SMR CHRIS Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Hi all Whilst talking with a friend re micro layouts the subject of APA boxes came up so we looked at some of the APA treads to get inspired, I had a small diorama in mind before the mention of the APA box so thought may be a chance to fit an O scale diorama. The next weekend whilst passing IKEA thought why not see if they were in stock $29 got a box and I was away with the diorama. Now the question was would I be able to fit a small O scale station in the box some initial positioning of the building in the box looked like it was tight but would be possible, next thought could it be made to operate as a 3 track nook type diorama with a sector plate? So got a piece of Peco flex and mocked up and with some creativity positioned track a platform line bay/ back siding and part of what would represent a passing loop in front of the platform track would fit giving the 3 tracks and a sector plate looks like it will be possible to mount to the lid section so making a portable O scale APA box Micro. It was decided to hand lay the track to give it a more country branch line look with light rail and spiked to individual wooden sleepers. Peco Code 100 flat bottom rail was used as had several old lengths of Peco OO flex on hand. The base used in the APA box for the track is Kanuf high density Foam board I will also use this as the platform base keeping it light with cork as the underlay. The Australian rolling stock is New South Wales Government Railways ( NSWGR ) 1950-60's era plus an IXION H/c that due to its size would be the choice for shunting or a 0-4-0 st that is under construction at the moment may be even better as will fit on the shortest track with a 4 wheel goods truck. Some photos below of the start made tonight on the box and first section of track started. Happy Model Oing Chris. This is the end result Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 A overcast rainy day in Australia so have been making some more progress on the APA box More track pined to sleepers, back yard track cork stuck down to the foam board and sleepers laid out ready for glueing to the cork I decided that the front representation of the loop would be extended to the very front of the box giving a little more shunting room so a off cut of foam board was glued along the front of the foam base and the track will be cut off along the very outer edge of the APA box. Next the platform front was made up this is a laser cut timber kit by a company called ModelOKits as is the building for the station itself it is a card kit representing the NSWGR PC1 station (pre cast concrete version 1) as with most kits you can add details etc and I have changed the roof modelled it with doors open and fitted a wooden floor. Link to web page for these kits http://modelokits.com/index.html For passenger service a NSWGR rail motor will be used nice and small for O scale CPH No11 at the platform Over head of progress I will update later again as about to cut the foam board for the platform and building base. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alx Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Looks good! Nice to see a fellow aussie on here in the micro layout section. Will follow with interest, -Alex. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leadie69 Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Looking good Chris. At this rate you'll have it finished by the time we are next at your place. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 Looking good Chris. At this rate you'll have it finished by the time we are next at your place. Hi Ian thanks encouraging me to post it up and if we had not been talking about the APA box, plus driving past IKEA the next weekend on our way back from Olympic park this would not be happening. re the rate of progress, at the rate of progress will be done well before that had a good day to day, my back was working ok so got lots done more than expected esp as I do it in short bursts due to the back injury esp with the spine fusion bending over the module installing rail spikes is not good. Thanks for the coments Alex I guess by your logo that you model VR? Well I got a lot done after dinner tonight rear yard track sleepers fixed in place and then went on to cutting the foam board for the station building area then finished the install of the cut off track that represents the loop at the front of the box, then the glue had set on the sleepers for the yard track so spiked down the rail for that to. Well the rail is now all in place and basically fixed to the sleepers but at 5-6 sleeper intervals so now I have to go back and put in the rest of the spikes (time consuming and not very interesting). Took some more photos with the station building on the base platform facing installed and some trains in the box just to make it look interesting. Have been thinking of getting a photo panorama printed to use wraped around the inside of the box as a back drop. Also put a NSWGR C38 pacific class loco in the box it gives you an idea of the size or lack of in the APA box. May even pull the end back off the box tomorrow and make a start on making the APA lid into a sector plate cut the end panel to allow the trains access to the sector plate have noticed some of the other APA box layouts using latches to join boxes so will look into this for quick set up, possibly two locating pins and latches to secure? Current progress photos way more than I expected to get done as only started building last night. Over head view C38 pacific 3820 arrives at the station. View front on to Box CPH No11 rail motor in the station. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
