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So now we come to the model itself. When all is said and done, the model is very simple and follows tried and true methods, so I will not dwell too much on such facts here. As with all layouts, errors have been made, which will all be used as invaluable learning experiences when it comes to the next layout. As with the Brindabella Railway itself, I established a few early parameters: the layout would have to be transportable so it could not really exceed much more than 2.4m by 0.6m in two sections, rolling stock would use Microtrain couplers and have at least some extra detailing added, locos would have to run well and have a high level of detail as well as having body mounted couplers and extra details, track radius would be kept to no less than 45cm and the railway itself would have to form part of an overall townscape. This limited me to a very small out and back set-up, but this did not displease me as the small amount of rolling stock meant I could more realistically expect to achieve some of my other objectives. In any event, this layout was really just an excuse to get building again and to learn a few things for that ultimate layout we all dream about.
Even with such a simple track plan, I wanted to achieve a sense of place, so a good scenic finish was essential. Almost all buildings have been scratch-built, based on photos of buildings in Brisbane which I like the look of, although the station building is based on a plan for a TGR building which appeared in AMRM some years ago. I was careful to avoid streets running parallel with the edge of the baseboard and arranged the main street-scape to provide a visual lead into the station.
The backdrop is a digital combination of a number of my photos of the Granite Belt and Darling Downs area, along with some commercial clip art. This process allowed me to ensure the backdrop is a true extension of the layout, for example the roads lead into the scene rather than just end, and to include a few features I wanted, such as the thunderstorm brewing in the distance. Using the PC to do this was unexpected when I started Granite Rock (indeed, I did not own one!) but this approach did overcome my total inability at artistic painting, as well as opening up yet more avenues. I now provide similar backdrops as my Ridgy Digi-tal Backdrops range.
I chose to set the model in Queensland’s Granite Belt, so the name chosen for the station, Granite Rock, is appropriate, although since starting the model the actual site has tended to drift west of Stanthorpe whereas the scenery and the backdrop would suggest the town is more likely to be south-east.
In the world of the Brindabella Railway, Granite Rock lies at the end of a branch whose main function is to serve the only surviving mine in the area, which is about 5km further down the branch. In normal circumstances, such a branch may not survive, but the mine keeps the bulk of it open so the additional cost of keeping the last 5km into Granite Rock has been justified. It also meant that relaying the track to accept heavier locos made some sense, so it is not unusual to see some of the Brindabella Railway’s bigger locos in the yard.
Granite Rock is also the site of a large stockyard and abattoirs which provides refrigerated meat for export, as well as demanding feed stock although the livestock sidings themselves are not modelled. Granite Rock is a collection point for the local fruit industry supplying both the Brisbane market and markets in the southern states, taking advantage of its direct rail connections and the fact that fruit in this area ripens earlier than further south. A small amount of fuel product is also received in the town.
Granite Rock is one of those towns which has benefited from the Brindabella Railway’s early recognition of the importance of domestic containerisation so much of the freight of the area has been retained and is now shipped through the small container yard. To provide a little more traffic, and to justify using a rake of Atlas ore shorties I’ve had for years, a small aggregates loading pit has been re-opened just off the layout. As this pit has only a trailing connection to the branch, empties and loads must all head to Granite Rock to allow the loco to run around its train. Granite Rock is also becoming a popular destination for dinner trains and wine tours, so although regular passenger services stopped using the branch years ago, the occasional special train does make an appearance; coincidentally, this is most likely to happen on the days I choose to run the model!
Rolling stock on the model is a mix of Australian kits and a few residual models of other prototypes. A lot of this was purchased a decade ago as a “job-lot” before I had any focussed plans. Having quite a store of wagons already available, albeit with Arnold couplers, influenced my decision to convert most of the stock to body mounted Microtrain couplers assembled from kits. While this has involved more work, it has certainly saved me a small fortune compared to junking the old bogies completely and replacing with Microtrain bogies.
Most non-Australian stock will not be used on the layout unless there is some justifiable excuse; for example the rake of Atlas wagons used in aggregates hauling were supposedly bought second hand from one of the Pilbara railways to cater for what is expected to be only a medium term contract. All rolling stock is being detailed with steps, handrails and brake-wheels as well as being weathered. Having a small layout and fleet of wagons makes it feasible to put the extra details on without committing to more time than I have; on the other hand it also means there is not much opportunity for buying examples of the excellent range of N scale Australian kits which have been coming on the market over the last two or three years!
The period modelled is just before the expiry of the clause in the legislation which kept the corporate headquarters in Sydney, which sets it about 1990. I opted to have two liveries on the Brindabella Railway, an early maroon with gold based very closely on a NSW livery, and a more recent red livery which also closely follows a later NSW scheme. To carry through the idea of my own liveries, I had some decals made up for me, at surprisingly cheap rates, including wagon decals which are based on the Victorian style, but replacing the first code with B. Only locos likely to be required by Brindabella Railway for at least the next five years are being repainted into the red livery, which has led to the expression that “if it ain’t red, it’s dead” for the loco fleet! Now I must admit the loco fleet at the moment is a very odd collection, but as with the rolling stock generally reflects purchases made years ago. Even so, it is not too far from the mark in the sense that it is mostly Alco and GE so it reflects my current interests.
Now the issue of livery has become something of a parochial touchstone for staff of Brindabella Rail, being seen as a last desperate attempt to assert a NSW feel on what is, when all is said and done, a Queensland operation. Once the legislative clause expires allowing the headquarters to relocate to Queensland, many observers expect something interesting to happen with the livery, but only time will tell!
While I am very happy with the idea of a point to point layout, I discovered that it seems to be a concept which non-modellers have some difficulty with. In retrospect, a small through station on a continuous running layout may have been a better option. While this would have needed me to compromise on my earlier requirement for 45cm curves or larger, in retrospect this would have been warranted. As it turns out, I have seen layouts where quite tight curves have been disguised to reduce their impact. A possibility for the future is to convert Granite Rock into a through station, although this is a bit daunting.
I also discovered the hard way that Peco Electro-frog points definitely need to be wired such that current is provided through switches, rather than relying on the blades, especially if you paint your track after installing it. I will probably have to try to do this retrospectively over the next few months to improve reliability.
I spent quite a lot of time equipping rolling stock with body-mounted Microtrains couplers assembled from kits. While this decision has certainly saved me a lot of money, given I already had a stock of bogies with the Arnold couplers, body mounting itself does not seem to be worth the effort. Now of course there are some non-operating couplers which are compatible with Microtrain couplers on the market which are perfect for trimming costs, provided of course losing the operational flexibility their use involves is acceptable.
