Counting down

3 hours to go, folks. So far we are up to 2 entries, which means I'll have to toss a coin now.
Any last entries out there?

Darryl Builds a Layout.

(Have a sodding migraine tonight. Luckily someone else steps into the breach)

Now look what Rhys has made me do.

So it doesn’t look like my plans for a new tri-level Tehachapi layout will fit in my recently acquired Limited Edition trainroom, so to prevent myself going crazy I foolishly started building an NZ120 layout last night. While cleaning out a box in said room the previous night, one of those fuddy-duddy English Model Railway Journals leapt out at me (it belongs to Evan B and he may reclaim it at any time featuring an impressive layout called Amberley - thirty years in the making - that had me thinking about building a layout properly for once.
So here’s the vague plan… in both plan and cross sectional views:



This is the first layout I’ve built that has integrated lighting behind a valance. Actually given that it is made of wood, it’s a bit of a groundbreaker, as a 4x3 section of my last Tehachapi layout had “baseboards” of wire netting and plaster. People who have seen my layouts before should note that a square and a level were used in addition to the usual blunt instruments. Progress in the 24 hours to date:





The real Sawyers bay:

I’ll keep you informed as to progress…

Coupling, Contests and Whos reading here

Another monthly meet tonight. One of the local experts went through how to make the standard S scale coupler work well, with a collection of jigs. Its got me thinking again about doing a semi look alike coupler for Nz120, that works for unit trains. In the past I have used a cut down rapido coupler with a fair bit of success (25 lc's can't be wrong). I have however, been wondering if its possible to get some sort of coupler that combines the shank and small head of the NZR coupler with some clever method to get them to couple and uncouple. Maybe a miniaturised English tension lock that has the whole coupler move up and down rather than just the hook. It would have to be bidirectional (unlike the real thing). Anyone have any clever thoughts? (indeed does anyone have any thoughts?)

Next up, its only 25 hrs to the close of the layout planning contest. So far I've received the grand total of 1 entry, which makes judging easy. However theres a stack of you out there who quietly read this blog at work and just lurk. Here's your big chance for me to make you famouser than you already no doubt are.

Lastly, I've been getting a big increase in hits this last week. There's a few from overseas (gidday to readers from Bristol and Baden-Wurtemburg) plus more locals tuning in. Oddest link lately was from a google search 'World Domination' from Korea, so here is a big hello to dear leader Kim Jong-il. All the best with your plans for world domination, but you'll have to think up your own plan as this one is mine.

Guest Spot

Tonight, a review by Kiwibonds.

Bogies. (Not Nostril Nuggets)

Your intrepid correspondent has often wondered if there might be other bogies, or ‘trucks’ for the sensitive, that might work well in NZ120. For years, the ubiquitous Microtrains items have long been the gold standard in N and in NZ120 with their free running wheels, nice small coupler and decent looks, even if they are a little small for our scale.

Recently I stumbled across a Japanese website and managed to order a couple of Kato ‘Taki’ tank wagons. Much to my surprise, they arrived within a few days and even more to my surprise the bogies look pretty good. They have a longer wheelbase and a nice open look to them. As Japan is mainly 3 foot six, most of their commercial models are made to 1:150 rather than 1:160, so this might be a contributing factor. They also have nice blackened metal wheelsets.

Kato on the left.

Now for the downsides: they have Rapido couplers, but for those modeling pre 1990s this might be a positive as they can be coupled directly to 4w peco chassis(-es? chassi?) so you can mix bogie and 4w stock in trains without having to have transition coupler wagons everywhere. You could always body-mount a Microtrains…. If you get your magnifying glass out, they do have elliptical rather than coil springs, but these are barely noticeable and the pointy bit could be cut off if desired.

Anyway, although they are still a smidge small, they are another option. I’m going to see if they can be ordered more economically in bulk (and without the wagon attached).
Anyone else have nice bogies? So to speak?

Further to this post, here's a side by side of Kato and Atlas older style (1950's) trucks.The Kato ones on the left are the correct scale, and the Atlas ones again are a bit on the small side.

More layout ideas

Fresh from the kitchen, which is now covered with a thin layer of roc candi.

Tonight's suggestion is one that's always good for one end of a layout. Unlike Kingston, there's another way of viewing a wharf.


Opua in the 1950's. The ship in the background could be a painted backdrop or a 1/2 width model. The picture comes from the Timeframes website http://timeframes.natlib.govt.nz/ which has a vast collection of old pictures from New Zealand, and a stack of railway themes. It's well worth a poke round.

As for the layout idea, if a couple of modules is one end, the rest of the layout could include any industries that you like. In the above case a freezing works would be good, as you also get the livestock trains in as well.

I must look for some more modern themes....

Layout design update

Since there's been a few questions, I had better clarify some things.

-The layout can be any number of modules of the areas mentioned (400 by 300 or near offer). However, this doesn't mean that you should try to do Middleton or Westfield. I'm looking for a set up that will work in a spare room but also as part of a larger layout.
- I haven't set any limits for the track to enter or exit the scene, so i now will the entry and exit tracks center line should be no closer than 100mm to the edge of the module. In the scene itself they can however wander anywhere.

I'll post some inpiration later tonight. Now I'm off to wash the dishes and make some Belgian Candi Sugar (mmmmmm)

Figures (and not in a good way)

I received in the mail yesterday a box containing some old Peco and Lima wagon chassis. Unfortunately I have to prostitute my painting skills to pay for all this. This involves painting some of the old Railmaster figures. A long time ago when I was a student the first time round I painted figures for Mr Railmaster himself to help pay the bills. These things are at least 30 years old, and my main question is, why hasn't anyone done anything better? Its like every hick town on the planet picked the most misshapen inhabitant and sent a photo to the sculpter. The only decent ones bear and uncanny resemblance to plastic figures that came with the Lledo 'days gone by' range. I've had a hunt through the wargaming manufacturers catalogs to see if theres any civilians that can be used, but have drawn a bit of a blank.
(Anyone who says that you can't use these figures have another look http://www.wargamesfoundry.com/main.asp . These guys have been creeping up in size in the last 20 years till they are now touching 30mm in height. Plus they are in metal, which is so much nicer to work with than plastic).
Its a similar situation in NZ120. no local stuff, I think the Germans make TT figures, but I've never seen any in the flesh. Again there's a huge industry around 1:100-1:120 scale wargaming but few make civilians apart from some by Peter Pig for the Spanish civil war, which are not much use carrying pitchforks.