta and still leave enough room for a driver and passenger. The scale is 7mm/foot and the gauge is 9mm. Baseboards are made from 9mm plywood. Control of locomotives and points is by a Digitrax DCC system with wireless throttles. Track is Peco with Tortoise Slow Motion Switch Machines. Rolling stock is a mixture of 'bashed' kits and scratch built items.
Buttermere Mining Company is designed to be viewed on both long sides and one end - also operators use wireless DCC throttles - to allow this to happen comfortably we need to have clear access to three sides of the layout.
