| Series of photos taken of Salt Pan Layout (Gn15) at 2006 Basildon MRC Annual Show.
This Layout was purchased in Autumn 2005 then set in the Ballearic Islands. It has since been transformed with the setting moved to the Eastern Adriatic close by the resort of Piran in Slovenia some 20 miles South of Trieste. Although located in Slovenia the Salt Pan workforce is traditionally Italian and hence the naming of the Layout - Secciole Salina. Secciole being the area and Salina - Salt Pan! The large building on the layout is traditional in the area with Salt Storage below and living accommodation above. This consisted of two bedrooms and a kitchen with eating area. There were NO bathroom facilities! These houses were only occupied from April to September when the temperature was sufficiently high to produce salt by the traditional evaporation methods. In the Secciole area it is known that Salt has been produce for the best part of a thousand years and most likely longer. The small hut, now believed demolished was used to store work implements and as a respite from the noonday sun. Other buildings, including modern pump houses exist , those modelled (including the Hopper) do not exist on the Secciole site BUT similar structures are found on other European Salt Pans. The wooden Salt Pan wagons seen are those used at Secciole, they are hand worked and were constructed on ex-mine tub chassis. Those recently constructed now use Stainless steel for the corner framework to combat Salt corrosion. Other Salt Pan locations used both Mine tubs and Skip wagons to transport the Salt from the pan to bagging facilities. Many Salt Pans used Loco power particularly some large ones in S. Italy and Locos modelled represent these units albeit with some license. Salt Pan close to Rimini re-introduced Diesel Power in September 2006. The layout in current form was first exhibited over July 1/2 2006 at the Basildon MRC Annual Show. Owned by the club it is available for exhibition and can be booked by going to: http://www.basildon-mrc.org.uk/ Next Major Show ExpoNG at Swanley on October 25, 2008. |
Building Complex with Salt Retailer arriving to collect more Salt. 800x600 |
Gated entrance from Nature Reserve 800x600 |
Layout packed into Car 2304x1728 |
No way - Italy will win the Cup! They did!!!! 800x600 |
Pump mechanism 800x600 |
Pump mechanism - not in line with prototype 2048x1536 |
Salt Pan Dragon - added for benefit of Junior visitors. 800x600 |
Salt Pan Workers 800x864 |
Tourist Train 2048x1536 |
Typical Female worker scraping Salt 800x600 |
View down layout towards building complex. 800x1067 |
View from Buildings 800x1067 |
