PECO helps secure Guinness World Record with its world-leading SL-102F track!
On Saturday 27 April 2024, Pete Waterman and his Railnuts team, set a Guinness World Record using British manufacturer, PECO Model Railways' world-leading SL-102F Concrete Sleeper Streamline Track. The world record attempt for the 'Largest Portable Model Railway' had to meet stringent criteria set by Guinness, including being measured to within 0.001m, being a single scale model, proving that it is portable, being built to a professional standard, as well including details of the number of trains, loops, track length, locomotive movements and all track being used.
One of the key criteria was for all of the PECO SL-102F track to be measured accurately, for which a specially designed sonic track measurement wagon was developed and used to establish the complete track length. The overall and official track length eventually came in at a huge 690.4m / 2279ft!
The story of this world record attempt is being captured for a new series of 'Little Trains & Big Names' with Pete Waterman. The first series was the highest rated show on More4 in 2023. 'Making Tracks' creator, Pete Waterman said:
"Extending Making Tracks for Model World LIVE at the NEC has been a huge challenge and the Guinness World Record attempt was a fantastic achievement by the Railnuts. It was a credit to all the team involved and proves that the model railway hobby is alive and well. The media interest in the Guinness World Record was off the scale with 28 interviews and broadcasting live on BBC Breakfast !”
Model World LIVE Exhibition Manager, Mike Wild added:
"The 208ft long layout at Model World LIVE was a staggering achievement for Making Tracks which has already had a huge impact on the modelling hobby. We were very proud to have hosted the world record attempt and to be sharing that with the modellers from across the country and around the world."
The first series of 'Little Trains & Big Names' with Pete Waterman is available to watch on demand on Channel 4.
Some Key Facts:
- Layout size : 208 ft x 14 ft. / 63.4m x 4.3m
- Track length : 690.4m / 2279ft
- Number of trains running : 45
- Number of operators : 70
- Time to build the 100ft extension : 4 months
- Number of working signals : 47
- All scenic sections were fully modelled with over 1,208ft / 368m of overhead catenary
Layout features:
The full layout modelled the West Coast Main Line between Hillmorton Junction (Rugby) and Bushey taking in Hillmorton's grade separated junction, Kilsby Tunnel, Blisworth, Milton Keynes Central station, Tring Cutting, Northchurch Tunnel, Watford Tunnel, Watford Junction station, Bushey viaduct, Bushey station and finally Carpender's Park bridge. It will feature a four track main line throughout with the option to pass trains at Milton Keynes Central station. The World Record layout featured 100ft of new scenery on top of the existing Making Tracks 1, 2 and 3 layouts. The new scenes modelled Blisworth as well as Watford Tunnel to Carpender's Park bridge with the full layout featured three stations in total. It will take a minimum of four operators per circuit to keep trains moving and featured fully working signals which the driver's can follow along the line to recreate the West Coast Main Line in miniature.
The PECO SL-102F Concrete Sleeper Streamline Track
This track models the most common form of concrete sleepering in use in Britain today, with flat bottom rail and faithfully replicated Pandrol rail fixings.
PECO Streamline Code 75 track meets the standards of enthusiasts who prefer to run trains on scale height rail. Today most manufacturers' wheels are suitable for use on Code 75 track but some vintage models may have flanges which are too deep to clear the rail fixings. Code 75 can be easily combined with code 100 track by using the SL-113 Transition Track.
The wide range of turnouts and crossings in this series includes every type, and the geometry of this range has been cleverly designed to make it easy to build convenient, complex and aesthetically pleasing formations. For more details on Electrofrog turnouts, see our Wiring the Layout publications Nos 4 and 21.
Link to SL-102F Track:
Flexible Track, Concrete Sleeper – PECO (peco-uk.com)
Film:
See our latest film on the SL-102F track and how it is used in Modern Image layouts, combined with incumbent wooden sleeper track and turn-outs...
Watch a short video of the measuring and judging process here:
