Airondai アイロン台 Japanese o gauge layout

[Devonbelle]

Evening all from the chilly UK as we exit summer. I'm making first tentative steps to build an o gauge Japanese layout mounted on an old ironing board (as many will know Airondai is Japanese for ironing board).

 

I'll paste lots of information as to plans and work to date then I suspect a lull wil happen as I get into building my first loco.

 

Baseboard is exterior marine ply on a 1 in square timber frame - mounted on an ironing board. Length of baseboard is 6 feet, width 2 feet. Track layout will be horribly simple three tracks, with two points - one line will be a platform line, other two lines will be freight lines. Track will be PECO flat bottom track well ballasted.

 

Buildings will be a mix of scratch built and kit built - I picked up some 1/60 scale building kits a year ago on holiday in Tokyo - and I've hacked them around to make them 1/45 scale.

 

The loco is one of the Aoshima 1/45 scale DD51 diesel locomotives - I plan to motorise with a Lima o gauge power bogie. I attach some pictures - I cannot start the loco yet - it's a birthday present from. Mrs Devonbelle for a few weeks time! I will chronicle the build on this thread. It looks an equisite kit.

 

As I said when I joined the forum a year ago, Id like to build a Kominato Railway single car railcar. Progress won't be fast with the overall project as I juggle working on the big railway, being a husband and a dad! Oh and exhibiting my French o gauge layout.

 

Yours Paul

[cteno4]

Paul,

 

Hey this is great to have an O scale project to watch. The DD51 really looks great and is so tempting to want to get one and detail it out for just a show model! Will be great to see yours come together and the motorization. I could see myself sorely tempted to do a little O scale for the detail!

 

Love the layout name, very appropriate!

 

Thanks for starting this thread.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[velotrain]

> I picked up some 1/60 scale building kits a year ago on holiday in Tokyo

 

I'm curious - what is the original market for these structure kits?

[Devonbelle]

Hello, I said they'd be lulls. I've attached a pic of the scratch built station building I'm working up - it's influenced by what I saw travelling the Kominato Railway in August 2014 - the other building is a scratch built store building I have constructed for my British Rail o gauge layout, set in North Devon in the south of the U.K. - the latter o gauge layout has primacy over my Japan layout.

 

I'll post some more building shots in the coming weeks, plus I'm planning to start building the DD51 diesel in March.

 

Charles makes the comment about the 1/60 scale buildings - I've got some and have 'bashed' one to be a small shop.

 

Lots to inspire currently as to Japanese Railways with Train Cruise and Japan Rail Journal being on television in the last couple of weeks.

 

Regards Paul

[cteno4]

Paul,

 

Last two photos don't seem to be loading. Will be fun to see the dd51 come together, it keeps tempting me when I run across it and I keep resisting. Looks to be a lovely display.

 

Jeff

[Devonbelle]

Thanks Jeff, you know you want it, buy the DD51, buy the DD51. I'm perplexed on the photos, so I've reloaded to this message.

 

I have an enforced absence from work next week (hospital op), so post op whilst convalescing I was going to properly start the DD51, so Ill post some pix.

 

I have a show in April for my North Devon layout - so that has primacy. Then post April, I'll crank up on efforts around Airondai - I have an invite to a show in October 2016 - the continental o gauge show (the only show in UK that is exclusively continental o gauge). So that is my target. I will share photos of progress. I could not resist attaching a photo I took on the Kominato Railway August 2014, of a token exchange at Santomi station. Paul

[cteno4]

Paul,

 

Lol I can feel the hypnotic waves coming out from the post... Must buy dd51... At least that's what I can claim to my wife when it shows up! It does look great and big enough to do all the old 1/48 plastic model tricks to make it really stand out as a display.

 

Thanks nice little out buildings.

 

Best wishes on the operation, nice to have something fun to entertain you during the post op!

 

Cheers

 

Jeff