Western Bavaria 1947, with Marklin.

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Hallo,

 

My first ever proper, and to this date only, fully sceniced layout, is my much loved Marklin roundy roundy. It is set in a small town complete with (yet to be built) castle. However work stopped nearly two years ago now after two new cats were acquired, and the spare bedroom, then and now home to the layout, was commandeered for their use. But these days, the cats have grown up and no longer need separation from the dog. Although, as one can imagine, they wreaked mild havoc across the layout. 

 

 

Currently, the track has power, and trains can run on both the inside and outside lines, but currently no point motors are working, although their lanterns do have power. Some wires have been chopped, and a few are gone completely, guess I'd better search under the bed!* 

 

 

Above we see a overall view of the layout, showing the town and small forest. In the rear one can see a bridge, the support for this had also been demolished and the spilled loads of goods trains were underneath it. (The abiove photo was taken after running trials had been completed, a year after the spilled train had been removed from the layout). Pictured both above and below one can see a large mess atop some bushes. This was wear my dad deposited the stray bits he found across the house that the cats had played with. the bush is the greenery lined driveway to the yet to be built Auhagen castle.

 

 

Below: The other side if the layout fared much better, except for a errant raiing. Roads do need installing though, along with cars and pedestrians. parts of the forest also need replanting. 

 

 

Onto motive power. The line will be both electric and steam, but primarily electric, with the odd appearance from my Br 44. My two electric engines are the red E63 shunter seen below having a quartering problem fixed. This engine will be put to use in the yard and on the shorter inside line, hauling 4 wheel passenger trains and small goods trains. My other engine is my highly prized green E44, also pictured below outside the station. This engine will be used out on the mainline, hauling primarily passenger trains, and the odd goods train. The E63 wil haul the breakdown train though. Other engines that will appear are the 800 series Henschel 0-6-0 pictured above, and my Br 44. My K. Bay. Sts. B.** S 3/6 might also make an appearance with my Jouef Orient Express. 

 

 

 

Back to the layout though. the layout as I said earlier is set in 1947, so the US Army would still be let us say, "investigating the castle." So i'll need to get a staff car and CCKW. Roads also needs making, and the engine shed needs a permanent base to keep it at the correct height to house the E44. The town doesn't need much work other than the roads. On the bottom left corner of the layout, which is not pictured, there is to reside a abandoned and knocked out Airfix Panzer IV. This will be a novelty to the miller and his windmill next door! A few sheep and such things might also be acquired, along with pedestrians. Oh, and overhead catenary needs finding and installing. I suppose I could make some, but it wouldn't be terribly realistic.

 

More to come later.

 

Douglas

 

*the cats batted everything under there.

 

**Royal Bavarian State Railways, The engine is in their livery so to early to be accurate for my modelling period, although they were nationalised in 1919.

[J. S. Bach]

Are you sure that it was cats and not the Mighty 8th? As for a Panzer, here is one "protecting" a NYCTA facility:

 

 

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Well the castle has been completed, and is now on the layout. However it seems to be a bit more TT than HO scale, which is annoying but oh well. The photo shows it under construction. 
 

 
 

The E63 has hopefully had its stripped gear and quartering problem fixed, but two wires have come unsoldered from somewhere so they need tracing. 
 

 

To fix the issue I put all the wheels and the singular driveshaft in a bath of denatured alcohol for a while. This had the added effect of removing the vast majority of the paint front he components, annoying but not unwelcome. After removal from the bath the non geared wheels where loctited to the axles. 

 

Now roads need making. Does anybody have suggestions for a good material? I was using a yellow looking (German roads are often yellowy) sandpaper, but this was slowly eaten up for use elsewhere. It also moved around all the time, and shed sand bits everywhere. Which reminds me the track needs vacuuming. 
 

Douglas

[Sir Madog]

12 hours ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

German roads are often yellowy

I live in Germany for 64 years now and I have yet to see a yellowy paved road.

[Florence Locomotive Works]

11 hours ago, Sir Madog said:

I live in Germany for 64 years now and I have yet to see a yellowy paved road.

It was a supposed to be a sandstone gravel road. 

[kiwiokie]

21 hours ago, Sir Madog said:

I live in Germany for 64 years now and I have yet to see a yellowy paved road.

 

This type of scene is what he had in mind. 

 

[Sir Madog]

14 hours ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

It was a supposed to be a sandstone gravel road. 

The sandstone you will find in Germany is mainly grey-ish (eastern Germany) or red (Hessia, Palatinate, Bavaria). A yellow colour can be found mainly in unpaved country lanes for agricultural use (Feldweg).. In any case, sandpaper is not the right method as it is way too smooth.

[kiwiokie]

8 hours ago, Sir Madog said:

The sandstone you will find in Germany is mainly grey-ish (eastern Germany) or red (Hessia, Palatinate, Bavaria). A yellow colour can be found mainly in unpaved country lanes for agricultural use (Feldweg).. In any case, sandpaper is not the right method as it is way too smooth.

Give him a break, he was only 12 at the time.