Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Installing the farmhouse

I have started to install the farmhouse on the layout. I still have lots to do but I am very happy with how it fits into the landscape






 I have added a brick outhouse that is a kit from Rich White models


Just need to finish the garden, make the front gate and the farm area of the layout will be close to complete


Sunday, July 30, 2017

The Buckland store


There is a new business opened in the village of Buckland. Hunter & Green is the place all self respecting inhabitants of Buckland & surrounds come to for their grocery & hardware needs.



The store is a kit from Chooch enterprises that I bought second hand off the internet. I modified it to look more Australian by building a new store front with a tiled frontage & a verandah. The business is named after two friends, Laurie Green & John Hunter who together own Outback Models. I still have to add an interior and more external details before it is permanently installed on the layout.

Despite the lack of posts the layout is still progressing. I have been tweaking track to try & minimize the number of derailments. I have also been wiring and installing switch machines as well as putting some rolling stock kits together.  

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Narrow Gauge convention part two



Every narrow gauge convention I go to, I try and build something for the contest room. I have a couple of reasons for doing this.The first reason being that their is nothing like a deadline to get a project finished. I often find that when I am building a model and I hit an issue, progress can stall.If I have a deadline the model will get finished and I have built quite a few of the major structures on the layout to take to conventions.

The second reason why I like contests is that it encourages me to strive to build a higher quality model and improve both my skills and my standards of modelling. For me the competition is against myself. Can I build a nicer, neater, more detailed and more realistic model than last time. Competitions are also good to compare at what level my modelling is at, something that can be difficult when I am mostly a "lone wolf" modeller.

This year I wanted to build a farm house to finish my model farm and the long valley scene. I had many options on what the house could be, but I decided I wanted to build an Edwardian weatherboard house that was similar to the original house on the farm that we live on. I took inspiration from a number of other farmhouses. The colour scheme came from the house I grew up in.  The laundry and dairy on the back was inspired by my grandparents house. The  wisteria came from my own house




The building is fully scratchbuilt, with board on board construction. I used Mt Albert 12"x 1" S scale wood for the weatherboards which works out at 9"x 3/4" in O scale. Doors and windows came from Grandt Line and I fitted them with real glass. The corrugated iron is from Model O kits and it is all weathered with oil washes from AK interactive.





I added a detail interior in the kitchen, lounge room and the main bedroom. Furniture is mostly laser cut kits from Outback modelsSDK miniatures and Karen Cary miniatures who all provide terrific service. Lighting is from some warm white LED's.

When I entered my model in the structures competition I was not expecting a prize. The quality of the modelling was excellent so I was both honored and surprised to receive second place. I am yet to install the house on the layout as it is currently on display in our living room.

Part of what makes conventions great, are the clinics. This year I gave a clinic on static grass.
Myself in full flight! Photo by Dan Pickard

I hope those who attended enjoyed the clinic as I enjoyed being able to give a little bit back to our great hobby.

Monday, April 17, 2017

Australian Narrow Gauge convention

Apologies for not updating the blog lately. Life seems to keep getting in the way of modelling and not that much exciting has been happening on the layout worth making an update. I will post an update on the layout in a blog post soon but today's post is about the Australian narrow gauge convention held over the Easter weekend in Geelong.

I always enjoy the narrow gauge conventions as a great oppurtunity to catch up with the many friends I have made in the hobby. There is always plenty of temptations to spend your money on, and the competition room is always full of beautiful models that show the incredible quality of modelling here in Australia.

The committee ably led by Dan Pickard (his blog is somewhere on the work bench) put together a fantastic weekend. They are to be congratulated for putting together a wonderful weekend.

Another highlight of the weekend was the awarding of the Rick Richardson award in recognition of making an outstanding contribution to the cause of narrow gauge in Australia to a very deserving Laurie Green (lauriegreensweb.com)

On to some photos. I have a new camera that I am still learning to drive so the quality of some of the photos is not as good as I would like but I will still include them as I would like you to see the models.


Mark Fry's model of Tasmanian logging loco "Harlot" winner of steam locomotive competition

Bernard Snoodyk's On30 Brigadelok 3rd place steam locomotives

A feature was a display of the late Rick Richardsons O scale models. Rick was a pioneer narrow gauge modeller who was building On30 models in the 1950's

There was a range of layouts on display including Gn15, On42, On30, O16.5, HO and HOn30
I was quite taken with Allan Ogden's O16.5 layout Glyn Halt



John Hunters O scale diorama Shearing Time 


Another view of Shearing Time

The structure category of the contest room had some beautiful buildings on display

Roger Hill's model of Moe roundhouse in O scale

John hunters7mm model of Chelfham station on the Lynton & Barnstable

Rocky Point boat repairs in O scale by Laurie Green winner of the structure competition

Walhalla station by Grant McAdam in O scale, 3rd place



Stephen Postma's scratchbuilt On30 model of a Victorian railways NBH Second place in passenger rollingstock 


The diorama contest as usual, attracted some extremely good modelling

Arnold Engineering by Laurie Green 


John Hunters little slice of France


Richard Grinyer's large scale diorama that took out best in show and the Geoff Nott award




It was a great weekend that I really enjoyed and have come home inspired and motivated to work on the layout