Tomorrow morning I will be driving from Canberra to Liverpool, Sydney, for the annual October long weekend Sydney Model Railway Exhibition. Since I am staying in Sydney tomorrow night, I'll be back at the exhibition on Sunday as well before driving home.
I have some advance information that tells me that there will be about 30 layouts and over 40 commercial stands. I must say that I have seen most of the layouts before; but then again, I do go to a fair number of exhibitions throughout the year!
Some of the layouts on show this weekend that I have enjoyed before include: Bridport South Western, Enoshima, Eskbank, Muskrat Ramble, Sydney Central Station, Time and Patience, and Waterfall. Muskrat Ramble is featured in the latest issue of Narrow Gauge Down Under (no relation), and Eskbank will be featured in the next issue of Australian Journal of Railway Modelling. And the excellent Waterfall layout will be having its next outing since it was first exhibited in "pristine" form at Canberra in August.
I look forward to the exhibition tomorrow and catching up with Sydney friends and the usual contingent of modellers from Canberra. See you there!
Friday, 1 October 2010
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Adelaide layouts and NRM photos 2010
As I indicated in my previous post, I have a few photos to show from my trip to Adelaide for the Modelling the Railways of South Australia Convention.
The first two sets of photos show the two home layouts I managed to visit after the Convention. Both of these layouts featured (along with The Moping Branch layout) in the book "Recollections" by Kevin Kavanagh released last year at the Convention. The book gives a good insight into a handful of layouts owned and operated by like-minded individuals who have been part of the ABLO (Adelaide Branch Line Operators) group during the past forty years or so. The two layouts featured below still use a card operating system based on the ABLO method. The ABLO card system was featured in an article in the January 1977 issue of the Australian Model Railway Magazine (AMRM).
The first three photos shows the layout of Kev Kavanagh (not The Moping Branch Kev) that I was privileged to visit on the day after the Convention. The layout is the Huntingdale & Grange Railway. This layout was featured in the December 1997 issue of AMRM.
The next four photos shows the layout of Hugh Williams. This layout was moved in total from its former home in Belair to its new owner and new location - quite a move given the size of the layout and the complexity of the track plan. The layout runs around itself in three loops and each level is visible behind each other. As I said in the previous post, I did not find the visible layers distracting at all while I was operating my train. A description of the layout and a line diagram of the track plan are in the book "Recollections".
Finally, I have included a couple of photos from the National Railway Museum at Port Adelaide. The photos show, in order, a portrait of the front end of the SAR 930 class diesel; a shot of the Commonwealth Railways Budd car (that one is for Bob Stack), and the third photo is of a trio of LCL containers sitting in an open wagon (that's for Bob Gallagher).
I have already pencilled in some time away next year for the Convention plus a couple of extra days for "sightseeing". Keep a lookout for the 2011 dates that will be advised on the Modelling the Railways of South Australia Convention website.
The first two sets of photos show the two home layouts I managed to visit after the Convention. Both of these layouts featured (along with The Moping Branch layout) in the book "Recollections" by Kevin Kavanagh released last year at the Convention. The book gives a good insight into a handful of layouts owned and operated by like-minded individuals who have been part of the ABLO (Adelaide Branch Line Operators) group during the past forty years or so. The two layouts featured below still use a card operating system based on the ABLO method. The ABLO card system was featured in an article in the January 1977 issue of the Australian Model Railway Magazine (AMRM).
The first three photos shows the layout of Kev Kavanagh (not The Moping Branch Kev) that I was privileged to visit on the day after the Convention. The layout is the Huntingdale & Grange Railway. This layout was featured in the December 1997 issue of AMRM.
The next four photos shows the layout of Hugh Williams. This layout was moved in total from its former home in Belair to its new owner and new location - quite a move given the size of the layout and the complexity of the track plan. The layout runs around itself in three loops and each level is visible behind each other. As I said in the previous post, I did not find the visible layers distracting at all while I was operating my train. A description of the layout and a line diagram of the track plan are in the book "Recollections".
