Create your world in minature | Tauranga Model Railway Club

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Create your own world in miniature.

Modelling a railway is not just about railways, it is also about learning new skills. It’s about knowledge of the railway prototype (the real thing), capturing the mood and setting of a real railway in miniature.

It is also about making new friends and having fun. The Tauranga Model Railway Club (TMR Club) can show you how rewarding and satisfying modelling a railway can be.

The modelling choice is timeless and endless … You can choose to model the railways of Britain, Europe, Canada, the USA, Australia and of course New Zealand, or anywhere you like. There are a variety of scales and systems to choose from; analogue or digital (DCC) operation, early steam, diesel or modern electric. You decide the period and the Club can help you get there.

Fun for all ages.

Learn new techniques.

Something for all the family.

About Us

The Club provides the opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to participate in the hobby for the social and recreational benefits it provides.

Thanks to the NZ Herald and NZ on air for supporting us.

The objectives of the club include:

Educating people on the technical and practical skills of model railways.
Encouraging like-minded individuals to meet together for the purpose of social interaction and sharing the knowledge of model railways.
Expanding and enhancing the resources available to model railways in Tauranga specifically, and within other areas and other groups.
Participate and actively promote projects in order to achieve Club objectives.

The TMR club is a place that attracts enthusiasts who have a passion for model railways, and provides the opportunity for people to master skills, learn and enjoy both the creative and technical aspects of the hobby.

“Model Railways!
It’s where imagination comes alive!”

Tauranga Model Railway Activities

Diesel running on the new Katikati layout.

An english themed layout in
OO scale.

Steam locomotive crossing the stream north of Katikati.

The TMR Club Drive a Train layout.

The Katikati layout is S scale, and fully landscaped.

Some members are modelling
in O scale.

Stourbridge Road View to Main Line Station Platforms- OO Scale

Stourbridge Road - Village Street Scene - OO Scale

Market Stourbridge - Dairy Factory & Station Platform - OO Scale

Click on the link below to view a video of our Katikati Layout:

Stourbridge Road - Street to Canal Basin & Warehouses - OO Scale

https://youtu.be/5NVOOQwORWY

Club Running day

Club layouts on our recent running day.

The club library and social area.

Our Club Activities

There are a range of layouts and activities that the Club offers its members and visitors.

Current layouts:

Katikati (NZR – S gauge)
Stourbridge (English 00 gauge)
English (N gauge)
Raurimu Spiral (NZR – N gauge)
Drive a Train (H0 – 00)

Club Library

A large modelling and trains reference library is available including books, magazines and CD/DVD’s, with viewing facilities.

Some of our popular activities are:

Drive a Train
This provides children with the opportunity to drive a 3.5mm (H0) train along a 16mm gauge track. Children can run replicas of NZ Rail locomotives, coaches and wagons.
Shunting Puzzle
This provides the older children with a more challenging shunting puzzle.
Other Layouts
Several model railway layouts built by club members, are constructed on site so that technical skills and knowledge can be applied in prototypical practice; e.g. electrical, track laying, scenery and buildings, and structures.

Model Railways Involves:

Design
Carpentry
Buildings
Computing
Construction
Craftwork
Electronics
Friendship
Geography

History
Kit construction
Painting
Scale
People
Research
Scenery
Prototype practice

Club members exhibit the club layouts at other model railways shows throughout the North Island.

Members Layouts

We have decided that to help our members pass the time during lockdown to start a series of through the train room door...

This is a series looking at the home layouts of some of our active members, who hopefully will be working away in their train rooms making some real progress on their modelling.

Driver Train - Built and run by club members at shows - 00 Gauge

The Club has produced a great interactive layout to be used primarily at model train shows, which draws in young and old alike. Driver Train sits on two 2400x 1200 mm interconnected boards. These were very well constructed by member Rob, using the (now) standard baseboard technique of plywood and insulation foam board. This produces a reasonably light but strong baseboard and a clean surface for track installation and scenery development.

Driver Train is designed in two parts;

The Oval circuit: for younger kids the oval two track circuit with sidings and station, gives them the chance to run two trains independently, controlled by a simple and robust DC/DCC wired system. We have limited the speed so they can drive fast or slow, but not to a speed that trains all fall off!

Both Thomas the Tank and NZR rolling stock supplied by the club can be run, usually NZR stock The layout is sceniked in a generic New Zealand scene, with some lovely railway houses and village scape built by member Rob.

