Aussie Phil

Wow that's amazing. Every shot blows me away. Can't wait to see what will come next. You have such a high level of technique that it will be a most amazing layout when it is completed.

Looking great can't wait for more. Really enjoying watching and learning as your layout grows. Thanks

Well it has been a while but I now have a place in Melbourne and have a small amount of time to start doing some quick modelling. Stay tuned and there will be some photos ASAP. Cheers phil

Hey ya mate, Have just finished the 12000km road trip across and down and all around Australia. Will start work again in a couple of weeks. Keep an eye put will post photos as I go along. First up will be a couple of locos and some works wagons. This will be followed by the fleet of peat wagons. Layout should be started around Christmas. Thanks for all your support and will make sure to post everything I can. Phil

Great video. Love the layout. There really is something special about Irish railways and you've captured it with your layout.

Hi Rich, She is from Dooneen mate... Country girl. Walked along parts of the line their and its a little corker. Should have gone for a ride one weekend at Christmas but generally was to hungover or starting to get drunk Will definitely come down next time round for a spin. Phil

Thanks everyone. I should introduce myself a bit I guess. I am a 30 year old psych nurse who has been travelling Australia for the past two years working contracts in various hospitals and community settings. I have been modelling in some form since my dad brought me a train set when I was 6 and partly due to pressure to model what I saw with nothing in the 1990s commercially available (modern era Australian) I turned to scratch building wagons. I did this comercially in brass and plastic for a few years until the commercial market improved and I was no longer needed to fill the gap In 2008 I travelled to Switzerland and fell in love with the RhB and my first layout was born. Based on the bernina route it was a HOm layout with everything purchased commercially and although beautiful not as challenging as I was used too. This was were my love of narrow gauge started. In 2012 I cut up my RhB layout and put my rollingstock into storage while I travelled off with my new girlfriend, an Irish girl from Waterford. During a Christmas visit to Ireland last Xmas I was told by a mate to check out the BnM. Nothing else just that. Bit of research lead to one day in shannonbridge. I now had two loves, my girlfriend and Irish narrow gauge railways. I have a bit of experience in modelling but not much. My lucky ability is to visualise and model what I see. I don't think people should ever be afraid of trying anything. No one ever sees the stuff ups. Before modelling the loco shed I watch about 3 hours of videos on DAS clay. Then drew about 100 pictures of what I wanted to create. I don't have years of experience. My dad is a modeller and loves BNSF and MRL in the USA but has never really been into scratchbuilding. I encourage everyone to have a go at this. It's only as hard as you imagine it to be.

The greatest talents make it so you can't pick the gauge with ease and this is what you have achieved so far. Keep the photos coming. I as a kid modelled in N scale and loved it. Have slowly moved up in scale since from N to HOm to HO and now On30. N scale was definitely the hardest to gain realism in. Thanks again for sharing. Love the locos can't believe they were 3D printed.

This is an amazing build and one I look forward to seeing progress. There is some real skill on show in this thread.

Speechless mate. Beautiful model. One of the best pieces of scratchbuilding I've ever seen

Finally for tonight is a few shots of some mock ups made from manila folders I borrowed from work. Intent was to size up and tweak the plans if need be for the power plant, conveyor tower and storage shed area. The building is a scale 5 stories tall. Have to tweak the design as attempting to fit too much building into too little space (have squished it on the vertical). Some mods to placement of conveyors will also occur. Love the visual break the conveyors add and the thought of the little trains in amongst the mountainous buildings, weaving its way to the unloader. Anyway hope you all enjoy. Cheers Phil

Drawings of the railcar and two pack railset use on BnM. Have started the model of the railcar using a black beetle mechanism and scratchbuilt frame. Rest may have to wait till after the move though.

Thanks for all the support it really is encouraging. Next up drawings of the peat wagons as seen in the Blackwater area on a visit to shannonbridge.

Few drawings for scratchbuilding from photos and drawings. Shouldn't be long and the build will have commenced.

Nice layout mate. Inspiration and nice to see another Irish layout in oz

Model railwaying is about what you get out of it. Never worry about a result just ye enjoyment. I'm jealous of your layout and imagination. Top job mate. Keep the photos coming. It really hits it home you don't have to spend a fortune to get a top class layout.

How is the yard area for night shots?

Great shots mate. Will have to catch up when I am in Waterford seeing the inlaws next year

Breathtaking... amazing work mate. The baseboard work is mind blowing.

As a fellow scratchbuilder I really love your work. Your layout and models look amazing

Just read all 30 pages of the thread. Each model gets better than the last. Cant believe the quality. Something to aspire too. Thanks for sharing. Cant wait to see more.

Great project. Cant wait for it to progress

Bugger you mate just looked at the website and ready to spend few hundred on various things... Will have to wait till after the move I guess no point buying all my scenic material and backscenes before I have built the layout

Looking forward to it. Cheers mate

Opps. Someone somewhere said a few swear words at that particular moment