Wales, Rails, Rain & Steel by Marc Smith
Residents of the fair city of Cardiff, and anyone who has travelled near the docks along Rover Way will be familiar with the huge over-head pipes, railway sidings and large blue buildings of Cardiff rod mill. I decided to try to create a model inspired by this impressive, atmospheric scene. Since researching the prototype, I have found steelworks and its' associated rail-traffic to be fascinating and varied.Empty wagons arrive by a class 37 locomotive - once synonymous with South Wales. The empties are loaded with steel coil and marshalled for dispatch to various destinations. Occasionally, the works' own internal wagons are used - especially for transporting scrap coil. This is sometimes seen, being marshalled into a train of other scrap metal wagons, destined for the scrap terminal aside the docks.To add to the atmosphere, I play a CD of thunderstorm sound effects, and you may even see a flash of lightening! Please feel free to come along & chat, or ask questions - but bring your umbrella!