Once a child has finished their drive (usually around 3-4 minutes) the club issues them with a printed certificate with their name and date etc… Kids love this.

The shunting puzzle: for older kids and adults this side of Driver Train encourages problem solving and logical thinking. It uses an NCE DCC Powercab unit to operate this part. The puzzle task is to disassemble and reassemble a short diesel powered goods train into the various sidings in the yard. The train enters the yard and the guards van, fuel tanker, cattle wagon, coal wagon and goods van are separated and ‘spotted’ in their respective sidings/platforms. Once this is done the driver can then reassemble the train and drive it out of the yard.

Thomas and friends TMRC showIMG_0429 (2)

Thomas the Tank Engine

Mike in charge

Driver train in capable hands

President Mike O's - Classic 8' x 4' English Layout - OO Gauge

Mike says he started in the hobby in 2017 after having a triple bypass operation and needing a less strenuous activity. The layout is not based on any particular area but a typical small town near a coal mining area is the theme. The layout measures 8 x 4 with a double track main line and a goods line with a small fiddle/storage yard to the side. The track is code 100.

Mike is running the layout with DCC and a mix of steam and diesel locos, some with sound and lights. He has 20 locos in all with main line coaches, box vans and coal wagons in the mix for running stock. The bulk of the layout is finished and he now spends time refining scenery etc. Have a look at the accompanying photos to see Mikes progress.

Mike says that joining TMRC has been tremendous value in assisting in his modelling efforts and in learning technical aspects such as DCC equipping his loco stock.

Mike's layout demonstrates that we can use the classic 8 x 4 board as a basis for starting in the hobby, progressing modelling skills and getting good results within an achievable timeframe.

Thanks Mike for sharing your layout with us.

Mikes 8' x 4'

Overall View

Mikes 8' x 4'

Loco Facilities

Mikes 8' x 4'

Goods Yard / Town / Station

Mikes 8' x 4'

Fiddle Yard

LInzee's Layout – Wademouth – N Gauge

Background

I read modelling magazines and books and this layout was inspired by one of them. There are some great scenes of railways in the south west of England. The challenge was to choose an area where both GWR and Southern could be used, with the occasional LMS livery trains. I settled on a line between Wadebridge and Bodmin. This layout had to be compact in use and size. It’s possible to have running loops and\or large station areas but the line arrangements have tight curves and little spare space in the town area.

This layout would fit into the time period of 1950\60’s, and see steam engines and diesels alongside each other.

Construction

I used a standard door from Mitre 10, 1980 by 800, door for the baseboard and Peco track and points. The scenery is mostly kit built but some building in the harbour area are not available and therefore scratch built.

Electrics are analogue as I have a large collection of analogue locos and rolling stock and don’t want to convert them to DCC. I use isolating sections for fiddle yards and semi automatic track sections where only one controller and reversing timer were needed for the operation.

I use different power supplies for each line; and a separate power source for the lights. If something were to fail, only one thing would be affected. I also use isolating sections for track to allow a DCC style stop in a station or freight yard.

Rolling stock

I started collecting UK rolling stock some time ago and devote most of it to a large layout at home. This layout focuses on mainline expresses from the Midlands, some branch line stock of southern and GWR, and freight for the harbour.

Linzheim South

Station View

Linzheim South

Commuters off to Work

Linzheim South

Depot View

Linzheim South

Overall View

Linzee's Layout - Ecclesbourne in the South east of England - N Gauge

Background

I read the modelling magazines and this layout was inspired by one of them. There are some great scenes of railways in the South East of England.

The challenge was to operate trains for multiple franchises and zones in a compact area of the Kent coast.The era of the layout spans era 3 to current day.

Construction

I used a standard door from Mitre 10, and the scenery look similar to that around st Leonards and Bexhill.

The trackwork is Peco mostly, and the electrics are analogue as I have a large collection of analogue locos and don’t want to convert them. I use isolating sections for fiddle yards. It has the additional features of automatic signalling and time based delays in the stations.

Rolling stock

I started collecting UK rolling stock some time ago and devote most of it to a large layout at home. This layout focuses on Southern and South Eastern Franchise trains.

Overall this layout provides activity in a small area and allows running of many different types of stock. Local commuter services are run fictitiously to Dover and Hastings.

