Wheal Kompes

Built By: Dan

Description: This offset module is inspired by the typically winding railway of the Great Western Main Line in Cornwall, passing a derelict Cornish engine house. The module itself is made with Woodland Scenics' foam riser and profile boards on an 18mm plywood plank, with plaster cloth landscaping. The derelict engine house is a Kernow Model Rail Centre special edition Bachmann Scenecraft resin model. Cornwall is famous for its mining heritage, which had its heyday in the 18th and 19th centuries. The huge amount of mining activity left many traces on the landscape like the ruined engine houses, sometimes referred to as "Cornish castles" by local people.

IMG_2318.JPG

According to an online Cornish (kernewek) dictionary, "kompes" means straight/level/accurate, which is meant as a tongue-in-cheek name for an offset module with curved track: the railway lines in Cornwall often weave around to suit the rugged ground contours and natural features. "Wheal" is a common name for old Cornish mines.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License