Caulfield Model Railway Exhibition 2022

I have a belated report on the AMRA Caulfield Model Railway Exhibition from the weekend of 20-21 August. It was so good to be back after all the Covid-19 cancellations of the two previous years. The layouts on show had something to offer everyone, so let's get started with the layouts that caught my eye over the two days of the event. Click on the photos to expand.

Maryborough (HO scale) was clearly the standout Australian prototype layout. I've seen the layout before but it is truly a masterpiece. The station building, as you can see, is an amazing structure. The layout was constructed by the members of AMRA (Victoria Branch) to represent the station and surrounds from the post WWII era until 1962. The layout featured a wide range of locomotives and rolling stock over the weekend and no matter what was running, I enjoyed every minute of this layout.

 

Another Australian layout from AMRA (Victoria Branch) was the HO scale Murri layout. Murri is a generic southeastern Australian prototype layout with trains running from the early 20th century to moden day. The station area is a busy scene with plenty of through running, passenger trains, and yard workings.

Borderline (HO scale) was an HO scale generic Australian layout based on a fictional location on the border of Victoria and South Australia. As such, you can see plenty of interstate action on this layout.

The Peterborough Line (HO scale) has two signature scenes: the Light River Bridge (at Hamley Bridge) and Gumbowie. Both of these iconic scenes are no longer around on the prototype but it is good to see them represented in model form with this layout.

Tallarook (HO scale) was another great Australian prototype layout, based on the Victorian main northeast line. Tallarook is the junction of the Mansfield and Alexandra branch lines. The layout featured some superb scenery (especially the trees) as well as a good variety of trains.

The Epping Model Railway Club made the journey south to Melbourne with their exhibition layout, Binalong (HO scale). Binalong is in New South Wales on the Main South between Sydney and Melbourne. As such, it sees plenty of train action.

 

Turning to a Victorian-themed N scale layout, Billabong Flat was a lovely little layout featuring a rural terminus staion and reail yard. The compact size of the layout (1.6m x 0.6m) demonstrated how much fun you can have with N scale in such a small amount of space. I had a good chat with the layout owner who impressed upon me how far Australian N scale modelling had come over the years. Might be a good reason to attend the Australian N Scale Convention in Goulburn in October!

A layout showing good potential was Skipton (Victorian, HO scale). The layout was originally built in 2017 by a group of high school students and is based on the prototype station of the same name. It is a terminus station with turntable and a run-around siding. Actually, if I was to model a Victorian place myself, Skipton would be high on my list.

Electric Car Sheds (NSW, HO scale) showcases electric rail transport and suburban coaching stock based on a typical Sydney electric train maintenance depot. You can see a wonderful variety of electric traction on show with this layout.

Cheakamus Canyon (HO scale) is based on the prototype in British Columbia, Canada. The layout is a scenic extravaganza and features four marvellous bridge scenes replicating actual locations on the railroad. The vertical scenery in particular is a real standout for this layout.

Moving to O scale, Paradise Valley was a wonderful On30 layout from the Puffing Billy Modellers' Group. The layout is based on the Upper Ferntree Gully to Gembrook narrow gauge line in the 1950s. The layout and scenery are superb. The name Paradise Valley is the original name of Clematis station.

Black Stump (On 30) was another wonderful layout based on Victorian narrow gauge of the Otway Ranges. I'd seen this layout before at the Ballarat Exhibition a few months ago but it is one layout you can see several times and still admire the scenery and workmanship.

Eddington Quay (O/16.5) was a 7mm narrow gauge layout based on a secluded cove on the Devon Cornwall border. Using 16.5mm trck gives a prototype gauge of 2' 3''. This is a nicely presented layout with some wonderful buildings. The steam locos (and some freight stock) were kits built from the Smallbrook Studio range.

Another O scale layout was Daraby (British) that featured steam and diesel traction on an ened-to-end shunting layout. This layout really showed the detail and operational attributes of the larger scale.

