Malkara Exhibition 2011

I managed an hour each yesterday and today for a quick look around the Malkara Exhibition here in Canberra. The exhibition, organised by the ACT Model Railway Society,  is a major fundraiser for the Malkara School. The show includes a range of scale hobbies including model railways, model cars, plastic modelling, remote control boats, and dolls houses. I was naturally there to help a good cause and check out the the model railways.

There were about a dozen model railways on show, not including the popular train ride for the kids outside.

As I only had a short time at the show because of report writing commitments at home, here is a sample of the layouts at the exhibition.

Yendys (Sydney spelt backwards) is the HO scale club layout of the ACT Model Railway Society. The layout is a double-track mainline with a suburban station and electric suburban carriage sidings. A feature of this layout is the catenary, something that really adds realism to the scene. The following three photos highlight some of the scenes from this layout. I especially like the third photo showing a suburban train about to pull away from the station among the hustle and bustle of the day.

Another layout from Canberra modellers was Willigobung (HO scale). This layout is a generic NSW country through station on a busy two track mainline (obviously the Main South). A good selection of trains is always on show to keep the punters happy.

The amiable lads from the Illawarra returned to Canberra with their exhibition layout, Waterfall (HO scale).

South Bend and Hilltop Railway is an N scale US-prototype layout. A feature of this layout was the long trains snaking through a variety of scenic elements. The yard at the front of the layout is also a good spot to watch the trains pass through.

The Epping Model Railway Club (the "yellow shirts") made the trip to Canberra with their exhibition layout, Brunswick Park (HO scale). This layout features a Sydney suburban scene with a focus on the industries around the North Strathfield/Concord  area.

The magnificent Sydney Central Station (N scale) was back on the exhibition circuit after several months on public display at the NSWRTM office on Central Station concourse in Sydney. It is always a pleasure to admire the fabulous detail and modelling skill of this remarkable layout.

Other layouts on show were Clifton Falls, Crestwood, Mullett Creek, South Creek, and the Canberra Monaro N scale group's AusTrak modules.

Several model railway shops were also in attendance. They included Casula Hobbies and Model Railroad Craftsman (both selling the latest issue of Australian Journal of Railway Modelling I was pleased to see), Pallas Hobbies, and Runway 13. Also in attendance were Ron Cunningham of Eureka Models and John Eassie from Austrains. Austrains seemed to be pretty busy whenever I popped my head in there and I am sure the local Canberra and South Coast modellers kept the cash register ringing! I did my bit in buying another NR for myself on Saturday at the discounted price of $200. One of my mates bought three NR's and another two bought one each - who said that NR's wouldn't still be popular?

I hope the weekend was a big success for the organisers and the school. It was the 39th Malkara exhibition and that is quite an achievement. Well done!

Canberra Model Railway Expo report

The Canberra Model Railway Expo is over for another year. A decent selection of layouts were on display covering a range of prototypes and scales, from N scale to G scale.

I managed to spend time at the exhibition on both Saturday and Sunday. A great part of the time at the exhibition was chatting with a bevy of railway modellers from interstate and from the local Canberra region. But I did get to see all the layouts too, including Geoff Small's new layout Oddwalls (following three photos).

Oddwalls (HO scale) continues a fine tradition of exhibition layouts from Geoff (he has previously exhibited Mullet Creek, Smaldon Curve, and others). This layout is 4m long and uses the same fiddleyard as in previous layouts. Geoff uses a simple layout configuration (double main line with a couple of sidings) but demonstrates significant thought about landscape and townscape, quality detail, and very realistic scenic composition using a range of commercially available structure kits and accessories. Oddwalls was on its first showing and will be appreciated by fellow modellers when they get their chance to see the layout in the future.

Other layouts on display included:

Waterfall from the Illawarra Model Railway Association (HO scale) continues to impress as a quality NSW layout with fine attention to scenic detail. The trees at the rear of the layout look superb and this layout continues to improve at each outing. Spending time looking at the layout always reveals a fine example of railway modelling and chatting with the Illawarra blokes is always a pleasure. In the scene below, we see some NSWR diesels awaiting their call to duty.

The next layout photo shows the full length of Nicholls Siding. This layout (HO scale) is about 7 metres long and features four main running tracks that offer plenty of action throughout the day. Nicholls Siding features Australian prototype trains and uses digital command control (DCC).

Jembaicumbene is another HO scale layout that features NSW railway prototypes. This layout has been around for several years now but still runs superbly. The feature of this layout is the curved station nestled within a busy town and industrial scene. In the photo below, we see a CPH railmotor just leaving the station.

