A layout with hex appeal

‘OO’ GAUGE LAYOUT COPPER WORT

Inspired by a model he saw in the Netherlands, Peter Goss built this stunningly crafted exhibition layout in a very unusual shape.

Words: Chris Gadsby Photography: Chris Nevard Artwork: Andrew Mackintosh

We’re all familiar with rectangular layouts, square layouts, and even those in an ‘L’ shape, or a ‘U’. But a hexagonal layout? Now that’s something truly unique. Peter Goss, the mastermind behind this six-sided creation, was inspired during a trip to the Netherlands, where his creative ideas began to flow.

“This was always going to be an exhibition layout and, with this in mind, it had to be a looped layout so that I could leave things to run while I talked to people. I’d done end-to-end layouts before, but you spend so much time concentrating on ensuring your locomotives don’t crash through the end buffers that it’s nowhere near as enjoyable an experience. The idea for the hexagon came from seeing a 1:50 tram layout in Utrecht. The Dutch are fabulous modellers. What was great about this layout was that you had to walk around it to see what was around the corner. You couldn’t see everything from standing in one place like you can with many layouts in this country. ‘Copper Wort’ is five parts scenic, one part a cup-of tea holding board we call a fiddleyard!”

When creating his buildings, Peter took the production line approach, so several buildings would be on the drawing board and under assembly at the same time. He reckons he’s put in about 1,000 hours a year – about the same amount of time he’d spend watching TV.

Peter’s layout is based on Worthington’s brewery at Burton upon Trent, which was established at the beginning of the 20th Century. Each side of the hexagon represents a different part of the brewery and surrounding area, and each board is 4 feet long, giving the layout a total size of 8 feet square.

“My wife and I were travelling home from a holiday in the South West, and as we went past Burton upon Trent we saw a few tall chimneys protruding above the landscape. We were at a point in our journey where we needed to stretch our legs anyway, so we made a small diversion into the town to investigate them. We came upon the National Brewery Centre, and inside it was a 2mm railway model depicting what the lines would have been like around the brewery. Originally it was just a static model, but then somebody had added an ‘N’ gauge run to it, and little trains were whizzing around, twisting through all of the buildings and popping out somewhere new. It was all very intriguing. In the shop afterwards we came across Brewery Railways of Burton on Trent. This book, by Cliff Shepherd, contains the entire history of the brewery, including all of the track plans. We took our trip in the 1990s, and the book sat on my shelf for 25 years, but the idea of a brewery layout never left my head.” Alas, the National Brewery Centre closed in 2022.

All trains are on display at all times and, to maintain operational interest, a locomotive will collect a rake of wagons, traverse the layout a couple of times and then park up somewhere else.

MASTER MODELLER

We always say that the best layouts come when people play to their strengths. If electrics and wiring aren’t your thing, then it’s probably best to avoid modelling a busy junction. Equally, if you don’t like making buildings then a country scene is probably for you. Peter was an architectural consultant so, as you might imagine, buildings are his thing, and it shows.

“Making scenery and adding details others may miss has always appealed to me more than running trains. It’s why a looped layout pleases me so much as I can leave stuff to run if I want.

“The construction of these buildings all began with photographs, and I used 1.5mm mount board as the shell for each one, layering it with Slater’s embossed plastic card to make a strong structure that is a bit like an egg crate. I can then glue the wall panels together using corner strengtheners but leave the windows, doors and roof off until the final moments so that I can add any internal scenes or lighting. Only once I’m happy with that do I add the final details and the roof, ensuring adequate gutters and downpipes.”

Peter has also added false shadowing and false highlighting to all of his buildings to trick the eye into perceiving more depth to them than there actually is. This involves painting the bricks in a darker wash where you would expect to see shadow, for example, as they turn in around a window frame or between eaves.

It’s a technique that is easy to get wrong but very effective if you get it right.

SPOILS OF WARGAMING

It’s not just the buildings that make ‘Copper Wort’ so impressive, as Peter has used all of his wargaming brush skills to create over 250 figures of immense detail that look right at home around the brewery.

“Most figures have come from my own range, and some of the civilians I bought were from Andrew Staddon. I specialise in painting and converting them using wargaming techniques. Many railway modellers will bulk-buy packets of figures from China that are painted but also a bit crude. I’ll take it one step further, adding washes to pick out darker areas and adding details such as facial hair. Of the 250 figures on the layout, there are about 100 different castings, but no two figures are the same, as I’ve removed and reattached limbs in different poses to suit the figure’s location. I supplied and fitted all of the figures for John Holden’s ‘Liverpool Lime Street’ (MR269), so it’s safe to say I’ve had a lot of practice!”

The gas lamps have been scratchbuilt around an LED. It’s coupled to a very strong resistor so that the light is very dim, and gives off a glow similar to that of a prototypical gas lamp.

The plan had been for the layout to be set in 1902, hence the array of Edwardian figures. However, although this gave Peter the ideal ambience and small saddle tanks he wanted weaving in and out of his buildings, it got repetitive. One of Peter’s friends who helps run the layout at exhibitions suggested that the fleet be expanded and purchased some Model Rail/ Dapol Sentinels. This expanded the time frame up to 1935, and more models may be added in the future. The historical accuracy of ‘Copper Wort’ is a key aspect of its design, with every detail meticulously researched and recreated to reflect the brewing industry of the early 20th Century.

It may give exhibition managers a bit of a headache having to fit ‘Copper Wort’ into a corner, or on the end of a row, but it is truly worth taking the time to fit it in, as it always has good crowds. Not only is it unusual, but not being able to see everything from one position means it also keeps the crowds moving, giving everybody the chance to enjoy Peter’s creation. We wonder what other ideas he has for fun new layouts?

3 things we like

1 The crew keeping the coal stacks trim and tidy.

2 The shop window displays are amazing!

3 The legions of new, empty barrels outside the cooperage, awaiting their turn.

FACTFILE: ‘COPPER WORT’

ABOUT THE MODELLER: PETER GOSS

"I do several things now. I still help out some other architects and am finally learning to play the piano alongside my wargaming and military modelling.”