Hawkins Tower

9th February 2009

On a special evening, and seen in the tea stall siding, this old tram engine is used for the event.	A full view of the Tower. An extremely cramped, steep staircase leads to the top if your'e brave enough.	At the other end of the layout "Llew" crosses the little bridge over the stream in the evening sunshine.	A closer view of "The Currant Bun" tea stall - already busy at 11am.
Decauville 0-4-0 loco "Llew" slowing to a stand at the halt.	A high level view over looking the lake and the tower.	"Leader" again passing the lake hauling the tram coach. Many birds are on the lake - and even fish in it!	Bagnall 0-4-0 "Leader" passes the "Currant Bun" tea stall hauling the tram coach. The old boathouse in the background is now used for rowing boats.
Bagnall loco "Leader" slows into Hawkins Towers platform.	"Leader" arrives on the scene beside the old folly.	The train now leaves the halt to pass the lake. Several birds and animals are on the layout, though it is not yet finished.	"Leader" leaves the halt.
A closer view of the train and lake area, the Tea Stall has yet to be modelled.	"Leader" and train wait at the platform.

The pictures in this collection are of our automatically controlled mini-layout called "Hawkins Tower".
It is the early 1960’s and in an old Victorian theme park a 2-foot narrow gauge railway was originally built around the grounds as an added attraction. The park still draws visitors, especially at weekends, and by the small lake there is a folly called “Hawkins Tower” after the name of the builder. Nearby a tea stall sells glorious cakes, fizzy drinks and tea.
The layout can be operated manually with a normal controller, or automatically utilising a “station stop” module built into the rear of the layout.
Trains are limited, as they would be in real life, to two or three four-wheeled coaches and a small selection of four-wheeled locomotives. It is presumed that there is an old wooden workshop further round the line, where a venerable old chap looks after the remaining stock week after week to keep them running.