Wirrandra

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The first extension of the Dutton Bay is underway - the first for some time anyway. I am building a new station to be named Wirrandra and have broken away from my nicely phased trackplan. The new arrangement will permit The Dutton Bay to have three visible stations, Kelvin, Wirrandra and Anunaka, while coexisting with my proposed On30 Blinman layout.

The revised arrangement (shown right) has Wirrandra along the wall currently occupied by Anunaka, the line then curves around to where the Saltpan module will be located, and then a new curve will bring the line into Anunaka.

In conjunction with these changes, you can see that Anunaka will be operated from the normal, exhibition viewing side. This will mean the wharf will again become visible, but modifications will be needed to what is now the dead-end as that is where the main line will connect to. Operating Anunaka "reversed" will be interesting, as long established methods of shunting and making up trains will need to be revised.

The new curved module leading into Anunaka will have a bridge, something not normally associated with railways on the Eyre Peninsula

	I am using Micro-Engineering code 55 flex, with Railway Engineering turnouts, but decided that the #6 turnouts resulted in the goods siding being too short for my liking. A redesign with #4 turnouts for the goods loop showed a pleasing arrangement, but rather than handlay #4 turnouts I opted for the Peco OO9 points. They fitted the plan quite well.
	The Peco turnouts are code 83, and therefore a technique needed to be developed to connect to the code 55 rail. This wasn't difficult, but a little time-consuming.
	The difference in rail height also meant that I needed my cork underlay to be different heights to match. I couldn't find any 1mm cork, and in the end used thin balsa sheets underneath the Peco turnouts.
	I then decided that the goods siding should be lower than the main line crossing loop. That meant balsa was also used for the goods siding and its extension, with the associated Peco point being laid directly on the MDF. It also meant a graduated underlay to slope down to the goods siding height.
	I also determined that I would like the sleepers to be less frequent in the goods siding, and so spent some time cutting every fourth or fifth sleeper out and redistributing the remainder.
	With two different heights of rail around the turnouts, I was unable to use insulated joiners. My normal approach is to cut gaps after track laying, but this time I cut one rail close to the end, glued an insulating joiner in place, and reassembled everything.
	For the first time, I thought I might try soldering the droppers to the underneath of the rail before laying the track. This has worked well, in that the track feeds are virtually invisible even now, before ballasting, but took some time to get everything in exactly the right place. I also had problems with the short "insulated" sections where the heat from soldering the feeds caused either the glue on the insulated joiner to fail, the molded spikes to give way, or both. Some remedial action was needed in a number of these cases.

Progress Photos

Painting the trackwork - 6 April 2002

The current situation is that the track is laid, everything is wired and the point motors all installed. A train has been test run as far as is possible, and today, on a beautiful Autumn's day in Melbourne, I sprayed the track to remove the "plastic" appearance. It makes a huge difference in appearance, as these two photos demonstrate. The work currently being undertaken is only the actual "station" itself. Once Wirrandra is installed on the framing, the connecting module between Wirrandra and Kelvin, along with the new curve between Saltpan and Anunaka can be begun. need to wait until Wirrandra is in position to accurately gauge their dimensions. These photos taken 6 April 2002

Before and After "The Move" - 9 April 2002

	Left we see Anunaka and the temporary "Wanilla Forest" board in the position they have occupied for the last year or more. Anunaka has had everything removable taken off, and so does look a little bare without the water tower, goods shed, and rolling stock, and without the curtain across the front, is showing the "mess" underneath.
	Looking back towards Kelvin and the gypsum loading bins

	Taken from a similar position to the first photo above, this shows Wirrandra in its new location, with the "gap" to the left needing a new connecting module, and the old Saltpan module across the far end. Saltpan is to be erected with the "inside" on the aisle side, just as it is at an exhibition, which means a new fascia is needed to remove the bare timber, white foam and plaster appearance
	Here we are looking the other direction, and the gap needing to be filled (roughly similar to the famous Wanilla Forest board) is quite clearly seen
	This view is looking across Anunaka in its new position, showing the bare skeleton of Wirrandra in the distance, and Saltpan. Another connecting module is needed to take the curve between Saltpan and Anunaka. As work progresses this view will disappear as a new backdrop is installed behind Anunaka.

Progress on Wirrandra and Wanilla Forest - 21 May 2002

Left is a view showing Wirrandra after the gaps between the joists were "infilled" with 50mm (2") styrofoam. The purpose of this was threefold. Firstly, it provides a more secure base for the somewhat flimsy 12mm (1/2") styrofoam used a the top sheet. Secondly, it allows me to "shape" the landscape with dips and hollows without fear of breaking through the thin sheet. Thirdly, I am hopeful that it will reduce the "drumming" sound as trains run across the board. Below left is the current scene at Wanilla Forest. The blocks of styrofoam have been shaped, some others added, and the landform is beginning to take shape. A road is forming to the right of the flood opening. Sadly, the lighting is all from the front, so the stream bed is hard to discern.