Finally, I have included a couple of photos from the National Railway Museum at Port Adelaide. The photos show, in order, a portrait of the front end of the SAR 930 class diesel; a shot of the Commonwealth Railways Budd car (that one is for Bob Stack), and the third photo is of a trio of LCL containers sitting in an open wagon (that's for Bob Gallagher).
I have already pencilled in some time away next year for the Convention plus a couple of extra days for "sightseeing". Keep a lookout for the 2011 dates that will be advised on the Modelling the Railways of South Australia Convention website.
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
SAR Convention 2010 Report
Sorry for the delay in reporting back on the Modelling the Railways of South Australia Convention held a couple of weekends ago in Adelaide.
The 2010 Convention was really great this year. We had some first class presentations, including a wonderful photo presentation and explanation of the famous Moping Branch layout. The Moping Branch layout was featured in a couple of AMRM articles well over 20 years ago. A DVD of the layout was also on sale for $20 and I was one of the lucky ones to buy a copy before they sold out on the day!
The other featured presentations included:
The 2010 Convention was the 15th and I have been going every year since 1998, missing only one Convention in that time. Once again, the annual Convention notes were a high quality product. I now have four thick volumes of truly exceptional historical articles and photographs dealing with both the South Australian Railways (SAR) and Commonwealth Railways (CR).
On the Sunday, the day after the Convention, I went to the National Rail Museum (formerly known as the Port Dock Railway Museum) at Port Adelaide. The Museum had a sale of railway memorabilia and train magazines in the morning. I bought a Working Timetable from the early 1970s.
Mid-morning saw me off to Kev Kavanagh's home to see his beautiful Huntingdale model railway. The layout is a two level point-to-point layout based on the SAR. When I download the photos from my camera I will put a couple up on the blog.
The afternoon saw me back at the National Railway Museum. I had a good look around, taking a few photos along the way. Bob Gallagher (former Managing Editor of AMRM) had asked me to track down and photograph a wooden LCL container at the Museum. Thankfully, I found it OK inside an SAR bogie open wagon with a couple of of the traditional steel LCL containers for company.
I took a couple of days leave this trip and on Monday (13th September) I drove up to Crystal Brook hoping to see plenty of train action. At Crystal Brook, some shunting was taking place at the grain silos; unfortunately using tractor power rather than loco power. As it turned out, the weather turned overcast so I didn't stay too long. I did see a Perth-Melbourne intermodal speed through Crystal Brook with a couple of QR locos on the front - a 6000 class and a LDP. I ended up getting a photo of the train at Snowtown. I returned to Adelaide via Clare before the weather really let loose with strong winds and a torrential downpour of rain.
That night I had been invited to an operating session of the Belair layout at the home of Hugh Williams. This layout was a multi-ringed layout featuring SAR and Victorian Railways (VR) prototypes. There were about seven operators on the layout, albeit I had a personal coach with me to help me run my timetabled set of trains (thanks, Steve). Photos to come shortly....
The two home layouts I visited, as was the Moping Branch, were multi-level and multi-track but without the double-deck configuration I mostly see in US model railroad magazines. All three layouts used a card operating system based on the system developed by the ABLO group from the 1960's-1970s. The three layouts looped at least twice and the multi-levels remained visible, even though each level was independent of each other in terms of the fictional geography of the layout. In that sense, they were similar in style to Bob Stack's South Coast Rail.
I didn't find the visible multi-levels at all distracting as I concentrated on running my individual trains around the layouts. I am now seriously looking at this option for my home layout since it gives the extra running length without taking up too much space and/or relying on space-hugging helixes to elevate tracks to the higher level.
All in all, I had a great time in Adelaide. Thank you one and all.
The 2010 Convention was really great this year. We had some first class presentations, including a wonderful photo presentation and explanation of the famous Moping Branch layout. The Moping Branch layout was featured in a couple of AMRM articles well over 20 years ago. A DVD of the layout was also on sale for $20 and I was one of the lucky ones to buy a copy before they sold out on the day!
