hartleymartin

I already have some goods vehicles approximated from British 7mm scale kits. I won't be able to model any of these until the release of this book (expected June 2019). It contains 85 drawings and information which should allow me to model most goods wagon types suitable to my intended era. Some preliminary research suggests that I may be able to adapt a kit of the LV type van to an earlier type introduced around 1899 largely by modelling an earlier form of the under frame. It seems that the basic body design didn't change much, but they god upgraded under frames as time went on. https://arhsnsw.com.au/product/goods-wagons-of-the-nsw-railways-1855-1905-pre-sale/

Now, to explain the layout. Here is a preliminary drawing for Carlingford Station, based on the 1918 Signalling Diagram (the siding was added around 1901-1902). Layout scenic section is 12ft x 2ft with a 4ft long fiddle-yard module. Layout is selectively compressed, in anticipation that the maximum train length will be the K-class, 3x four-wheel goods vehicles plus the KA Tramcar. Some provision will be made for a later era to be represented using the Z20 and C13 classes of tank-engine hauling a two-carriage set. The C13 is just about to be released as a kit, and the Z20 may be released later this year.

However, I am looking at modelling the line circa 1901-1904, when it was worked by a pair of Manning Wardle K class locomotives. These were originally used from 1884 to work the Camden Line and originally numbered 292 and 293. In 1901 they were re-numbered 532 and 533 and allocated to Carlingford. From 1904 to 1907 they were allocated to the Yass Tramway. The two locos were sold into private/industrial use in 1909, cannibalised into one loco in 1927 and finished its days named "Rat" at the Port Kembla steel works where it was scrapped in 1934. I intend to use the Minerva K Class Manning Wardle as the basis for this locomotive. It will require a modified (widened) cab sheet, lengthened chimney and changes to the brake rigging. Photo from State Rail Archive, Photo is believed to be from late 1884. In this era (1901-1904) there was a single type of carriage allocated to the line, a KA tramcar, which in English practice would be called a "composite brake" with 1st and 2nd class accomodation as well as a guard's compartment which carried parcels and small goods. There is a ruling grade of 1 in 37 on the "Down" (towards Carlingford) direction, and the load limit was just 3 four-wheeled goods vehicles plus the "tramcar" towards Carlingford and 6 goods vehicles plus tram-car heading in the "Up" (towards Clyde and thence to Sydney) direction. The goods siding in theory could hold up to 14 goods vehicles, but I doubt that it ever reached anywhere near capacity in this era, as it would take 5 full drop-offs to reach it. Any photo I have ever seen has only had three or four vehicles in that goods siding at any one time. The KA Tramcar design dates from the 1880s and was used on the Camden Line, Carlingford Line and the Yass Tramway. They were used until 1917 at Camden, but I don't know what happened after that. One of these tram cars survived until 1993 in preservation until it was sadly destroyed in the arson attack at the Parramatta Park Tramway Museum. I only know basic details off the top of my head, but I do know of a book which contains further details. I know that detailed construction drawings and diagrams exist and the plan is to scratch-build one of these.

Carlingford these days is a suburb of the Sydney Metropolitan Region, but when the railway line was first built there it was a rural branch line terminus. The line was started in 1888 and the terminus at Carlingford (then called Pennant Hills) was opened in 1896. The line was originally two private railway companies, but in 1896 the banks took ownership, the line was bought by the NSW Colonial Government and came under the jurisdiction of the NSW Government Railways. Services commenced under government ownership on 1 August 1900. Carlingford was originally just a run-around loop. Strangely, the platform was on the loop, and to this day there is a small "joggle" at the end of the line which hints at its past. A 280-foot dead-end siding was added around 1901/02 and at the far end was the Farmer's Co-operative building. That building is still there today and is a produce store. There are still signs of the grain loading facilities, but these have been disused for many years. The original station building is long gone. Note in the background of this first picture how the railway line immediately runs into a cutting with a road bridge. With only slight compression, the whole scene can be done in 14 feet length. This image is suggested to be from 1900, but the siding on the right was not laid until late 1901 and opened in 1902. It is almost certainly before 1924 when the locomotives were all re-numbered under a new class system, and I am inclined to believe that it is after 1904, when the Manning Wardles were re-allocated to the Yass Tramway.

Another variation on the Inglenook. You need to trim the point on the left-hand board to make it fit, but if you stick to small 9ft wheelbase wagons and an industrial loco, it should work in the space you have. I am pretty sure you can get "Wild Swan Yard" into the space you have. It will be a matter of deciding on siding lengths and clearances. You will most certainly have to trim all the points to make it all fit. Just remember that there is about an inch of plain track beyond the switch blades which gives you a little extra room. It is all about making sure that everything fits "just so" to make it work in a micro-layout.

