Narrow Gauge Models

Typically narrow gauge modellers focus on one of three approaches: accurately modeling a specific prototype, modeling believeable models of a generic prototype, or creating an artistic representation of an industry or geographic area.

Worldwide there are likely more modellers of Colorado's mining railways than of any other type, followed by modellers of logging/timber railways in various parts of the world. However, somewhere in the world there is undoubtedly at least one modeller of almost any narrow gauge railway or tramway gauge/type/system. Interestingly, there are more modellers of Queensland's narrow cane cane railways residing outside Australia than there are within.

Scroll down for HOn30/HOe (1:87), On24/On30 (1:48), O-14 (1:43), SM32 (1:19), Gn15, etc. Some items have photos and/or plans, other are links to more extensive details and photos.

The models highlighted are representative of narrow gauge modelling, including both SIG members (regardless of their prototype) and non-members when modelling Australian profile.

Your photos and modelling experiences are welcomed; contact lynn @ zelmeroz.com.

Australian Narrow Gauge Web-Exhibition Gallery: John Dennis also maintains an extensive photo gallery...

dedicated to showcasing some of the finest Narrow Gauge layouts produced by Australian modellers. Some of these layouts are personal, home layouts and are rarely seen by the general public; others may be more well known on the exhibition scene, but they all share one thing in common - fine modelling in narrow gauge.

Thanks John

2011 Australian Narrow Gauge Convention

Jim and Ian Fainges On30 Pelican River diorama (right). Entries in the 'Bash-a-Cottage Competition: Grant McAdam, Ian Fainges. Lynn Zelmer's original for the free on-line kit - (O - HO scale) and Capricorn Sugar Rail Museum exhibition mini-layout: photo and details.
Gavin Hince's award winning On30 diorama, Testard's Salvage - 1 - 2 (right). Mal Martin's On30 exhibition layout based on Munro's Tramway, a private light railway from Munro's sawmill to take timber to the Queensland Railway line at Hampton via Perseverence Creek in the final decades of the nineteenth century. Malcolm's shay and rail car earned awards (steam locomotive and other locomotive categories) at the Convention. Photos: - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5.

2009 Australian Narrow Gauge Convention
Industrial layout (likely either On30 or O-16.5: 1 - ), Contest models (Bachmann Bash: 1 - 2 - ), Greg Ellis (On30 cane locos: 1 - 2 - and shop equipment: 1 - ), Diesel Tractor (1.4", 2': 1 - 2 - ), Black Mountain Mine (diorama: 1 - 2 - 3 - ).

CaneSIG members model sugar cane railways in a variety of scales. Most are narrow gauge, Steve King's 7/8" scale timber and steel (right) wholestick cane trucks provides just one example. Several others are in the list below.

Sugar Valley is Ron Aubrey's most recent (2009) On24 (1/4" scale) display layout and features sugar cane made from pickled couch grass (see the CaneSIG Handbook #27). Photos: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4.

Fabrice Fayolle lives in France and models Queensland sugar cane railways in On30: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9, and Gn15: 1.

Narrow Gauge in the Rockies (USA), changing seasons, Michael Flack's exhibition layout: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 -

Garden Railway models by Edward Millington (Moreton Mill's Bli-Bli, 2.5"=1' on 5" gauge: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - ) and Jeff Mooney (wholestick cane truck and Innisfail Shire brake van: 1 - 2 - ).

John Henshaw's HOn30 layouts include the Tolleybuc Sugar micro-layout. Further details on his new (2009) web site.

This On3 layout by Gavin Hince (Editor, Narrow Gauge Down Under) is set in Northern California prior to the diesel era. These photos were taken during the layout tours for the 2011 Australian Narrow Gauge Convention: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4. Additional photos can be found on Gavin's NMRA layout tours page:

Dolly Varden Mines Railway: Consisting of aluminum frame and foamcore modules built by John Hunter and Dan Pickard, the On30 layout is based on the last narrow gauge railway built in British Columbia: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8.

