Welcome to South Pacific Lines

On this site we will follow the construction of model railroad layouts, learn from previous ones, and along the way consider aspects of model railroading, especially those that explore the boundaries of the art. We may not move too many boundaries of model railways but we will sure go out there and have a look at them.

"There is nothing, Sir, too little for so little a creature as man. It is by studying little things that we attain the great art of having as little misery and as much happiness as possible."

Samuel Johnson must have been a model railroader.

One theme of this site is model railroad engineering. Not the modelling of prototypical engineering feats like bridges, but rather the engineering required to build a model railroad: lighting, backdrop, benchwork, roadbed, movable track such as lift-up and elevator, control panel, electrical systems, DCC, computers ...

New ZealandThe South Pacific Lines are a series of model railroads, all at a home in New Zealand, hence the name (also influenced by a certain fondness for the US Southern Pacific Railroad). The koru and the fernleaf in the logo are quintissential New Zealand icons.
sectional shelf layoutSPL opening ceremony N scale portablegarden railway
The model railways (past and present) are very different: three scales G, HO and N; permanent built-in layouts, portable units, a sectional layout and garden railways; differing engineering standards, differing prototype fidelity.

Life moves on and we have retired from HO and N to focus our attention and energy on the garden railway. I'll continue to talk about that side of model railroading, and there is much data on this site from the other scales, but we won't be doing any more indoor modelling in the foreseeable future. The HO gear is packed up or sold, the N scale rolling stock is stored in case Jack takes an interest in future, the HO layout has been demolished *sob* and the N scale layout has been given to friends. It hurts but life priorities made it a necessity. But I have a sneaking suspicion HO may be back in my life one day...
Jack EnglandRob England and GloriaImage
The SPL model railroad layouts are owned by Rob England, and crewed by Peter Garrett and Jack England.
We hope you get some good ideas from this site, enjoy following our projects, and make use of the site's resources. Follow along with our ups and downs on the SPL Journal blog

We welcome your participation. Contact me. We won't spam you or use your email for any purpose you don't give us permission for.

SPL mascotSPL mascot