this might be a good start for you, Covers New Zealand modeling

http://www.nzmrg.org.nz/

Not much steam, though

I took a look there.  Unfortunately, there's not much in the way of steam that I could find.  For the moment (always subject to change) I'm not really interested in modeling rolling stock or the location, or even a specific prototype.  I just want to build a plausible locomotive that I find visually appealing.  I probably have enough in the photos above to come up with something that I'd like, but I'm always interested in seeing more examples, and to see what others have done.  I just don't know enough at the moment to even know where to start looking on line.

I'll have a hunt for you,

I'll have a hunt for you, since i'm down here in New Zealand.or Russell will bound to have some gems

Colonial Steam for Ken

Dear Ken,

As far as the Baldwin 2-6-2 goes, just plug "puffing billy australia" or "na class locomotive" into your fave search engine...

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=puffing+billy+australia&safe=off&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=b2NtUfmqN-aYiAfuoIDIBA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=617

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=na+class+locomotive&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=f2NtUZ_eGeiHiQeQ-YGoDA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=617

While you're at it, check out the various State Railways of Australia

http://www.australiansteam.com/nsw/1919b.jpg

http://www.australiansteam.com/nswgrframe.htm

http://www.australiansteam.com/nsw/1709.jpg

http://www.hawkesburyhistory.net.au/railways/images/20class.jpg

http://www.westernsydney.nsw.gov.au/whats-on/bankstown-steam-locomotive-society/

http://www.altmedia.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/3265-locomotive-475x317.jpg

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/australia/nsw/vr507-1.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/7731145184/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/7731121406/

http://www.ardp.net/topic153.html

http://www.australiansteam.com/C17%20974.htm

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/australia/qld/qr444-3.jpg

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/lists/searchdb.php?country=AUS&state=QLD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensland_C19_class_locomotive

http://www.modeltrainsnthings.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/c13.jpg

http://steam-locomotives-south-africa.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/potchefstroom-station-forecourt-sar.html

http://steam-locomotives-south-africa.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/brikor-limited-1-premier-rd.html

http://www.johnnyspages.com/classic_pictures_menu_files/classic_greg's_pictures_7_files/sar_steam/25a_greg_steam_loco_naracoorte_aug_1983-2.jpg

http://www.steamranger.org.au/enthusiast/steam.htm

http://orion.math.iastate.edu/jdhsmith/term/slauwagrK.jpg

http://orion.math.iastate.edu/jdhsmith/term/slauwagr.htm

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6kj-OMzZ9WE/T7BirFbDZRI/AAAAAAAAAO0/jNAKVxkjk2w/s1600/June+2012+WAGR+locos.jpg

NB there's a couple of South African interlopers in their, when you search for South Australian Railways by their acronym, you're likely to get some South African Railways hits too... but they're both Colonial influenced, so it's all in the same vein...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

East Coast of Aust

Running it...

Depending on your layout's era, a railroad museum can be a plausible place to run it...

Puffing Billy

Hi Ken 

I have Gigabytes of photos, videos, plans & drawings of Puffing Billy.

http://www.puffingbilly.com.au

Most acquired over 20+ years of research & also a 2 week trip/visit about 3 years ago.

Cheers

Neat stuff!

I've heard of Puffing Billy, but never looked into it in detail.  I had no idea the photo I saved was of a locomotive (or at least a class) which still exists and is in use.  I'm definitely seeing some inspirational things there.

Right now, I'm thinking standard gauge 2-4-2, plate frame, outside cylinders (maybe angled), inside valves, square tanks, D-shaped smokebox, definitely a copper cap on the stack, and royal blue livery (loosely inspired by the Caledonian Railway).  The dome will be a bit of a challenge to make, but I like challenges.

One thing I'm not sure about is the overall size.  How wide should it be, and how tall?  I'm more familiar with the North American loading gauge, but I'm guessing that the engine should be no more than about 8' wide, and maybe 12' high?

Of course, Sn3.5, 55n3, and On30 aren't out of the running for scale and gauge combinations either.  I might even go as far as converting the engine to outside frame (but probably still 16.5 mm gauge).  I really like outside frame locos, but converting it might be a lot of work.

Dear Ken, The Baldwin 2-x-2

Dear Ken,

The Baldwin 2-x-2 sidetank NG class was used worldwide in various forms, look to South Africa, South America, Australia (PBR nA 2-6-2 30' gauge), the 2' gauge lines in the UK, and furthur, and you'll find "variations on a theme" which all share obvious genetic traces...

Come to the dark side Ken, I _know_ you can hear the call of the NG Baldwin whispering your name...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

Narrow Gauge bug

I was bitten by the narrow gauge bug many, many years ago.  I only switched to standard gauge because it's a lot easier to model in a scale and gauge that's reasonably well supported by the manufacturers.  That, and there are plenty of standard gauge things I want to model as well.

The ONLY reason I am hesitating to make this into a narrow gauge engine is that I think it might be nice to keep everything I'm working on in one scale.  ON the other hand, one of the larger scales on 16.5 mm track is quite appealing, and I'm already working in two different scales anyway (HO & Fn3).

Decisions, decisions.

Dear Ken, No excuses,

Dear Ken,

No excuses, assimilation is inevitable, I see On30 in your future...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

PS a 22' On30 car fits in the same footprint as a HO 40' car...

Alan Rockett, On30 PBR nA master

Dear Ken,

Oh,and there's some video too...

http://members.optushome.com.au/jdennis/pbr/frameset.html

http://members.optushome.com.au/jdennis/vrng/frameset.html

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=puffing+billy+railway+australia&oq=puffing+billy+rail&gs_l=youtube.3.0.0l2.213891.219969.0.223250.20.17.1.0.0.0.438.2795.2-6j3j1.10.0...0.0...1ac.1.dMsn4ml3fAE

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

That last video

Prof,

Just loved that last video of the Garratt. Got any links to plans of these engines or know of where to look. I'm planning on a scratch built HOn30 for my lime stone hauling line. I'm looking for an 0-4-0+0-4-0 or 0-6-0+0-6-0.

Thanks,

Bernd

No stranger to On30

Some of my earliest [successful] scratchbuilding was done in On30, with redwood I cut on my dad's table saw.  I built a caboose, box car, and flat car board by board, for no reason other than I wanted to.  I'm not even sure whether I'd ever heard of On30, but I remember noticing the possibility as a teen.

Darn, now I'm thinking about a Garratt as well.  I've always loved those...

This place is dangerous!  That's why I advocate modeling a specific prototype.  With the layout gone, I'm too free to contemplate too much variety!

Ken I've always been fond of

Ken I've always been fond of the work you do on your steam, being bit by the On30 bug myself (or assimilated as Prof would put it), I think you could come up with something special. Now that you have no layout look at it as a positive, you can try many different things without having to commit to anything. 

PS - love all the pics

Being one

without a layout at the present I'm in that position also. To many project ideas and the summer is coming with to many outside projects. What's a modeler to do?

Bernd

More daydreaming

I had some time, so I started playing around a little bit..

Obviously there are a few parts left to draw, but I'm pleased with the proportions so far.  I was worried that the drivers might be too small or too close together, or that the motor might be too big.  The motor is a bit big, but it hides pretty well inside the tanks.

In case you're curious, the wheels are HO scale 33" wheels, and the boiler is 3/4" copper pipe.  Right now the tentative scale is 55n3, mainly because I have a couple other 3' gauge ideas and I'd like to stick to one scale/gauge combo as far as practical.