Some Important News

Progress has come to a standstill on this project, as I have recently acquired a new layout from a family friend who passed last August. A new blog has been made specifically for this blog, and although only part of it is being used, what I deemed 'the best usable parts for the space we've got. It's well worth a look, plus the layout's original blog. Both this and the new blog are linked below.

The New Blog - https://gunnedahreborn.blogspot.com/

The Original Blog - http://gunnedahandbeyond.blogspot.com/

In other news, I'm beginning to fit DCC to the trains of 'Kingsborough'. I've sent my Bachmann Class 108 off to be fitted with DCC sound, and hopefully I will be able to test run the DMU soon.

Baseboard Progress - It's Been A While!

Hi all,

It's been nearly four months since I last posted here. Since the last post, I had the layout dismantled and merely sitting on my bedroom floor, with the scenery stuff sitting on my desk. Today I (finally!) decided to start painting the baseboard, as I had been promising myself to do so for several weeks now. Anyway, below are photos of the main baseboard components partly painted and with the first coat done. A second coat will be added hopefully soon and other components will possibly be painted too. Just note that I am not the best at painting though...

 Above: The topboard (which majority of the layout's track and scenery will be) part way through painting.
Below: The same part, albeit with the first coat of paint completed.

Above: The main baseboard part way through painting. 
Below: The main baseboard with the first coat of paint.

1969 NER/ER Cravens 2/3-Car DMU

Hi all,

Not much happening with the layout, but currently I am undertaking my second scratchbuilding project - the Class 112 DMU. I am aware that these rarely worked the NER/ER however I thought this would be more interesting than buying a Bachmann Class 105. I'd like to have a mix of scratchbuilt and RTR trains running on my layout to add more interest.

See more at RMweb: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/132297-1969-nerer-cravens-23-car-dmu/ 

Some Minor Progress...

Hi all,

It feels like it's been forever since my last post (although APPARENTLY my last post was '2 weeks ago'), but since then nothing much has really happened, except I have now erected the platform and have built more of the lower retaining wall. Today I made some tweaks to the blog to improve it's appearance, and by not very much I will say! I hope to back get to more modelling soon, but in the meantime I have been planning the 'hill' which will go behind the station.

Here is what I plan to do: Basically the road inclines and behind it will be terraced houses in the backscene. (Note: This is only a rough drawing of what I MAY do).

Wiring, and more Card Kits!

Since last posting, I've temporarily taken the top off the baseboard in order to help with wiring both the track and the point motors. Wired rail joiners have replaced almost every non insulating joiner I originally used, and each section was tested with a Gaugemaster DC controller stolen off my old 'roundy roundy' layout. Just yesterday I stocked up with more card kits, in order to build the retaining walls, bridge and platform. Along with that I got a couple of switches for the point motors along with some mounting plates to assist with well, mounting! Again prices added up quickly, with all of that costing $128! Here's the full list of stuff I bought yesterday:

- 1 x PO 235 Stone Platform Kit

- 1 x PO 243 Single Track Tunnel Entrance Set (One is being 'Kit Bashed' to become the bridge at the end of the layout)

- 1 x PO 245 Stone Style Retaining Walls (I still need to get another one, though!)

- 1 x M 0057 Cut Stonework M1 Style

- 2 x PL-26 Passing Contact Switch (One Red, one Black)

- 1 x PL 28 Mounting Plates

 Above: One of the retaining wall pieces, unfortunately I ran out of glue!
Below: A Class 108 DMU passes under the nearly completed bridge. I can already see how this will look when the scenery is completed.

Above: A close up of some of the wiring. I have still yet to connect them all to a power source and get a controller.

A Lot Happening Over the Past Week and a Half!

Hi all,

Recently a lot has been happening on the layout, and really I'd normally be making a million posts each day at this rate, but I guess I just didn't get around to it until now. Over the past week and a half I've been fitting the backboards to the wooden baseboard and doing some finishing touches to it prior to painting. Attached below is a before/after of the baseboard work. Note the London Underground car in the first image. Also note the lack of rolling stock and siding in the second picture, plus the bag of nails! 

