Max Legroom

Here is an overhead shot which should hopefully make the trackplan clear.

The trackplan, and indeed the whole concept, was heavily influenced by a really cool Japanese micro layout that was featured on this site in a video. Unfortunately, I can't find the posting. As I mentioned before, the Charming Creek tramway in New Zealand was an influence, as was the Pelion Railway in Greece.

The electrics are DC and there are three sections with one being the tunnel. A train can be hidden in the tunnel and I added a hinged wooden flap to access the tunnel.

Above is Django Junction (named after an escaped slave who held up the mail train!) where the branch to the mine loader leaves the main line. There is a small depot here where a well-used trail crosses the line.

Finally we have a view across the yard at Deliverance.

The bulk of the foliage is Woodland Scenics clusters as I wanted it to be as unobtrusive as possible - just a background representation of the woods really. There are a few foreground trees which again use Woodland Scenics clusters and plastic armatures.

It's early morning and the sun has just cleared the ridge. No. 5 emerges from the tunnel and cautiously crosses the trestle.

Meanwhile, in the canyon below, four city-boys are setting off downriver in a pair of canoes. Let's hope they manage to steer clear of the locals!

The bloke in the white vest looks a bit like Burt Reynolds and the colours of the canoes are true to the film.

The trestle was put together with a few bits of wood from the local model shop. The great thing about backwoods railroading is that nothing is too exact but I did miscalculate the radius of the curve on the trestle. I think it is as low as 4" but most stock will go around it at low speed (and low speed is the only way to cross a rickety old trestle!).

Overall size is three foot by two foot by about two feet high to allow for a gorge and representation of the mountains. This is probably at the upper limit size-wise for a micro. Construction is a 6mm plywood box with a few bits of triangular soft wood to support the corners and track base. The layout was heavily influenced by the Charming Creek tramway in New Zealand despite the US setting. I have deliberately avoided taking things too seriously as it really is just a glorified trainset!

I'll post some general photos soon but in the meantime here are some more locos.

Plymouth no. 5 (repainted Minitrains) heads a westbound passenger, consisting of a single combine, out of Deliverance. This loco was the first diesel purchased and struggled with some of the gradients when hauling coal trains. The management decided they needed something more powerful and bought Plymouth no. 6 (Kato/Rushby's Resins chassis, F&C body) from a steelworks in Pennsylvania. While they were inspecting the Plymouth they spotted a little battery electric for sale which was ideally suited for switching at Deliverance. This became no. 7 (Kato/Rushby's Resins) seen here.

Max Legroom

Hi all

Deliverance is a narrow gauge HOn30 layout set in the Apalachians in the 1950s.

Here is a shot of Plymouth no. 6 at Deliverance depot.

More to follow.....

Max Legroom