The other featured presentations included:
- the 720 class steam locomotive
- the Wilmington line
- the Indian Pacific cars
- SAR models I've built by the mercurial Frank Kelly
- stepdown platforms
- building resin structure kits
The 2010 Convention was the 15th and I have been going every year since 1998, missing only one Convention in that time. Once again, the annual Convention notes were a high quality product. I now have four thick volumes of truly exceptional historical articles and photographs dealing with both the South Australian Railways (SAR) and Commonwealth Railways (CR).
On the Sunday, the day after the Convention, I went to the National Rail Museum (formerly known as the Port Dock Railway Museum) at Port Adelaide. The Museum had a sale of railway memorabilia and train magazines in the morning. I bought a Working Timetable from the early 1970s.
Mid-morning saw me off to Kev Kavanagh's home to see his beautiful Huntingdale model railway. The layout is a two level point-to-point layout based on the SAR. When I download the photos from my camera I will put a couple up on the blog.
The afternoon saw me back at the National Railway Museum. I had a good look around, taking a few photos along the way. Bob Gallagher (former Managing Editor of AMRM) had asked me to track down and photograph a wooden LCL container at the Museum. Thankfully, I found it OK inside an SAR bogie open wagon with a couple of of the traditional steel LCL containers for company.
I took a couple of days leave this trip and on Monday (13th September) I drove up to Crystal Brook hoping to see plenty of train action. At Crystal Brook, some shunting was taking place at the grain silos; unfortunately using tractor power rather than loco power. As it turned out, the weather turned overcast so I didn't stay too long. I did see a Perth-Melbourne intermodal speed through Crystal Brook with a couple of QR locos on the front - a 6000 class and a LDP. I ended up getting a photo of the train at Snowtown. I returned to Adelaide via Clare before the weather really let loose with strong winds and a torrential downpour of rain.
That night I had been invited to an operating session of the Belair layout at the home of Hugh Williams. This layout was a multi-ringed layout featuring SAR and Victorian Railways (VR) prototypes. There were about seven operators on the layout, albeit I had a personal coach with me to help me run my timetabled set of trains (thanks, Steve). Photos to come shortly....
The two home layouts I visited, as was the Moping Branch, were multi-level and multi-track but without the double-deck configuration I mostly see in US model railroad magazines. All three layouts used a card operating system based on the system developed by the ABLO group from the 1960's-1970s. The three layouts looped at least twice and the multi-levels remained visible, even though each level was independent of each other in terms of the fictional geography of the layout. In that sense, they were similar in style to Bob Stack's South Coast Rail.
I didn't find the visible multi-levels at all distracting as I concentrated on running my individual trains around the layouts. I am now seriously looking at this option for my home layout since it gives the extra running length without taking up too much space and/or relying on space-hugging helixes to elevate tracks to the higher level.
All in all, I had a great time in Adelaide. Thank you one and all.
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Modelling the Railways of South Australia Convention 2010
This Saturday I will be attending the Modelling the Railways of South Australia Convention. I have been to several over the years and always have a great time. And the presentation notes are second to none!
I am actually flying down to Adelaide tomorrow morning for a work seminar. I will be then spending the next few days in Adelaide at the Convention on Saturday, visiiting the National Rail Museum and a couple of layouts on Sunday, and then looking for opportunities to take some photos of 1:1 rail action in the Adelaide environs after that. I might have a look around some of the Adelaide hobby shops as well, including Orient Express Model Railway Shop in suburban Unley where I want to check out the Zimo system of DCC.
I am really looking forward to the trip and will report back next week
I am actually flying down to Adelaide tomorrow morning for a work seminar. I will be then spending the next few days in Adelaide at the Convention on Saturday, visiiting the National Rail Museum and a couple of layouts on Sunday, and then looking for opportunities to take some photos of 1:1 rail action in the Adelaide environs after that. I might have a look around some of the Adelaide hobby shops as well, including Orient Express Model Railway Shop in suburban Unley where I want to check out the Zimo system of DCC.