As way of contrast, the next photo shows an EL with a grain train speeding through Willigobung (HO scale). Willigobung is another layout that has been around for a few years now but I hear a new exhibition layout is currently under construction by the south Canberra lads. In the meantime, watching a parade of different trains snake around Willigobung was certainly enough to keep the punters happy.

638 Mile is an Australian HO scale (NSW) based layout featuring a fictitious rural location. The layout shows a country branchline with a range of locomotives and rolling stock from the 1960-70s period.

Another HO scale layout, but this time of US prototype, is Twelfth Street Yard. This layout from the ACT Model Railway Society uses DCC, but was originally operated using standard analogue control. Twelfth Street Yard has been on the exhibition circuit since 1999. It still holds plenty of interest with a variety of through trains, switching and interchange tracks, plus street running to a tight urban industrial precinct. The photo below shows some switching in action.

Enoshima (N scale) is a large and highly detailed Japanese layout featuring fast trains, high density living, and all the colour and light associated with big cities in Japan. Whilst I have scene this layout several times now, I always like to take in the density of detail this layout has to offer.

The Canberra Monaro N scale group displayed their large AusTrak layout featuring locos and rolling stock of prototypes from both Australia and overseas. AusTrak modules are individually built by members of the club. The standardisation of module design and construction means that these modules can easily be joined together into an operating layout. The station in the photo below is clearly a NSW prototype, albeit at the time I took this shot, long US modern era trains were having a run.

Representing OO (4mm) scale was Bridport South Western. I have seen this layout a few times now but I enjoy the audio commentary that this layout provides and the old world charm of its 1890 era. I also admire the trackwork and the use of a small traverser at one end of the layout to bring trains on and off the layout.

The larger G scale garden railway representative was Leonville Junction; always a great hit with the kids due to its fast action and multitude of cartoon and television characters scattered throughout the scenery.

The exhibition was entertaining and a great opportunity to catch up with fellow railway modellers. The new layout Oddwalls was a highlight. Some other layouts were let down by poor lighting and I am not convinced that school venues are the most suitable for model railway exhibitions - a bit of a rabbit warren to some extent. Nevertheless, I understand that exhibition organisers have to use what venues are available and at a suitable cost. Also, good venues are difficult to find.

In addition, it does appear that new quality layouts coming onto the exhibition scene are the exception these days. I can understand why to some extent - new layouts take time and cost money so it's not easy to keep building new layouts. However, I do wonder whether recycling the same layouts each year will have any impact on future attendances. That said, I do know that there are a couple of new layouts under construction by modellers in Canberra that could debut next year at the 2012 Canberra Model Railway Expo - we'll have to wait and see if these layouts keep to timetable!

Thanks to the organisers for an enjoyable weekend and I do hope it was a success for you as well.

Canberra Exhibition report 2010

I attended the Canberra Model Railway Expo yesterday and today. The exhibition was located this year at Kaleen High School in the northern Canberra suburb of Kaleen.

The exhibition used the hall, a stage, and some other general purpose rooms for the layouts and commercial stands. At first glance, it looked a little confusing with the all the rooms and the different pathways to and from the rooms (the exhibition organisers would have you believe that I am always lost and confused!). However, once I found my bearings all became clear!

The first things to say was that there was plenty of room to move around. This was because the layouts were given plenty of aisle width in the main hall. Layouts located elsewhere were not packed into rooms like sardines. This was excellent since mid-morning Saturday and Sunday had good crowds.

As usual, I bumped into many fellow modellers from Canberra, Sydney, and even Hawks Nest on the NSW mid-north coast. You can always rely on meeting a host of friends at an exhibition!

Now, to the layouts.

The class layout on show was clearly Sydney Terminal Station by Ross Balderson. This layout, in N scale, featured the magnificent Central Station building in all its splendid glory. The surrounding buildings and the park in the foreground were also brilliantly done. And the famous suburban "Red Rattler" trains maintained a steady procession around the layout, just like their 1:1 counterparts did over forty years ago. The following three photos give an indication of the overall display and the exquisite modelling.




The Sydney Terminal layout was a superb piece of architectural modelling; exceptionally well detailed, and exceptionally well lit. Full credit to Ross for his dedication and skill in building this layout. I expect the layout will be exhibited at the inaugural Bungendore Model Railway Exhibition (October 16-17) so make sure you can come along because the layout is a "must-see".

When I was not marvelling at Sydney Terminal Station, I was operating Willigobung on Saturday. Willigobung is a generic HO scale NSW layout set roughly on the Main South Line between Gunning and Cootamundra, featuring a station, goods facilities and a wheat silo.