After a couple of days of baseboard work, I began nailing down the track, to determine how I'll make the platforms and how I'll wire the layout, as I will most likely make it DCC. 

Above: The layout as it is now, with track nailed down and trains on. I think I've become too used to 57ft DMU's, that Hornby Mk1 looks huge in comparison to the Class 108 cars. The other day I also went down to my local hobby shop to get a few more supplies, including:

- One last section of Peco Code 100 Flexitrack, which was cut down for use in the siding and for the lower level track.

- A pair of Peco point motors (surface mounted) for the 3 way turnout. These were expensive mind you!

- A Metcalfe PO400 Platform Underpass card kit (kit supplies materials to make two of these).

- 4 x SL-40 Peco Buffer kits.

And it all added up very quickly! And you guessed it, it was those point motors that really pushed the price up! I've also designed a new header for the blog, which will replace the stupid brick wall and notice board!

Introducing Kingsborough's First DMU - The Bachmann Class 108

A couple of days ago I got a package from England. In this package was a model. This model was Kingsborough's first offical DMU. (As the title states) It is a Bachmann class 108 in refurbished white/blue, a very nice model indeed. This was supposed to be a Christmas present, although it just came a little later, which is perfectly fine, because I've run it, I've tested and it's a very nice runner. Straight out the box I could run it at high speeds and see the interior's lights shine in the darkness, as well as the bi-directional headlights and taillights. This set is a two car Power-Trailer set, consisting of a DBMS (M50948) and DTC (M56231). It's a splendid model and I will attach photos hopefully sometime soon.

Wishing a Merry Christmas From the Kingsborough Model Railway!

May be a bit late to say so, but Merry Christmas to everyone! Unfortunately there were no new trains, but I did get a new iPhone 6 including a new screen protector and case for it! Hopefully this phone will go a lot better than my previous Samsung J1, which did have some issues. Hopefully though I can make more progress with the layout soon and eventually get it into an exhibition.

More planning, and Digging Out the Old Layout!

Nothing much has really been happening on Kingsborough... Despite the fact I have more potential time to work on the layout, not much has gotten done. I was called to help with something, little did I know that the old layout was coming down for Christmas! This layout has been hanging from the roof of the garage on pulleys for over half a year, so it's good to see it again. After some tidying up, the layout was fully operational once again in no time. I might make a separate blog for this particular layout, but this is still under consideration. The reason I made the current layout (The Kingsborough Model Railway) was actually due to the lack of space and the lack of time from the original layout. Essentially the original layout consisted of two levels (much like this one!) with two (hopefully soon to be three!) loops of track going around the length and width of the layout. In the very inner track a station with a ridiculously sharp radius additional track (only two of my locomotives can operate it!) coming into a siding and a second platform. At the other side another two sidings long enough at fit three average sized coaches and a tender locomotive in front. The stock goes from the LNER 1920's - 1930's period to BR in the 1960's, then one train going into the 1980's sectorisation period. Hopefully I'll be able to post photos soon.

A Few Changes to the Plan...

Yesterday I dug out one of my old Railway Modeller magazines (given to me by a friend). In it I found 'Ripper Street', a North London Terminus based on the 'Minories' track plan. The thing that caught my eye was the station roof. I decided to put an arch shaped roof over the station, based on that of 'Ripper Street' but also based off York too. To make the layout suit (without doing too much different) the layout is now set in more of an industrial city, rather than a semi industrial rural town.

The Signalbox, and Defying History!

After extensive planning and rummaging through my large collection of magazines, I have found the future signalbox for Kingsborough. This particular one will be built from an exclusive kit backed with Platicard from Model Rail No. 155 April 2011. I chose this as I knew it was just the right size and it will suit the scenery and the period I'm modelling in. I have photocopied it (I don't like scabby magazines!) and once I have some plasticard, I'll build it and put it in it's rightful place next to the road bridge and behind the 3 way turnout.

