Tauranga Model Railway Club Inc.

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Members Layouts

We have decided that to help our members enjoy club time more by starting a series of through the train room door...

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

LInzee's Layouts – 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

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.

Feldsee - N Gauge

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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.

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

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

1. 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.

2. Constructed the two ports - old port and new port - gee, imaginative names - still have to finish off track laying 

3. Fitted the facia to the main 'island' that has the roundhouse.  makes a hellava difference to the 'look'.

4. I still have A LOT of work to do on scenery, but as you know that's not really my thing.

5. What's unseen is more electronics and loco maintenance.

Ken C's - Australian Themed Layout - HO Gauge

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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.

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.

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?

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

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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.
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

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

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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 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 and 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.

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.

Recent Scenic treatment - Viaduct/River scene, Hawkesfield Dairy Co and Busy day at station

Trevor's Layout

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A European themed layout set somewhere in Europe. A large industrial area with engine shed & turntable.

There is a small HOn3 track running along the back for both passenger & freight (separate trains) feeding an elevated mountain village. Lit up for night running if required.

CLUB ROOMS ARE OPEN

Club Activities Schedule - till Tue 21st Dec 2022

Tuesdays:

Club working bee.

Make layouts better

9.30am – 12 noon (approx.)​

Thursdays:

Club Night.

Layout running

7.15pm – 9.30pm (approx.)

TMRC requirements for Covid.

The committee has decided in Orange to use current settings.

1. If feeling unwell do not come to the club.

2. Masks are not mandatory but you are welcome to wear one if you wish.

3. Scanning in is no longer required. However, scan posters will remain.

4. Multiple vaccination is required.

   Above all do your best to keep both you & your family safe.

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​Up Coming Events​​​​​

The Tauranga Model Railway Club Show

21\22nd January 2023

Tauranga Boys College, Fraser Street, Tauranga 

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Tauranga Model Railway Club Incorporated Membership.​

The Club is at, 53 Mirrielees Rd, Sulphur Point, Tauranga.

If you would like to join, please fill out the form and send it in.

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TMRC visited the Te Puke Retirement village, here are some pictures of the event.