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[Peter Fitness]

Dave (Stavros) and Barry (Footski) have asked to see some photos of my 00 gauge railway layout, which is under reconstruction, so don't laugh at my efforts


I became interested in British outline model railways nearly 55 years ago, soon after our oldest son was born. I bought him a Triang Princess Royal loco, a couple of carriages and some track, which we used to lay on the lounge room carpet. I progressed to a rudimentary fixed layout under our house, however he lost interest in the railway, but I carried on. 12 years later we moved to our farm, and the layout was dismantled and stored until, in 1994, we moved to the sea side. I then built a new layout in the garage which had to be suspended from the ceiling to allow the car in. I welded up a sort of truss girder arrangement with the main baseboard screwed to it, and used a small boat trailer winch to raise and lower it. It was a continuous run around the garage with other sections attached to the walls, and one fixed board on a cupboard. It was rather fiddly to set up, but it was in constant use until we moved back to the farm in March 2012. The layout was again dismantled, and about 2 years ago I decided to rebuild it as a permanent layout in our 40' x 12' farm shed. I had to leave at least half of the shed for farm stuff, so the layout occupies some of the other half.


It is now an end to end layout, representing a fictitious preserved railway somewhere in England. This means that I can use clean locos and rolling stock rather than weathering them, and I try to use models of locos that are currently in preservation. Because it is fictitious I can cheat a bit if I want to   Some of the locos and carriages are quite old, although all the carriages have had their plastic wheels replaced with Bachmann wheelsets for smoother running. I had an old H & M Duette controller, but this has recently been replaced by a new Gaugemaster twin unit, as some of the newer locos were too jerky at starting with the H & M. Some buildings are by Superquick but the majority are printable downloads from Scalescenes and Justin Noble.


The photos show how I've covered the main baseboards to protect it from dust and rodents, which can be a problem in a farm environment. The clutter in the shed is all my own work, but at least I know where everything is


The layout is operational, but much needs to be done yet. All the wiring, which is analogue - I haven't ventured into DCC - works as it should, and running is usually fault free, provided the track is kept clean.


One turntable is an ancient Triang electrically powered unit, the other is a new Peco example mechanically operated by a hand crank and Meccano gears. I have had a lot of fun building to the stage I'm at but, as I said before, much more work lies ahead.


Peter.

[Peter Fitness]

More photos.


BTW, I still have the Triang Princess Royal, in its original box, but it is not used on the layout as it doesn't run very well, besides, the newer models are a vast improvement on the early ones. However, it's the model that started it all for me.


Peter.

[Footski]

Wonderful Peter. As you said a long way to go, but well worth the effort..

[dougal99]

That's some task you've set yourself. I've got a room about 7x6 ft and haven't got as far as you! Looking really good. Keep up the good work. 

[Stavros]

Nothing at all wrong with that Peter looks darned good to me....just wish now I had Never sold my stuff


Dave

[Peter Fitness]

Thanks for the comments gents   I just hope I live long enough to finish it. It's often been said that model railway layouts are never finished, there's always something else to do.


Peter.

[BrianB6]

Your comment that model railways are never finished is so true. I used to belong to a group of friends who operated a layout known as the Castle Hill line which started in 1971 and as far as I know is still going.   It changed quite a bit over the years as improvements were made and had a big reorganisation when it had to be moved on the death of one of the founding members in 2004 and went to a larger shed.   It has fairly basic sceanery and runs to a timetable that changes every so often.   The clock is speeded up and all interstation communications are by bell using the L.M.S. codes unless verbal communication is needed when the telephone has to be used.   Drivers cannot pass a signal at danger and have to wait until released by the signalman.   Up to 18 of us were able to work the layout at once although some through stations could be one person operation or cut out of the system.
Joint L.M.S and G.W.R. rails in Wessex country.
Really great fun but unfortunatly we moved away some 20 years ago 

[Ianlind]

That's a good start Peter.


