The layout “Runswick Bay” originated on the basis that we all when visiting the seaside like to bring something back home to remind us of our holiday. Instead of a stick of rock or shell from the shoreline we returned with fond memories of the wonderful scenery along the North Yorkshire coastline with it’s picturest buildings and the now closed North Eastern Railways Whitby and Middlesbrough Railway.
This led to us creating what you now see before you, a selection of our favotite picture postcard scenes and buildings drawn from Robin Hoods Bay, Whitby, Sandsend, Staiths and surrounding area all brought together to create a layout where although most features are prototypical and can therefore be recognised not all were located adjacent as seen on this layout.
The original period modelled is a little after the turn of the last century, the layout being designed to please both the modeller and general public alike by not only featuring accurate modelling but items to entertain including working coal drops, water crane, operating gates, ironstone mine conveyors, wood mill machinery and along with the assistance of the canopy a “day” and “night” scene enabling us to light and show the building interiors. All this making “Runswick Bay” one of the most popular scenic layouts touring featuring repeatedly in exhibitions at home and in Europe along with regular television features.
As Runswicks new owners we are converting it to run on DCC and bringing the running era forward to the 1950/60s. Once the conversion is complete it will hopefully return to the exhibition circuit.