Here I will show progress on the layout as is occurs. First up is a plan of the layout showing the track, layout outline and the join between the two sections.
The layout is 1100mm x 1700mm in an L shape. Minimum radius is 250mm (nominal 10").
The photos below show early progress on the layout from when I brought it home and installed it in the office.
As you can see the layout is a snug fit in our office.
The back of the oval including the spur are to be hidden in normal conditions with the spur having a cassette for staging trains at shows.
This area will be covered with a removable section of mountain in the center and fixed scenery at each end.
As can be seen from those photos Gumtown itself will occupy a very small portion of the layout in the corner.
Gumtown was a small town in a rugged part of the country and I didn't want the town to overpower the layout.
For this reason the town itself was tucked into the corner and will be modelled in HO scale not O scale.
This will help to force and illusion of distance (known as forced perspective) and maximise the space used for secenic elements.
Here you can see the initial mock up of the town and how the layout of the buildings and street changed after the first two photos.
Here's a photo of the real gumtown hall I took while on holiday on the Coromandel recently.
Iron horses are thirsty beasts so the loco servicing area requires somewhere for them to drink.
This tank is completely scratchbuilt, partly because I am cheap, partly because I wanted a knocked together look and partly because I wanted the challenge.
It's made from an empty yoghurt container. I had some stained balsa strip on hand left over from another project and was just right for gluing to the container to make the tank.
The legs and joists were also made from balsa strip and the lid from balsa sheet scribed to look like boards.
The filler pipe is 1.5mm styrene rod, the pipe to the tap is .5mm brass wire with the tap shaft and handle being short pieces of .3mm music wire.
The pipe from the tank is plastic sprue from a kit and the canvas hose for filling locos is tissue paper.
Tank bands were made from manila folder card, ACCed to the tank and band joints represented with a little wire.
The ladder was made from balsa and music wire. This was a fun project and I'm looking forward to placing it permanently ont he layout.
The crew are getting ready for another day as #1 sits near the tank in the early morning sun.
Well with all the track in and running and a show date looming it was time to put some scenic treatment in.
While the following photos do not show a completed layout the scenery did make the layout look much better for the show.
Follow the transformation.
Here's the road to Gumtown taking shape.
For some time the G&KP has suffered from a decided shortage of staff. Well now we have some blokes who are up to the challenge.
These figures are all from The Model Company and are 7mm/foot or 1:43.5 scale.
Remember that these figures stand between 37 & 40mm tall so in the linked pictures you are seeing them larger than they really are.
This is the first time I have painted figures for well over a decade and I am well pleased with the results.
The 2-8-0 heading onto the extension toward the OFT.
Framework of the extension section. Track in place.
Scenery begun. Newspaper crumpled up and wetted ready for next step.
Expanding foam application under way.
0-4-2 with logging train headed for OFT at Morrinsville show.
0-4-2 returning through cutting from OFT.
0-4-2 on G&KP main.
0-4-2 heading toward tunnel under Gumtown. OFT davenport in yard.
View of join between OFT and G&KP.
14th January 2007.
Since the G&KP was built originally it has moved homes (several times) and spent a significant period in storage.
Also in this time several new and larger than planned for locos have been aquired (I just couldn't resist) including
the outside framed 2-8-0 and the Climax. I have begun to see the wear and tear on the Climax drivetrain from running
it on such tight curves (360mm). Also I have noticed that the construction of the first two sections of the layout has
not held up as well as I would like to the moving and storage. The method of construction used in the later OFT link
section has proved far superior and a slightly modified version of this will be used in future. All this has led me to
believe that a complete redesign is needed. Unfortunately there is still at least one more move to go (sucker for
punishment)and I don't yet know what space will be available for the G&KP in the next house. I do have some design
criteria though:
460mm (18") absolute minimum radius for bush and "main" lines. 300mm (12") absolute minimum radius for mining lines. Cookie cutter roadbed over a lightweight ladder frame. Expanding foam scenery construction in areas other than yards.
Further to the above management has made the decision to move to Melbourne, Australia late this year (2008) and so the G&KP
in it's current form will be dismantled completely with very little salvage anticipated. On the bright side I now know
the size and nature of the space I will have available in the house we will be building in Melbourne so in addition to messing
around with the loco and rolling stock work I am continuing on with, I will be able to design a layout for the new house in
the new country before the move! More on this to come.
15th August 2009
Well the move to Melbourne was made late in 2008 and in the run up to the move I decided to change direction radically in my hobby endeavours. The G&KP was dismantled with everything salvageable either being sold or given away. My thoughts have turned to outdoor modelling and a minimum gauge railway in a LARGE scale may be on the horizon. Much landscaping and other work at the new house must happen first though and for the moment I am happily distracted by this and the fact that I have decided to try my hand at painting.
460mm (18") absolute minimum radius for bush and "main" lines.