Particulars:
Gauge: 14mm (NOTE:Trackplan is designed with 16.5mm gauge track)
Scale: 1:43.5
Minimum Radius: 12"
All Points: #4
Layout Size: 1600x2000x400(depth)
Not shown: fiddle yard or train storage to the far right

The layout is separated into two sections, I have named (for Now) the NEW and the OLD. In my plan, the NEW is the lower part, the OLD is the upper, horizontal bit. They are separated by a stone and brick wall, with access through a grand stone and brick gatehouse based on the one at Newington.

The OLD section will be depicted as belonging to a large stevedores or similar company, with large 2- or 3- story warehouses along the backscene with operating sack hoists on the upper levels. The architecture will all be similar, brick with stone quoins.
As noted above, the backscene will have warehouses along it, to the far right a similar building, but containing offices and being perhaps only 2 stories in height. This building will disguise where the trains enter the fiddle yard.
Beside the office building is the OLD's only new addition, a corrugated Iron storage shed with a timber platform. This building is based on the Co-op at Guyra in Northern NSW, and was written up in a mid to late 90's issue of AMRM. It will be in generally good condition, with perhaps some weathering of the timber, but not broken down and abandoned as so many narrow gauge layouts show. The corrugated iron may be left raw or painted olive green, so far I'm unsure.
The waterfront is to be faced in stone, with weed along the tide lines. Steel bollards to tie the boats to are set along the edge. A stiff leg derrick, hand operated, is behind the kickback siding.
The whole area fringed by the buildings, wall and waterfront will be paved, with the tracks set into the pavement.There are neat(ish) stacks of crates, boxes, chests, barrels, casks and if the weather is fine, sacks, around the place, but they are orderly and do not prohibit other work in the area..

The wall is built from brick, but has stone caps. The wall goes all the way from the gatehouse to the waters edge.

Now we move to the NEW section. Here the ground is dirt, concrete and tar. The first building, just after the gatehouse, is the engine shed. Built after the OLD section, (the railway was introduced into the OLD years after development of the site), the engine shed is built of brick, but lacks the stone quoins. Only large enough for a single small steam loco, and with limited servicing facilities, features a pit, some work benches, a small coal bin and a water tank (not shown on plan).
Beside the engine shed is the coal merchant. This roughly built structure consists of a timber one man office, and several segregated sections for different grades/sizes of coal and firewood. If you have ever bought sand, gravel or similar and picked it up yourself, you know the arrangement I am talking about. One side of the merchants (it was cheaply constructed) uses the OLD's wall. The ground here is concreted. Several wheel barrows lie around to move coal around.
Along the backscene is a 3 story brick building, a manufacturer. The building has an internal freight lift (elevator). The hoisthouse is on the roof. A horizontal boiler beside the building in a lean to tkeeps the workers warm and supplies steam. The rail siding is covered by corrugated iron awning enclosed like QR carriage sheds (ie lower portion open). A brick and concrete platform extends out from under the awning to be the full length of the building.
The last building shown is a store room, a small warehouse. Only single story, it is again based on a RANAD Newington building, this time the 'labs'.

The labs are actually 3 separate buildings separated by high concrete and brick blast walls, but sharing a common verandah. On my version, the building will be a single structure, with 3 rooms. Small industrial turntables in front of each door enables wagons to be taken into the building for easier unloading.

So that is it, I hope you can visualise where I am coming from with this plan. Whilst I have not tried to replicate any particular place on earth, I hope it will capture enough spirit of life that it could well have been, much like the famed Vulcan Vale doesn't represent anything on this world, but still looks 'right'. Although (I hope) in my case the distance from reality is less than that of the Vulcan Vale.

(humbly bows to the great Rick Richardson)

Would you now like to proceed through to my notes on suitable and unsuitable rollingstock? Or how about some technical issues surrounding said layout? Here's the links:

Rollingstock Tech Details Latest Thoughts

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any comments?

Email me: trainbrain @ optusnet . com . au
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Mark Kendrick 20/4/04