Friday, December 23, 2011
Merry Christmas and a Happy New year
I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas. May 2012 bring you all happiness.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Oh joy of joy's!!!
The concreting is finished, no more shoveling, no more heavy lifting, no more hoping the concrete doesn't go off before final troweling. It also means that the frame and roof will be on the extension for the new year.
To top off a successful weekend, the Wickham trike I was working on for a friend was fired up for the first time in 20 years.
To top off a successful weekend, the Wickham trike I was working on for a friend was fired up for the first time in 20 years.
My Father and I are off to Crookwell this coming Saturday (17th Dec) with the Wickham in tow for it's shake-down and delivery back to its owner.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Mixing it up
The next section of concrete went in today. An early start to the day had 3 of us finishing in just under 2hrs and before the sun hit the slab.
Progress is slow since last update. Rained out, Wagga model railway shows, tinkering with trikes. The frame for the extension should have been up by now but the slab isn't even finished. However it's hoped things will move faster now that there is less other things to distract us.
On the 5th November, my Father and I went to the Wagga Model Expo. What a great show they put on. It's one show that you can take your time to browse what's there without pushing and barging your way through. It was great to catch up with fellow trike enthusiasts from the TUMBARAIL mob. They had 3 vehicles on display near the entrance. 2 were mine that I sold so it was good to see them again. I didn't take many pictures as the camera had decided to play up by over exposing the photos and Dad forgot the memory card for his.
I have been working on a Wickham trike for a friend that he couldn't get the engine started. It is almost a goer, it had a very stuck exhaust valve and the ignition points needed a clean up. Some re-assembly and the engine will be ready to fire up for the first time in 20 years.
Next Saturday is a trip to Crookwell again for the monthly meeting and working bee of the GCHR.
It obvious that model railways has taken a back seat at the moment. Like everything else it has its long to do list. I scored a Hollywood Foundry 48 Class mech off ebay. This will take the count to 3. I wish I had bought more when they were available, such nice runners. I have given very serious consideration to going DCC lately. I missed a bargain on ebay with an NCE Powercab going for $160. Would have been good to 'play' with it to get a feel for DCC. For now, the layout will remain DC.
Progress is slow since last update. Rained out, Wagga model railway shows, tinkering with trikes. The frame for the extension should have been up by now but the slab isn't even finished. However it's hoped things will move faster now that there is less other things to distract us.
On the 5th November, my Father and I went to the Wagga Model Expo. What a great show they put on. It's one show that you can take your time to browse what's there without pushing and barging your way through. It was great to catch up with fellow trike enthusiasts from the TUMBARAIL mob. They had 3 vehicles on display near the entrance. 2 were mine that I sold so it was good to see them again. I didn't take many pictures as the camera had decided to play up by over exposing the photos and Dad forgot the memory card for his.
I have been working on a Wickham trike for a friend that he couldn't get the engine started. It is almost a goer, it had a very stuck exhaust valve and the ignition points needed a clean up. Some re-assembly and the engine will be ready to fire up for the first time in 20 years.
Next Saturday is a trip to Crookwell again for the monthly meeting and working bee of the GCHR.
It obvious that model railways has taken a back seat at the moment. Like everything else it has its long to do list. I scored a Hollywood Foundry 48 Class mech off ebay. This will take the count to 3. I wish I had bought more when they were available, such nice runners. I have given very serious consideration to going DCC lately. I missed a bargain on ebay with an NCE Powercab going for $160. Would have been good to 'play' with it to get a feel for DCC. For now, the layout will remain DC.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Who knew....
...You could suffer model railway withdrawal.
Having moved away from from my layout I'm kind of missing it. No longer is it practical to go to the shed and do "something" for a while. At the moment I'm reduced to staring at a length of track with a 38 with a couple of cars on it.
Last Monday I started on what will be a small portable shelf layout 2400mm x 200mm. It will have a very simple track plan. A passing loop, one siding, small station platform, broken down A1 Station building and loading bank. Probably end up a diorama more than a working layout.