I was given my first Triang and Hornby locos by my Dad when I was a 12 year old, which I still have, and went through the oval of track on the floor stage. Bit by bit I added some goods rolling stock, but no passenger cars for some reason!
I also tried model boats back then, but balsa and bread and butter didn't do a lot for me, and after nearly cutting my left thumb off when carving a hull, I left it alone for a long while.
Then I discovered girls and cars like most of us did, and the hobby was abandoned for a long time.
In the early 80's I got involved in the boats again, but this time around I had learned a lot and did it a lot better. Early on I was staying with a boat friend in Canberra, and in the room I was camping in, the walls were lined with shelving and lots of model trains! My mate said to me at the time, don't go there or you'll regret it!
I did re-visit the model railways in a small way to begin with, but then in 1986 I met a legend in the Australian ( NSW ) model railway manufacturing industry at the time, and from there the spark was rekindled.
Through that connection I met another manufacturer who was wanting to get out of that side of the business due to his job with the tax department, and thought I could get a bit of good stuff at the right price, being well connected.
I then started manufacturing for him under his business name from 1987 until I started my own business name in April 1989, while I was still working in Management in industrial supply.
That business took over the next 27yrs of my life, with no time for a hobby of any kind, until I tried to close the business and retire two years ago. I still can't let the business go, as it's been such a big part of my life, but I have cut back and am more selective about what I choose to do. I've also got some serious hand problems from the manufacturing process, but although it slows me down, it doesn't stop me.
I've collected a lot of Model Railway stuff over those years, but because I was too close to the hobby with the business, I struggle to get excited about model trains, and don't have a layout, and doubt I ever will. Not that I don't like them, but can't decide which I like enough to put in the effort!
I've gone back to the boats and am enjoying them for the first time in many years. "Albert" was one of my recent builds for my partner.
My original build in 1981 was the Iron Cove, a Sydney tug from the 60's and the model is still as good today as it was when built, except for some yellowing of the white paint. She's just under 1.5m and is powered by a large 12v fan motor driving a 6" x 4 blade prop. F'glass hull with Coachwood marine ply deck and upperworks. No plastic!
I've also tried planes, but they don't survive long! Boats and trains are safer!
It seems that a lot of us flip flop between model types.


Ian.

[Ianlind]

I couldn't attach an image to the last message, as it was done on a different computer, but below should be an image of the Iron Cove when she was first launched in 1982. The total build time was just over 12 months, every spare minute I had while working full time!
The second image is as she survives today.

[Peter Fitness]

Very nice Ian


Our middle son's mate has a property at Currabubula, not too far from Quirindi, and we have been there a couple of times, the last occasion being 2 years ago.


If I was starting in model railways now, I would probably go for NSW types, but as I have a lot invested in British outline equipment I will stay with what I have. In my young days we did a lot of travelling between Sydney, where I grew up, and Lismore, where my mother came from and where I have lived since December 1953. The motive power was mainly the C36 class of the NSWGR, with the odd C38 at times. I remember arriving at Casino station many times on a hot day with soot inside my collar, but loving every minute of it. Nowadays steam trains are a rare sight, in fact, I haven't seen one in this area since 1988, when 3801 and Flying Scotsman double headed the Bi-Centenary train, and a C36 took a commemorative train down to Byron Bay. I was lucky enough to get a ticket for that trip, which brought back many memories. I have been on a number of preserved railways in England, keeping my enthusiasm for steam alive.


Peter.

[Ianlind]

G'day Peter,


Thanks for positive comments. I'm pretty proud of what I achieved back then, but the Sirius Cove ( faintly visible in the background ) is still waiting to be finished after staring in 1982 and having to leave it when my late wife was involved in a serious car accident in 1986, and I had to leave the hobby to help look after her. Then the business hatched in 1987, so the boats languished for a long time!


I know Curabub well, and it's just on halfway between here and Tamworth.