I am really looking forward to the trip and will report back next week
Sunday, 22 August 2010
Caulfield Model Railway Exhibition 2010
The Caulfield Model Railway Exhibition is over for another year. This year marked the 40th anniversary of the exhibition run by the AMRA Victorian Branch. I went to the exhibition yesterday, flying down from Canberra, and had a great time.
There were 25 layouts out of 65 stands. The plethora of commercial stands at the one location made it very easy for shoppers to part with their money! Of most interest, were the Austrains Victorian Railways 4 wheelers (B, I, and IA) which sold out just after lunch on Saturday. I understand more packs were made available today from an express overnight shipment from Sydney. Austrains were also selling their newly arrived NR in Southern Spirit green and white livery.
A number of pilot models were on display at the Caulfield exhibition. Auscision had their forthcoming Victorian Railways GY 4 wheeler. Trainorama displayed their Commonwealth Railways GM and NSWR 48 class diesel locomotives. Elsewhere, the NSWR 48 class diesel (in four different versions) was on display from Powerline. Meanwhile, Eureka was also at the exhibition, fielding a number of inquiries about the continuing delays for the VR R and K class steam locos and the NSWR 40 class diesel. Ron Cunningham advised that Eureka were going to use a new manufacturer since they had been cut by Sandakan (Kader). However, I am not sure if the models previously announced have been cut by Sandakan or not. Perhaps Ron will explain more in due course on his website.
Of the layouts, the AMRA Victorian Branch were exhibiting their HO scale US prototype layout Wills Street for the last time. The layout was being offered for sale. The photo belows shows a BN&Q train heading through a rather deserted looking yard on Wills Street.
Another large US layout on display, and exhibited at the show last year, was from Glenn Brooks and the Latrobe Valley Model Railway Association featuring western railroad action based on the Union Pacific and Rio Grande. This layout was very impressive, both in terms of physical size and plenty of continuous train action.
The Coffs Harbour (NSW) Railway Modellers Group came all the way south of the border to display their large US-styled HO scale layout. The layout scenery and buildings are based on the US scene, but at different times during the day trains from the US, NSW and Victorian Railways all get a turn showing their wares around the layout under digital command control (DCC). The photo belows show US steam action with a long train of reefers.
VR-based layouts in HO scale included Benalta, Broadford, Coliban Valley, End of the line, and Tyobic. I hadn't seen Tyobic before and it followed the tradition of a VR country through-station with a yard. The layout had a split backscene, like End of the line, that sent a train through to the fiddleyard through a gap in the backscene just passed a nicely modelled railway crossing. The next two photos illustrate Tyobic.
In N scale, layouts on show included Georgetown (UK), Springhill Yellow Pine Division (US), and Enoshima (Japanese). I think Enoshima was being displayed at Caulfield for the first time and certainly drew in the crowds.
There were also two very different but very interesting layouts on display. The first, was the HO scale Howjadoit, that showed a small compact layout under different stages of construction. This display was a great demonstration of how a layout is constructed, something we need to show to the public more often.
The second interesting layout was the Oe scale Pierreville. Pierreville depicts a French railroad station where narrow and standard gauge tracks meet to transfer passengers between the systems. A nice feature of the layout was the fernicular railroad at the front. And I was quite intrigued by the system of getting trains on and off the layout (see photo below).
As well as enjoying the layouts and commercial stands, I caught up with several railway modellers that I know very well; most from Canberra or Sydney strangely enough. All in all, it was a great day out.
There were 25 layouts out of 65 stands. The plethora of commercial stands at the one location made it very easy for shoppers to part with their money! Of most interest, were the Austrains Victorian Railways 4 wheelers (B, I, and IA) which sold out just after lunch on Saturday. I understand more packs were made available today from an express overnight shipment from Sydney. Austrains were also selling their newly arrived NR in Southern Spirit green and white livery.
