2mm Chee Tor Retrospect

Chris Veitch

Western Thunderer
Probably my favourite large exhibition layout of all time - saw it in Manchester when it was a couple of years old and it made such an impression on me. Where is it now?
 

timbowales

Western Thunderer
Chee Tor was an amazing sight. You had to see it to realise it wasn't 4mm scale, it looked so good in photographs.
I only saw it twice but it was magnificent.
 

Minzapint

New Member
Thank you Rob and Andy for posting, that video is fantastic a lesson in how to produce one, I nomally don't have the patience to watch one alll the way through but that was very enjoyable.
 

Obblygobbly

Western Thunderer
I think Chee Tor was a wonderful layout, very novel for its time with clever innovations and inspiring scenery. Was always puzzled by the single line exit at the station end of the layout though. It seemed so odd on a Midland main line, even a secondary one.
 

Rob R

Western Thunderer
The original design concept was S&D but the Peak District won when it came to the scenery vote. It was also a lot closer to Manchester for the field trips.
 

Rob R

Western Thunderer
I had moved on from the MMRS by then but there wasn't a direct replacement. The 2mm group drifted away/onto other projects/different scales etc.
 

Jordan or Plymouth Mad

Mid-Western Thunderer
I never saw Chee Tor, but I did see Chiltern Green & Luton Hoo, which was in a similar vein, although the scenery wasn't quite as spectacular - due to geography location rather than standard of modelling.
 

Rob R

Western Thunderer
The MRC 's Chiltern Green/Luton Hoo and the MMRS Gransmoor/Gransmoor Town both represent the previous generation of layout. Both had an N gauge roundy roundy with a 2mmFS branch.
Gransmoor had gone by the time I joined the MMRS but Gransmoor Town (the 2mmFS bit) was still out on the exhibition circuit (Blackburn, Nottingham, Hull, Rochdale amongst others) and was a delight to operate with Mike Raithby's superb Midland stock - I think we might have had Tim's Kirtley well tank on loan for a while.
Both clubs used the 2mmFS branch line add on as proof of concept that paved the way for the much more ambitious 2mmFS Chee Tor and Copenhagen Fields.
Happy Days
 

Joe's Garage

Western Thunderer
What a coincidence Rob, I picked up a whole lot of MRJs a while back and I have only just got to number 51! MRJ 50 has the article on Chee Tor, wow what a beautiful layout. Your photos make a wonderful addition to the article.
Shame it went across the sea (?) never to be seen here again.
The photos you took of the FY and sections are very useful.
Thanks for posting.
All the best
Julian
 

WM183

Western Thunderer
Very nice looking layout - not one I ever saw, but really captures the feel of the landscape with which I'm very familiar.
Very nice film about it here:
This is what made me wish to model Midland and friends in the Peak District. Such a great video!
 
Top