CRT class 73 out for a run.

Not so long ago, Wimmera Container line purchased CRT 7334 as a yard shunter. It soon fell into disrepair and was parked (dumped) on the old oil siding, where it actually still remains. In the model world, this little loco is still in use, and sometimes gets an outing on the main line.

A rail fan has a surprise, with a quick photo through the trees, as CRT 7334 passes over the river bridge. This loco belongs to my son, Craig, who took the photo.

Vineyard to fill a corner.

I had a corner that was bare, so what to do with it. I have always wanted to model a vineyard, so a Seppeltsfield Great Western is on the Adelaide to Melbourne main line, I decided to reproduce a small section of there vineyard. The main line actually cuts right through the property, with the main winery on the western side of the track, and a large area of vines on the eastern side, from track to the highway. At the Melbourne end, the track swings around a curve, across a road crossing (Garden Gully Road) and into bushland. This is the end I decide to reproduce.
The vines came from JTT models and some I picked up a the Adelaide exhibition, from MP scenery (which are actually the same company, but there is a difference in the vines each 'company' produces).

The MP scenery vines are in the foreground, JTT at the rear, with a bit of extra foliage added. (Still want to add some fine loose leaves).
Next, there is also a line of trees running along the track. By chance, a visit to Orient Express Model Railway shop, there were some hand made gum trees on the second hand shelf, of about the right size. These were acquired, and with of extra paint, fitted the bill.

The trees in temporary place. The track still has to be relaid. I removed the foam and laid a cork track bed. The landscape under the trees is canite, filed to shape. On the other side, is foam board, just recently added: still to receive plaster bandage covering.
Still more scenic materials to add especially static grasses, and a bit more work on the trees, more vines, plus the track needs ballast, and a road crossing to add, which is just out of view on the right.

The trees have been removed fora while. The foam is now covered in plaster bandage, just awaiting for it to harden. More vines have also been added, but do not show in this photo.

Slight changes to blog

Well it had to happen one day. My Compaq laptop died yesterday, and along with it Windows 7 and Microsoft picture manger in my older office version, which I used to compress all the photos that have appeared in the posts. Picture manger is not in Office 2013 so I will have to seek out an alternative.
Also at the moment, all my photos are stored on a hard drive I can not access till a Sata enclosure arrives, and I can access all those files again. (Sayes something for backing on an external hard drive).
So what is a Sata enclosure some might say. It is a little box with a plug, that you can plug in the hard drive from dead computers, and has a USB plug at the other end, so you can have access to your files again.

Other than that, I have been working on platform lighting for Horsham station. All the lights have come off ebay, costing around a dollar each: a great saving from store purchased ones. The old platform lights are globes, the newer ones around the building are LEDS. Sorry no photos yet.

More Maersk reefers

I have managed to obtain a pack of Atlas HO scale Maersk Sealand reefers from the USA. I had initially no intention of purchasing any more, other than the four I obtained from C-Rail a while back. But one evening during late summer, my mate Tony wished to go house viewing over Balhannah way, and just by chance a PN Patrick train passed. Now not seeing very many Maersk reefers on the Adelaide to Melbourne corridor, this train was almost solidly loaded with Maersk Sealand reefers!
So, I checked the website of the Canadian shop that I use, and they had the Atlas Maersk Sealand in stock, which was lucky, as they are sold out almost everywhere else.

Now, I think this is correct. The factory that these come from have two set of dies. One is used by C-Rail, the other by Atlas. If this is wrong, I sure Arran from C-Rail will correct.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QyAZ8raPok

At 2:40 Pacific National traveling Western Victoria with Maersk reefers.

AQEY/RQEY Kit

At the recent Adelaide Model Railway show, I purchased a Strath Models kit of the AN AQEY twin pack container wagon. These were modified in 1988, by converting to ABEX louvre vans to twin pack container wagons. The first were converted from VEX wagons (built 1966 by Commonwealth Engineering in WA), with the remaining units from LEX/ALEX wagons (built 1967 by Commonwealth Engineering in Qld). The twin pack has a length over headstocks of 26.7m. (This figure becomes important). Each deck is able to carry a 40' plus container.

The kit looked straight forward, even after the warning from fellow modellers, who had tackled Strath Kits before. I cleaned by the excess 'flash' and added the few detail parts. Then, on referring to some photos, I soon noticed that each deck was too short! A search on the ARTC website for rolling stock info, come up with with a length of 27.6m over pull points, which made the model 17mm too short in scale.

Shows one modified and one un-modified unit.

The error seemed to be at the cut out opening end of the wagon, so I cut at where the 3D printed coupling mount was, and added a 9mm section, built up of plastic card, all supa-glued in position.
It was then all clean up of the filler and paint the primer. I also used a half inch screw for the centre bogie (drilled straight through), as the shorter screw supplied would not bite the 3D print to hold.

Unit in primer grey, awaiting final livery.

The above photo shows how the wagon looks when loaded with a 40' container.

Above, is a RQEY loaded with a 40' container, clearly showing the gap a the end of the deck, which if you built the kit as was, the 40' container sit on the whole deck with no gap.
More photos: unloaded from Malleeroute flickr site.
 

www.flickr.com/photos/59591804@N03/8497512370
www.flickr.com/photos/malleeroute/8496409881/in/photostream/

And another loaded shot from Wagonfreaks blog.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIN9nKQy0yT2hGbNjg5JKzTKI00C2f8I_RZx7zzBju0HF0ElEVOZlsNSj6QbUnK9-23wbyBUOinetTiJz3HCcVwJLOeGdWMVFv5uQXqkProlyhL2TqfJLgvuhRn0lHf-zgXLnpXY6BNzY/s1600/_1-RQEY+1868+%28Large%29.jpg

Adelaide exhibition report 2015

It is that time of the year again, with the Adelaide Model Railway Exhibition running over the long weekend. Attended on the the Saturday, and for the first time, had to park some distance away. Sign of a good attendance crowd.
Unlike interstate, the only release was Orient Express's D vans, which had actually arrived around a week ago; but more important, was Fred was showing the first engineering samples of the Centenary cars (if you asked). These look really good.
Seem to be a few more traders, and a bit of a lack of layouts, but they were generally good.

Trainworld/Railmotor had their SCT sample on display. (Which is better? I have a quote, 'it is like choosing between a Lima 930 or a Trainorama 930').

Mt Joseph N scale. (Sorry John)

Portminster

I have included a photo of St Hugo, as it shows excellent colour grading from the layout scenery to the back scene.

I
I

St Hugo

Eskbank

Bridgewater

NODY from Auscision

Auscision Models announced today via Facebook, that they will be producing the NSW NODY open wagon; not seen since Austrains produced one many years ago. Now, I do not need a NODY, but many have had their bodies cut, or removed altogether. The most common is the RKLY, seen on steel traffic trains, with the orange 'butter box' coil steel containers. These run over the main south line several days a week; from NSW, to Adelaide and onto Perth.

RKLY Model Auscision Models.

Ever wondered where these wagons go. In Adelaide, they transfer over, probably one of the last industrial branches left in the city, into Blue Scope Steel at Wingfield.

Coil steel containers been unloaded at Blue Scope Steel.

In addition to the RKLY, Auscision are producing several other variants used on steel trains.