Industrial narrow gauge micro layout: Kiesgrube Klieben

 After weeks filled with work and other hobbies and model railroading on the back-burner, except for reading and planning, I finally picked up the shovel again and started with a new build. The Elmslohe H0 layout is still in its infancy with tracks laid and wiring done, but without any scenery. And I somehow cannot get myself to start with ballasting and similar tasks. Instead, re-fitting my decades-old, little H0e diesel with a new motor and decoder, re-painting and weathering her, provided lots of fun. So the decision was taken to build her a home; in the form of a micro-layout that is extendable with fiddle yards.

I laid Peco industrial narrow gauge flex track (SL-400) and two turnouts (SL-E492) on a 75 x 30  x 0.8 cm board and 44 x 18 mm frame. This size fits perfectly into the Ikea Billy shelf beside my work-desk. As written before, I like small layouts that are operational at the flick of of a switch, providing fun for a short break. Once finished, the little layout will provide a nice opportunity to shunt some skips with narrow gauge diesel engines. With fiddle yards added I could also exhibit the layout at club events (once exhibitions will be allowed again...).

The concept of the small layout is to show a section of a 760 mm industrial narrow gauge line for sand, gravel, stones, etc. I drew inspiration from images like the ones from Messers. Dachkeramik Meyer-Holsen in Ostwestfalen, However, I will go for a time period of probably the 1960s.

Here some images from Meyer-Holsen:

I like the heaps of sand and the way the excavator sits between them.

I might hide one entrance to a fiddle yard with a comparable bridge.

And some more images for the atmosphere to be re-created. I definitely want to have lots of "green" on the layout and not so much an actual quarry or loading/unloading area:

Source: Bloustod Teglvaerk

Source: Bloustod Teglvaerk

Source: drehscheibe-online

Segrahner Kieswerke. Source: Der Eisenbahnfotograf

Source: Buntbahn

And finally some images of the current state of affairs (tracks laid, wiring done, first trials of positioning buildings and objects):

Bridge view.

Trying different shots. The magazine stores also important liquids for the workers..

View down the line.

Total overview.

Industrial narrow gauge diesel update

The industrial 760mm narrow gauge Diesel, my old H0e model from a Roco starter kit, is nearing completion. After the fitting of the new motor and decoder the locomotive entered the paint and weathering shop. The undercarriage and buffer beams were painted in mat red (Humbrol 60). The interior of the cab in light grey (Revell 371). Door handles and similar in aluminium (Tamiya XF-16). Finally the model got a good weathering in washes of different thickness of mat black (Humbrol 33). I then dry brushed some metal (Vallejo 70.873 gun metal) and dirt-brown (Vallejo 70.941 burnt umber) on different places. Finally I placed an engine driver from Faller. Now I am looking for some final details like factory plates.

This is a hard-working small engine, so I weathered her heavily. Inspiration came from the previously mentioned factory line of the "Papierfabrik Steyrermühl" in Austria. Prototype images can be found on Drehscheibe Online.

Lokführer Peter Panner proudly presents his „Tinker Bell”, a nickname he has given this honest, hard-working little engine because of her green paint scheme and the special character she sometimes shows when working the Feldbahn. We cannot find back in the archives if this was linked to Peter Panner’s viewing of “Peter Pans heitere Abenteuer”, the original Disney movie which was released in Germany in December 1953.

Interior of the small Diesel with the new motor and decoder fitted.

My weathering inspiration.

Visiting the "Stoomtrein Katwijk Leiden" narrow gauge museum in Valkenburg

Following my increasing interest in narrow gauge industrial railways I recently visited the "Stoomtrein Katwijk Leiden" museum in Valkenburg (Zuid Holland). The collection of steam and, mainly, diesel engines (locomotors) was a great inspiration, most of them are in excellent and running condition. It's a vibrant museum and I admired the dedication of the many volunteers that keep the museum going in these Covid-19 influenced times. The steam engine on the train that travels up and down the short line was replaced by a diesel, as the footplate on the steamers is too small for two people needing to keep distance.

Here a few impressions, more pictures can be found on flickr. The museum has a website with detailed descriptions of all engines of the collection.

Photo shoot in "Klein Schwarzenbach"

My new Roco 2095.014 made an excursion to my friend Rob's home and his layout "Klein Schwarzenbach" for a photoshoot with other Austrian narrow gauge rolling stock. The below images were taken by Rob who also has a photostream on flickr.

Narrow gauge update

I received Roco's 2095.014-3 with sound. What a fantastic model! I cannot wait to test her fully..

The prototype of my new model (here without the computer number yet) in Weitra with a short - wonderful - freight train. Source: wikimedia

I also made progress on the 30+ year old H0e Diesel. It is far from finished, but the first paint elements are done. I highlighted the front grill, door handles, painted the nice tools on the back side, horn, exhaust, etc. The puffer beams received a thin first layer of Humbrol 60 red. More coats will be done, all will be cleaned up and finally weathered. Especially the front grill and exhaust will get some good weathering as it's of course way too shiny in just aluminium colour.

I found a picture of an Austrian narrow gauge industrial engine of the "Steyrermühl Werkbahn". I drew inspiration from it for the buffer beams and other parts, especially the weathering, but I will not lighten up de green on the H0e model as I like it as it is.

I highlighted the parts that were just dark green on the original model, like the door handles and the neat tools on the back (I really only discovered those now, after some 30+ years). 

I painted the door handles and exhaust. The green is yet untouched but will of course receive weathering, as well as the roof.

The red buffer beams will receive more layers of paint, however, I must say I like the dark colour shining through. The grill will of course get a good weathering as well.

Inspiration for the colour scheme and weathering of my little Diesel comes from the "Steyrermühl Werkbahn". Source: sagen

Another shot from the Schoema Diesel. In this view the red is more like the one I envisage for my Roco model. Source: sagen

A great description with many images of the Steyrermühl Werkbahn can be found on Drehscheibe Online.