422 arrives

Another promise finally arrived in the post this week. After what seems to be a long wait that us modellers are getting used to, it was announced that the 422 class loco had finally hit the shores.

Most of us NSW modellers would have had a least one Lima 422 class loco on their layout. Now while the mechanisms weren't the best you could obtain at the time I thought the body work seemed reasonable and could be dressed up for a reasonable looking loco. It was probably the closest representation Lima had done for a loco. Remember the 44 class in the VR colours? Was it suppose to represent an S class?

The loco was another product from the Auscision stable. It is my first loco from them as it is the first they have produced to suit my era of modelling which is roughly 50's to 70's. It is the era I grew up in. I must say the ordering of the loco was painless through their website. No printing of pages, sticking the order form in an envelope and licking shut. From ordering via the internet until arrival it was a matter of days.

I have found the Auscision company probably the best organised of all the groups. Although admitting I haven't ordered from all groups) This starts with their website which is always up to date, easy to find your way around and graphically excellent. Although you couldn't expect all manufacturers to equal their site, theirs stands out.

Well enough back slapping and the loco finally found its way to the layout this weekend for its first foray on the layout. It proceeded as a light engine trial around the layout and went well. As expected the locos come clean as a whistle, looking like locos coming out of the workshops. My intention as soon as I can find someone is to get it weathered. It wouldn't have been clean for long in real service. I was very dissapointed with my previously purchased pre-weathered loco as have a few other people I have spoken to. Its not just a matter of setting up a spray gun and driving the train/loco past it.

A load trial was conducted with a coal train and I just happened to have a camera handy when the first run slipped through Bodalla with the train.

Bodalla loop is tucked in between a cliff and a drop to the floor

The train was waiting to cross a light engine movement consisting of a double 44 class locos. Soon after they moved off towards the next crossing loop of Batemans Bay.

Well the 422 has been well received, now if only those other guys that are doing the 40 and 48 class locos would get a wriggle on.

Schools Out for Summer
So where did 2012 go to? I must admit I haven't been very busy on the layout during the last year.
Its nearly March and to prove I haven't faded away completely it is about time I posted.
2013 is the year all the models promised years ago may finally arrive. This should move things along and re stir up the modelling juices in me.
I have recently commenced the building the Emu Flats school building. This kit was reviewed late last year in AMRM. The kit was purchased from the Model Craftsman at Blacktown although the kit was manufactured in USA. This was my first laser cut kit and it has been going together fairly well. 
The reason behind the construction of this kit was because it will be a future subject of an "Other Side of the Tracks" episode. Unfortunately when an idea springs into the head for an OSotT it sometimes requires props or models that I don't have to hand.
The easy ones are done that utilise whatever is around e.g. the trains, cars, people or other things. So to keep the numbers up the school building was next. Hopefully it will feature in a future AMRM. I haven't been told to stop doing them yet, so I hope you are still enjoying them.
Haven't had any rocks on the roof yet!
As can be seen in the photos its nearly 50% done. It was just plonked in another houses position (with permission of course) for the photo. There is a big shortage of flat land on SCR and I was thinking of placing it somewhere near the building in the second photo above when completed.
Completing this building reminded me of the BranchLine convention that used to be held at Macquarie Uni a while ago. Condition of entry was that you had to come with something you had built for the layout, or a model. Some of my models on the layout were taken to Macquarie after the mad last minute rush to complete them.
Today was unfortunate as we had lost power at 11.0pm on Saturday night after the storm that hit Sydney and didn't get power back until late Sunday afternoon, so only limited work was done on the school. The loss was made more confusing to me as both neighbours had power but we didn't. The word soon spread that a large pine tree had brought down wires in another street nearby. When someone explained how the wiring power worked I wasn't so phased about it all.
Well thats all for now, I will be getting ready for the Forestville exhibition next weekend. Who knows the 422 class might be released there?
And if so expect to see another blog next weekend.

Farewell 2012
Well another year nearly gone and my last post definitely for the year. It has been a mixed year 2012 with a few events that have slowed things down. However 2013 is already shaping up to be a better year.
To do tonights blog report I had to go back through some older blogs and on reflection it shows how quickly time flys. You can remember putting up those reports and photos and realise it was two years ago. I still maintain it is a fantastic electronic diary of our past achievements all there recorded. So if you have a layout and no blog no matter how big or small, create an account and start one up. You have nothing to lose, if its not interesting then no one will view it, but who cares?
I was going to wish you all a merry Christmas but its too late, so at this stage the best I can offer is I hope you all have a great 2013 and happy modelling.