(Image to be attached)

As for the track plan and the baseboard, not much has happened. Lately I've been looking more into the 'history' and the 'location' of the layout in real life (I'm using 'quotations' because this is fiction after all!). After a crash course in avoiding the Beeching Cuts and constant relocation and decision making, Kingsborough branches off north of York, in the North Eastern Region of BR. Although I've been trying to avoid Beeching, I haven't been avoiding him to avoid the closure of the branch line it's on, it's more the main line, as many main lines (including Harrogate to Northallerton) were 'Cut' including many rural and industrial branch lines, which Kingsborough falls into. After some though, here's what happened:

Kingsborough continued operation after nationalisation, still with steam hauled trains. This held strong until Beeching released his report in 1965, when the line was subsequently cut. After 7 years of dereliction, the bus and coach companies couldn't maintain peak our traffic, so British Rail announced reopening the line. This involved repairing the track and introducing a new timetable. New stock was introduced too (the stock that I will operate on the layout) and more services as well.

This may sound unrealistic (maybe stupid) but I like it and it fits well into the layout.

Tracklaying Commences at Kingsborough

Hi all,

Yesterday I got the idea of modifying the trackplan. This involved changing the existing two junctions into a three way turnout. This had a lot of advantages including:

1. It allows the station to be bigger. (Meaning 3 car trains can operate into BOTH platforms!)

2. It looks better (ie. more complex trackwork looks better, although not too complex).

3. It means I can rethink the scenery a bit more. (I have started thinking about this a little, and another post will come once this plan is finalised).

Today I went down to my local hobby shop to finally get started on tracklaying. I bought 3 sections of Peco Code 100 Flexitrack and also a Peco Medium Radius Code 100 3 Way Turnout (Insulfrog). I also got some Peco Rail Joiners (1 pack of Isulating Joiners, and 1 pack of regular metal ones). I also got track pins in preparation to when I get around to nailing the track down. Attached below are some images of the track placed on the layout, not yet nailed down. I have also slightly reworked the blog to enhance it's appearance and make it more appealing.

Below: A overall view of the trackplan. Note the BR Class J50, ex-LNER Thompson Coaches (plus Mk1 BG) and BR Intercity Mk1 set. Also note the mess below the layout.

 Above: A general view of the 3 way turnout.
Below: The view of the now extended tracks for the station. The siding below is still a work in progress.

Above: The former Parcels siding ended up too short, subsequently meaning I had to compromise. Now it will become a Shunter's siding for refuelling diesels and it may perhaps still be used for Parcel loading/unloading.
Below: The insulator joiners close up.

NOTE: I will as much as I can try to post as much as possible on this Blog. Posts will usually be weekly, but when school holidays come around, I think I'll be posting more frequently. I will hopefully upload more photos soon.

Baseboard Progress - From a Pile of Wood to a Complete Baseboard!

After a about two weeks of residing as two pieces of plywood and three wooden planks, today the baseboard was finally assembled. After cutting up the planks and screwing them into the lower baseboard, most of it was completed. After this the upper level retaining wall was screwed into the upper baseboard, along with the road bridge pylons being connected. I will upload more photos in 'The Layout Over Time' and 'Gallery' pages.

Below: The layout assembled and ready to continue planning.

Construction Started

The day finally came three days ago. The one where I would finally start building this layout I've been planning for weeks. We went on a trip to Bunnings to get some timber for the baseboard. They both measured 1200 x 39, one with a thickness of 12mm (the baseboard iself) and the other 7mm, which will become the upper level. After some marking out (which took about 1 h 10 mins) I have a good idea of what I'm putting where. Now all I need to do is decide on a good backscene!

Layout Inspiration

Hello everyone!

Just thought I might post a few pictures, all of which were inspiration for the layout.

'Riverside' - A HO scale NSWGR/Continental layout I came across on RMweb.

These three pictures are of 'Osney' (Original and Rebuilt)- An O gauge layout which I also came across on RMweb, which so happened to be a bit of an inspiration for 'Riverside' too.