A number of pilot models were on display at the Caulfield exhibition. Auscision had their forthcoming Victorian Railways GY 4 wheeler. Trainorama displayed their Commonwealth Railways GM and NSWR 48 class diesel locomotives. Elsewhere, the NSWR 48 class diesel (in four different versions) was on display from Powerline. Meanwhile, Eureka was also at the exhibition, fielding a number of inquiries about the continuing delays for the VR R and K class steam locos and the NSWR 40 class diesel. Ron Cunningham advised that Eureka were going to use a new manufacturer since they had been cut by Sandakan (Kader). However, I am not sure if the models previously announced have been cut by Sandakan or not. Perhaps Ron will explain more in due course on his website.
Of the layouts, the AMRA Victorian Branch were exhibiting their HO scale US prototype layout Wills Street for the last time. The layout was being offered for sale. The photo belows shows a BN&Q train heading through a rather deserted looking yard on Wills Street.
Another large US layout on display, and exhibited at the show last year, was from Glenn Brooks and the Latrobe Valley Model Railway Association featuring western railroad action based on the Union Pacific and Rio Grande. This layout was very impressive, both in terms of physical size and plenty of continuous train action.
The Coffs Harbour (NSW) Railway Modellers Group came all the way south of the border to display their large US-styled HO scale layout. The layout scenery and buildings are based on the US scene, but at different times during the day trains from the US, NSW and Victorian Railways all get a turn showing their wares around the layout under digital command control (DCC). The photo belows show US steam action with a long train of reefers.
VR-based layouts in HO scale included Benalta, Broadford, Coliban Valley, End of the line, and Tyobic. I hadn't seen Tyobic before and it followed the tradition of a VR country through-station with a yard. The layout had a split backscene, like End of the line, that sent a train through to the fiddleyard through a gap in the backscene just passed a nicely modelled railway crossing. The next two photos illustrate Tyobic.
In N scale, layouts on show included Georgetown (UK), Springhill Yellow Pine Division (US), and Enoshima (Japanese). I think Enoshima was being displayed at Caulfield for the first time and certainly drew in the crowds.
There were also two very different but very interesting layouts on display. The first, was the HO scale Howjadoit, that showed a small compact layout under different stages of construction. This display was a great demonstration of how a layout is constructed, something we need to show to the public more often.
The second interesting layout was the Oe scale Pierreville. Pierreville depicts a French railroad station where narrow and standard gauge tracks meet to transfer passengers between the systems. A nice feature of the layout was the fernicular railroad at the front. And I was quite intrigued by the system of getting trains on and off the layout (see photo below).
As well as enjoying the layouts and commercial stands, I caught up with several railway modellers that I know very well; most from Canberra or Sydney strangely enough. All in all, it was a great day out.
Saturday, 14 August 2010
Beecroft MRE 2010
I had to go to Sydney today to sign some papers after getting a call last night from the real estate agent selling our Sydney home. Driving from Canberra to Sydney and back in a day (that's seven hours all up) isn't my idea of fun until I realised that the Beecroft Model Railway Exhibition was on this weekend. Amazingly enough, the M2 tollway exits onto Pennant Hills Road not far from where the exhibition was being held!
Not one to let opportunity pass one by, I managed to spend a couple of hours at the exhibition to make the trip to Sydney really well worth the effort.
The exhibition was held in a small hall on the corner of Copeland Street and busy Beecroft Road. I parked the car at the railway station car park and walked the short way to the hall. The hall was one of those special buildings trapped in a time warp from the past (i.e. my early childhood) but nevertheless functional for a small exhibition such as this. There was also a second-hand stall where I picked up a copy of Ron Preston's book on the 32 class for $40 - thank you very much!
I have included a sample photo of each of the layouts on display, minus a possible "Thomas" layout that I think was in a separate foyer off to the side of the main hall.