I've got so much British stuff myself, and some of it quite recent, but I just can't decide which way to go. A long time ago I started collecting On30 VR Narrow Gauge Puffing Billy locos in brass, then found there was no rolling stock available, so that became another part of my range. I'm still the only one producing any sort of range of kits for this outline, and I send them all over the world. There are a couple of small mobs who do the odd kit in either cr.ppy laser cut wood, and another in milled ABS which are really nice, but expensive, but mostly it's still down to me. There was another bloke thought he would wipe me out by getting injection moulded Puffing Billy stuff done in India, and actually copying my models to do it, but the quality was cr.p, the plastic was garbage and he flopped big time. It was also rumoured that he owed the Indian government some big rupees as well! If you are curious about what I still do, www.ianlindsaymodels.com
I'm also a bit attracted to HOn3 american, but even though I still buy the odd loco and wagon because I like them, I'll never build a layout. It's getting too small, as our eyes and hands are becoming less able to manage it! I also like the HO QR stuff as well as HO VR and it's also part of my range, but same problem!
I guess I should model NSW myself, as I have access to a lot of stuff, and that's how the business began with that in mind in 1987, but it becomes a chore, and in the end I guess I'll do nothing except have a big collection for somebody to dispose of when I drop off the perch!


Ian

[BrianB6]

Hi Ian
I just wish you had been in production in the 70's 
I would have loved to build a Victorian Hon3 of part of the Colac line as I used to travel down there several times a month.
The sight of a G class must have been magnificent through the Otway ranges sceanery

[Ianlind]

G'day Brian,


I don't sell much of the HOn30 Puffing Billy stuff these days, as the Locos are a bit hard to come by. Some modellers did run it on HOn3 and some locos were supplied in that gauge.
The original Model Dockyard locos were reasonable-ish for the time, but had issues with accuracy and the motors were pretty ordinary, but they were the only options back then.
When the Alco model NA's were released, they were, and are, really good, like their O scale brothers, but hard to find. There was a Whitemetal NA loco kit by Colonial Scale Models at the time, but the instructions were best discarded and you built the model from hopefully, your abilities. They did look the part when built well.


Most PBR modellers are now choosing the On30 range, as it's not much bigger than the average HO bogie wagon, and the availability of the Chinese Haskell NA's have made the entry more affordable. You can get 3 Haskell locos for less than the price of one brass model, that's if you can find one. I sold my Brass NA for ridiculous money some years back, but wish that I hadn't, as the plastic ones just don't quite stack up, compared to the detail on the brass masterpieces.
The other advantage of working in the larger 1:48 scale is that you can really get serious with extra detail, and it fits in your hand better! There are also heaps of whitemetal figures with extremely fine detail that are far ahead of any HO figure. This larger scale also applies to model boats for the same reason.
My main interest in Model Railways has always been for the Narrow Gauge in whatever scale, but I do have a real soft spot for 7MM "O" Scale British industrial railways. Check out "Roy C Link" if you don't already know of him. He's a legend in his own time, and I consider him a good friend, who I met back in 1997 when I was invited to attend an O Scale Convention in Swanley Kent. I met a lot of the old manufacturers then, sadly not all are still with us. Roy has a number of my O scale PBR models to go with the Haskell Loco he reviewed for one of the publications, and he spoke ( in reviews ) very highly of my kits, which was rather nice coming from a man of his abilities.


Ian.

[Peter Fitness]

That is some range you have there Ian, very impressive indeed.


I'll just keep plodding along with my layout, but one of the problems I have is we travel quite a lot with our caravan, so time spent on the layout isn't what it could be. The years are passing too quickly, I'll be 80 in January, so we're doing the travelling while we both can still cope with it. So far so good, but who knows what's round the corner? At least most of the hard work on the layout is done, the rest is not physically demanding so I will hopefully be able to continue for a while yet.


I also want to build a couple more boats, but again, time is the problem. I sail my boats regularly at our club lake,and am still president of the club. I enjoy the social aspect of hobby as much as anything, and always attend the displays our Marine Modelling Club put on at some of the local shows. At least I'm not sitting around wondering what to do with my time


Peter.