The plan is to have it look good enough to place in the living room of the new house, so it will end up on display to any and all. It's going to be a large task for me given the lack of progress on Carcoar and the rest of the layout scenery wise.
In other news, Yesterday, my Father and I started the construction phase (3 weeks behind schedule) of the new layout extension with mixing and pouring a third of the new concrete slab. It went quite well with just the two of us pouring and levelling 1.2 cubic meters of concrete in 2 hours and the rain held off allowing the concrete to set enough. Next Saturday will involve another delay to the project. We will be off to Crookwell for a meeting of the GCHR. This group has just been raised from the dead and with it once again holds accreditation to use track vehicles (trikes) for members only at this point.
Having moved away from from my layout I'm kind of missing it. No longer is it practical to go to the shed and do "something" for a while. At the moment I'm reduced to staring at a length of track with a 38 with a couple of cars on it.
Last Monday I started on what will be a small portable shelf layout 2400mm x 200mm. It will have a very simple track plan. A passing loop, one siding, small station platform, broken down A1 Station building and loading bank. Probably end up a diorama more than a working layout.
The plan is to have it look good enough to place in the living room of the new house, so it will end up on display to any and all. It's going to be a large task for me given the lack of progress on Carcoar and the rest of the layout scenery wise.
In other news, Yesterday, my Father and I started the construction phase (3 weeks behind schedule) of the new layout extension with mixing and pouring a third of the new concrete slab. It went quite well with just the two of us pouring and levelling 1.2 cubic meters of concrete in 2 hours and the rain held off allowing the concrete to set enough. Next Saturday will involve another delay to the project. We will be off to Crookwell for a meeting of the GCHR. This group has just been raised from the dead and with it once again holds accreditation to use track vehicles (trikes) for members only at this point.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
2011 AMRA Liverpool Show
I drove over to Sydney early Saturday morning with my Father to this years Liverpool show. We arrived around 11:15am. The was still a large que waiting to get at the time but the line moved quickly.
I made a bee line for the Austrains stand for the new KB, LHO and FS carriages. I had nothing to fear, there were plenty to go around. Also got some of their 2AN bogies (the ones with pick-ups) for a LHO project I'm working on. Next was a visit to Antons Trains and got a turntable motorising kit. I have to say what great service I received from Anton, his product knowledge is very helpful.
Across the way was Bergs Hobbies. This is a time where I would win lotto to get the whole range of NSW passenger cars they custom build. Very nice!
Had a quick squizz at Eureka's upcoming models.
Then over to Casula Hobbies for their wheels sets. The plan is to experiment with Austrains recently released NSWR Steel S cars. The cars have 11mm disc wheels but the bind on the brake shoes this arvo I tried a 10.5mm wheel. Sure enough it fixed the drag issue and made no noticeable difference to appearance...However! The lighting pickup have to be modified as Casula's wheels are not insulated mid axle, meaning the bogie now only pick from one side of the track.
Picked up some books and DVDs from ARHS and other retailers.
Arrived at the Auscision stand to find they will be releasing NSWR fully built and painted grain silos. Namely S008, S016 and the larger S024. This mob is going to keep me broke for a while. Also got some coil steal loads and cradles.
All up we spent 3 and 1/2 hours at the show walking around checking every stand. Truly this is a great time to model railways with the RTR available and kits.
As usual there were the high quality layouts in attendance. Arakoola an O scale display topped my list of favorites. Made me think about changing scales. Then the ol' favs Dungog, Brunswick Park and Jembaicumbene. Wallerawang is coming along nicely, the Guildford group have done great job on this layout.
Another plus of the day was the crowd seemed a bit smaller, either that or the floor plan was better organised.
All in all 9 out of 10, well one AMRA.
Next month Wagga Wagga.