Rod Hutchinson's 'E Regans Tramway', HOn30 layout inspired by the timber extraction and sawmilling industry in the hilly areas east of Melbourne, VIC Australia. Layout photo ( -1-), additional details, including how he framed his modular construction, on Rod's web site.

Yallah was built by members of the Illawarra Light Railway Museum Society and is based on the museum's station area. The foamcore on aluminum frame construction makes the layout easy to transport for promotional appearances: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6.

Sassafras Gully: Mark Kendrick's Tasmanian O-14 (7mm scale, 14mm gauge) layout, on display here at the 2009 NG Convention: 1 - 2 - 3 - plus history, philosophy and other details salvaged from his now-closed Geocities web site.

Mark's other Geocities materials included tips for Modelling Australian narrow gauge with rtr and simple kits/kitbashing; a project to develop a Burra (0-4-0ST locomotive) kit; and Who Am I?; with a number of track plan designs for proposed layouts: Gatehouse - Idaho Springs - Shunting - Switchback - Wombat Creek - Lacuna Mines -

Prof Klyzlr's (aka John Dimitrievich) narrow gauge exhibition layouts featured on the now-defunct Geocities have been resurected here.

Broughton Vale Tramway: Photo, Details (includes design and construction).

Camp 4 (2001 NG Convention 'layout-in-a-box', HOn30 logging, 8" x 37", foamcore construction): Photo, Details (includes design and construction).

Dynamite Canyon Tramway (HOn30 mining, 300 x 1000mm, hand laid track, 100mm curves, polystyrene and foamcore base): Photo, Details (includes making 'always straight' points and reversing loop circuits).

Carl Millington's new HOe layout (five 1230 x 620 mm modules as of Mar 2010) follows no prototype but is based around a coal mine and quarry somewhere in Europe. The buildings will be mostly from commercial suppliers like Dapol, Peco, Faller and Model Power. The track and points are Peco 009 'crazy track'. The locos are from the HOe range of Roco, Liliput & Bemo. The majority of the rollingstock is Roco HOe industrial wagons with a Liliput passenger coach and guards van, and a NaroBahn water tank wagon making up the non-Roco rollingstock.

The latest module includes an imaginery branchline so Carl can run his other European rollingstock.

Charging Moose Mining Company, Geoff Nott's latest On30 exhibition layout, on show at the NMRA, Australasian Region 25th Anniversary Convention, Sydney 2009: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 .

Muskrat Ramblers, an On30 layout based on Louisiana railroad practice, was first introduced at the 2009 Narrow Gauge Convention in Parramatta, where it arguably made its greatest impact as part of a keynote multimedia presentation: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15.

Ken Roeh's 7.5" gauge Malcolm Moore loco has two wheelchair batteries under the seat powering the two wheelchair motors. 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5.

Tyler's Crossing: Australian themed diorama at the NMRA-AR 25th Anniversary Convention, October 2009, Sydney.

Dave Webb's 71/4" (184mm) gauge miniature bush railway is currently under construction south of Hobart in Tasmania. With terrain that won't allow a main line operation, it's more of a narrow gauge bush tramway, hence the name Boulder Creek Tramway. Dave's newest loco (Nov 2009): 1 - 2 - 3 - 4. Additional details and photos on the tramway's own web site.

SIG member and CaneSIG Coordinator, Lynn Zelmer, models Queensland's sugar cane railways in HOn30 (3.5mm scale using 9mm track gauge: 1 - 2 - 3 - ), On30 (1/4" scale using 16.5mm gauge track: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - ) and SM32 (16mm scale using 32mm gauge track 1 - ).

Capricorn Sugar Rail Museum: Lynn Zelmer's On30 shire/sugar cane exhibition layout had 8.5" radius curves suitable for 4-wheel locos and rolling stock. Still under construction in the photo (right) in 2009, the micro-layout modules were part of the Queensland Rail Heritage exhibit at the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Brisbane Train Shows and the 2011 Australian Narrow Gauge Convention. The layout, now mostly demolished (2011) also featured in a series of 2011 Narrow Gauge Down Under articles