Allanleigh (OO scale, British) was one of my favourite layouts from the exhibition. Allanleigh is a fictitious UK village set in the late 1960s-early 1970s period. This layout is another terminus station but with good shunting operations servicing two local industry sidings. This layout is DCC (Digitrax) and operated by smart phones over wi-fi. I enjoyed spending time at this layout and had an enjoyable chat with one of the lads on Sunday morning.

One of my other favourite layouts (and representing a new model railway interest for me) was the European-based layout Neubahn. The layout was built to an adapted version of European FREMO modular standards.  Neubahn features a double track mainline with through station. The layout can be controlled by DC or DCC but the catenary (very nicely done) is not powered. The layout showcases a range of European HO scale trains from Roco, Brawa, Fleischmann, Rivarossi, REE Models, ACME, and LS Models. The buildings came from commercial European kits that looked the part with some light weathering. I really enjoyed watching the range of trains on the Neubahn layout with action from Austrian, Dutch, French, German (including DR), Italian and Swiss prototypes.

Making another exhibition appearance was Railways of Japan. I'd seen this N scale layout in Ballarat earlier in the year but the detail on this layout is such that you can always find something you'd missed from a previous viewing.

 

The exhibition gave plenty of opportunity to spend hard-earned money with a plethora of commercial trade stands. The SDS Models NSW 81 class in candy livery was on sale and looked superb. The blue units should be on their way soon. IDR Models Victorian Railways DERM (upcoming) also looked to be popular based on the amount of interest around the trade stand. And Auscision had a number of display models from their upcoming HO scale and N scale models that certainly drew a good many eyeballs! Casula Models were also in attendance where I spent some money on several packs of KD couplers. Other stands that I noticed were Eureka Models, Brunel Hobbies, Pallas Hobbies, Train World, SEM, Buckambool, On Track Models, and Metro Hobbies. The AMRA second-hand stall did a roaring trade based on my frequent visits to check out how turnover of stock was progressing.

The AMRA Victoria Branch are to be congratulated for another fine exhibition.

 

 

Caulfield Model Railway Exhibition 2017

I travelled to Melbourne on Saturday to see the 47th AMRA Victoria Branch model railway exhibition at Caulfield Racecourse. As in previous years, it was an enjoyable day with plenty of layouts and vendors in attendance.

I will showcase some of the layouts that caught my eye shortly but I do want to comment (again) that the lighting at the venue and the lighting on many of the layouts was often poor. When compared to other exhibitions I have been too, I find it amazing that the Caulfield exhibition has so many layouts on display without adequate lighting. I'm sorry, spot lights here and there just don't cut it.

According to the program, there were all together 63 layouts, vendors, and information booths.  They all fitted into the one large room underneath the grandstand at the Caulfield race track. Getting there is easy using public transport. I enjoyed the suburban train trip from Spencer Street Station to Caulfield via Richmond. I love the industrial buildings you pass along the way - the Bryant and May building is superb and even the rail-facing derelict-looking Rosella Preserving Company building at Richmond is historically interesting.

Regarding the exhibition, many of the familiar faces from the commercial side of the hobby were there, including: Auscision (some nice exhibition specials on locomotives), Austrains (had a good chat with John which was great), Aztronics, Airport West Hobbies, Blue and Gold Models, Brunel Hobbies, Casula Hobbies (another sterling job), Dotric Station Blue, Eureka, Matt's Ballast, Metro Hobbies, Models 'n' More, Model Train Buildings, On Track, Orient Express Model Railway Shop, SDS, Steam Era Models, Southern Models, Train World (and Powerline), Trainbuilder, and Trainorama. One vendor I'd not seen before was Barry's Boxes selling storage boxes for N scale model railway equipment.

Of the layouts, these are the ones that caught my eye.

