Santa's railway / Pizza for Christmas

[Glen A]

I've decided to have a go at building my first pizza layout.

Its going to be a Whimsy theme; Santa's railway at the North Pole which transports presents from the elf's workshop to the sleigh at the runway.

I've always wanted to have a go at modelling snow, so he is my chance.

I already have a spare loco to use, (built on an Ernie chassis for the Stamping Ground, but wasn't good enough at slow starts). Should be fine for continuous running though.
Note to self- might need to add a snow plough on the front.




Santa is an Aristocraft G scale item so around 1:29 scale - although who knows what size Santa really is

First up we need some elves. So here are the first 4. Made in one evening with some dukit and baked in the oven. Not up to the same standard as Bill's figure creation, but they will do for a start.

[Tomo]

I've always wanted to create a Christmas layout... good luck with yours!

[Willow Creek Traction]

you'll need some of these for the sleigh http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=EU32501

[Steve Bennett]

At first I thought it was a strange time of year to be thinking about xmas, but it does make a lot of sense. Starting now, it will have a chance of being made in time for december.
Almost tempted to join you, as I too have been meaning to build one for several years
I like the elves, you might feel there is room to improve, but they are a lot better than I could do
Now where are those Santa's I stashed away a few years ago

[Glen A]

:lol: At first I thought it was a strange time of year to be thinking about xmas, but it does make a lot of sense. Starting now, it will have a chance of being made in time for december.

Sorry, I should have mentioned it needs to be finished for public display by begining of October (for our annual train show in Christchurch).
Having fought to be allocated enough space for a second layout, I now need to come up with the goods!
I was intending to build something else, but that has stalled at the moment so I need to have a plan B.

Another night, and another three elves done (at left). For some reason slightly bigger than the first batch. Since taking the photo, I've started to paint them, and they are looking much better.

[Tomo]

Plan B is always a good way to do things... my wife is a big advocate of Plan B's, and has a huge list of them for me

Any thought's about size yet? I'm not going out on the limb by asking about the track plan, I kind of have the idea from your Pizza description!

[Glen A]

Any thought's about size yet? I'm not going out on the limb by asking about the track plan, I kind of have the idea from your Pizza description!

Yes size is around 550mm diameter. If you have ever looked at Santa's tummy you will know he can eat a lot of pizza

The track plan will be a simple oval. No points or anything. There is a whismy thing I want to add and that requires no obstructions between the rails. More on that later, its still just one of many ideas in my head at the moment.

I've already started work on the baseboard, but its winter here - cold and dark when I go to work and cold and dark when I get home. So you will have to wait until after the weekend for a photo update on that.

[Glen A]

First colony of santas elves are now painted:



I will probably have to make a few more later with specific arm placements once I know what I need.

Have been searching toy shops all week looking cheap reindeer and can't find any the right scale and price. I found 3 the right scale, but they are $9 each - much more than I want to pay, and I need more than 3 anyway.
So coming to the scary realisation that I may have to make reindeer too The biggest problem being how to make the antlers.

[Gerry Bullock]

First colony of santas elves are now painted:



I will probably have to make a few more later with specific arm placements once I know what I need.

Have been searching toy shops all week looking cheap reindeer and can't find any the right scale and price. I found 3 the right scale, but they are $9 each - much more than I want to pay, and I need more than 3 anyway.
So coming to the scary realisation that I may have to make reindeer too The biggest problem being how to make the antlers.

I do like the elves Glen, shame about the reindeer.
If you have to make them I can help with the antlers, I have some plastic German N scale trees that I used for my espaliers.
They could be the answer if I can find the rest of them.

[Adrian]

G'day Glen

Like your new workforce....you should get them to lay the track for you.

Considering that you are going to make the reindeer I assume that Rudolf will have a red LED for a nose ?

Have you thought of pipe cleaners for the antlers ?

Cheers

[Gerry Bullock]

Found them Glen, have 3 to spare:



Dimensions height & width 80mm

[DCRfan]

Brilliant misuse of product

[Glen A]

Thanks for the ideas Gerry and Adrian. I'll have a look around and see what I can find locally next week.

