West Porton model train, tram, trolleybus OO/HO layout.

David Wood's British-themed OO/HO scale layout of a place known as 'West Porton' featuring working trains, trams and trolleybuses ('electric trolleybuses' in American English).

Filmed at the 2009 Festival of Model Tramways, which was at the Kew Bridge Steam Museum, London.

Although it was not intended to as such the film includes a discussion between two visitors (me plus someone else)and Mr Wood about the layout and some of its features. At the end there are a few still images too.

Powered via the overhead wires and using working trolleypoles the trolleybuses are model buses fitted with model tram electric motors. Most of them use the Faller system for steering although we also see some buses which use the now discontinued Brawa system. As is seen in the video, there is even a junction where different buses follow different routes! Getting it all to work - and without any dewirements - is an act of sheer genius- its simply fantastic.

The metro train is based upon the iconic Paris metro Sprague trains, and painted 1st class red. A still image showing the Parisian trains overlays the screen at the appropriate moment. This image is copyright-free and was sourced from the Wikipedia Commons.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• trolleybus
• metro
• train
• tram
• streetcar
• railway
• railroad
• Sprauge
• bus
• trakless
• trolley
• OO
• HO
• Brawa
• Faller
• miniature
• rail

[Ketturah]

What do I know? I'm only a female!

[citytransportinfo]

@Ketturah well actually it does not matter whether a person is male or female.

It depends more on where a person lives, where they have travelled, the transports they encounter at home / when a way from home and finally whether there are commercial or political interests involved trying to convince people that one type of transport is 'better' than another.

Simon

[sandinyourbum]

rubbish

[citytransportinfo]

@sandinyourbum

why? please explain!

[Ketturah]

Isn't another word for trolleybus a Tram?

[citytransportinfo]

@Ketturah no!

an electric trolleybus can also be called a trackless trolley or a trolleycoach but never a tram, as trams (like streetcars and trains) use steel wheels whilst trolleybuses use rubber tyres.

Simon

[silectric]

Keighley, West Yorkshire, UK had a tramway at the beginning of the 20th century to which was added a Trackless Tramway, or Trolley Bus system. As the term Tram is used rather than Trolley in the UK it is likely that the trolley buses were often referred to as 'trackless' trams.

[JBofBrisbane]

@Ketturah - actually, "trolley" is another word for a tram, as well as "streetcar", particularly in the USA.

[islandtraction]

Excellent work. Very inspiring to other modellers. Thanks for posting.

[citytransportinfo]

Britan and the USA. Two nations divided by a common language.

Thanks for your comments. At times I get confused, because even within the USA diferent people in different areas and from different age groups use different terminology for the same things.

Then there is the US meaning of the word 'tram', which is totally different from so many other nations...

Simon