 Luckily we have our group to keep the flame burning. We recently got an email re another get together at Phils. His current layout features on two of my previous blogs. The first was on February13, 2010, the second on November 2011 and then there is todays report. The layout takes pride of place in what in normal households would be regarded as a garage, but has been put to better use to contain a great model railway. The previous setup suffered from water seepage that flowed over a sandstone wall forming the inside wall of the room. It would have been more suitable for modelling the Wolgan Valley Railway than the Main North but after a big makeoverof the room its everything you could wish for. The three rows of flouros over each portion of the layout, as Phil pointed out was to eliminate all shadows. Works well.

Phil makes a start on his garden railway

A lunchtime barby was organised as a means of getting around the usual rain soaked night we somehow manage to end up with on many of our train nights. It was a beautiful day weather wise and after lunch we adjourned to the layout room to turn a wheel. There was a fair  bit of progress made since last visit (see previous blogs)

WICKHAM BRANCH

The bus is still trying to get to Morisset

The Wickham branch is for those who like a bit of shunting. Although there is a lot more work to be done here the basic laying out of the buildings has been done. The last shot here shows where the branch joins into the Newcastle branch. Earlier blogs didn't have track laid in this area.

I have an idea that the Newcastle branch here was made as a cover for the wine rack under neath. I would have thought that being Newcastle it would be a good reason to store 'port' there. It seems to be made from stout timbers.

NEWCASTLE BRANCH 

Again the buildings have been laid out in their approximate positions. This is one branch that won't be cut back to Wickham or where ever.

 BROADFIELD LOCO

Ideally situated inside one of the balloon loops is to be the loco depot of Broadfield.

 

 This shot highlights the very neat set up of the room. The two photo montages were prepared from black and white calendars by his daughter who works in the graphic arts arena. They certainly came out stunning. The loco numbers for 3648 were prepared from when you could actually purchase 'surplus' numbers for a few dollars each (based on weight) from Transport House at Wynyard. And also a wall mounted TV for watching sport or even train videos!!

  THE MINE

Not sure what this area is called (hence the above title). It fills in another balloon loop. The main lines pass beneath this section. In the second photo can be seen another steam photo that completes the far wall of the room.

 

 

 HUB SET

Long awaited as are most models a surprise for us to see was the HUB set no doubt sitting here at Broadfields ready to form the Up Midday Newcastle Flyer to Sydney.

It certainly was showing a bit of road grime. Maybe the cleaners were on strike?

 

 

Up the pointy end of the Newcastle Flyer headed by 3803. A common train found on the short north in the good old days. 

Well after a few enjoyable hours we all set sail for home and I look forward to seeing it again in the future for another update.
2013 is going to be an interesting year in a few ways. It will be nothing major as I have just checked the results of tonights $30 million Lotto. Yes we won a prize. What is $30 divided by 20 people?

I hope 2013 is a great year for you all and that some of the promised locos and rolling stock eventually turn up. See you all on "the Other Side" of the calendar

A northern wheat drifts in to a stand

Memories of long ago.
Mothers in particular have a habit of collecting memorabillia that pertains to their children. Books, toys and other sentimental items are often stashed away for their own memories or for future passing on to their children.
My mother has been slowly dribbling items over to me when she sees me. Items such as photos, favourite toys (Didn't know you still had that Mum).
There are often times when you wish you still had childhood items just to take a jog down memory lane. Certains items can then be put in front of your own children for them to laugh at or feel sorry for you.
Todays offerings are a far cry from the toys a lot of us grew up with. Where did you shove the battery Dad?
A recent hand me down from my mother was an old Walther and Stevenson toy catalogue that she had obviously kept for over 40 years.  Walther and Stevensons were a toy shop in Sydney which closed in the early 70's. There were other 'toy shops' such as Searles, Levensons and Hobbyco which is the only survivor today.
When I searched the internet this interesting site had also recollections of Walther and Stevensons and the other shops mentioned above.
 When visiting these stores it was always to the train section first. As the years rolled by it went from the Hornby Clockwork trains to the Hornby 3 rail electric and then to Tri-ang trains which was my first electric train.
While writing this my memory goes back to a local chemist shop that for some reason had a Hornby 3 rail small layout in the shop. As it was just up the road I spent a lot of time there. Originally looking at it from the front, the chemist must of felt sorry for me and let me round the back of the layout as an operator.
I think the Hornby Dublo trains were more expensive than the equivalent Tri-ang and a kid that used to live in a big house behind ours became a best friend when I found out he had a Hornby Dublo train set.
Another school mate had a Marklin train set that were even more expensive than the Hornby Dublo. He was never as keen as I was and I had fun making reverse loops with both types of three rail set ups. I didn't at that time understand the problems that lay ahead when I tried to make a similar track configuration with two rail track that didn't work.
Way back then we still used to get junk mail delivered but the only difference with the old was that train sets figured prominately in them. This I am sure helped the hobby exist longer then. It should be interesting as we creep up to the 50th anniversary of the AMRM magazine to reflect back on how the hobby has changed in that seemingly short time frame.
I would like to share a few pages I have scanned from the catalogue so you can see what us old farts used to have. It seems so ironic that we can now whinge and scream that our models of today have a few errors or parts not modelled etc. etc.
Anyhow here they are:

