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45 seconds of fun — a beginner's first layout

Modelling

45 seconds of fun — a beginner's first layout

Lewis replied 4 months, 3 weeks ago 4 Members · 28 Replies

Robin

Member
13 June 2024 at 9:04 pm

Is it worth it?

Well, yes, it is. I would have been happy if it just ended up as one big diorama, without even getting a train to run, but the fact that it runs is a bonus. I’ve done something that challenged me at every stage, and ended up with something I’m 70% happy with. It still isn’t finished, I haven’t even finished laying the track, but I have a lot more confidence that I can deal with each new step as required.

I didn’t discover the Guild until I saw the magazine at Kapiti Mags late last year, and bought it so my grand-son and I can go through the photos. He doesn’t get access to the web, so this is one way for us to share our interest in trains. Sure, he’s not yet 3, but already it’s a big part of our life — one day he’ll think that grandpa’s trains are lame, but in the meantime we’re having fun. I joined the Guild towards the end of the subscription cycle, mainly to support it. I love the fact that this is devoted to NZ railway modelling, there seems to be so many English or American layouts made in NZ, despite the very interesting railway history we’ve had here in NZ. However I’m very much aware that one of the reasons why the Guild is going through some changes to its website and the magazine is that it’s hard to compete with other resource sites, such as Facebook groups.

I’ve asked questions before on Facebook groups, mainly related to specifically New Zealand issues, but without much of a result. With the new Guild website format, I would hope that this would be a great way to get the information I’m looking for – I already have, after the first couple of posts in this discussion. Which is really the reason for this exercise, to just rabbit on about my experience with NZ railway modelling, and hope that others can see that you don’t need to be a great modeler to show your own progress or get involved in discussions about how to get the best out of the hobby.

In other words, use it or lose it.

I do have one more post planned — Where to from here? — and I may post various upcoming projects and ask for some advice now and then. So far the reaction has been minimal, many thanks to those who have commented, and if you are reading this so far, please let me know whether or not you get anything out of this discussion. But also give some thought to starting your own discussions.
Lawrence

Member
14 June 2024 at 8:14 am
Thanks Robin

Early days for the new site. While there are 400 or so nominal members, these are Guild members, not people actually actively signed up to thejournal yet. So don’t be disheartened by low engagement to date. It’s growing. I’m personally conscious that I don’t want to monopolise bandwidth.

It’s worth noting that people’s interest in receiving feedback varies a lot. So if you want answers to questions and/or critique I suggest saying so explicitly.

Obviously you’ve largely built the layout and it’s description was foreshadowed as a pre-written serial, so in some ways that tends to stifle comment until the conclusion. The site is new too, of course. Another time, describing the project as you go would/could be more interactive if you wanted that.

There is an enormous amount of information on NZ railways available, as well as many skilled modellers and products from manufacturers. Much of this information is locked up in archives, clubs, cliques and personal hard drives. It’s not unavailable but can be hard to find for the newcomer.
- This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by Lawrence.
Lewis

Member
14 June 2024 at 10:22 pm

Thanks Robin, this series has been exactly what we’re keen to see more of. Your experiences are very useful for anyone looking for how someone might “get started” at modelling the railways of New Zealand.

As Lawerence says, it’s still early days for the new website. There are now 432 registered users of this website, that includes existing Guild members imported (although not with all their membership details…) – but of those, 77 have logged in so far this month. Not terrible given we’re only half-way through the month.

I find it interesting you said that you hadn’t had much response on Facebook – I’ve found it useful, and it certainly seems a lot of model railway groups have “migrated” to the platform.
DarthHelix

Member
23 June 2024 at 12:02 pm

I really like this layout. My favourite part of it is the recognisability as most NZR layouts I’ve seen online are steam or early diesel but this one is a layout where I could experience the real thing which I quite like.
- Robin
  
  Member
  29 June 2024 at 2:40 pm
  
  Cheers, I can have steam locos, a diesel-electric and Standard railcar all running eventually, as they are all currently at the museum. I may have to look at other museums for my next layout.
Robin

Member
29 June 2024 at 2:48 pm

Where to from here?

There’s still so much to do on this layout, I have only recently managed to buy the last of the turnouts, so I will finish the track eventually. Then there’s ballasting and weathering, which should make it a bit more complete. There are a couple of little buildings to do yet, and of course some locos to try and model.

I plan to represent some of the actual rolling stock and locos, if only to sit there and look the part:
C847 – C class steam heavy shunter – this is a very long-term goal, well beyond my skills at the moment, so probably the last I’ll complete!
PWD 531 – Barclay steam loco, the smallest NZR steam loco in existence. This pulls L4246, the little wooden high sided wagon fitted with seats on some open days. This is a favourite of my grandson.
De508, the diesel electric loco which has previously hauled carriages on the Wellington line. I have downloaded a 1:24 scale diesel electric (by Peter Bryant) and printed it shrunk down to 1:160 just to see how it looks. Eventually I hope to design and print my own. This is the only other loco I’ve seen running when my grandson and I visit, hauling Aa1601 and Aa1235 50ft carriages, and F678, the 30ft guard’s van. I already have 2 incomplete but running Aa carriages, which was my first attempt at 3D-printing rolling stock. Next will be the guard’s van, using plans from a Guild Journal. Normally when this combo is running we arrive at 11am and just stay onboard, for as many trips as we can fit in before nap time.
R.M.30 Standard railcar – I’ve never seen this out of the shed, but I hope they get in out at some point so we can travel in it.

No doubt I’ll be asking for help here when it comes to sourcing chassis’ for the locos, as I have no clue where to start.

I’ve currently working on the signals, and there’s plenty of little bits and pieces to be added. The layout really needs a backdrop, which I hope to photograph using a drone at some point, as it is not possible to get a clear photo of the tree-line from ground level.

I will give some thought to the bits which I’m not happy with and see if they can be improved. There are gaps which need to be filled, so I’m looking forward to figuring out the best way to do that.

I have no idea which way I’d go if I did a new layout, I really like the idea of recreating an actual place, but that’s more to do with the autistic me. While that has always been a positive thing creating New Zealand airports for flight simulation, it doesn’t really work as well for a model railway, and at some point I may just design something which allows a train to keep running.

I do like the idea of a diorama, it wouldn’t necessarily have to include a locomotive, but it probably will. I’ve been thinking of a small scene showing my home town of Christchurch, with a tram, but we’ll have to see. This may be just an excuse for me to visit Christchurch again. I have tried a small diorama using the 3D printer, I made a secret santa gift for my daughter’s partner, of their tiny house, but as it would appear after the apocalypse. In HO scale, actually. I really enjoyed the project, but I’m not sure that anyone else did.