Planks, Switching and Shelf Layouts A very popular layout type for those space-starved members. Tue, 10 Mar 2026 01:28:50 +0000 Tue, 10 Mar 2026 01:28:50 +0000 Platform1mrc.com http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?forums/planks/ Cowend NSW HO Scale Plank Layout Sat, 21 Feb 2026 09:55:22 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/cowend-nsw-ho-scale-plank-layout.7075/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/cowend-nsw-ho-scale-plank-layout.7075/ invalid@example.com (Dr Tony) Dr Tony I've had an idea for another shunting layout kicking around for a while, with the theme of the end of a...

Cowend NSW HO Scale Plank Layout]]> 22 Wottamodara NSWGR HO scale layout Tue, 10 Feb 2026 21:56:14 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/wottamodara-nswgr-ho-scale-layout.6827/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/wottamodara-nswgr-ho-scale-layout.6827/ invalid@example.com (Robbie) Robbie




Wottamodara NSWGR HO scale layout]]> 21 Sunshine, Palm Trees and a Food Industry... Tue, 23 Dec 2025 23:57:49 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/sunshine-palm-trees-and-a-food-industry.5350/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/sunshine-palm-trees-and-a-food-industry.5350/ invalid@example.com (Gary) Gary
So, what's this got to do with a new layout thread...?

Answer : Inspiration !

As I have a few lengths of track, some old points and baseboard material, I'd thought I 'd have a go at building a simple switching layout, based on operations in and...

Sunshine, Palm Trees and a Food Industry...]]> 747 Gundah Junction Fri, 30 May 2025 13:13:27 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/gundah-junction.2517/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/gundah-junction.2517/ invalid@example.com (Dr Tony) Dr Tony Finally got a start on my new layout in earnest this week with one and a half spare hours on new years eve. Gary has challenged me to get this ready for June, he is more optimistic than I am though! This will be a modular layout, as the title suggests, each board being 1m long and 0.5m wide. If I design it carefully it will fit, with one board on top of the other, in a frame that could fit into a sedan boot, otherwise one board will have to go on the back seat. Each board is...

Gundah Junction]]> 141 Photo plank for 7mm Mon, 27 Jan 2025 19:22:44 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/photo-plank-for-7mm.5599/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/photo-plank-for-7mm.5599/ invalid@example.com (Mark4mm) Mark4mm The baseboard is a scalemodelscenery photo plank measuring 400mm x 150mm. The track is Peco O gauge setrack.
I'm thinking of a loading platform area as well as some nice scenic sections. Track has been laid and fixed where I need it and weathering is taking shape nicely.
View attachment 28709]]> 8 Yarrawa Terminus Layout. Tue, 07 May 2024 06:54:30 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/yarrawa-terminus-layout.5967/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/yarrawa-terminus-layout.5967/ invalid@example.com (red clubbie) red clubbie
I'm new to the Forum and I'm building my first HO scale Layout.
It is a Terminus Station and Yard, based on Australian NSW
practice. It is a fictitious Station set on a branchline off the Muswellbrook
to Merriwa line in the Hunter Valley region of NSW. Timeframe is late 1950's to late 1960's.
View attachment 33330

This is a rough Track Plan that I am working off.
It is two modules of 1.6m each.

I will be working on it, as and when I have time.

Any questions welcomed.......

Yarrawa Terminus Layout.]]> 125 Los Angeles Alameda Spur Mon, 06 May 2024 06:03:08 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/los-angeles-alameda-spur.6089/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/los-angeles-alameda-spur.6089/ invalid@example.com (DustyHilux) DustyHilux
G'day P1MRC!

This is the start of my build thread for my 'Los Alameda Spur' shelf layout,

I have wanted to build a simple shelf switching layout for a few years now, having a young family and a career change has kept me very busy, but i've got more and more free time now to get busy on the bench.

heavily inspired by Lance Mindheims layouts and design, which i came across a while back as i got deeper into researching weathered rolling stock and initially had planned on building a...

Los Angeles Alameda Spur]]> 54 7 Foot x 2 Foot Plan Needed Wed, 17 Apr 2024 07:11:57 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/7-foot-x-2-foot-plan-needed.6641/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/7-foot-x-2-foot-plan-needed.6641/ invalid@example.com (Tim47) Tim47 I Have a board which is 7x2 feet , i also have the following track pieces available to work with
All are new , PECO , The Track Pieces are , R600 X 2 R601 X 3 R603 X 4 R606 X 1 R628 X 3 R8072 X 4 R8073 X 2 And R8076 X 1 I Also have 12 lenghts of Flexi Track
i am just not able to cope with any of the pc rail design programmes [ at my age } i get so far in them and make a complete mess of things

So i wonder if...

7 Foot x 2 Foot Plan Needed]]> 28 Narrow gauge 16.5mm Wed, 31 Jan 2024 17:08:53 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/narrow-gauge-16-5mm.2206/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/narrow-gauge-16-5mm.2206/ invalid@example.com (Ron) Ron Hi , I'm in uncharted territory here, I have modelled N gauge many years ago and have both an OO (Sheringbourne) and an HO gauge (Rush City yard) now.
I spotted this gauge at the Telford show this year and found it very appealing. I bought a loco kit, my
first which turned out really well. (see below)

I also bought a...

Narrow gauge 16.5mm]]> 24 Port Switching on the Oklahoma Seacoast Tue, 28 Feb 2023 08:14:25 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/port-switching-on-the-oklahoma-seacoast.6267/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/port-switching-on-the-oklahoma-seacoast.6267/ invalid@example.com (Dale Baker) Dale Baker
As I was asked (vert nicely!) to create a page on Platform 1 MRC, I am going to attempt to entertain you all with the story of our HO Port of Catoosa Railroad layout. This first post will get you acquainted with our layout.