alther & Stevenson were established in Hunter Street, Sydney, in 1900, making saddles and harnesses. The firm moved to 395 George Street in 1904 and remained there until they closed about 65 years later. Their usual arrangement with rural customers was by mail order and numerous requests were made for toys suitable for children's Christmas presents. This encouraged the company to open a small toy department in 1930. At this time they mainly stocked German-made toys. In 1935, a Mr A. Anderson became a director of the firm and the stock of toys increased. By the late 1930s the basement area was full of model trains, farm animals, toy soldiers and working steam engine models. After the director's son Kenneth Anderson took over the firm, the saddlery line was removed altogether and toys occupied both floors of the store. During the Second World War, when access to British and European toys was curtailed, Australian toy manufacturing flourished and many locally made items were sold in Walther & Stevenson's store including Australian-style timber farm buildings and accessories. From the 1960s versatile moulded plastics began to be used in toys instead of metal and timber. Japanese tin toys, as well as a large number of imported British and American toys forced local manufacturers out of business. Walther & Stevenson failed to move quickly enough with the times and had to close in about 1970.

Read more: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=379852#ixzz2CY0GXMhS
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial

Walther & Stevenson were established in Hunter Street, Sydney, in 1900, making saddles and harnesses. The firm moved to 395 George Street in 1904 and remained there until they closed about 65 years later. Their usual arrangement with rural customers was by mail order and numerous requests were made for toys suitable for children's Christmas presents. This encouraged the company to open a small toy department in 1930. At this time they mainly stocked German-made toys. In 1935, a Mr A. Anderson became a director of the firm and the stock of toys increased. By the late 1930s the basement area was full of model trains, farm animals, toy soldiers and working steam engine models. After the director's son Kenneth Anderson took over the firm, the saddlery line was removed altogether and toys occupied both floors of the store. During the Second World War, when access to British and European toys was curtailed, Australian toy manufacturing flourished and many locally made items were sold in Walther & Stevenson's store including Australian-style timber farm buildings and accessories. From the 1960s versatile moulded plastics began to be used in toys instead of metal and timber. Japanese tin toys, as well as a large number of imported British and American toys forced local manufacturers out of business. Walther & Stevenson failed to move quickly enough with the times and had to close in about 1970.

Read more: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=379852#ixzz2CXzdHEYO
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial

Any one having a memory lane trip??

Walther & Stevenson were established in Hunter Street, Sydney, in 1900, making saddles and harnesses. The firm moved to 395 George Street in 1904 and remained there until they closed about 65 years later. Their usual arrangement with rural customers was by mail order and numerous requests were made for toys suitable for children's Christmas presents. This encouraged the company to open a small toy department in 1930. At this time they mainly stocked German-made toys. In 1935, a Mr A. Anderson became a director of the firm and the stock of toys increased. By the late 1930s the basement area was full of model trains, farm animals, toy soldiers and working steam engine models. After the director's son Kenneth Anderson took over the firm, the saddlery line was removed altogether and toys occupied both floors of the store. During the Second World War, when access to British and European toys was curtailed, Australian toy manufacturing flourished and many locally made items were sold in Walther & Stevenson's store including Australian-style timber farm buildings and accessories. From the 1960s versatile moulded plastics began to be used in toys instead of metal and timber. Japanese tin toys, as well as a large number of imported British and American toys forced local manufacturers out of business. Walther & Stevenson failed to move quickly enough with the times and had to close in about 1970.

