Hi all After seeing all the awesome layouts at Rosehill yesterday, I've finally decided to take the plunge and get started on my layout. Hopefully this thread will motivate me to see it through! SETTING I'm not sure how it happened, but a while ago I stumbled across Bunnerong Power Station, a coal-powered plant originally located on the edge of Botany Bay in Sydney. The plant was commissioned in 1929, and served by its own private railway connected to the Botany Goods Yard. It was the most powerful plant in the state for much of its life, and was eventually decommissioned in 1975. With this in mind, my layout is a bit of a 'what if?'. What if there was a similar power station in Sydney which was still operational into the late 1980s? What if this power station was also served by a branch line, albeit one owned by the NSWGR? With this idea, Candy Point Power Station is born! BASEBOARDS Quite a while ago, I put together four baseboards for a layout, each 900x600mm. Each baseboard consists of a frame constructed from 45x30mm pine, with a 3mm plywood top. Being a bit short on space, the smaller baseboards make it easier to store when the layout isn't being used, and to allow for it be set up and taken down quickly by one person. I'm planning to line each board with insulation board from Bunnings to provide a bit more scenic relief, and to accommodate wire-in-tube point control. TRACKPLAN With that in mind and based off some plans in John Oake's book Sydney's Forgotten Goods Railways, I've done up a rough plan for the layout based loosely on the set-up at Bunnerong. I've tried to capture some of the main elements of the power station (including the vertical coal loaders, outlet channel and siding layout), and added a short platform to allow for the occasional employee service. I've also tried to adjust sections as necessary to simplify track joins across the various baseboards. Let me know what you think of the trackplan though, and if you have any ideas or suggestions as to how to improve it! ENGINES AND ROLLING STOCK As you might have guessed from the name, I'm a bit obsessed with NSW's candy livery. Currently, my fleet consists of two Trainorama 48 class locos (candy and bicentenary liveries), an IDR Models X200 class loco (candy) and Auscision representatives of the 45, 46 and 421 classes (all candy). Long term, my plan is to get hold of a few suitable steam locos (when funds permit) and a rail motor or two to flesh out the fleet. In terms of rolling stock, S trucks, BCH hoppers and LPG tankers. NEXT STEPS My main goal at the moment is to put together some legs for the baseboards, to make it a bit easier to work on in the future. Thoughts? Patrick
That's a really amazing photo at the top of the post and your plan looks great although I'm not quite sure what you need an engine shed for and I'd be tempted to move the employee platform there. Looking forward to seeing how you get on - your baseboard stack looks like a good idea as well. Dave
I really like the look of this project, lots of shunting, freight trains and old re-purposed coaches for the workmen, in UK parlance, Paddy trains. Love it! Cheer's, Pete.
I have to agree with Dave about the photographs. If Rosehill is that good I will have to make the effort and get there next year. It might even stimulate me into starting the final layout. Kind regards Geoff
Nice looking plan Patrick It great to have some reference pictures to help plan a layout. I see that the first board has the track installed, have you done the other boards as per the plan ? Kim
Dear Picrick. both Rozelle White Bay and Pyrmont were Inner Sydney power stations and both were rail served by the NSWGR, and both lasted beyond the end of NSW steam into the late 1970s. Being Inner City sites, and therefore compact and constricted ,their track layouts may give you some alternative ideas to consider. The ARHS NSW has published a CD of NSWGR Signal and Track Diagrams, if it is still available, this will also assist your search. The following book may be of assistance , "The Power Stations of the Sydney City Council" Mark Fetscher (2004 ) ISBN 978 0 9750063 2 0 which should be obtainable via your local public library. Best wishes and regards, Echidna.
Dave several of the NSW power stations had there own locos the loco in the photo show is one ex NSWGR Although given it’s going to be candy era not strictly needed but modellers licence comes in and a worn out Steamer would be just the thing for added interest Great layout idea Patrick Keep the progress going looking forward to seeing this come together
Very much liking the ideas here, should be a great layout, will be following with much interest. I particularly like the idea of taking the interesting elements and putting them together in a way that suits the eye and the available space and the usage factor of a model layout, rather than keeping to a strictly accurate geographical setting. That has already been done, in the real world! Much better to get the creative juices flowing. Now, a Candy steam loco, there's an idea. Cheers Tony