Ecclesbourne cliff entrance from Hastings

Beach view

Ecclesbourne - to Dover

Platform 1

Ecclesbourne - Bus connections

Ecclesbourne - Real thing

Linzee's Layout - Feldsee - N Gauge

Background

I read the modelling magazines and this layout was inspired by one of them. It has the ability to section the areas of the board and provide some through traffic alongside to\fro lines.

It represents a fictitious terminus station which serves commuters, has a small industrial area, and is a base for some locomotives for the nearby CBD. The main street has a number of parking areas on it, mainly limited by space available.

Construction

I use an internal door for the baseboard as N gauge allows me to get what I need for a core layout on one of them. If I want to expand I add a few extensions or another door to provide a runaround.

Electrics are analogue as I have a large collection of analogue locos and don’t want to convert them. I use isolating sections for fiddle yards and bypass areas. It has the advantage of only needing one controller for each area of operation. I have intentions of adding power lines but so far have only added a little cantenary.

Rolling stock

I started collecting Fleishmann and Minitrix rolling stock when I lived in Germany for 3 years. It has been working fine since then, some locos are now 35 years old. The other product makes such as Roco have been good too lasting almost as long. I have stock for Switzerland and Austria, and Italy too but utilise mostly German trains.

Overall this layout provides a lot of activity in a small area and allows running of many different types of stock. A commuter service can be built around it and the street can be electrified for automatic or manual running.

Feldsee

Loco Interchange

Feldsee

Commuter Chaos

Feldsee - Overall View

Vice President Darryl J's - Huge Barn Layout - OO Gauge

I've done a bit of work since you last saw it:

Extended the double track main line up the slope on the back wall heading to the helix. It works well with a slope between 2.5 & 3.5%. The diesels cope no problem, but the steamers can't pull 7 coaches, just not enough tractive weight.
Constructed the two ports - old port and new port - gee, imaginative names - still have to finish off track laying but am missing a few components until lockdown comes off.
Fitted the facia to the main 'island' that has the roundhouse. makes a hellava difference to the 'look'.
I still have A LOT of work to do on scenery, but as you know that's not really my thing.
What's unseen is more electronics and loco maintenance.

Darryl's Layout

New High Level Tunnels

Darryl's Layout

Station View

Darryl's Layout

Loco Facilities & Loop

Darryl's Layout

New High Level Lines to Helix

Brian S's - NZR Layout - S Gauge

The combined road/rail bridge is located on the white pine bush road from Awakerie to Taneatua in the bay of plenty. The bridge was constructed in the 19 twenties from 1922 to late 1926. The branch line is closed and the bridge reduced. Here we see Ab715 with coal wagons as well as sheep and cattle wagons heading for Taneatua. There were extensive stock holding pens at Taneatua. Sheep and cattle mobs walked the roads from east coast to the rail head. Coal slack was used to operate the steam boilers at the Waimanalo cheese factory and butter and dried milk at the Opotiki dairy company.

Dg skirts the main yard with empty log train

Railcar RM 911 pulls into Peketahi while NZR bus waits for passengersl

Brian's Layout

White Pine Bush road bridge

Brian's Layout

General scene

Ken C's - Australian Themed Layout - HO Gauge

I was born and brought up in the Shetland Islands, probably the furthest you could get from anywhere and still be in the UK. Given that, my first interests were ships and the sea but I was given a railway book one Christmas and it got me hooked on railways. The Lerwick library, surprisingly, had a lot of railway books, company histories by people like Hamilton Ellis, etc and so the interest grew.

I went to sea at 15 and my years at sea were among the best, but wherever we were docked I always tried to have a look at their trains, and sometimes ride on them. And when I left the sea when I got married and was looking for a hobby I went for trains rather than ships.

Because of this I am interested in most countries railways, my top ones being French, North American, Australian and New Zealand. But, sadly, I can only do one at any one time. Having done Great Western (UK) and American Im now into Victorian rail in Australia.

Living in NZ I would love to do NZR but have a total inability to build loco kits. Memories of trying to get a K,s kit to run many years ago so, with the increase in good models of Aussie stuff available, and having ridden on railways around Melbourne when I was at sea, decided to settle on that.

Having said that, when the lottery comes up!!, I will change to SNCF (French) in the fifties. My big model railway ambition- to run a French express while listening to an Edith Piaf recording.

