The graveyard

 A comment from SteveF on my last blog post seemed to have the expectation that I was planning to build a layout based on my idea. The honest truth is that while its a layout I would love to build, I'm just not in a position to build it. There are a pile of incomplete layouts on the property ahead of this and having one more wouldn't help.

Paekakariki has been dormant since we moved in 9 years ago. While I do look at historical photos and further models, unless I win lotto realistically it's not going to happen. There's a lot of models to build just on the electric side of the layout and the steam side will need a serious amount of money to build the locos required. It's a "sunk cost" project that maybe its time to cut it loose to a fool someone else. I would not be parting with any of the rolling stock for it BTW.

Higher up on the "possibly completable" scale is my wharf layout. The basic trackwork and backdrop are done and the only major job is to do the wharf piles (for which I have found a plan) and the layout base. Heres the wharf sitting behind a layout I had forgotten I had.

The freighter is sitting safely in the cupboard.

Finally there is the On30 layout that I've been working on for 10 years. Again it hasn't had anything done to it since I moved rooms a few years back.

So, who else out there has a pile of 1/2 finished or abandoned projects?

 

From left field

 Bit of a meandering post here, but an insite into how I come up with layout ideas.

My day job in science research revolves in a large part in remembering small details from large chunks of data from many years back and recalling them at usefull moments. Its a lot harder than it sounds. Anyhoo...

First up I was sent some pictures of a competition entry from Celyn Bennet in this years convention. 

 

What makes this model historically important is that it is the first completed scratchbuilt NZ120 loco (if I'm wrong, reply in the comments section). Its a nice mix of metalwork and 3D resin printing with wheels and gearing from the 2mm association. The cab is open for a crew and its also fitted for DCC.

Fast forward a few weeks and I'm visiting an NZ magazine editor in Oamaru and in our travels we pass close to the old site of the McDonalds lime works. 

 

This short line was worked by D6 which orginally wound up at the Ocean Beach Railway before passing recently to Lumsden. It's also figured in photos in a few books, articles and calendars as the line survived intothe 1960's.

Back home last weekend and some late night googling leads me to the Whites aviation collection at the National Library website. As an aside this collection is absolute gold.

The best bit is that you can zoom in to look at important details.

The company owned a second D which was used for spare parts after the boiler ticket expired. Obviously it was also handy as a stop block.

We can also look at the layout of the main buildings...

 

 And the loco shed

So we now have enough information for the general plan, the buildings and an idea of the landforms in the area. Next post I will come up with a track plan and ideas for how it would work as a layout.

Magazine review time

 During the blog layoff a couple of things happened on the railway magazine landscape in new Zealand.

First up we have seen the demise of Railfan after 25 years of world class content. It was a magazine in which every issue was full of interesting articles and photos for everyone. Its one of those things where its just nice to pick up an old issue and imerse oneself in the contents. The Branchline series and John Agnews Carriage history were always standouts for me. 

The new kid on the bock is The Linesider, a retirement project from Kiwibonds. I remember a couple of years back when he said he was thinking of publishing a magazine and had done a business plan for a year to see if it was feasable. Into a second year it must at least be breaking even or just slowly sucking his retirement fund dry.

So opinion time, I think that the Linesider has started to hit its stride in season 2 with some interesting articles. The editors knowledge of the wider world of modern railways has been to the fore in the article on the new locos for the South island.

I must remember to renew my subscription.....

The Future?

 Found on the 2mm Association website last week.

Is this the past and the future of modeling displays at exhibitions?

At least theres no chance of setting the fire alarms, or having Brabs borrow all your tools....

A News Update

 A breaking of radio silence tonight for a couple of bits of news.

First up, Iain Rice passed away a couple of days ago. A man of Inmense staure in the model railway community world wide through his writings and multiple books on both sides of the Atlantic (possibly the only man to do this). Theres not much else to say really so I'll post a link to the Obituary section on Rmweb.

And while I can't remember if/when I ever posted this picture, I did get to spend a day walking in the hills behind Nelson with him, mainy because I was the youngest and fittest in the local group.

It was not an overly relaxing day for me as I was terminally worried that he was going to fall down a sink hole and The NZ Model railway guild was going to put a hit out on me to recover their investment. I don't recollect much detail of the conversation but he was a top bloke to talk wth. I do recall chasing butteflies for him taking photos. In retrospect I should have done a railway archeology trip up the valley, but life is full of regrets.

Second up, and a really big surprise, yesterday Hornby anounced details of the release of an entirely new range in TT (and its honest to god 1:120). Ok, so the track guage is 12mm which is sod all use to us, but theres also a range of buildings and other companies appear to be getting onto the band wagon with a range of vehicles as well (only 6 at the moment but assuming it takes off there could be much more). They are planning to release BR Mk2 carriages so hopefully theres a market for second hand tops. I'm also interested to see what the diameter of the wagon and coach wheel rims is. Actually, just having a second look I wonder if the lcomotive bogie wheels could be used

 It seems to be a really cunning plan to release a completely new scale rather than fighting for increasingly small crumbs with a stack of other companies in the established scales. The only thought I have is that the timing is appaling given that the current British government has just torpedoed its economy squarely amidships for the forseable future.

Precision engineering

 Another post from the being at home collection.

Today I did another small job on the Johnston. The center wheel on the loco needs to be smaller as on the real thing its actually the jackshaft drive.

Now given the complete lack of anything other than a power drill for turning round objets, the wheel assembly was split and chucked up. I then clamped the drill between my knees, squeezed to fire it up and then went carefully with the file.

One side done

Both sides done

 

The wheelset was then installed back in the chassis

Should do the job. Unforunately due to the design there was only enough traction tire whels to do one wheelset. on the other hand there were several later Johnston locos which were 0-6-0's ( including a tank loco I think) in case I want to make another one.

Ds part III-ish

 Some time off this week (enforced unfortunately, running repairs to the sausage casing) has eventually allowed me to do a bit more work on the Ds. Wle waiting from wheels and motors to turn up I've been haing a look at the collection of photos I've assembled off the wibbly wobbly woo. One thing that has become obvious to me is that theres a bit more under the skirts that has been provided for with the package of RP parts.

 

As we can see theres a whole stack of springing thats missing from the frames. The counterweights in the kit are also completely the wrong shape but thats for another day.

A quick hunt through the bits boxes threw up some brass square tube. Out with the files and saw and we were away using the accurate mk1 eyeball for measurement.

The frame was then marked out with an aproximation of where the spring dodads should go

 

It was then just a simple case threading some wire throught the holes and a bit of soldering.

I've left the wires long and I'll cut them to lenght when the wheels are in the frame and the frame spacers are soldered in. A bit big (probably would have worked for HO scale) but they will do.

And what does the inner finescaler think? I dunno. I haven't heard from him since I refused to paint the correct unit collars and cuffs on 6mm Napoleonic figures last year during the first lockdown.