The first layout that greeted visitors upon entering the hall was the US-prototype layout Springfield in HO scale. I hadn't seen this layout before. The layout featured some nice kit-built industries and townscape while keeping the punters happy with plenty of train movement. The layout was operated using NCE DCC hand-held controllers. When not in use, the controllers fit between the two knobs on the side of the layout as illustrated in the first photo (lower left).
Nearby, was a Hornby three rail layout and a small garden layout. Interestingly, my 10 year-old daughter thought the Hornby three rail layout the most interesting of all the layouts on display!
Moving around the hall counter-clockwise I caught up with Anton Bognar (Anton's Hobbies) who was displaying his HO scale European layout, Ochsenhausen. Next to him was the layout Back of Beyond featuring Australian N scale.
The next layout was Grischun, a Swiss standard and narrow gauge layout (HO scale) making its exhibition debut.Grishun was built by former Canberra-resident Greg C. and it was great to catch up with him there since we haven't chatted face-to-face for almost ten years! Grischun was up to Greg's usual fine standards and exhibition organisers should mark this layout as one to grab next time around! The scenery is terrific and there is enough train action on three different levels to keep everyone happy. Some nice HO standard gauge and HOn Bemo traction locomotives were particular highlights.
Next to Grischun was the well-crafted Mullet Creek layout in HO scale from Geoff Small. Mullet Creek shows some lovely waterway scenery based on the Hawkesbury River area north of Sydney. This layout also featured catenary and, like the prototype, always seems to get in the way when taking photos!
The simple Rydal Hill was next, demonstrating the virtues of a small layout when space is at a premium. The layout is a single line with a short dock at the rear of the station platform. The "banana" ends (illustrated in the second photo), brings the track on both sides of the scenic section around to the fiddleyard at the rear. I could easily imagine the scenic section at the front as a layout module connected to a small fiddleyard at the rear by these curved ends.
I had such an enjoyable time that I didn't notice that two hours had passed and we had to be on our way up the road to Hornsby and the real estate agents, stopping at MicroModels Hobbyland to pick up the fishbelly MLV produced by IDR castings (the last one in the shop folks!). Ian is casting some more of these MLV kits so make sure you get one this time around.
The drive home to Canberra was uneventful. I was so bored with the drive and keen to get home that I didn't even stop at Goulburn for the habitual scan of Goulburn railway yard and station. Nevertheless, the Beecroft Model Railway Exhibition gave the trip some entertaining focus and was well worth the look.
Not one to let opportunity pass one by, I managed to spend a couple of hours at the exhibition to make the trip to Sydney really well worth the effort.
The exhibition was held in a small hall on the corner of Copeland Street and busy Beecroft Road. I parked the car at the railway station car park and walked the short way to the hall. The hall was one of those special buildings trapped in a time warp from the past (i.e. my early childhood) but nevertheless functional for a small exhibition such as this. There was also a second-hand stall where I picked up a copy of Ron Preston's book on the 32 class for $40 - thank you very much!
I have included a sample photo of each of the layouts on display, minus a possible "Thomas" layout that I think was in a separate foyer off to the side of the main hall.
The first layout that greeted visitors upon entering the hall was the US-prototype layout Springfield in HO scale. I hadn't seen this layout before. The layout featured some nice kit-built industries and townscape while keeping the punters happy with plenty of train movement. The layout was operated using NCE DCC hand-held controllers. When not in use, the controllers fit between the two knobs on the side of the layout as illustrated in the first photo (lower left).
Next to Grischun was the well-crafted Mullet Creek layout in HO scale from Geoff Small. Mullet Creek shows some lovely waterway scenery based on the Hawkesbury River area north of Sydney. This layout also featured catenary and, like the prototype, always seems to get in the way when taking photos!
I had such an enjoyable time that I didn't notice that two hours had passed and we had to be on our way up the road to Hornsby and the real estate agents, stopping at MicroModels Hobbyland to pick up the fishbelly MLV produced by IDR castings (the last one in the shop folks!). Ian is casting some more of these MLV kits so make sure you get one this time around.
