Britannia Creek Model Railway

Progress photo of the A4 sized scenic modules

2010-11-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a progress photo of the first four A4 sized scenic modules with a basic sky canvas and two OO scale carriages to set the scale. While still very much a work in progress, I hope you can see the way these modules will fit together to form a detailed landscape for the layout.

Scenery modules

2010-10-03T12:25:00.000-07:00

Here are acouple of progress photos of the first of many scenery modules for our new English OO layout. I'm using a basic A4 sized cardboard subframe made with corrigated cardboard and a hot glue gun, then covered in aluminium mesh and home made plaster of paris bandage.

This still needs some further detailing and addition of trees. Some of the modules will require variation on the basic A4 footprint to fir the requirements of the layout.

Digger's Place

2010-04-03T05:52:00.001-07:00

This is a scratch built O scale house build to suit the area of Britannia Creek. Made from basswood, rusted aluminum foil for the roofing and painted Tichy and Rusty Stumps windows and doors.

Freight Depot

2010-04-03T05:50:00.001-07:00

Here are some photos of the Britannia Creek version of the
excellent Rusty Stumps Freight Depot. Being an Australian
themed layout, we needed to ‘Australianise’ the build using
corrugated iron instead of shingles.

Trestle Bridge

2010-04-03T05:48:00.001-07:00

April 2007 - This is a scratch built trestle bridge after the style of those built in the Yarra Valley.July 2008: One of my photos can be seen in the DVD of Alan Rockett’s layout. Here is a photo with sky added in using Photoshop CS3.

Mine Complex

2010-04-03T05:47:00.001-07:00

Here are some photos of the gold mine built in 2006 from an American Model Builders Martinsburg Mine kit number 488 as the starting point with some enhancements such as interior details, alternate roofing and windows.

On30 Locomotives

2010-04-03T05:44:00.003-07:00

On30 Climax

The Bachmann Climax purchased in 2005 now has a Soundtraxx model 820062 DSD-B2TCLC, specific for the On3 Climax fitted. This Soundtraxx decoder came with specific fitting instructions for the Climax. The Climax is a good and steady runner and is highly recommended.

On30 Bachmann Shay

In May 2004 we obtained a Bachmann On30 Shay. Here it is following the application of Britannia Creek Logging Company name, some light weathering and with the sound decoder fitted.

Works Train (in HO scale)

2010-04-03T03:07:00.000-07:00

Update: The HO Scale works train carriages now have a new home in Colorado, USA. The Bachmann 3-truck Shay has a new home in Great Britain.

Here are photos of the Britannia Creek Work Train in HO scale taken in 2004. The Britannia Creek work train consisted of a Bachmann 3-truck Shay and the HO scale Backwoods work train kit from Sierra West Scale Models. These cars were built over the 2003-2004 holiday period. It is fair to say these models are best as static displays as their weight and centre of gravity is not ideal for running.

This photo of the entire set is taken with a real life background.

Here are various elements of the Britannia Creek Work Train.
The water tank

The sand car

The oil car

The pipe and scrap wagon

Here is one of the slab cars

A second short slab car

The long and short wood cars

The tool repair car

The blacksmith car

The gravel car

The box car

The ‘caboose’

Hand Laid Track for On30

2010-04-03T02:53:00.000-07:00

To hopefully add a suitable backwoods look and feel to the layout, all the track for Britannia Creek is hand laid, using hand cut sleepers and short Microengineering rail spikes. The rail is taken from various Code 100 Peco track already on hand.

I had noticed that the slats in our wooden venetian blinds were made from a suitable wood (Bassword) so I stressed some excess slats then used a cutter to cut them to size. An ink wash is used to colour the sleepers and when dry they are glued in place.

A spike applicator makes placement easier. I use the Spike Insertion Pliers from Micro Mark.

Testing for correct rail separation is carried out frequently as our Bachmann Shay is very, very fussy on this issue. Initially I find it better to only spike on every fourth sleeper in case adjustment is required. Looking at old photos of the Britannia Creek area I have decided to place four pins on every second sleeper, which seems to be what was done for real. This is done once smooth running of the various locomotives is confirmed for the section of track.

The rails are painted various rust colours prior to laying and touched up afterwards. The spike heads are also given the rust treatment. Sifted soil is used between the sleepers, which is glued in using a PVA/water mix applied with a syringe or small light spray applicator.

Why Britannia Creek

2010-04-03T02:02:00.000-07:00

Our model railway is freelanced to allow us some poetic license and avoid the inevitable issues that arise with a prototype layout when we just want to have a bit of fun! It is inspired by the pioneering spirit of our forebears, like my father Tom Pate, now a fit 89 year old, who worked as a young man in the timber industry along with his brothers Arthur and Bob, cousin Wally and to be father-in-law Percy Adams. Logging naturally became one of the major themes for our model railway. The ‘backwoods’ logging theme lends itself well to small to medium sized layouts and gives plenty of scope for running some interesting ‘geared’ locomotives through the scenery and for scratch building using scale timber. An unexpected and very pleasant aspect of the hobby is the research and discovery of facts about my father’s early years and the area where we lived until the mid 60’s.
We chose the name Britannia Creek as that was the name of the road where Tom’s mill was located. Interestingly, whilst doing some research on the subject I found that over 60 mills of various sizes have existed at one time or another in the area and a significant wood distillery plant called Britannia Creek had operated nearby in the 1920s. We are not trying to model this plant as such but it lends itself to some interesting features that may be included.

Percy Adams and the Powelltown Baldwin

2010-04-03T02:00:00.000-07:00

My brother Graham sent me this photo of our grandfather Percy Adams (Pop to us is second from the left) and the Powelltown 2-4-0 Baldwin circa 1915.

New Britannia Creek website

2010-04-02T15:14:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the new Britannia Creek website.