A bit of background; the real Tulsa Port of Catoosa is situated just northeast of Tulsa Oklahoma. It is our link to the world by water via the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS), the Arkansas River, Mississippi...

Port Switching on the Oklahoma Seacoast]]> 3 Tomlins Creek ..... A NSWGR Inglenook Sat, 29 Oct 2022 08:06:25 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/tomlins-creek-a-nswgr-inglenook.2432/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/tomlins-creek-a-nswgr-inglenook.2432/ invalid@example.com (Gary) Gary
The baseboard will be 5' in length and 1' wide. So far, all I have done is had a fiddle with track design and siding placement. The sidings will not be the traditional 5-3-3 wagon lengths, but 3-2-2 and another single siding along the throat which will be positioned...

Tomlins Creek ..... A NSWGR Inglenook]]> 211 Era 4 BR 1948 - 1956 Plank.. Mon, 11 Apr 2022 21:24:41 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/era-4-br-1948-1956-plank.5898/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/era-4-br-1948-1956-plank.5898/ invalid@example.com (Ruston 48ds) Ruston 48ds I'm certain to have loads of fun building this plank as it's my new venture into O gauge modelling.
Baseboard was built up last night and a base colour added this morning along with a length of Peco O gauge bullhead track.
View attachment 32148]]> 28 What Next ? Thu, 24 Feb 2022 10:01:25 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/what-next.3701/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/what-next.3701/ invalid@example.com (paul_l) paul_l
After completing Another Bridge, and almost completing the traversers :whatever:, Toto working away from home and my impending early retirement / redundancy, we decided to have a year off from taking our own layouts on tour (Scottystich volunteered / offered his layout for next years jaunt to Elgin). Now the question has to be a year off to do what ?. From previous times I've learnt not to...

What Next ?]]> 22 Green lane siding.. Mon, 31 Jan 2022 17:57:43 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/green-lane-siding.5846/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/green-lane-siding.5846/ invalid@example.com (Kevin Johnson) Kevin Johnson
Here I have added a picture of the plank which I will be adding track, ballast, foliage and other scenery and lineside items.
View attachment 31610]]> 13 River Dee Meats ... My first foray into O Gauge Sun, 16 Jan 2022 00:02:05 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/river-dee-meats-my-first-foray-into-o-gauge.3143/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/river-dee-meats-my-first-foray-into-o-gauge.3143/ invalid@example.com (Gary) Gary
Basically I'll be using the three baseboards from my former Kelly Bray layout. Each board measures 60" x 20", resulting in a long narrow layout 180" long, 20" wide. The beauty of these three boards is that they will fit my wagon nicely, stacked upon each other.

Some may say that 20" isn't wide enough for an O gauge layout, but with...

River Dee Meats ... My first foray into O Gauge]]> 314 Alfie,s Yard Sat, 15 Jan 2022 22:20:12 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/alfie-s-yard.5807/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/alfie-s-yard.5807/ invalid@example.com (Alfie) Alfie The board is a shelf which will measure 600mm x 200mm and will fit nicely into a wrapping paper box.
Jakesdad 7mm photo plank has inspired me and has shown me that this can be achieved.
I have ordered a yard length of Peco O gauge SL700 Bullhead track which is ideal for this build. In the coming weeks I will be sourcing...

Alfie,s Yard]]> 9 Acton Lane Sat, 15 Jan 2022 04:55:36 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/acton-lane.5763/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/acton-lane.5763/ invalid@example.com (Little Barford) Little Barford The plank will feature a section of track where locomotives and wagons would have worked around Acton Lane power station.
As well as the track section I hope to model and capture the a section of security fencing and a concrete coal bunker which runs along side one of the track sidings.
My loco of choice will of course be an Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 OST 14" 2069 " Little Barford " which worked...

Acton Lane]]> 7 Initial Privatisation photo plank in OO gauge.. Thu, 23 Sep 2021 13:25:51 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/initial-privatisation-photo-plank-in-oo-gauge.5696/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/initial-privatisation-photo-plank-in-oo-gauge.5696/ invalid@example.com (Kevin Johnson) Kevin Johnson I only have a small collection of locos and wagons from that Era but hope to add more as time goes by. I don't own a layout but I am a member of Shildon Railway Club.
So I thought I would build a small photo plank to show some of my stock off. The photo plank is 400x100 mms.
I hope you like my first progress picture..
View attachment 30190]]> 7 Bodgeford: OO gauge 90x28cm Mon, 06 Sep 2021 15:28:26 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/bodgeford-oo-gauge-90x28cm.5284/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/bodgeford-oo-gauge-90x28cm.5284/ invalid@example.com (Graham K) Graham K 38cm (not 28cm as per the title, sorry) still counts as a plank, here goes :)

Baseboard - the side of an old shelf unit
Track - various bits of Hornby and Peco acquired over the years
Stock - a rather random selection, mostly Hornby and Airfix/GMR, mainly from eBay
Plan - small end of the line station with run-around and 1 siding
Fiddleyard - will be just a stick
Scenics - I like to think I have the imagination and ability to...

Bodgeford: OO gauge 90x28cm]]> 61 Rush City Yard Minnesota Fri, 03 Sep 2021 07:51:03 +0000 http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/rush-city-yard-minnesota.1844/ http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/rush-city-yard-minnesota.1844/ invalid@example.com (Ron) Ron Well here begins the Rock Creek plank thread. We passed through Rock Creek on a journey from Thunder Bay Ontario to Minneapolis a few years ago.
I am going to use the old Hinchcliffe set up but with DCC point control and use my Digitrax controller....

Rush City Yard Minnesota]]> 236