Cowra - Construction, April 2026
Work continued on the two storage yard modules. The 240V AC mains wiring was completed and tested. Two power points were installed, one for the overhead lighting and Digital Command Control (DCC) command station at the front of the layout, and another for accessories such as a vacuum cleaner or phone chargers. The modules were then sat on our current layout's A-frame legs and connected together. The tops of the baseboards across the join was given a going over with a belt sander to make a smooth transition from one module to the other. Next up will be to finish as much painting as possible on these modules.
The mains wiring completed. A Residual Current Circuit Breaker with Overcurrent protection (RCBO) has been fitted for maximum safety. A cover will be added to enclose the wiring terminations.
Work on the two front modules focussed on installing sheets of foam board for basic scenery forming, and working on some of the buildings for the layout.
Extruded Polystyrene Foam (XPS) board from Bunnings was used to roughly form the scenery base. It was built up in layers using combinations of the 30mm and 50mm thick sheets. The foam is strong and lightweight and is easily cut using a craft knife. This will be roughly carved to form the appropriate scenery contours, using a craft knife and a hot wire cutter. In some areas where buildings are to be placed, 5mm thick foamcore board has been used. This is readily available from Officeworks, and again this is a strong and lightweight board easily cut with a sharp craft knife.
Green XPS foam board sheets glued to the timber frame. Grey foamcore board can also be seen where the goods shed will be located.
Work continued on the water tank and brick base which was mentioned in last month's construction update. The styrene base that consists of four simple pieces of styrene forming the four walls, was clad in embossed brick styrene sheet. This was built up in layers based on the drawings and photos of the prototype tank base. A styrene access door was added in the front wall.
Brick base for the water tank complete and ready for painting.
A fettlers shed was scratchbuilt from corrugated styrene, based on New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) plans and the article in Branchline Modeller issue #1. A base of sheet styrene forms the concrete floor and front apron. Code 55 rail was cut to suitable lengths and installed in the concrete floor, which was suitably cut to size to allow for the rail. Individual items were pre-painted as sub-assemblies prior to final assembly.
The fettlers shed sub-assemblies laid out in preparation for a test fit.
The fettlers shed as pre-painted sub-assemblies shown here as test fit prior to gluing all the components together. The whole thing will receive further weathering once assembled.
The front edge of the station platform was formed using a piece of 12mm square dressed pine. This provides a flat and straight front edge for the brick platform face and for the platform top edge coping, both of which are made from embossed brick styrene sheet.
The set out of the dock platform at one end of the station was defined by the track that serves the dock platform. XPS foam board was trimmed and fixed in place to form the two sides and end of the dock. Flat styrene sheet was used to form up the three walls and fixed to the foam. The end wall is concrete so this piece of styrene was suitably painted. The two side walls are brick, and as was used for the station platform, embossed brick styrene sheet was used for the wall surfaces with a strip at the top for the brick coping. All brickwork was suitably painted for the bricks themselves and to define the mortar lines.
The dock road platform with brick side walls and concrete end wall. The 12mm square piece of pine forming the edge of the station platform can be seen, along with XPS foam board pieces and white foamcore board at the top right.