Right now its time to make the most of a sunny Saturday morning and get out in the garage to do some work on the layout....

[Glen A]

At last, some progress on the layout:

I took 2 pieces of flex track. I took the rails out of the sleepers and pulled the rails through my rail bender ( piece of wood with three nails in a row):


Then I threaded the sleepers back on, giving me two curved flexi tracks. Here is one:


And here they are joined up on the board with a few things spaced out to get an idea of placement (horses being a substitute for reindeer at the moment)


Then I made a rough building shape out of cardboard to get an idea of how big it will need to be:

The elves will be inside the building, and the intention is that the whole layout will rotate slowly around so you do get to see inside it.

I made a start on the piece where the two ice shelves have pulled apart. Obviously there will be a bridge of some sort across here

I painted a heavy coating of paint over the polystyrene to try and seal it together and stop pieces breaking off.

[Adrian]

G'day Glen

Like the idea of a rotating layout .... have done it myself a couple of times as it means that the layout appears to be about twice as long as its actual diameter.

If you use a 1/4" stereo jack as a connector you get the mechanical pivot for the turn-table together with three wire connections.
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=PA3530

I found that when I used three wheels to support the turn-table, one of which is powered, I had very little trouble with it.

Obviously there will be a bridge of some sort across here

An Ice bridge I assume

The pizza is coming along rather well .... looks as if it should be ready by the deadline

Cheers

[Tomo]

Good to see progress is being made!

I like what ya have so far

[Glen A]

Time for an update on the weekends progress:

The stereo jack connector idea suggested by Adrian has been fitted. (no photos).

The reindeer problem has been sloved. Toy World had a 20% off school holiday sale, so I have now got two reindeer.
Their heads were both turned to the side, and the tails straight up in the air, but after leaving them in boiling water for a few minutes, the plastic got soft enough to be able to reposition things:




I have made the Elves workshop using 3mm mdf and stripwood. Its now ready for painting:



And I've started work on a sleigh, (made out of cardboard) :

[Adrian]

G'day Glen

Glad to be of help with the pivot.

Couple of nice reindeer that you have there ..... but didn't Santa have about 9 in total ? ......
( Prancer, Dancer, Donner, Blitzen, Dasher, Vixen, Comet, Cupid and, of course, Rudolph )
And are you planning a red LED nose for one of them ?

The workshop looks good ...... although I would have added a few more exterior beams and turned it into a 'mock tudor' style building .... ( but then I really like that style.)

Good to see the layout progressing so well.

Cheers

[Glen A]

but didn't Santa have about 9 in total ? ......
( Prancer, Dancer, Donner, Blitzen, Dasher, Vixen, Comet, Cupid and, of course, Rudolph )

Sigh,... Doesn't matter where you go, you'll always find one rivet counter...

I think it was an even number because drawings always show them in pairs. But regardless of the number, Santa has all of the north pole to park them on. I've only got 200mm.

Anyway Santa will be driving the train and the sleigh is not filled up with presents yet, so there is still time for the rest of the reindeer to turn up before they depart. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

[DCRfan]

9 reindeer - that is so 20th century Santa has downsized and put the rest of the reindeer on a fitness program. Also by the time he gets down under he has delivered most of the prezeez so doesn't need so many in the engine room.

[KEG]

Don´t forget, to find some space for Mrss. Claus.





Have fun

Juergen

[Steve Bennett]

Sigh,... Doesn't matter where you go, you'll always find one rivet counter...

Nice response
Making good progress and the building looks good. Not sure there are tudor buildings in Lapland I think log cabns are probably more common

[ian_g_griffiths]

Don´t forget, to find some space for Mrss. Claus.

I thought that was Mary Christmas!

Ian

[Glen A]

I think log cabns are probably more common

Damn!, I wish I had thought of that before.
I didn't want brick, and I didn't want weather board, and wanted something light and easy to make. And that basic design is all I could think of.
I've started painting it now, so it will have to do

[Catweasel]

Rolf Harris had him use 6 white boomers when he got down under.