I made a bee line for the Austrains stand for the new KB, LHO and FS carriages. I had nothing to fear, there were plenty to go around. Also got some of their 2AN bogies (the ones with pick-ups) for a LHO project I'm working on. Next was a visit to Antons Trains and got a turntable motorising kit. I have to say what great service I received from Anton, his product knowledge is very helpful.
Across the way was Bergs Hobbies. This is a time where I would win lotto to get the whole range of NSW passenger cars they custom build. Very nice!
Had a quick squizz at Eureka's upcoming models.
Then over to Casula Hobbies for their wheels sets. The plan is to experiment with Austrains recently released NSWR Steel S cars. The cars have 11mm disc wheels but the bind on the brake shoes this arvo I tried a 10.5mm wheel. Sure enough it fixed the drag issue and made no noticeable difference to appearance...However! The lighting pickup have to be modified as Casula's wheels are not insulated mid axle, meaning the bogie now only pick from one side of the track.
Picked up some books and DVDs from ARHS and other retailers.
Arrived at the Auscision stand to find they will be releasing NSWR fully built and painted grain silos. Namely S008, S016 and the larger S024. This mob is going to keep me broke for a while. Also got some coil steal loads and cradles.
All up we spent 3 and 1/2 hours at the show walking around checking every stand. Truly this is a great time to model railways with the RTR available and kits.
As usual there were the high quality layouts in attendance. Arakoola an O scale display topped my list of favorites. Made me think about changing scales. Then the ol' favs Dungog, Brunswick Park and Jembaicumbene. Wallerawang is coming along nicely, the Guildford group have done great job on this layout.
Another plus of the day was the crowd seemed a bit smaller, either that or the floor plan was better organised.
All in all 9 out of 10, well one AMRA.
Next month Wagga Wagga.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Munibung on the move
A couple of years ago I bought a layout called Munibung (named from it previous owner who at the time lived near Munibung Hill near Cardiff NSW).
Anyway, I setup the layout above my existing layout as at the time, was the only space to put it. I have now grown tired of ducking under it to operate the main part of the layout. It also restricts access to the lower part of the original layout.
Solution! Demolish the en suite and extend the whole side of the layout shed 4.5 metre x 6.7metres.
The project kicked off 3 weeks ago with site clean up, the bathroom was demolished and the slab broken up. Last week I hired a mini digger to move several trike and trolley frames The site has been levelled for the new slab and the form work for the concrete is in place, I'm now waiting for my new cement mixer to turn up. Apparently delivery was delayed from China or something.
Now this is just the tip of the iceberg. Once Munibung is moved the original part of the layout will go under a major redesign and something new added to it, but you'll have to wait awhile...it's a surprise ;) .
Anyway, I setup the layout above my existing layout as at the time, was the only space to put it. I have now grown tired of ducking under it to operate the main part of the layout. It also restricts access to the lower part of the original layout.
Solution! Demolish the en suite and extend the whole side of the layout shed 4.5 metre x 6.7metres.
The project kicked off 3 weeks ago with site clean up, the bathroom was demolished and the slab broken up. Last week I hired a mini digger to move several trike and trolley frames The site has been levelled for the new slab and the form work for the concrete is in place, I'm now waiting for my new cement mixer to turn up. Apparently delivery was delayed from China or something.
Now this is just the tip of the iceberg. Once Munibung is moved the original part of the layout will go under a major redesign and something new added to it, but you'll have to wait awhile...it's a surprise ;) .
I used to live in the shed, I bought a house several months ago. I kind of miss living with the trains. Sometimes I would work at any hour on the layout if I felt like it. The upshot is now there is more room to expand.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Blogging attempt number 2
Hello folks!
At the moment major works are underway to extend the layout room again, more on this later.
Welcome to my new blog. With any luck this will be updated enough to keep your interest about my HO scale model railway. I model the New South Wales railways, no specific period but the layouts focus on the 1960's to early 1980's while rollingstock spans post WW2 to present
I have my own site www.nswgrtrikes.4t.com/amr this will give you a idea what I have done so far.At the moment major works are underway to extend the layout room again, more on this later.
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