You can probably just squeeze and Inglenook type layout into that space too:

With the points trimmed as suggested above, the layout would look more like this:

To modify the points, I would recommend cutting back 5 sleepers from both parts of the diverging routes. This will reduce them in length by about 8cm each and give you more room to work. (Image from Tower Models website)

I think this would make a great little layout for O gauge using Peco Set-track points, but you will have to do some trimming to make them fit:

I can't make it out too clearly. It looks like it says "C30" this is interesting since these locos were built 20 years before that classification system, which implies new chimneys or the label was added some time after 1924. Just as a side note, No. 18 (formerly E17 class) whilst working for Corrimal Coal and Coke, ran with what appears to be a 50 class chimney. This image from the Weston Langford Collection: Zoom into loco front end taken from the above image at higher resolution:

I'd like to get my hands on the drawings and go over them with callipers to figure out what is going on. Most of these locos were products of Beyer-Peacock, but I'd like to know what the deal was with the chimneys and domes since they seem to all be fairly similar, but looking at prototype photos, there were clearly different ones for different classes of locos.

I've found a 19 class chimney and dome. Those were off the old Century Models kit. The chimney is the same height, but it is slimmer. Without having good dimensioned drawings to compare, I can't be sure, but it seems from photos that there were several variations on the one basic design out there.

I will have to get the new controller after next pay packet. Just retested the Hornby Controller with my O gauge locos. The Hudswell Clarke likes it just fine but my brass H class Manning Wardle seems to like it less. It will be interesting to compare the performance with a gaugemaster unit. In reality I've just been putting off going to DCC. The only trouble is that I don't like most DCC controllers.

Just finished a test shunting session. The things which make the Kadee couplers work well: - Dead slow running. The magnets are only 20mm long and require more precise positioning to work reliably. - Wagons not too free-rolling. I stuffed little foam under one axle of each wagon to slow them. - Layout dead level. The kitchen bench is pretty level, unlike some of my other tables and work-spaces. The old Hornby Trainset controller worked well for shunting in O gauge, but is not as good for OO gauge. I reckon that the 40:1 gears, large motors and flywheels in my O gauge locos tends to smooth out the Hornby controller. It isn't a "bad" controller by any means, but it is clearly intended for running trains around loops rather than the precise control needed for shelf-layouts. The reversing switch is a little awkward, which is going to be a major consideration for a replacement controller.

I must also point out that the layout board is 120cm x 30cm, so it doesn't exactly need much in the way of framing, and will probably be exhibited sitting on top of a trestle table. I'm getting a bit frustrated with getting Kadee couplers to work. I may just switch back to tension-locks and use the brian-kirby method with wire staples.

Knaufboard is basically a type of insulation board. I plan to use some 5mm Foamcore board as a sub-base for the track. I plan to use some 1" square aluminium box-section for the frame (I have some in the garage) and then 3mm MDF to form the outside faces of the layout module. The plan is to then use speaker-cabinet carpet covering. Basically, I want to be able to make this without having to use power tools or saws. The only exception of course is the soldering iron that I will need to attach track power. At the moment I'm using a pair of alligator clips!

Track loosely pinned down with magnets in place for testing of clearances. Having reliability issues with the Kadee couplers. It seems almost definitely the problem that the wagons are too free-rolling and I'll have to come up with a way to reduce this. The best inspiration I have found so far is to try using modifies Kadee #634 springs. This is an example of a HO scale bogie where the springs are modified into bogie pick-ups. Link to source: http://soundtraxx-soundbytes.blogspot.com/2015/10/diy-track-pickup-wipers.html

Magnets arrived in the post today. I had a chance to do some experimenting with spacing under the track to figure out what worked best and to check that the steel axles and weights in the wagons were not affected by them. I somewhat ironically find that my wagons are a little too free-running to work properly with Kadee couplings and I will have to add some friction for them not to roll so freely. At the moment, I am thinking a little bit of wire rubbing on the backs of the wheels or the axles may be necessary.

I bought the same set of parts. Not sure about what locos they belong to though.

Is the smokebox door integral or does it pop out? I need to modify mine to the old flat door type.

A bit of further research shows that the Manning Wardle K class No.s 292 and 293 ran on the Camden Line, from 1901 they were on the Carlingford Line and between 1904 and 1907 they were on the Yass Line. In all three places they ran with a KA type Tramcar. Whilst it is an end-on image, it is pretty clear that 533X (formerly 293) is hauling the KA tramcar and the four-wheel goods vehicle is a D Truck. Whilst obscured by the KA tramcar, it is certainly another K class Manning Wardle. Here shown near Elderslie on the Camden line when flooding caused the train to become stranded.

Today I took the first steps in building the baseboard. I had bought a 120cm x 60cm sheet of 30mm thick "knaufboard." I cut it in half lengthways and glued the two halves together to form a 60mm thick baseboard. At the moment I am waiting on some magnets to arrive in the post which will be my uncouplers for the Kadees I am using. A few days ago I ordered replacement axles from Peters Spares for my Mainline and Bachmann J72s. The Bachmann J72 runs so smoothly, but already has cracks in each axle, so better fix it before it becomes a problem.

Try NWSL. They have some good stuff that should help.

Set of wagon wheels, twin shaft motor, a couple of gears and a flywheel. In large scales, a simple chassis is not difficult. You may want to look into a design that lets you add weight since the simplex is such a small loco.

With regards to the Hornby 4-wheeler, If you cut about 1mm off the top of the sides and lower the roof arc (I used an old CD as a template) you can get a much more convincing light railway coach. I bought mine as a body-moulding only. My plan is to use the chassis from the Dapol BR Brake Van kit for the underbody stuff, perhaps use some styrene strip to make a representation of a timber-underframe van. Come to think of it, I really should finish that particular project.