69843 Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 So, how long until a Bob-tail T (SMR 10 Class to the uneducated) appears then? This is excellent progress on an excellent layout, and one I will be watching with interest Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 The South Maitland Railways are of great interest to me I have SMR 10 classes in HO but not O scale it's on the list to be a scratch build at some time. Link to some SMR photos from when I was I kid this was close to the end of SMR workings. https://www.flickr.com/photos/74212179@N05/sets/72157628857918285/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leadie69 Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Completely unrelated, but I have to say I love how Wally photo bombed your profile pic Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Completely unrelated, but I have to say I love how Wally photo bombed your profile picYes Ian he is a photo bomber and first rate at at.Wally for those who haven't met him yet at an Australian train Exhibition is the Green parrot in my profile photo and little Moto the red parrot on the other arm. Well progress was slowed a little today as the above mentioned parrots Wally & Moto constantly wanted to help hold items that I was working on but I ended up getting all the rail spikes in, then I opened up the end of the box and looked at the possibility of using the box lid as a sector plate and it looks like it will work so a trip to the hardware shop on Monday is in order to get some latches and something to use as locating pins Looks like I will have room for a 2 track sector plate on the APA lid plus when not being used as a sector plate can still be used as the APA box lid.to keep the dust off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted August 18, 2014 Author Share Posted August 18, 2014 Hi all not much done today except ballasting on the front 2 tracks and took a photo with some British rolling stock as was thinking could be a duel display with a different station building or a signal box in place of the Australian PC1 station.?? Bachmann Austerity tank and some wagons. Taking a trip 4-1/2 hours North tomorrow to attend an agricultural field day at Gunnedah (Agquip) so no modelling for a day or two but hopefully will find some sort of latch to join the lid/sector plate to the APA box. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 I'm watching this one with interest! Your diorama reminds me of the "bitsa" approach to modelling. (ie. you model bits of a scene) If I remember correctly, Cowra had a very short bay platform essentially to fit a CPH (and maybe the 4-wheel GT trailer). If you used a brick-faced platform, it could be a very easy job of merely changing a few scenic items to switch between UK and Aus "modes." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted August 21, 2014 Author Share Posted August 21, 2014 I'm watching this one with interest! Your diorama reminds me of the "bitsa" approach to modelling. (ie. you model bits of a scene) If I remember correctly, Cowra had a very short bay platform essentially to fit a CPH (and maybe the 4-wheel GT trailer). If you used a brick-faced platform, it could be a very easy job of merely changing a few scenic items to switch between UK and Aus "modes." Hi Marty thanks for the comments And thanks to everyone for all the likes Yes Marty your right ideas from lots of places, A bit of this and a bit of that. The fiddle yard / lid connection looks to be solved, found at Bunnings tonight a locating pin and cam lock system that is normally used with flat pack furniture. I will take photos a I assemble as if works may be a good solution for the APA box modellers. Re the platform edge I could make up an overlay using brick paper or even printing it at home. But the timber edge needs to stay as is a from ModelOKits like the PC1 and I will enter the compertiton NSWGR 52 class in the station NSWGR 52 in the station Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
69843 Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 This is truly progressing well Though, being pedantic, a D52 class locomotive is still a D50 class locomotive, due to the large number (280) being constructed for the NSWGR, not to mention the 10 for the ROD and the 8 for the Commonwealth Railway. Apart from that, it is excellent Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flexible_coupling Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 I'm watching this one with interest! Your diorama reminds me of the "bitsa" approach to modelling. (ie. you model bits of a scene) If I remember correctly, Cowra had a very short bay platform essentially to fit a CPH (and maybe the 4-wheel GT trailer). If you used a brick-faced platform, it could be a very easy job of merely changing a few scenic items to switch between UK and Aus "modes." When I build the planned larger version of my british layout, I aim to use one of the 180 degree bends of the oval that would otherwise most-likely not have been decorated as a running-through diorama representing "aussie bush" and have a swappable PC1 and (whatever the Victorian equivalent in size is) VR station to have a dual-purpose scenic diorama.... to keep the wavering interests and temptations of British and NSW / Victorian modelling at bay!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 This is truly progressing well Though, being pedantic, a D52 class locomotive is still a D50 class locomotive, due to the large number (280) being constructed for the NSWGR, not to mention the 10 for the ROD and the 8 for the Commonwealth Railway. Apart from that, it is excellent Hi 69843 Re the 50 class, Yes I know that the 52 is still a member of the 50 class I didn't bother saying 50 class as thought that most people on here wouldn't know that the numbering of loco's in the class required the numbering sequence to extend from 50xx to 51xx to 52xx I'm sorry you felt that you needed to be pedantic and not just explain to the RMWeb members about the class details as it doesn't come across well when you then went on to give details etc you could have just done that. Re how progress is moving on, it is only small so to do just a little looks like a lot has been done. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leadie69 Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 That's the beauty of small/micro layouts - even when you know you've only done a little bit it still feels like a lot. Gives a nice sense of satisfaction. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
69843 Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 My apologies mate, lesson learnt.Thank you for the constructive criticism. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 My apologies mate, lesson learnt. Thank you for the constructive criticism. Sorry mate for sounding so heavy (when I read it back) the word it self I can't stand, even when used in the right context it comes across the wrong way. Any way I had a look at some of your stuff on shape ways and your posts and you are doing some nice design work have you got any of the designs to the stage that you have test printed with success I'm sure some of the items your working on would sell really well. Last week I found someone had done some versions of the NSWGR pay busses but to the wrong scale 1:48 not the 1:43.5 or 7mm that is used for NSWGR in O scale it's a shame as I would have purchased on the spot I sent a message to the designer but no response yet. He had the same model in HO so I'm guessing it's not too hard once designed to change the scale fingers crossed he can do it in 7mm as a pay bus would be a great little model for this APA box layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