Read more: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=379852#ixzz2CY0GXMhS
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial

Read more: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=379852#ixzz2CXzdHEYO
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial

Walther & Stevenson were established in Hunter Street, Sydney, in 1900, making saddles and harnesses. The firm moved to 395 George Street in 1904 and remained there until they closed about 65 years later. Their usual arrangement with rural customers was by mail order and numerous requests were made for toys suitable for children's Christmas presents. This encouraged the company to open a small toy department in 1930. At this time they mainly stocked German-made toys. In 1935, a Mr A. Anderson became a director of the firm and the stock of toys increased. By the late 1930s the basement area was full of model trains, farm animals, toy soldiers and working steam engine models. After the director's son Kenneth Anderson took over the firm, the saddlery line was removed altogether and toys occupied both floors of the store. During the Second World War, when access to British and European toys was curtailed, Australian toy manufacturing flourished and many locally made items were sold in Walther & Stevenson's store including Australian-style timber farm buildings and accessories. From the 1960s versatile moulded plastics began to be used in toys instead of metal and timber. Japanese tin toys, as well as a large number of imported British and American toys forced local manufacturers out of business. Walther & Stevenson failed to move quickly enough with the times and had to close in about 1970.

Read more: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=379852#ixzz2CXzdHEYO
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial

The Main North
Last night after much choosing of dates our group was lucky enough to be able to make a visit to Marcus Ammanns' layout. Unfortunately some of the group couldn't make it which indirectly lead to more cake and more room there for the three of us.
For those who don't know Marcus he is regarded as the DCC guru. Having a background in electronics certainly helps the situation. Some improvements in DCC technology have been improved due to his direct inputs. All good news for the hobby.
His layout the Main North is based on selected stations and scenes from Sydney to way up near Gunnedah.  Checking out the link for his web page also reveals a track plan which although three years old looks close to what we saw on the night. One slight change to the plan though. Although the plan shows the location of his wifes car in the garage, a recent update with a newer car has resulted in the car being now too high to fit under the non moveable part of the layout. Its what I call a win win for both parties.

The first photo shows the scene on entry to the room. A lift up flap gets you into the room. On this portion of the layout Werris Creek is on the top level and Broadmeadow on the lower level. You will notice a variety of chairs ranging from the first class chair (with arms), two second class seats (No arms) down to the hard third class milk crate which was put into use on the night, the host generously volunteering to utilise it. The workbench can be seen on the right hand side.

The layout resides in a double garage although this is hard to realise when you first step into the room. The 'S' shape aisleway works it way through the garage and on either side is generally double decked layout. The layout is well lit with lighting behind recently painted valances which look very smart painted in black. Location signs nicely produced in the NSW bar with circle style were ready to be placed into position.

In the above photo Sulphide Junction is on the bottom deck on the right hand side. Now having come down a step in the centre of the photo this now puts the station above Sulphide at about my forehead level. The plan of the layout showed a step that was once? provided for operators shunting on the top deck. You would get no complaints from Ray Pilgrim or Ian and Andrew from Bowen Creek but for the rest of us the only way to view it would be to do a Watusi/Zulu dance which would be rather tiring if you were given the pickup to shunt. Maybe Marcus has something in mind for the future.
The layout is laid with code 100 points and track and according to the layout plan runs for around 70 metres. At the moment no ballast has been laid. Marcus has put a lot of thought into the layout design and with a combination of selective compression and imagination it all works.

As can be seen from the photos scenery at this point in time is not very widespread. As they say Rome wasn't built in a day. It all takes time. Throughout the layout there are many buildings positioned already waiting for the grass to grow around them.

The above coal stage was a win off Ebay and sits in position awaiting connection to the layout.

The above relief building represents Cardiff workshops with Tickhole tunnel in the background heading off towards the next station through the backscene.

At the opposite end of the previous photo is the representation of the Sulphide Junction works, the ultimate destination of the W44 ex Broken Hill concentrate train. This train was run on the night with a double header consisting of a 35 and 60 class locos.
As stated at the beginning the layout is run on DCC. My current layout is DC, a spaghetti junction control panel and wired controllers. This I must admit was my first hands on trying out the DCC system. I can see why it is the ideal system and for various reasons such as cost, how do I get the flipping top of some of the locos??, what wire goes where? and what do I do when I can't find the short or the whole system just shuts down I will stay with my current setup for the time being.