As can be seen from the photos the layout design is fairly conventional with a station and yard on one side running around to off-scene storage, about five loops and maybe a couple of dead end lines. Hopefully there will be room for the quarry or cement plant in front of them.
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Because of the time taken I tend to refer to it as the” Procrastination Central”. It is a Victorian Railways prototype and imagined to be a station on the Gippsland line.

In the photo the loco on the passenger train is a B class 6-axle engine based on GM technology and the freight engine is 1st series T class. The station is typical Australian layout of 3 loops with a couple of sidings. The left hand loop is the platform line although I was thinking of moving the line out and have the platform between the two lines but not sure. The goods shed will be on the fourth loop and the line towards the bottom of the photo may go round to a quarry or cement works. Not sure if a grain silo would be appropriate on a line supposedly running through the Gippsland area?

Ken's Layout

Passenger & freight trains in typical Aussie station

Ken's Layout

Overall view of layout

Ken's Layout

Long view of station area

Keith O's - British Themed Layout - OO Gauge & possibly N Gauge

There is a lot of work still to do on my layout. This is due, partly, to having moved here recently. Also, I have been deciding about N or OO which have track and stock for both. I decided to start with OO as would be easier for my young grandsons to use. I was thinking that I would use DC has it would them a controller and a section each to operate but have decided to do DCC or, perhaps, both. My space is limited and allows only minimum radius curves. I will run British early diesel on it although I dream of a freelance NZ scenario. I made good progress on laying track until I struck difficulty with the two double-slip switches finding one is electro frog and one not. When I replaced them with points, I found I have a mixture of electro-frog and not, isolating and not. So some more thought needs to go into that.
At the west, left hand, end where I will have a hill and tunnel, I seriously thought of making twisty exit in keeping with leaving hilly country but I like the gentle curve, the only one on the layout, leading into the straight run. This fits with the back scene I have of the South Island wide braided river and mountains in the background.
Suggestions of improvements to the track plan would be welcome.
I may put a N layout above it, on removable base board sections, but that is a ‘long way down the track’. I find there is a lot of space to play with in N but can not get away from the OO scheme. Ideas for schematic plan would be welcome

Keith's Layout

Overall Layout Schematic

Keith's Layout

Centre Section

Keith's Layout

RH Loops

Keith's Layout

LH Loops

Andy R's - British Western Themed Layout - OO Gauge

Background: After around two years working on the design, construction and overview of the new double layer TMRC layout; Katikati station and Stourbridge, I managed to turn my time recently back to my own home layout; Hawkinsfield Junction.

My layout locale story is set in Dorset, between Dorchester and Weymouth with the junction serving the village of Abbotsford) and the line terminating in the small coastal town of Melcombe Regis (the Old Saxon name for Weymouth if I read history right). I’ve posted several photos of Hawkinsfield Junction station and work on the new terminus station called Melcombe Regis

My design/theme is that the terminus has a station roof spanning the main platforms (based on a typical Brunel designed one) so this will reduce the visual impact of the street backscene, and give the impression of a busy, small town, secondary cross-country branch terminus. . I’ve yet to design and build the station roof , a task after the platforms are in place so I can get dimensions correct. The main station building will be a Ratio stone station kit building with the kit canopy replaced by the Brunel roof.

Lockdown work: I’ve been building the track (16 points, one single slip and one three-way point) in the new terminus station area (Melcombe Regis) and then doing the associated wiring and point motors etc.., I’ve installed 12 tortoise point motors to date and out...awaiting 12 more from USA but they are stuck somewhere between USA and NZ in the mail???? I can’t go much further with wiring or with control panel etc until I get this extra motors.
So, now may as well turn attention to platforms and then the new station building. Eventually, this new terminus will feed into the existing layout junction (on other side of 14x9 foot room) and into a central rotating six track storage yard facility (so we can reverse trains without picking them up). I will also be building the new junction points (just beyond Hawkinsfield Junction itself), which is based on Peter Denny’s famous layout station called Grandborough Junction.

The main platforms skeleton is made of foamboard cut at 12 mm and topped with 2mm top quality card shaped to the skeleton. Stone plastic card for the edging stones. The platform photo looks from the station throat towards the terminus end. The street scene at the rear is a google earth street view of the street feeding Weymouth station photoshopped by my friend Kevin.

Platforms have been a challenge, but now down. Work started on station buildings and footbridge; getting these done allows the dimensions of the train shed spanning the main platforms to be determined and designed for construction. Brass rod to be used in a jig then clad in basswood and corrugated iron roof.