Rolf's Castle - Fictional 1860's-70's OO APA based layout

[Vanguard 5374]

Whilst I'm stuck in a rut over where to go with my TT plans for a shed based layout, I've decided to go down the route of building a Ikea APA based micro layout after purchasing one last year. I've been stuck on what to do modelling wise with it, having planned OO9, O9 and TT ideas but nothing really stood out when I put it on paper. Having started to purchase a few Hornby Thomas items for my son (6 months old, start them young!) I had a quick look over one of the books I loved, Very Old Engines. The idea of using some RTR items from Hornby and Accurascale along with kits to model freelance Era 1 railways has been tempting and now I have started to dabble in it.

 

 

I purchased four Bachmann Prussian coaches which are being tweaked slightly to remove the obvious origin. A Liverpool and Manchester style livery will be applied, with notes taken from the illustrations in the books. Luggage racks will be built and placed upon the roofs, and I'll replace the dumb buffers with some more appropriate fittings.

 

 

I first decided to fit one with a tension lock, as I felt that I would adopt the couplings for ease on the layout. Having trialled it, I wasn't happy with them so have removed the coupling and reverted to the Bachmann bar type coupling which works well for what it is.

 

 

Another reason for choosing this as a model is that I had been designing a Neilson Box Tank for the Hornby W4 Peckett chassis. Not a perfect replica, but good enough for me. I'd started building the model but had put it aside to focus on other projects, so it was good to get it out and rework it for this project.

 

 

Having removed a coach body, I decided to build a single plank wagon upon the chassis to give me some variety in the stock I am running. Not based upon any particular example but will be detailed in due time.

 

 

I've started to give some details to the Neilson tank. Dumb buffers have been made to match the Bachmann coaches, with details being copied from photographs of other Neilson locomotives. Due to working to a budget, one side will show this model as locomotive No.1 and the other as locomotive No.2.

 

 

Still need to paint the Neilson and complete it but yesterday I purchased some Accurascale Chaldron wagons. These will be repainted and couplings replaced to match the Bachmann type, whilst I did try running with the magnets they just don't work correctly for my needs. 

Enough on the stock for now, I'll be updating on the layout next as I have built the APA unit up ready to start laying track and build a small fiddle yard to attach when needed.

[cctransuk]

2 minutes ago, Vanguard 5374 said:

Whilst I'm stuck in a rut over where to go with my TT plans for a shed based layout, I've decided to go down the route of building a Ikea APA based micro layout after purchasing one last year. I've been stuck on what to do modelling wise with it, having planned OO9, O9 and TT ideas but nothing really stood out when I put it on paper. Having started to purchase a few Hornby Thomas items for my son (6 months old, start them young!) I had a quick look over one of the books I loved, Very Old Engines. The idea of using some RTR items from Hornby and Accurascale along with kits to model freelance Era 1 railways has been tempting and now I have started to dabble in it.

 

 

I purchased four Bachmann Prussian coaches which are being tweaked slightly to remove the obvious origin. A Liverpool and Manchester style livery will be applied, with notes taken from the illustrations in the books. Luggage racks will be built and placed upon the roofs, and I'll replace the dumb buffers with some more appropriate fittings.

 

 

I first decided to fit one with a tension lock, as I felt that I would adopt the couplings for ease on the layout. Having trialled it, I wasn't happy with them so have removed the coupling and reverted to the Bachmann bar type coupling which works well for what it is.

 

 

Another reason for choosing this as a model is that I had been designing a Neilson Box Tank for the Hornby W4 Peckett chassis. Not a perfect replica, but good enough for me. I'd started building the model but had put it aside to focus on other projects, so it was good to get it out and rework it for this project.

 

 

Having removed a coach body, I decided to build a single plank wagon upon the chassis to give me some variety in the stock I am running. Not based upon any particular example but will be detailed in due time.

 

 

I've started to give some details to the Neilson tank. Dumb buffers have been made to match the Bachmann coaches, with details being copied from photographs of other Neilson locomotives. Due to working to a budget, one side will show this model as locomotive No.1 and the other as locomotive No.2.

 

 

Still need to paint the Neilson and complete it but yesterday I purchased some Accurascale Chaldron wagons. These will be repainted and couplings replaced to match the Bachmann type, whilst I did try running with the magnets they just don't work correctly for my needs. 

Enough on the stock for now, I'll be updating on the layout next as I have built the APA unit up ready to start laying track and build a small fiddle yard to attach when needed.

 

The 'dumb buffers' on the coaches are a little more sophisticated than you might think.

 

I believe that they were made from leather and horsehair, in order to give them an element of cushioning / springing, before the more widespread use of mechanical springing.

 

CJI.

[OliverRowley]

Great stuff!

Looks like an epic start.