NEWSTAN MINE

On the night I was given a double headed coal train from Newstan Colliery and had to take it up to Port Waratah. Marcus has made job cards which are about credit card size that fit onto the top of the hand controller. They give all the clear instructions needed to run your train. First off I had to get a single Garratt from a road in Broadmeadow and take it around to Fassifern then into the colliery branch. There was already another garratt waiting and the task was to put together two rakes of eleven hoppers, grab a brake van from a siding then with the double header reverse the consist out onto the main then set forward up "Fassifern Bank" With an actual grade on the layout as I headed up the grade Marcus said hit the F9 button which increased the tone to represent the loco working harder but not faster. I was suitably impressed.
As the train approached Sulphide Junction I was advised although the train was on the down track it started heading into the up refuge. This was mainly due to a human log jam in the aisle and I was tagging along with the train 22 wagons back near the brakevan. No problems though as the track was close in design to the prototype we switched back to the Down Main and off to Broadmeadow. There after a bit more shunting the train headed around to Port Waratah. Time then for another coffee break.
Just outside of Muswellbrook Marcus has scratch built this great compressed model of the Oak Milk factory which really captures the feel of the real building. Wouldn't it be great if Auscision chose this as the next building after the silos???. You can see the new SDS Oak milk wagons are ready for filling. No doubt these will be added to a job card for pickup to Hexham.

Another view of the layout showing the two levels with the Newstan colliery on the lower right and the Oak factory at Muswellbrook on the left hand side. The coal train I ran awaits the arrival of the light engine from Broadmeadow.
Well after a few hours of chewing the fat, running trains eating and drinking and good company we departed. I'd like to thank Kevin Waid for the photos above. It was a great night, thanks again Marcus.

SRC for SCR

Well the Liverpool exhibition is over again for another year. I must give congratulations to the team that put it all together. Well done for the fiftieth. I must admit I probably missed the first couple but have been a regular since the Lower Town Hall days and don't think I have missed any up to now.
The extra tent filled with layouts was welcomed. The only comment regarding the layouts for me was there were very few layouts I hadn't seen before, and this certainly doesn't detract from seeing them again.
It is a costly exercise to build an exhibition layout, transport it and show it off and then after three exhausting days pull it all down and return home. The fabulous Coffs Harbour layout must fit this category. With closing at 5.0pm on the Monday they would have been there long after tea time before heading home up the Pacific Highway, thats if they made the trip that night.
My choice of visiting day was on the Monday. Through forums and other discussions I heard people were queuing up for an hour or so just to get in the door, and when the tribe got in there you couldn't get close enough to a layout to see it for all the people. Was this all supposed to be for the "so called bargains?". Having arrived on the Monday right on 9.0am I strolled straight into the main hall with hardly any one there. By midday there were a lot more lookers.
My only rolling stock purchase for the day was a pack of SRC refrigerator wagons and very nicely done Mr Easy. I got some scenic material from the Orient Models stand as well. 

Well I got the three 'virgin' white SRC's out of the packet and weathered them up a bit. They certainly look different now than from the box. Its hard to get good reference photos in colour for weathering purposes, so anything goes. I was lucky to catch them on a garratt led train just leaving Bega and managed a few shots.

Derelict 42213 at rear of Bega loco

 

Now the next shot with the two 44's is probably a failed attempt at an atmospheric scene supposed to be on a foggy morning. I'll say maybe 5 out of ten at a pinch.
How else do you create fog? With a fog machine of course. About two years ago Aldi had a fog machine co-inciding with Halloween - Trick or Treat time. It was around $50 and I could not justify that much for a photo or two. Last year they had the same machine down to around $30 so I thought why not. So I had this machine sitting under the layout for nearly a year and decided I had better try it out.
After unpacking, setting it up and filling up with the liquid after eight minutes of warming I pressed the remote button and out pumped some fog. A few dense clouds hung around and needed hand stirring to get the thinner effect I wanted. The fog also seemed to effect the colouring in the photo. The fumes were certainly not flavoured nicely but I hoped they weren't toxic. The tank ran out of juice before I could take more shots. 
I suppose I would have to call it a failure and not the end result I hoped for.
I may have another go another day but its next use which will be coming up soon will be to put it behind the screen door and when the little blighters knock on the door and call out 'Trick or treat' I can call out "Neither, get this lot of fog into ya". It will be along the lines of the fog machines they are installing in banks now. Mum will be at the front gate yelling "Johnny are you in there somewhere?" Hopefully Mum will put an 'X' on the front gate meaning don't go there next year.

 

 So after the fog had cleared I was able to get a clearer shot of the 44's on the bridge near the gully working a coal train.

 The next shot shows the Candelo coal mine in the background. This is where the train had originated from some time ago.

So far it has been a very quite year for SCR and there will be a few interesting months ahead to see how we progress. Watch this blog.
I'm also glad to that Blair 'North of Narrabri' is alive and kicking after a long abscence from his blog even if his posting has a plane on it. Come to think of it his mate Lance has been quite as well. Hope he is pounding away on his new layout.
It seems sometimes if you haven't posted after a few weeks they send the undertakers around to see if you are still alive and kicking.