Birthdays.........

I've been spending the last week or so organising a party for my wife's 60th birthday so not a lot of modelling going on.

I did, however, get the new legs onto Barra Town with my wife's help so I was quite happy about that. 'She who must be obeyed' seemed quite happy to be involved.

As I wrote in my last blog the legs have wheels and I wasn't too sure whether they would be successful. I probably need to install a couple of cross pieces just to add a little bit of extra strength.

Fortunately they are just what the doctor ordered. I can move the layout around the space I have in the garage so access each side more comfortably. Also the layout is now at a much more comfortable height. No more bending down to do scenery work or take photos.

I still have to bolt the legs because they are currently held with g-clamps which I keep on running into (annoying). So the sooner I get the bolts fitted the better.

Another task I've started on is converting my Tomytec office building into a bank for Barra Town.

 

Considering it's origins, the model is quite similar to the real Commonwealth Bank in Coonabarrabran, though a little smaller. I've added Commonwealth Bank logo and sign. I still have to paint the yellow panels. I was thinking of adding an ATM on the side but I think that's way off.

If you haven't seen them before, the Japanese models (Tomytec, Kato) come pre-painted and can be clipped together if you don't like gluing. The first kit of this building I bought in a well known western Sydney hobby shop for $30 or so. It was used on my Vietnamese layout. The Barra Town one I got from my Japanese source and it cost me about $15.00 including shipping. There's a lesson to be learned there I think.

The second photo also shows what a great modelling tool Google Earth is. I've never been to Coonabarrabran but Google Earth allows me to wander the streets to my hearts content taking 'snaps' of interesting features just as if I was there.

This Weeks' Heritage Photos:

I'm continuing my project to scan all my prints into my computer. At some point I will start working on them to improve the quality but for now here's a couple you might find useful.

 Again these were taken with my trusty 'Instamatic' camera around Bathurst Yard sometime in the late 60's. From a modelling point of view the telegraph poles/yard light poles are interesting, as well as what appears to be a match truck of some sort between the 49 class diesel and the van. The goods train with all the 4-wheelers and covered open trucks is also evocative of the times.

 Another shot of unusual rolling stock. These appear to be some sort of 4-wheel sleeper carriers and a ways and works van. Photo taken at Clyde in Sydney.

The UP Spirit of Progress hauled by double 44 class back to back enters and leaves Strathfield Station heading for Sydney terminal while a youthful photographer takes aim. Again, sometime in the late 60's.

Well that's your lot for this time. Hope you enjoyed my ramblings.

So I'll talk to you again next time.

April showers.......

Welcome to April.

I've been a bit lax with blogs in March. Hopefully I can get back to once a week in April, which was my original intention.

Some History

As I noted previously I've been going through many of my old photos and scanning them into my computer.

So here's one for the books. Sorry about the quality but this photo shows my original attempt at Australian modelling. It's HO.

The models are the original HO NSW kits, a UME flat wagon and MRC refrigerated van by MRC models (in wood) and an RU wheat hopper and BDX open wagon (in carboard!) by Rod Tonkin. The RU used a Lima chassis and the BDX had a very rough cast metal underframe which gave it the weight it needed. Later I purchased the original Berg's brass 32 class for the princely sum of $59.95 I believe, an enormous sum for a student in those days. I still have the locomotive, but after being dropped on a concrete floor it isn't quite the locomotive it was! This would have been around 1967-9. I could check the dates for the models in AMRM but I haven't yet. I was introduced to Australian HO by a friend of mine Stewart Livesy who gave me a copy of a new magazine called (then) Australasian Model Railroad Magazine probably around 1966.

Before I entered the Australian model world I had had a Marklin layout since about 1963-4 which slid under my bed on casters.

My modelling was sort of interrupted (or at least slowed down considerably) when I went to Papua New Guinea in 1971 to teach for 7 years. When I came back in 1978 I had partially switched to N Scale. It was pretty rough and coarse and didn't run very well so later I reverted to NSW HO for a number of years particularly when the Lima models became available.

What's happening on my current layouts?

Below is a photo of the new legs ready to be fitted under the Barra Town layout. The horizontal pieces look a bit odd to allow for the layout frame. Currently the layout is resting on one of those white fold up tables. The frame will increase the height of the board considerably. Because I have limited space in my garage I have fitted wheels as per a recent Model Railroader Magazine article so I can move the layout to give me more room on the side I am working on. A bit of an experiment. I'll let you know how it goes. The big changeover is scheduled for tonight if everything goes according to plan and "she who must be obeyed" agrees to help. I'll let you know how that goes as well.

I finally got the three main trestle pieces fitted as well but still have to fit the pieces at each end and have started painting the river and adding water. Also the timber trestles need more paint and weathering.

 I have always used satin estapol to simulate water on my layouts, building it up in layers.

This time I have been trying a water based clear paint. A bit of a failure unfortunately. The paint has dried to a cloudy white colour, particularly where it's a little thicker. I don't know why this has happened but I'm going to have to go back, repaint the river bottom and then use estapol. At least I know that works.

Unfortunately nothing has happened on my Vietnamese layout since last post.

Your heritage photos for this week:

Again sorry for the poor quality. They are all photos of the opening of the electrification to Campbelltown in 1968 (4th of May). Taken with a small  126 'Instamatic' format camera hence the square images.

The same day was also the declaration of Campbelltown as a city.

The celebrations included a visit by the Vintage Train (1709 and 1243), a couple of S sets and a 20 class and 30 class tank. The AD60 was pulling the tour train I was on. The 40 class passed us pulling an UP Moss Vale Passenger (I think!) 1709 is seen being admired outside the long gone Campbelltown Loco.

Well, that's your lot for this week. See you in about a week's time.

Cheers.