60012 Commonwealth of Australia

I noticed something very interesting this evening while I was moving the stuff back in my room - the crossover plan I made using two Peco medium-radius point plans is longer than the entire N scale layout by about 4 sleepers! Certainly shows the scale difference!

Very interesting project, will be good to see how it progresses. Will be nice to see how the military buildings in the background are done, I hadn't thought of using casts to "mass produce" items. Maybe something to do when I get around to my O scale layout for things like cobblestones etc. Look forward to seeing it advance! Peter

Thanks! Yeah haha sadly it's a school trip so can't take anyone extra. My brothers still reckon they could pass as me so they could go! I certainly will, and there'll be plenty of photos of French trains to upload when I get back! In the meantime I'll be running the F8 backwards and forwards on my meter and a half of track, and doing some more work on the N scale! I saw that Filching Rd Yard was at a Bunnings the other evening, how did that go? Peter

Great layout! The area certainly looks very realistic, the ground cover in particular! I'd never thought of using sand, something which I'll have to do when I get around to building my O scale layout for the engine area! The Mogul looks great... But I spy an original condition S class in the background there! Don't suppose that's also for Newton Grove?! The 9F certainly looks incredibly, I remember seeing 92220 at the NRM in York when I went to Europe last year, and it's one hell of a loco! Probably my favourite parts are the atmospheric shots with the smoke generator, in one with a 4F I had at first thought you'd put it in there as a reference point, only to realise it was the model! Look forward to seeing it progress! Peter

Thanks! I'm not entirely sure how I do it either haha. At one stage I went full N scale for a while, and when I got back into OO/HO I thought "I swear it wasn't this big before..." As far as scales and layouts go, the plan is to do the N scale to an operational state, then finish and sell the HO scale then re-organise my room to fit the P4 layout while it's being built, and then start building the O scale layout along the walls of the shed. This way, I'll have gotten rid of the HO stuff, making room and money for the N, P4 and O. Later on I may end up selling the N scale but I may not, depends on how much fun I have with it! Paris should be fun, but I should probably do more work on practicing French than I am now... My French is pretty rubbish right now... Look forward to seeing some EWS on North Road! One of the inspirations for doing EWS and modern image for the N scale! Peter

Here are some photos I've taken of both the N scale shelf layout and the plan of one station on the O scale layout. The O scale was spread-out on the family-room floor this evening, and the LNER F8 and wagons were put on the O scale track I bought to show roughly how long the platform is. The N scale layout in position in the bookcase. It's 75cm long and 25cm wide. The O scale layout plan The F8 Another of the layout plan. The N scale layout with 4566, B set and the GWR van In the first image above, the end of the B set and the 45xx are lined up buffer-to-buffer, and then with the other end lined up to show that it will fit a 3 car B set with a little room to spare. And finally 4566 in N scale next to 483 in O I need to find out what number 483 had during NER days (EDIT: It had the same number, was built in December 1889 as NER 483, and was withdrawn in April 1934 as LNER 483) Peter

Have just spent a couple of afternoons reading this. It's very nice to see that there's some Australian stuff being done in O gauge, especially considering how expensive it can get sometimes. I especially love what you did with the water tower on Moonan Flats, very well done and looks amazing! Hope all is well, and I look forward to seeing an update soon! Peter

Oh and another thing I forgot to mention - I've ordered 2 Peco rail-built bufferstops for O scale from Hattons which should arrive in a week or so. Since I ordered them a few days ago, I've been putting aside most of my money for my exchange trip to Paris, which is only in 20 days!!! After that, it'll be about 75:25 towards the O scale F8 and the N scale layout respectively. Once the N scale's done, it'll be 50:50 for the O scale layout and Bonshaw. I'm planning to get some photos of my O scale train in a few minutes, along with some of the N scale layout. Peter

