Category:Gamages Mammoth Model Railway

1958: Gamages Mammoth Model Railway, advert [image info]

1959 layout, advance artwork [image info]

1961 layout, advance artwork [image info]

Gamages New Mammoth Model Railway [image info]

1969 description [image info]

1961 description [image info]

One of the advantages of Gamages having so much available space was that they could use some of it for promotional events and displays, the best-remembered being the Gamages Mammoth Model Railway layout.

This was a heavily-promoted feature in Gamages' advertising, and the company seems to have devoted considerable resources to building, updating and staffing the display, whose trains apparently ran continuously during opening hours.

1959 promotional text

GAMAGES Exhibit The Largest Working Train Layout of its kind in the World
UNIQUE – ENTHRALLING – ENTERTAINING
We can never illustrate adequately the current layout in this book because our engineers are building and working on the layout until the beginning of October, whereas this book goes to Press at the end of July. Nevertheless, the Artist's impressions on the opposite page serve as a guide to the dazzling display presented for our hundreds of thousands of visitors this year.

When you first step into our Train Hall – When you take your first sweeping glance at the size of the layout – When you have appreciated all the meticulous details – When, at last, you reluctantly go away – Then you will understand our pride in presenting such a breathtaking scene, and we think you will agree that it was a visit to be remembered.

An early visit will enable you to inspect all the fine details of this MAGNIFICENT SHOWPIECE at your leisure, for as the season draws on, the Train Hall becomes rather crowded.
At the entrance to the layout we have all the AUTOMATIC APPARATUS in a Super Control Box behind glass Panels so you will be able to see these Robot Controls working.
We no longer try to count the yardage of wiring which winds its way backwards and forwards from the track, power supply, and auto units to give life to a vast number of locomotives realistically thundering along the tracks. THE LAYOUT IS WORKING ALL THE TIME.
The locomotives never stop and servicing is carried out in the same way as is necessary on the Real Railways of the World.

HERE ARE SOME OF THIS YEAR'S SPECIAL FEATURES

A tumbling torrent of Real Water pouring into a river, close to a logging camp.

A sleigh run with free moving sleighs swishing down the run.

A log "flume" down which logs move to the river.

A ski jump with moving skiers actually falling free.

AND IN A TROPICAL SETTING

A rocket testing site with models of actual missiles and equipment.

Separated from the Testing Site by a ravine, the living quarters of Operational Personnel.

— , Gamages, , Gamages 1959 book of Model Trains, Ships, Aircraft, Cars, etc., , 1959

1961 promotional text

A few facts about the Largest Working Model Train Layout of its kind in the World
VAST- EXCITING - UNRIVALLED
We can never illustrate adequately the current layout in this book because our engineers are building and working on the layout until the middle of October, whereas this book goes to press before this. Nevertheless, the artist's impressions on the opposite page serves as a guide to the dazzling display to be presented to our hundreds of thousands of visitors this year.
HERE ARE SOME OF THIS YEAR'S SPECIAL FEATURES

WATER

Our terrific waterway scenes proved so popular last year, that we have retained one of the giant tanks, but its position has been slightly altered. It contains hundreds of gallons of water and encloses a harbour scene mainly used by Naval Forces. We show a landing ship with auxiliary craft and some small private craft.
Moored about the harbour are special "frogmen" boats with frogmen figures placed to represent exercises taking place. A slipway on the right of the harbour handles private craft needing to come out of the water for repairs, etc.
The usual attention has been paid to the small details of the display, one of the scenes being frogmen investigating damage to a sunken vessel in the harbour.

RAIL

TWELVE HUNDRED FEET of freshly laid "0" Gauge trackwork on a completely new baseboard. A frontage of 85 feet and an average depth of 10 feet are the "Stage" upon which the main attraction Working Model Railways "perform".
Our chief concern always, is to keep the trains on the move and this is achieved for at least eight hours each day from early October until the end of the school holidays in January.
As far as possible we show all types. Steam Outline, Diesel Electrics and Electric—hauling freight and passenger trains. An added attraction is the diesel railcar service units working on elevated trackwork running from one end of the layout to the other. Another new feature is a sidings area showing where trains are made up.
Villages, low reliefs, bridges, tunnels, hills, valleys, all blended into one realistic picture. Automatic points, colour light signals and automatic train control is linked by mile upon mile of wire terminating in the large control house in which lights and relays can be seen working.

ROAD

Our roadway feature also proved a great success last year so we have again provided for five double track operating roadways to be set in the right-hand side of the railway layout.
Scale model cars move on the roads continuously under power in the same way as the electric railways.
Cutting into hills, and crossing over the railway tracks at certain points it is a most realistic display, adding to the "life" of the railway setpiece as a whole.
(Smaller versions of our road layout can be purchased in our model department.)
Also on the right-hand side is a village feature made up mainly of Tri-ang "Spot-On" Village Series.
This village is served by the Diesel Railcar, one terminal station being located on raised ground in the village.

The locomotives never stop, except in an emergency, and servicing is carried out in the same way as is necessary on the Real Railways of the World.
At the entrance to the layout we have all the AUTOMATIC APPARATUS in a Super Control Box behind glass panels so you will be able to see these Robot Controls working.
An early visit will enable you to inspect the fine details of this MAGNIFICENT SHOWPIECE at your leisure.

— , Gamages, , Gamages 1961 Model Book: Trains, Ships, Aircraft, Cars, etc., , 1961