Operation of the Model
The model railway runs end to end and to get a decent length of run between stations, the plan involves using some sections of main line twice on the journey from one end to the other. The line is still a little short of the scaled 6 miles that it is supposed to represent but this has proved to work well.
When visitors run more than one locomotive at a time this does involve some careful traffic planning and the use of tokens. The line is divided into three sections for this purpose colour coded red, green and blue. Tokens take the form of spring clothes pegs with a coloured disc attached representing the section for which it gives right of way. The peg clips onto the transmitter of the locomotive using the section and is replaced on a post in the middle of the section on arrival. A driver wishing to enter the section from either end may then collect the token. Stations are not included in the sections but are controlled either by signals or observing that the line into the station area is clear depending on the number of operatives available.