Ah ok. Thanks. Third rail it is then! Should be an interesting experiment! Peter

I have the day off school today. Went out to get the mail five minutesago, and a couple of things had arrived! The first thing/s being the 10 microswitches I had ordered from Ebay. This means that all I need to wait for now is the remaining 7 Servos, and get some wire for the servos, and I'm good to prepare for tracklaying on Bonshaw. The second is the O scale track I ordered on Tuesday! Interestingly the track appears to be hybrid: chaired sleepers with flat-bottom rail. This is interesting, as it means the original owner took the bulllhead rail out, and put flat-bottom back in, as from what I have seen Peco's O scale flat-bottom track has pandrol clips, rather than chairs. But not to worry. I grabbed a couple of old Tri-Ang rail joiners and soldered them onto the track (to stop them coming loose), however only on one rail, so I can still seperate the track if I want to. Peter

Well I measured the shelf today. It's 75cm long and 25cm wide (29.5" x 9.8"), and currently has the following trackplan: The platforms will fit an N scale B set, GWR 4 wheel van, and 45xx, so should fit a standard modern 2 car DMU. Not sure about siding capacity yet. The B set, van and 45xx will be sold off, and I will get one or two DMUs, maybe a 2 car unit and two single-car units, along with a 2 car EMU. Locos will probably be a Class 08 and maybe a Class 86/87 for the OHLE which I plan to install to make it a bit different. An 86/87 is a bit overkill, but if I put in OHLE I may as well. Overall I'd plan to have Class 153 (Repaint) Class 156 (Repaint) Class 150 (Repaint 2 car EMU Class 08 (EWS) Class 86/87(EWS) I'm currently unsure as to what EMU I should use. It has to be a 2 car, has to have been running in either June 2001 or June 2016, and has to be owned by a company who also run/ran class 150, 153 and 156 units. Later on I may also purchase a 158. Freight stock will most likely be containers and maybe one or two bogie wagons, all in EWS. Later on I may buy a Class 31 to repaint into Network Rail as a 97, and have a rail-maintenance train all in Network Rail yellow. Later additions would most likely be diesels or one or two EMU/DMUs. So far I'm thinking (for later additions once Bonshaw and the O scale layout are also running) Class 20 (maybe two) Class 37 Class 47 Class 56 Class 57 Class 58 Class 59 Class 60 Class 66 and then an extension! Maybe a nice long mainline to run around my bedroom with liftout sections at the cupboards.... Alternatively all the talk of extra locos and an extension are just me dreaming... The O scale and P4 will be enough to go on with once the micro-layout is done! A suitable thread will be made in the Micro Layouts section once the layout is operational (no more than a week or so away!). I have decided on the name "Shelving North" considering it's built on a shelf. Peter

Just spent an enjoyable day and a half reading this! Very nice project, and it's coming along really well! In regards to the adding overhead wires or not, I think it'll probably improve on what's already a great layout, but might be best to try a few different options in terms of wire types and thicknesses first. I'm currently planning/building a micro-layout (2 sets of points, and a board 75 x 25cm, but nothing glued down) which is in some respects like yours - will be set mainly in 2001, and will have OHLE, so this will be a good place for inspiration once things start getting glued down! Keep up the good work! Peter

Well I've just purchased my first bits of O scale track! I won about 1.6m in 4 sections on Ebay (a 60cm bit, an 80cm bit and two shorter bits around 5-10cm long each)! Got them fairly cheaply too, at $10.50 (about 6 pounds), plus $12 post (7 pounds). At about $14 per meter from the "local" hobby shop (the nearest place which sells O scale track is a 45 minute train trip away and there's another about the same but doesn't have as much O scale), it's very good pricing, and considering it would be about $3 for the train trip, it costs me $22.50 overall compared to around $31 for 2m from the local shop. I also found some old N scale Code 55, and a spare shelf (about 60-90cm long) and have done a bit on that, so will have something to show soon! It's just a small layout, only two sets of points - a 3-way and a standard large-radius turnout (the medium radius ones I have aren't in the best condition). The other 7 servos, along with 10 microswitches are due to arrive in the next day or two, so Bonshaw will be starting in a week or so once I decide to put the N scale back on the shelf (literally), and the O scale set (F8 + wagons) will be able to be set up on my mantlepiece once the track arrives, since I have kept them in their boxes/wrapping due to not wanting to damage the flanges. Peter

