Heathville

Heathville is a digital command controlled N-Scale modular layout designed and constructed by members of the Oxford & District Model Railway Club (O&DMRC).

Heathville is a modular railroad for North American prototype. This has a number of advantages, but the most important of which is that the modules can be incorporated into much larger layouts.

The overall length of the modules are 24’ (7.32m) consisting of 6 No 4’ modules. The modules are split into 2 groups of 3 modules.

The first group being the fictitious metropolis of Heathville City. Located in the northern part of New York State and is served by various railroads including the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), Eire Lackawanna Railroad (EL), New York, New Haven & Hertford Railroad (NH) and the New York Chicago & St. Louis Railroad better known as the Nickel Plate Road (NKP). Set around 1965 the modules consist primarily of a passenger station which can support prototypical length trains along with parcels, mail etc. There is also a small locomotive repair and service facility which was converted from a much older steam era depot.

Operationally the modules offer station stops for the various railroad passenger services, change of motive power, exchange of head end cars such as mail and express parcel as well as sleeper coaches.

The second group of modules are an industrial area on the outskirts of Heathville City. Comprising of 2 industries, Harris Aggregates Inc. and Stewart Concrete Fabrication Inc. Separated by a redundant gravel pit now known as Busby Lake and used by the locals for various activates. Located on the mainline from Heathville City the industries are both serviced by the various railroads.

Operationally these modules provide a large range of switching opportunities both goods in and goods out as well as the odd load of repair and maintenance parts.

Although the Heathville is set around the mid 60’s there is sufficient generality in is construction so locos and rolling stock for the 1950’s through to the present day wouldn’t look out of place.

Some technical info

The modules are 1220mm (48”) long x 406mm (16”) deep. Height from floor to track bed (cork underlay, not rails or sleepers) 1016mm (40”). This height allow O&DMRC modules to connect to other modular railroad groups.

Track – PECO N-Gauge code 55 and code 55 electro-frog turnouts. Large radius turnouts on main
line. Large or medium on other tracks. All track to be laid on cork or other suitable track bed.

Digital Command Control System is Digitrax. Why Digitrax? Digitrax was original designed for modular layout use and therefore is ideal for this application. Because of this it is pretty much used by all modular railroad groups. This allow O&DMRC modules to seamlessly interface with other groups modules. Added to that, the hardware is reliable with some clubs still using the same equipment purchased nearly 20 years ago and this hardware is still supported by Digitrax with firmware updates (as of 2018).

The 3 Heathville city modules have been constructed, track laid and basic scenery applied so the modules can be shown at the O&DMRC 2018 show. Similarly the 2 modules that make up Harris Aggregates have also been built and scenery applied. These 5 modules formed part of the Snakebend N scale modular layout which additionally comprised of modules from the Forest of Dean Model Railway Club, Black Diamonds Model Railroad Group and the Snakebend Railroad Group itself. The layout ran for 5 scale miles and operated prototypical length trains. 105 car coal train anybody, that’s 24’ (7.3m) long.

The 3 Heathville City modules are undergoing a lot of detail work at this time lead by detail modeller in chief, Paul Harris. The loco depot is undergoing a full revamp, the station and the adjoining street scene is under construction.

The current team are Tony Heathfield, Neil Stewart, Paul Harris and Ian Busby.

To find out more about the layouts that the Oxford and District Model Railway Club are involved with, then please click here.