Track

While most of my experience with O gauge has been using my own handmade track from recycled code 100 rail I decided that this time a more robust section was required. I deliberated on which flextrack to purchase for quite sometime. In the end the availability locally of the Peco code 124BH and the known fact that Peco track holds up fairly well in the Australian sun convinced me that was the best option.
I also purchased some rail section from Slaters. This is advertised as code 125BH. While it was principally purchased for other structural uses apart from trackwork I was curious how it was meant to be joined.
Members of the GOG who replied to my question had filed down the base to fit Peco joiners as used for the Peco track.
By chance I remembered some Atlas joiner for code 100 were stored away with a few lengths of track.
The Atlas joiners were a near perfect fit.

Here is shown a join, while 3 Atlas joiners are at the rear of a Peco SL10

3 carriage progress

Still no progress outdoors at this stage but some more work on the 3 carriages.
Sides have been given a first coat of paint so window fitting is not too far away.

Just spent a weekend running trains on a friend's indoor layout. Often four trains moving at once. The potential for an impressive cornfield meet with two O gauge 7mm scale trains was high but we managed to avoid any disasters. Running foreign stock on a layout is also a good way to shake out any gremlins in both the layout and the stock.
My friend has a very nice finished HO layout but it sees little use when I am there.
The running sessions have reinforced my preference for radio throttles and sound equipped locos.... I put some miles up on his sound equipped 44 class and 30T; often walking around with them. If I write early to Santa  and promise to be a good boy maybe he will bring me a radio conversion for my DCC system.

A lot less legs

With the last of the steel posts having been cemented in, today the temporary wood supports were removed.
Next on the agenda will be cutting the last of the Villaboard and then some fine tuning before screwing it down.
Getting closer to track laying all the time :>)

top and bottom

Dale and I cemented some more baseboard posts in between the constant showers this week . Shaping up to be like last year ... a warm November and cold and wet for most of the summer.

Tonight I started on some Col Shepherd kits recently purchased.
Col's roofs have a series of saw cuts in them to enable the purchaser to remove much of the wood in the centre. This helps any tendency for the carriage to be top heavy when completed.

 Here is a shot of them under way.

They will be used for another FS, a BS and an MHO.... well, that is the plan!

We have been busy

Well, when I say WE have been busy, I mean Dale has been busy and I have dutifully carried the tools and held things under instruction as befits my status.

All holes bar one have been dug, some of the permanent steel posts have been cemented in, the crosspieces and edging has been completed around the oval and about half of the Villaboard baseboard has been cut to size.
Looking forward to having it completed so track laying and scenic work can begin.

FO progress

Still some way to go but the windows have been installed. Waiting on my supply of CA to arrive to continue with adding the centre dividers.
Here is one of the four. Still couplers, buffers, handrails and some seats and passengers before it will be finished to the initial stage. Fine details can wait.

regards
 Bob

Layout progress

The steel base for the double track oval is starting to take shape thanks to the efforts of a friend. It is now on temporary wood supports. Observers will note that there will be a viewing height to suit everyone. :>)
Still a lot of work to go but the end is nearer. It will be good to have a layout once again where we can watch the trains run unhindered..... having only a few feet between the buffer stops at each end of your trackwork can get very frustrating.

Unless one had a covered area similar to a double garage then the great outdoors was the natural realm of O gauge.... often with an indoor section for storage and/or a small branch station. Who am I to argue with a proven concept?