Swiss Chris Railways
Bondale Layout Design
Bondale - A History
Layout
Design
Model
Railways
In 2007, having settled into a new employment position, I decided that I wanted to get my
railways working again. The previous project (NordBad - Bräu Bahn, Had been too complex for
me to build and was never finished. So I wanted something a bit more simple, but I also wanted
to re-use as much of the boards and track from the old layout as I could. The area I had to use
was 11’ 6” X 15’ 6” (3.51M X 4.72M) with a door in the middle at one end. The idea was to build it
in stages so that I could get things running. Also not to have too many awkward to get at bits or
too complicated construction as I am not quite as young as I was.
The brief I set myself for this railway was so that I could:
a) Run out and back trains;
b) Double track main line;
c) Sit there and watch the trains go round so a circuit of some kind;
d) some kind of branch line operation;
e) Shunting manoeuvres.
As a result of these, I came up with the following ideas:
a) a folded in dumbell off a double track main line;
b) A branch running from one of the stations;
c) I also wanted there to be some kind of authentic freight movements so the trucks would have
some logical progression.
d) There would also be passenger flows to and from the various stations. These would be served
by local stopping trains and also expresses to outside the area.
BONDALE - LAYOUT DESIGN
After a lot of thought and roughly sketched ideas, I came up with the plan above. Even then the plan has
changed during construction with the Bustdale freight line (orange) now completing the circle going
through Bonton as a goods relief line, and the turntable at York at the other end and loco spurs being
installed at the yard throat.
I had to think up a back-ground for the line. This would then give me the local and national freight and
passenger flows through it.
Bearing in mind that this was supposed to be in Yorkshire, I decided to include coal (from Bustdale
Colliery), a brewery, a transformer factory, and a Yorkshire Pudding factory. Apart from the colliery which
would be a supplier, the others would need raw materials for production, and transport to their customers.
An example of working would be The dairy farmer at Bustham would supply Mrs. Anderson's Yorkshire
Pudding factory at Leoton. The Route would be Bustham - Bonton - York - Leoton.
The finished products would be sent anywhere, but because of the limited access at Leoton, would go
first to York to be sent all over the country, leading to Leoton - York - Carlisle via Bonton.
Bustdale Colliery would be represented by the York Fiddle Yard reached by a hidden line bypassing
Bonham. The following pages will show the layout broken down into its respective parts.
Oh! And why the names? My friend Mrs. Anderson had 2 Yorkshire Terriers, Buster and Bonnie.who were
always pleased to see me. They have now finally gone to the great kennels in the sky, where no doubt Her
Ladyship is still trying to take on Great Danes and St Bernards.
They have been followed by 2 Lhasa Apsos: Leo samual and Jezabel Jess They are featured elsewhere on
the site, but this is my tribute to them.
And what does Mrs. Anderson think of this, She did make the Yorkshire Puddings & Scotch Eggs so I
could photograph them for the posters.
Bondale as it is currently, with the exception of the Bustham branch. There are more spurs on the
turntable. at Bonton with places for 17 locos. Due to the Fleischmann turntable having fixed DCC
addresses (Between 201 and 299) the points numbering has had to be changed with Bonton starting at
101, Bondale Junction at 501, Leoton 301, Bustdale Junction 401, York 601 and Bustdale / Bustham 701