The drive home to Canberra was uneventful. I was so bored with the drive and keen to get home that I didn't even stop at Goulburn for the habitual scan of Goulburn railway yard and station. Nevertheless, the Beecroft Model Railway Exhibition gave the trip some entertaining focus and was well worth the look.
Sunday, 8 August 2010
Malkara Exhibition 2010
The 38th Annual Malkara Model Railway & Scale Model Exhibition was held over this weekend at the Malkara special school in Garran, Canberra. The exhibition featured model railways, other scale modelling, and crafts as a major annual fundraiser for the school.
There were about fifteen model railway layouts on show, as well as examples of military modelling, woodturning, slot cars, radio control cars, and Victorian dollhouses. The number of layouts and displays seemed slightly smaller than in previous years but this didn't detract from the weekend.
For railway modellers, the weekend is just as much about meeting friends and enthusiasts as it is to watch the layouts. It was therefore great to catch up with so many people I know through the hobby; the local Canberra railway modellers, and the lads from Goulburn and Wagga Wagga. Runway 13, Pallas Hobbies, Model Railroad Craftsman, and Kerroby Models were the commercial stands in attendance.
Two new layouts on display included Wallerawang and Waterfall, both in HO scale. The Guildford Model Railway Club exhibited Wallerawang, showcasing a beautifully constructed station building based on the stone prototype. Waterfall was exhibited by the Illawarra Model Railway Association and featured some exquisite buildings, including the main station building and road bridge overpass. And whilst I'd seen the N scale Tarana before, it too was well worth some time watching the trains roll by.
Below: A couple of 82 class locos haul a coal train through Wallerawang
Other layouts on show included Campbelltown (HO scale), Crestwood (HO), AustTrak N scale, Duck Creek (HOn2.5), Jembaicumbene (HO), Kangaroo Valley (HO), Nicholls Siding (HO), and the Epping Model Railway Club's Brisbane Waters (HO). There was also quite a nice British layout in 00 scale, Southern Revisited, that featured the Southern Railways with a single track double looped layout only 1 metre wide by a couple of metres in length. For its size the layout was well presented, even if the shortest width curves were only 17.5" radius!
With perfect sunny Canberra weather, the weekend at Malkara was a great success.
There were about fifteen model railway layouts on show, as well as examples of military modelling, woodturning, slot cars, radio control cars, and Victorian dollhouses. The number of layouts and displays seemed slightly smaller than in previous years but this didn't detract from the weekend.
For railway modellers, the weekend is just as much about meeting friends and enthusiasts as it is to watch the layouts. It was therefore great to catch up with so many people I know through the hobby; the local Canberra railway modellers, and the lads from Goulburn and Wagga Wagga. Runway 13, Pallas Hobbies, Model Railroad Craftsman, and Kerroby Models were the commercial stands in attendance.
Two new layouts on display included Wallerawang and Waterfall, both in HO scale. The Guildford Model Railway Club exhibited Wallerawang, showcasing a beautifully constructed station building based on the stone prototype. Waterfall was exhibited by the Illawarra Model Railway Association and featured some exquisite buildings, including the main station building and road bridge overpass. And whilst I'd seen the N scale Tarana before, it too was well worth some time watching the trains roll by.
Below: A couple of 82 class locos haul a coal train through Wallerawang
Other layouts on show included Campbelltown (HO scale), Crestwood (HO), AustTrak N scale, Duck Creek (HOn2.5), Jembaicumbene (HO), Kangaroo Valley (HO), Nicholls Siding (HO), and the Epping Model Railway Club's Brisbane Waters (HO). There was also quite a nice British layout in 00 scale, Southern Revisited, that featured the Southern Railways with a single track double looped layout only 1 metre wide by a couple of metres in length. For its size the layout was well presented, even if the shortest width curves were only 17.5" radius!
With perfect sunny Canberra weather, the weekend at Malkara was a great success.
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