Port Franklin

Port Franklin (“What it could have been”)

by Grampian Model Railroaders Inc.

On30 Australian Port Franklin (what it could have been) was built with a touch of Modellers License! Modelled from original photos, plans and information of the tramways, trains and surroundings from all over Australia.

Port Franklin is actually a small fishing village in Victoria, Australia. It is about 2 km inland from the coastline of Corner Inlet. Port Franklin is situated on the banks of the Franklin River between Toora and Foster. It was serviced by a small tramway connecting to the South Gippsland Broad gauge line to Port Albert. The river is lined with small commercial fishing boats, privately owned pleasure craft as well as commercial charter vessels.

Layouts track was laid using Peco On30 track work directly onto the Karnff Foam board. and sisulation paper covered with gapfiller, paint, soil, sticks, dried plants and scenic fibres mixtures. The carved Foam we found makes excellent rock formations.

The layout is controlled by Heathcote Electronics Train Control Systems on DC power.

Club members have restored and utilised a lot of the buildings and the Saw Mill from the old Mount Ash layout that was original built by John Hunter, as well as scratch built and kit bashed others and a couple of Outback Model company kits.

With Port Franklin set in the early to mid 1900’s, we have tried to obtain the feel of the life and times, that our pioneers faced in the rugged terrain to obtain the resources from the forests and development of rural communities into prosperity. The little scenes throughout the layout all tell a part of this story.