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This page was last updated on 27/04/10

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Nancledre Harbour(O-16.5 narrow gauge)

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Nancledre Harbour started life as a commissioned project being built by Warley member Lawrence Stibbs.  The commission was subsequently stopped and Lawrence continued to build it for his own pleasure.  Sadly this was not to be and following his untimely death, his widow passed it on to the club.  Since then it has undergone a fair bit of rebuilding, although the original concept is still in place.  The layout is freestanding, approx. 10ft 6in long x 2ft 0in wide. The control panel is mounted on the right hand end, whilst operation is from the front using the Bachmann Dynamis DCC system.  This easily lets the operator discuss various aspects with the visitor.   Space behind is only needed to recover any derailed stock!! The layout and two operators fit in the currently owned VW Passat estate.  A single 240 volt 13A supply is required. 

Nancledre Harbour is that little Cornish town just up the coast from where you last spent a holiday in the West Country.  The harbour came into its own when the local landowner joined the rush to extract tin from the moorland above the village.  The best way to get the raw material out of the Duchy was by sea and with the coming of the railways, the cart track was converted and a narrow gauge line was put in place, known affectionately as O&DLR (Oneslip & Downe Light Railway).  This eventually fell into disuse until the upsurge in holidays and railway preservation brought about its re-opening, in the process of which a long closed warehouse was opened to reveal a veritable Aladdin’s cave of rolling stock from times long passed.  Locos were more of a problem but most were rescued or borrowed from abandoned or other preserved lines both in the UK and Europe. At the same time the opportunity was taken to extend the line along the coast to the local beach and suddenly Nancledre (Harbour) became a through station.  To maintain the link between the old and new, some of this old stock has been renovated and as well as the passenger service, freight trains typical of times past are to be seen. 

Today the members of the local home guard re-enactment group are joining in with the weekend gala event and have gathered for a parade on the station, whilst Glascotts Hotel (previously Sea View Hotel) hosts a wedding, where the bride and groom are having their picture taken prior to greeting their guests. 

We hope you enjoy your visit to our bit of Cornwall and that it evokes memories of

“that place we visited last year – remember?”