69843 Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Sorry mate for sounding so heavy (when I read it back) the word it self I can't stand, even when used in the right context it comes across the wrong way. Any way I had a look at some of your stuff on shape ways and your posts and you are doing some nice design work have you got any of the designs to the stage that you have test printed with success I'm sure some of the items your working on would sell really well. Last week I found someone had done some versions of the NSWGR pay busses but to the wrong scale 1:48 not the 1:43.5 or 7mm that is used for NSWGR in O scale it's a shame as I would have purchased on the spot I sent a message to the designer but no response yet. He had the same model in HO so I'm guessing it's not too hard once designed to change the scale fingers crossed he can do it in 7mm as a pay bus would be a great little model for this APA box layout. It's ok. I should have worded it more carefully. Thanks for the kind words. What is on my public profile is only a fraction of what is actually being worked on. There are a few things awaiting funding to be test printed, and some of these are NSW outline. Working on a HO model of LO32 at the moment, and have plans for LO33 as well. Plus the ROD and Mersey Tank. All for HO, but the tenders might be cost effective in O. I might do other things for the Australian market-time will tell on that one. Funny you mention the Paybus. I've been looking into doing the second series myself, but with interior detail as well (FP7-12 and FP13). I am also considering doing FP1, as having ridden in her last April and often seeing her down at Thirlmere when I'm around there helping or just down there, it'd be a nice, different model. Those curves are killer though! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 Not a lot done over the past few days had a lot on. But it did appear to snow in the APA box well the first application of Sculpt a Mould was applied to the platform and the left front corner of the box this left corner is the only bit on the front of the layout that has any scenic's other than track related and it's a very small corner. The platform will be an overgrown little used except by the locals to get mail in and farm produce out etc so have given it an uneven surface except for under the PC1 canopy. I plan on using different length static grass to give it that unkept look with worn areas where the loading of the wagons in the short bay occur I have also started working on a timber retaining facia for the bay again just a little project. Hopefully I can get some more work done in the next few days and the white snow will give life to some dry grass and dirt. Construction loco's in the yard at rear Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 Tower kit, also being rebuild and repainted At front Hudswell Clark 0-6-0 named Abermain IXION models Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I've got a Tower models barclay too, althoigh it is now in pieces awaiting a major rebuild. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 I've got a Tower models barclay too, althoigh it is now in pieces awaiting a major rebuild. Hi Marty yes a great little loco was a " e " bargain, this one has alway run perfectly but the paint was put on with a brush and no primer so was just flaking off I could see that before I purchase so was factored into the price I paid that would need to strip and paint so it was given a overhaul mechanically new bearings etc set up for DCC at the same time and as you can see the paint strip has started, on the tank the paint just flaked off to what you see in the photo. I had just put the pieces back together to make sure the DCC install fitted and will finish the strip and paint before Liverpool fingers crossed lots to do before then including finishing a TAM car in O scale just waiting to get the paint from Joe at Casula for the TAM he is sending on Thursday with some Decals for the AD60 and 2 vents for the 48 class short end toilet that weren't included with the kit so I can fit to the scratch built 48 and O aust kit version. Are we going to see you at Liverpool this year Marty ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I'll be at Liverpool, just as a punter, but I'd be happy to do a lunchtime shift for any of the O gauge stands. I'll be at Liverpool, just as a punter, but I'd be happy to do a lunchtime shift for any of the O gauge stands. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share Posted October 16, 2014 Need a name for this little country branch station.?? Any suggestions great fully received the winner gets their station name up on the platform but not in Lights, Sorry no electricity out in these parts just an old oil lamp. Been a bit busy with other things including building a O scale Demonstration Layout for an Exhibition here in Australia link to video of the layout, https://www.flickr.com/photos/74212179@N05/15258811029/ Well I finally got back to the APA box today and have almost got the scenic's finished today did a bit of painting of the sculpta mould on the platform some of these old style platform buildings had a section under the canopy tarred in later years so this has been represented also painted the rail sides that I had forgotten to do earlier then the yard has had a sand base put down as it would not have generally been ballast on a remote country branch, then I got busy growing static grass on the platform and the overgrown yard track. Static grass used on the platform to give an unloved look of a secondary wayside stop on a branch line freshly grown to day and put the marks in the grass from the local farmers ute when he backs it down to pick up,supplies from a wagon that would be left in the little bay. Over head view of the complete APA layout the platform building is not located at present whilst the various glues dry as the station building is used on another layout but I may build another one just for this Diorama. Have to have this fully finished by sat week to enter in a competition need to get a back drop printed to finish and add the building and a few detail parts etc to bring it alive. Old farmers ute farmer loading it platform chair even a name board for the station Any suggestions Relating to the APA Box ?? Reply with any suggestions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
switcher 1 Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Titchfield Halt. or Apafield Halt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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