Sunday morning saw me on my shift with the Canberra NMRA club's US prototype exhibition layout. We try and have a couple of operators out the front of the layout to let the kids learn how to operate the trains using the DCC throttles - a very popular option for "serious" young modellers!

Other layouts at the exhibition included the Illawarra Model Railway Association's Kelly River (HO scale, US) with the iconic bascule bridge, Smaldon Curve (HO scale, NSW) featuring a cement works, the small but effective Gum Tree Plains (HO scale, NSW), the ACT Model Railway Society's Twelfth Street Yard (HO scale, US), Canberra Monaro N scale Group's Australian N scale modular layout, Canberra Model Railway Club's Crestwood (HO scale, NSW), the German Mittelstadt layout (Marklin, HO scale), Victoria Mountain (HO scale, NSW) set in the Blue Mountains and featuring some amazing lighting effects, and an un-named US N scale layout with plenty of action and some great scenery that was near the canteen. Apologies if I have missed a couple of layouts but I didn't get a program this year.

More photos from the exhibition are below.

A 49 class on Willigobung waits in the passing siding for the all clear to proceed.


The cement works on Smaldon Curve.


Gum Tree Plains showed that good quality modelling is possible on a small layout; encouragement for all of us!


A Clinchfield Railroad steamer leaves the engine house on the Canberra NMRA club's US layout.


An express steam hauled freight train through Twelfth St Yard.


The Bascule Bridge, based on the Walthers model, on the Kelly River layout.

The commercial stands included Casula Hobbies, Gwydir Valley Models, On Track Models, Pallas Hobbies (where I got a great book (The American freight train by Jim Boyd) for $10 - thanks Dave!), and Runway 13. Also, there was a second-hand stall and a collector (Triang, Marklin) stand.

Peter from Runway 13 was also giving tips about airbrushing, while Bob Olde and Phil Badger were giving tips and tricks about model building. I must say it was odd to see Bob Olde on his own without his modelling buddy Graham Walker working beside him (Graham sadly passed away a couple of months ago).

Overall, the organisers must be congratulated for another entertaining Canberra Model Railway Expo. Get ready to do it all again next year!

Malkara, Canberra, 2009

The 37th annual Malkara Model Railway & Scale Model Exhibition was held today and yesterday in Canberra. The event is the Malkara School's major fundraiser and plays host to a range of model trains, boats and 'planes, as well as doll houses and other crafts.

I only had an hour on Saturday and a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon to get around the displays. After chatting with people (including Lloyd Sawyer from the now retired Lloyd's Model Railways) and buying a couple of things from The Model Railroad Craftsman, time was at a premium. I glanced at several exhibits but only spent time at displays of immediate interest to me. I took several quick shots with my "snappy" camera; a few being shown below.

The Epping Model Railway Club exhibited East Mateland and although a veteran of the exhibition circuit these days, was still voted by the public as the most popular layout of the show.

The first photo shows Phil Skelton's beautiful streamlined 38 class and passenger car set crossing the four-track steel bridge just past East Mateland station. The second photo shows a garratt with a line of LCH and CCH four-wheeled coal hoppers. And the third shot shows a 620/720 railcar set.






In the same room were two small but delightful layouts. The first was the HOn2.5 Duck Creek. This layout had some exceptional scenery, including a terrific saw mill with appropriate industrial sounds. Victorian Railways narrow gauge locos and rolling stock were nicely modelled.



The other layout was a terminus station layout, Blagdon, showcasing the Wrington Vale Light Railway in the UK during the first quarter of the 20th century. The layout was about 12 feet long (approx. 4 metres) and is quite a nice length for this kind of layout.




Canberra-based layout Willigobung was also on display. Willigobung is a real town name, although the layout is fictionally based on the Main South somewhere between Yass Junction and Cootamundra. This was the last photo of my day since the battery in the camera ran out!


There were several other layouts exhibited (including Crestwood, Kelly River, Tarana, Yendys, and the Canberra NMRA club's US modular exhibition layout). However, the layout, L's PaPerGlen, was of special interest because of the central road and rail overbridge - a feature that I had not seen modelled previously. The roadway sits above the rail line on the bridge.


Besides RRMC, other commercial outlets at Malkara were Pallas Hobbies, Kerroby models, Simply Glues, and local airbrushing specialist Runway 13.

The Malkara event is not a specialist model railway exhibition. However, it is always popular with the public who come to support a good cause. And there is always the chance that the Malkara event might ignite an interest in hobbies and crafts with people who would probably not ordinarily come to a specialist hobby event - something to hope for.