Maryborough (VR, HO scale) is a well-lit and exceptionally modelled layout based on the prototype town of the same name. The station building is exquisite. I spent the most time at the exhibition admiring this layout. The era modelled is the early 1960s prior to 1967 when the level crossing gates were removed. The photographic backscenes are also superb and really give a sense of place and distance to the layout.

Murray River Bridge (HO scale) depicted the prototype at Murray Bridge, South Australia. The layout still had some finishing touches to be completed but looked great nevertheless. Watching a super-long SCT train rolling across the deck girders and through the three truss bridge was quite a sight. The period modelled represented the late 1980s with plenty of modern-era diesels and rollingstock.

Another nicely modelled layout was Leopold (VR, HO scale) from the Sunbury Model Railway Club. I have seen it before but it's always worth spending some time at this layout. One comment, however (and not just aimed at this layout), is the habit of placing the number of the layout (corresponding to the information in the program) on the layout itself. I really think that this detracts from the representation of a scale model railway. I realise there is a need to easily identify the layout but placing the number on the front fascia or curtain might be better.

Yea (VR, HO scale) was another local prototype that looked great and ran some very nice trains. However, it could be improved with better lighting. The layout was featured in the October 2014 issue of the Australian Model Railway Magazine (AMRM) if you want detailed information about the layout. The quality of the layout itself is first class with some great detailed scenes.

Another Victorian Railways layout was Skipton (HO scale) based on the town of the same name. The layout was fairly rudimentary but will improve with additional detail. Again, poor layout lighting was an issue. That said, I appreciate the work the young chaps who built and operated this layout put into exhibiting it. Interestingly, I have researched Skipton and been there to take lots of photos as I regard the location as an excellent prototype to model.

Colinsville Riverland Railway (Australian, HO and HOn30) is a fictitious location situated on an Australian coastal river port. There was plenty of action on this layout with a variety of trains.

Gum Leaf Gully (On30) was a small but well detailed layout. I will let the photos tell the rest of the story.

Another On30 layout was Frog Hollow. This layout represented a fictional Australian narrow gauge bush railway. Modellers familiar with the work of the late Geoff Nott will see his handiwork in this layout now owned and operated by Geoff Small. The layout featured lighting effects and bush sounds that added to the realism of the display.

Another small layout, Little Chipping (VR, HO scale) is a small town (fictional?) located in Gippsland. A sequenced timetable allowed for a good range of short trains to enter and depart the layout.  The fiddle yard was a train turntable that could hold five tracks of trains that could be swivelled 180 degrees to reset the direction of the train back toward the scenic section of the layout. The layout was quite low and I imagine this was so small children could easily see the layout.

On the other hand, a layout that was at a good height for adults required quite a bit of elevation for the operator! Catherwood (British, 00 scale) is a seaside terminus station set in west Dorset in England. The layout depicts the 1955-65 era with some terrific scenery and prototypical operation. I really enjoyed looking at the detail of this layout and what can be achieved in a relatively modest space. That said, I wouldn't like to spend a whole weekend on that short stepladder...

Another British layout that was well detailed was Vale of White Horse (00 scale) based on the Great Western Railway (GWR) on the mainline between London and Bristol. A variety of trains ran throughout the day, reflecting different time periods from 1920 to 1964.

Northminster Heritage Railway (British, 00 scale) represents a fictitious heritage railway in England. As such, a variety of locomotives can be seen operating on this layout.

For those of us who grew up with Triang-Hornby and Wrenn, Gregor Potts' layout (British, 00 scale) brought back lots of memories. The trains and buildings from this period of model railway manufacturing still have a great appeal today despite the significant advancements in the hobby. Even the Minic Motorway road system on the layout was something to behold.

Neubahn (European, HO scale) showcased modern European trains on express services through a small township. The colourful passenger stock and freight wagons make European prototype layouts like this very attractive to watch.

Rounding out the layouts for me was Wallan (HO scale) that showcased a number of Australian trains running through this Victorian locale.

Finally, I must thank the organisers and exhibitors for their efforts in putting on a very enjoyable model railway exhibition