[BrianB6]

"At least I'm not sitting around wondering what to do with my time "
Too true Peter.
I was always told you don't know what work is until you retire and now I know, after 18 years of it, how true the saying is.

Ian, I did mean On3 on HO track.   If I could find the inclination after model boats, space and time I would love to try that scale.   3 of my boats are around that scale so maybe a harbour side layout.

[Ianlind]

Peter,
You are 9 years ahead of me, and I don't like to travel much. Used to, but I prefer to be around home these days.
I have more than enough to do with the business still operating part time, but still try and find enough time to fiddle with the boats, and a bonus here is, that my new partner is also pretty keen to run a boat or RC car! Albert was made for her after I showed her a picture after Mermod had done his sell on this site. She liked how he looked, so I told her I would build him for her, and she's stoked. We did have issues with the original brushless motor being too noisy and too small, but this was changed for a bigger brushed motor and all is now good. This conversion was covered in the Albert build a few days ago.


I managed to contact Roy Link tonight and he is well, and still quite active even though he still has some health issues. I had been concerned about him, as we hadn't had any contact for a while and was aware of his health problems. Unfortunately his magazine producer Bob Barlow passed away last year, quite soon after being diagnosed with cancer, so the responsibility of running the magazine has fallen back onto Roy. This has cut back on his modelling time, but he's working up a crew of helpers to eventually take over the running of his publication the "Narrow Gauge and Industrial Railway Modelling Review". His magazine coincidentally was started the same year as my business, 1989.


Brian,
On30 or On2 1/2 is what we call the PBR stuff running on HO 16.5mm track gauge.  There are some USA based ON30 models but On3 which is more correct for anything USA runs on 19mm ( 3/4" ) track. Another popular scale for USA stuff these days is "S" Scale ( Sn3 ) which is 3/16" to the foot and runs on 9/16" ( 14mm ) track. This used to be called the scratchbuilders scale, as very few manufacturers embraced it early on, but there are some nice brass models available along with kits and ready to run in recent years.  Confused or what?


Ian.

[derekwarner]

The Illawarra Live Steamers in Wollongong have in the past year installed a dedicated Gauge 1 outdoor track for both real steam and electric models

So with me being a Board Member have suggested we modify the setup to include some of the features shown below.......... Derek 

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjz8Ima-IbOAhULjJQKHRRYDaIQtwIIHjAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DqbDzaiGjiWA&usg=AFQjCNE3NWegKJqKPKbr2FBduXEBY9Kxmw

[ixion]

I became interested in British outline model railways nearly 55 years ago,

Nice railway, I have had two exhibition layouts which were both featured in magazines. The last was 24 foot long. I have since downsized my latest build to 6ft long!

[Ianlind]

G'day Ixion,


I don't suppose you are The Badgers, and Lindsay's mate C.K., and if you are, I really like your Peckett Class E. Now that the pound is where it is, it would be a good time to get one!


That's a tidy little layout/diorama, and it's quite modern, looking at the signalling cabinets and other detail. What do you run on it?


Ian

[warspite]

I had N gauge most of my life, languishing in ali cases for the last 20 years, was going to build a layout in the loft, but I don't like critters so it would be covered in them, with the amount of times I go up there, I also found that the detail on the N's was more or better than the HO/OO stuff at the time so stuck with the N, also the size means you get a better sized layout - though it is still restricted, now Z - that's a scale and a what a set you could have with it.

[essex2visuvesi]

I notice you're using a lot of the scalecenes paper models.


Have you seen the other ones by Smartmodels?
http://www.smartmodels.co.uk/

[Peter Fitness]

Yes I have, but the main reason I've used Scalescenes is that they offer low relief buildings, which are more suited for my purpose. Justin Noble at modelrailwayscenery.com also has some great downloadable products, some of which I have also used. The road bridge in photo 7, and the water tower in photo 13 are two examples of Justin's work.


Peter.