A brief excursion into something small

In my post at the end of November last year I said I thought I’d experiment with something small, just to get back into some sort of modelling mode.

Well here it is, something small, (and they don’t come much smaller)  

I’ve bought a Noch ‘MERAN’ layout, 75 x 50.5cm. 13cm high (approximately 29.5” x 19.9”. 5.1” high). It’s made of structured hard foam, seems pretty strong and is very light.

I got the layout from a model shop in Germany via ebay and then had to pay VAT on import, (knew should have stayed in the EU  ), which was a bit cheaper than buying from a UK model shop.

Preformed Layout “Merano” | NOCH



To get started I’ve also bought a Marklin 81701 DB BR89 Steam Freight Starter Set IV and a Marklin T3 Extension Set via Amazon, a used US loco and some US rolling stock from Rails of Sheffield’s ebay shop and some more Marklin track from Gaugemaster, who seem to be one of the very few model shops that stock Z gauge in the UK.












The Marklin track and rolling stock I’ve bought so far is rather expensive, but I’m not intending to build a model railway ‘empire’ in Z scale, it’s just a one-off project.

I’m also going to try and use Peco Z gauge flexible track as well where possible, to cut down the costs.

I’ve started glueing the Marklin track at the front of the layout with PVA, which seems to be working ok and is not affecting the foam layout.




Progress is very slow as it is all very small and fiddly.

The points all have a large (bit unsightly) plastic housing on one side for the solenoid motor, which I assume is empty in the non-electric version.

Apologies for the picture quality, but I’m attempting to use my phone for pictures and video which is a bit of a learning curve.




Ed

Some scale comparison pictures.

OO Gauge Hornby 'Pug' and Z Gauge German Federal Railroad (DB) class 89 steam locomotive

 




Graham Farish N Gauge Class 47 and Marklin Z Gauge 8809 Southern Pacific EMD F7 Diesel-Electric Locomotive.






Ed

Go Ed!
I shall be interested in hearing your opinion comparing N to Z.

Just random thoughts mate… as and when they come to you.

I’ve seen some wonderful “railway in a landscape” Z scale layouts and have thought about trying one.

Enjoy

Hi Marty

Initial thoughts are, N although not a lot bigger allows more detail, but as you say Z would be great for a railway in a landscape, without needing a somewhere the size of a warehouse to model in.

Marklin European outline Z is also very expensive here in the UK, but you may find US outline cheaper in your part of the world.





Ed

I've got a load of Chinese Z Scale stuff sitting in a box somewhere, still unopened and given to me by a toy collector friend.  He also gace me a G scale 2 truck Shay loco - I'll take a photo of those two side by side for comparison when I get time ……………….

I often struggle with OO scale, particularly the internal electrics so neither N nor certainly Z will be getting much of my attention anymore.

Good luck with yours Ed - you'd get the whole of the East Coast main line on an 8 x 4 board …………………….. ;-)

An E Bay purchase many years ago got me started.

10 years on and this is as far as I have got.

The base board is 1200 x 600 m.m.

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

you'd get the whole of the East Coast main line on an 8 x 4 board …………………….. ;-)

I wish 




Ed

[user=388]AUSSIETRAINS[/user] wrote:

An E Bay purchase many years ago got me started.

10 years on and this is as far as I have got.

The base board is 1200 x 600 m.m.

Looks good John, shows how much you can get in a small space  :thumbs




Ed

A short video testing the track laid so far, from a couple of days ago.


[yt]H7z7esxDO0Y[/yt]



(Just got to get used to pointing the phone at what's moving and operating controls at the same time  )




Ed

Found some time today to do a bit more track laying.







I've found that the webbing needs to be cut at quite regular intervals on flexitrack to get around the curves, and (in such a small scale), is to say the least, challenging  :???:

The brass screws are just holding the track to shape while the PVA glue dries.

I'm also investigating making Z scale trees from wire and various fibres as the cost of 'ready to plonk' ones is eyewatering

Sample on many videos available on the subject :-


How to make Loren's Amazing Z scale Trees - YouTube



Ed

Slow progress, but I've finally got two sections of Peco flexible track laid.



Very fiddly, and I need to remove the screws when the glue has dried and glue in some additional sleepers in the gaps where the rails join.

Soldering track feeds to Z gauge rails is just about possible with a magnifying visor and a lot of patience.



Doesn't look great, but shouldn't really be noticeable if I take the plunge and ballast the track  




Ed

Oh for a G scale layout …………  :hmm

Reading instructions won't ever be a problem in the future Ed…..

Instructions, what are they. :???:

Must be where I'm going wrong Peter 




Ed

Slow progress, domestic stuff keeps getting in the way, but track laying has continued.

Clearances on some parts are very tight, but the track plans that come with the layout are for either Marklin or  Rokuhan track and it appears to be just get a 'best fit' for whichever is used.

You can see from the pictures that the track is not in the centre of the roadbed in some places.







Ed

Looking good though Ed ! At first I was thinking, that hammer is huge !!

Then realised, nope, that track and rolling stock is tiny !! 🤣

Cheers

Matt

 


Yeah, too small really Matt, but you have to try out these things.



Ed

Y'all need to learn the rules of the Internet. You always include a banana 🍌 for scale.

breakage said

Y'all need to learn the rules of the Internet. You always include a banana 🍌 for scale.

From “Post #287,086”, 1st April 2023, 12:01 PM

I'm not gonna ask  


Ed

While mulling over where to go with my N gauge trial, I thought I would finish laying the track on this Z gauge experiment.

To do that I needed to build the laser cut bridge kit that comes with the Meran layout.

Bit fiddly, but got there in the end.



Being laser cut, I thought it would just drop into place……………………………………………………………………………………………………… Wrong !



Now got to get the files out  



Ed

After much filing, sanding and even resorting to a razor saw a one point….









Ed