Have spent an enjoyable few hours on and off reading this thread. The time period is a bit late compared to mine (mine is 1900-1905), but a very enjoyable read! Will be good to see when all the boards are joined together and track laid! The B2 is looking really nice! Sorry to hear about the issues with the Mk1 lining, hope all that's sorted now! The signalboxes are very well done - when I get around to building one or two for my planned layout I will be very happy if I can get it to look as good as those two! Keep up the good work, and I look forward to an update soon! Peter

Just had a quick look through the thread. Looks to be a very nice project, and will be good to see it progress! Peter

Alright. As far as prototype info goes... I know the LNER and BR used 3-bolt chairs, bullhead rail, and that's about it! Peter

I do have Templot, but it's taking a while to get used to, and still not sure how to do a lot of things with it other than just basic turnouts. Peter

I'm planning on using 3 links and screw links for locos and wagons, but modified kadees between coaches (fixed rakes, and screw-links at the ends of each rake). I have a section of wood ready for a test-plank, not quite 3' long (2') but long enough for a turnout and a bit of track. Peter

The first Servo arrived today! It's really small, which is convenient. My new watch also arrived! The servo is great, as not only is it a lot quieter than the Cobalt's, it's $28 cheaper (20 cheaper once the circuit board and microswitch is included). The other 7 and the 10 microswitches should arrive in the next week or two. Now all that's left to do is buy the 0 scale LNER F8, and then I can save for track!! Peter

Thanks to Dough (DougN), Peter (P.C.M), Rick (Gwiwer), Jeff (SRman) and everyone else at the BRMA meeting on Saturday! I felt very welcome, and it was very enjoyable. Look forward to the next one! I have now acquired 6 0 scale wagons courtesy of a friend to go with my MR 1F when it's done, and I am saving up to buy an LNER F8 which will be repainted into NER Green as an NER A class. Once I have done this, I will purchase a few coaches to go with the A class. I am currently thinking of scrapping the plans for Dunoon, and instead just building Bonshaw for my P4 layout and having an 0 scale pre-grouping layout in the shed with Peco track and hand-built turnouts. At some stage further on, when I have more time and space to hand-lay the thousands of sleepers and chairs required I may decide to build Dunoon as planned. Caufield was very enjoyable, and I had a lot of fun. For the first part of the day I did kit-building and R-T-R modifications on the BRMA stand. I did some work on the 1F, fitted NEM pockets to a Dapol B set and 45xx in N scale, and built a Brunel Hobbies Servo motor control unit which I purchased at the show. I then spent the rest of the day operating an 0 scale layout Filching Rd Yard, which belongs to Mark (Markeg), running the F8/A class and my new wagons. Peter

It's about 20 minutes for me. I'm about to leave. See you there Peter

Servo test unit arrived today. All I need now is the motors! One of the motors is estimated to arrive on Monday, so will have fun testing it then! Really happy with the Servo Tester, it arrived 11 days before estimated arrival! Nice and small too! I will be doing kit-building and R-T-R Modification demo's for the BRMA stand at the Caufield expo on Sunday from opening to around 1:00pm, so if anyone here is going say hi! AND I have my first BRMA meeting tomorrow as well! Going out tonight to buy supplies for the expo. Peter

Yep. Had a physio appointment on Wednesday. I get the wrist brace off today but have to have a thumb-splint on for another two weeks All the servos are standard - black for negative, red for positive and yellow for the signal. Peter

Well the first thing arrived for the Servos today - the power unit. Basically, it can be connected to a power supply between 5 and 23V, has a capacitor and pcb to turn it into 5V 3A, and then has wires to a Servo plug. This way I can solder it to the 5V supply I have, and plug it into the Servo testing units and I don't have to modify anything. Peter

Spent an enjoyable week or so reading though this. Love the work here, and its almost enough to tempt me over to BR Blue... At least then I won't have to worry about overscale valve gear and wheel quartering for P4 haha Love the photos on the BRMA membership list too, the black and white shots look brilliant! Keep up the good work. Peter