Town-Planning at Wirrandra - 16 April 2003

	A very common arrangement of towns in the Eyre Peninsula would have the "main street" running parallel to the tracks, and this arrangement replicates that. The biggest problem here is the lack of space - there is almost no space behind the station building for the road.
	This arrangement has the road turning at right angles, with shops and houses on either side as the street heads away from the track. In this plan the access track to the station, seen in the background, would run between the garage and the pair of shops.

Here are "aerial" pictures of the two different arrangements. I have some thinking to do...

Scenery Progress at Wirrandra - 20 May 2003

Work has proceeded in a minor way on the scenic treatment at Wirrandra. A decision has been taken to have the road turn at right-angles, and head straight into the backdrop. Rather than a collection of buildings either side of the road, on one side there will be a church on a hill, and on the other a general store and possibly a garage. Various bits of foam have been cut to shape, and some shaping has been done, but quite a deal of work remains. Here you can see the church and a couple of buildings - all mockups of course. You can just make out the lines drawn to show the road bending to the left.

Foam Shaping at Wirrandra - 3 June 2003

A couple of scenes showing basic foam shaping completed. Two new mock-up shops have been added, one on the corner and a single shop up the street.

Wirrandra Goods Shed and Platform - 3 June 2003

The small goods shed and platform at Wirrandra is taking shape. Well, the stumps, beams, joists and floor has been assembled. Based on South Australian plans, the shed is not actually physically attached to the platform. The platform itself will be filled with "gravel" to represent the style of the SAR.

Wirrandra Structures - 20 July 2003

The scratchbuilt passenger shelter has been painted in DBT colours, given a nameboard, and is ready for installation. It is shown here on another module just to provide a "nice" background for the photo. Work is currently in progress on the permanent location of this small building. On the right we see progress on the small goods shed. It's basically waiting for all the walls to be clad, and a roof, and it will be done.

Wirrandra "Big Curve" - 20 July 2003

The basic groundcover has been applied to the "big curve" end of Wirrandra. Some pebbles were buried in the scenery to provide a representation of a granite outcrop. On the left you can see the blue colour of the chux, used to "paper over the cracks" in the foam before scenic work commenced.

Wirrandra "Station" - 25 August 2003

	The basic ground cover has now been extended between the track and the backdrop along the station area, surrounding the small shelter shed which proudly displays the Wirrandra nameboard.

Wirrandra Miscellania - 7 September 2003

Wirrandra Fascia - 2 November 2003

The fascia panel has been added to Wirrandra, completing the fascia around the full length of the layout. In the photo a left you can see the push-button and LEDs used to operate and indicate the settings of the turnouts. Also at left you can see the second mockup of the church, based on the Anglican church at Wangary, adjoining Mount Dutton Bay. Work has been done on the surface of the hill to ensure it matches the base of the church.

Wirrandra Scenery - 12 November 2003

More of my "quick and dirty" ground cover has been added to Wirrandra, with scenery now extending for half the length of the board. The track has been ballasted too - note that the dead-end siding has been treated as though it has sunk into the dirt.

Two Mock-up Churches - 17 November 2003

Concerned about the size of the mock-up church, I constructed a second one with all dimensions reduced by 10%. I am happier with the smaller version.

Ground Cover nearly done - 29 December 2003

Over a period of three or four work sessions the ground cover as gradually extended, a major flourish corresponding with an operating session on December 29 saw all but perhaps a square foot of "blue" eliminated
The small amount of "blue" visible around the shop will be covered in the next day or two, leaving only a small amount of work remaining before the layout can be considered finished: ballasting the up-end of Wirrandra, and the yard itself, the church and shop at Wirrandra, trees everywhere, detailing, lighting valance, etc. A small amount? Not likely...

Blue Foam Eradicated - 25 January 2004

Finally, with much popping of champagne corks, the last of the blue foam disappeared under ground cover. The "mock-up" church was also given a "skin" scanned from photos of the real thing, so it looks less like a mock-up and more like a temporary structure. Ballasting the station area is the one final step before the layout looks finished - although in reality there should be years of work still ahead of me with details, structures, trees, etc...
One other thing is to decide precisely what building to use as the shop (or garage, or shop with residence...)

Yard Ballasted - 27 April 2004

The yard has been ballasted. Additional work in front of the shelter was undertaken, which looked better dry, before being glued into place. Sadly, I forgot that not everything had been glued down, and added some highlighting with pastel (chalk). The subtle shading became an overall shade when the isopropyl wetted the chalk and spread it all over the place... In the lower photo (right) you can see one of the new windmills placed near the "big curve"

Yet Another Mock-up - 3 May 2004

I've lost count of the number of different buildings I have considered for the "shop" at Wirrandra. This latest mock-up is a combined general store and residence, and looks to be pretty good. I added photocopied windows, doors and the shop front, and also printed off some "corrugated iron" for the roof so give me a better idea of what the finished strtucture might look like. Please excuse the oversize verandah posts holding up the shop awning...

Last updated 03-May-04

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