Weargate Works

03/06/2026

Looking forward to bringing Weargate down to this again, it’s a nice place to go for a few hours and helps testing the layout under exhibition conditions to see how everything works. Do come and see us if you can

20/04/2026

We are delighted to be a featured layout by Meridienne Exhibitions LTD for the forthcoming TINGS show, it’s an honour to get there and we are definitely looking forward to it

17/03/2026

Can you help!

I have had a few requests off people who know myself or did know my dad that want to see his creation first hand. Whilst the layout is currently located in south wales its roots are firmly in County Durham north east England.

I would love to bring the layout “home” to display as so far it’s only public outings have been in wales. If you or are know someone who is involved with a show in the north east of England please let me know.

I appreciate shows have costs to consider and booking a layout from south wales to do a 600mile trip would not be viable, however I would combine the show with a trip home to see family so the layout could technically be local.

So any north east shows want to book the layout for 2026 or 2027?

12/03/2026

Next show announcement!

Weargate has been invited to attend The International N Gauge Show at Warwickshire Event Centre. This event is one my dad was determined to get into, in fact the layout was booked to attend last year but his passing causes withdrawal. So it will be poignant to take it there.

I look forward to displaying it there and fulfilling my dad’s wish.

07/03/2026

Thanks to Miniature Railway at the Glebelands for the invite to display today, a great time was had and some positive comments were made by the public who saw us. Thanks als to the members of N Gauge Society - Newport, South Wales Group who came to assist with operations today. Your support is greatly appreciated guys.

A list of jobs is developing after today thankfully they are mainly scenic improvements as opposed to major changes

07/03/2026

We are down at Miniature Railway at the Glebelands today till 5pm, first time the layout has been operated for the public to see since 2024. Things are going well so far certainly proving useful to assess things needed to do in the future

02/02/2026

A couple of weeks ago I posted regarding when the layout would officially appear for the first time in my ownership, well as of today the answer is 26th September Forest of Dean model railway show. I am looking forward to getting it back out there to display as my dad wanted it.

Please note whilst this is the first booking to be confirmed we are working on other bookings for this year that may precede this one. More shows will be posted once confirmed

Full details here

The show will be held on the 26th & 27th September 2026, 11 am – 5 pm on the Saturday and 10 am – 4 pm on the Sunday.

21/01/2026

Last night the layout was set up for further testing at N Gauge Society - Newport, South Wales Group club night, I will now be going through a list of tasks required to get the layout fully ready to be exhibited. The first job is improving the fiddle yard, next will be the scenic board electronics so they are fully working.

Scenically little will be done so as to preserve the layout my Dad built, but some small changes will be made where improvements' can be done.

This brings us onto the important matter, WHEN will it appear for its public debut under my ownership (it has only attended one show so far), well that all depends. We have no confirmed bookings yet, but one or 2 are in the pipeline. So if anyone is involved with an exhibition and wants to book an N gauge layout, get in touch. I have included a photo of the layout info sheet - Facebook wont allow me to put it up as file

22/12/2025

22/12/2025

We all probably have a back story to our layouts. So it’s only right that Weargatei works has one too.

The origins of this go back around 40 years to when I was a child. My parents house looked onto the Darlington to Bishop Auckland branch line which still went as far as Eastgate in Weardale, the line previously reached Wearhead but was cut back to Eastgate for the cement works there.

Twice a day a cement train would go by the house, often pulled by 2 class 37’s but 31’s were not unknown at times, as far as I am aware no other engines pulled the cement train. Only other locks I can recall are steam specials, a 31 worked inspection saloon for Bill McAlpine with regards to saving the line and a 20 worked weeekiller (some of these will appear on the layout).

These 37 hauled cement trains would stop at the point that controlled Bishop Auckland station and even with 2 37’s a fully loaded train took some shifting so the noise could be heard. Seeing these trains from the attic window was definitely part of my childhood.

Fast forward a year or so and my parents bought a caravan in Stanhope also in Weardale and 10minutes walk away was a level crossing where the loco crew had to open and close the gates, we would help do this so they didn’t have to walk back the length of the train, doing this got us a cab ride on a class 37 one time to the cement works and back.

As such the layout is a recollection of my childhood and happy times with my family, a lot of what is mentioned above has been put on the layout albeit adapted slightly to suit.