The start of a new venture

For the last few years i have been interested in laser cut models and have been contemplating a venutre into producing some laser cut kits for Australian modelling, obviously with a focus on WA buildings but hopefully with some generic structures in the future for wider use.

Having made a commitment to duplicate the buildings on the Swan View layout i decided to make the station my first model. The images below show the progress so far. With a successful cut in wood of some components i have done a mockup of the main building parts in card to test prior to cutting in fine 1mm plywood, which i need to find a good supplier for.

So far the results look good and the final kit will be a composite of plywood, balsa, card and possibly styrene. Keep an eye out for a full article and pics of the completed kit.

Ps if anyone is after badges or small to medium engraved signs I will also have a capacity for these and hopefully some basic brass etching in the future.

If you would like to express your interest, have any questions or perhaps a building you would really like to see as a kit in the future contact me

Bridge over the Lefroy Brook

Im looking at writing a full article once the bridge is finished but for now here is a link to some photos and a quick run down.

The bridge is a curved timber trestle with steel girder spans. I have constructed the trestles from 6mm dowels and thin ply while the girder spans have been constructed from styrene i-beams, angle, strip and c channel.

See more

Andy May's WA wagons website has moved.

Virginmedia are closing down their webspace on 28 April 2016 so I have had to move my website.  With any luck you should now find it at.

http://www.westralia.uk/index.htm

Andy May

Westrail/ARG WQN/AQNY

Westrail introduced the 61 strong class WQN standard gauge flat wagons in 1998 and they were manufactured by United Goninan at Bassendean.
Each wagon carries 2 - 6.1m containers for use on the Sulphur train between Kwinana and Malcolm siding.

Loaded AQNY 32208Y at Kwinana.

Empty AQNY 32209A at Kwinana.

The model is depicted post 2012 after reclassification to class AQNY under ARG ownership. 

It is primally constructed of sheet styrene; 0.5mm for the side webs which then narrow down to form the centre sill over the bogies. The top & bottom flanges are 0.4mm & 0.25mm thick styrene respectively. Sections of sheet brass were added in the end platforms for strength and after the styrene angle braces were added the body felt much stronger.

American models roller bearing bogies, NWSL wheels and Kadee HO No. 118 couplers were used.  The air brake reservoir was 3D Printed by i.Materialise and the brake piping was added with 0.04 & 0.05 phosphor bronze wire from Tichy. The brake wheel & gearbox were from Detail Associates (now discontinued) and attached to a stand made from styrene angle.

A construction photo

primer coat - in the spray booth 

Prior to weathering

second attempt at weathering the deck - this time with rust coloured pigments

The model was airbrushed using Vallejo Desert Sand acrylic primer as a base and Polly Scale Railbox yellow, followed by a light coat of Polly Scale CN Yellow No. 12 on the sides, all thinned with their respective thinners. The CN Yellow is quite a good match for the Golden Yellow used by WAGR and later Westrail. As the Polly Scale line of paints have now been discontinued the CN Yellow was rationed and the final weathering will cover most of the Railbox Yellow colour.

I created by own artwork for the decals and had them printed through Westland Models, using  Microscale Decal Set to settle them down to the paint. Details were pickd out with Lifecolor paint, using black, white orange & rust dark shadow.

Finally a coat of Model Master clear flat was applied to seal & protect the decals and hide the decal 

film, weathering was done with a selection of Lifecolor acrylic brown paint and pigment powders.

Next project are the containers...

GS

More track work at Pemberton Yard

For the full article see http://pembertonrailway.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/trackwork-progress.html

Swan View Buildings

I volunteered to take on the task of making some replica structures for Swan View that could be screwed down and used on the layout between exhibitions. This meant the buildings would need a floor and a removable roof.
I decided to start with the smaller buildings and made the first one on Sunday. During the week i thought i would take it one further and make a mould and late last night i poured the first casting.
I hadn't used my resin in over a year and had some concerns about what the result would be. With no vacuum chamber there were a few bubbles on the first attempt but i was pleased to remove my first cast structure thismorning.

Trackwork recommences at Pemberton

After finding out my position had been abolished I was faced with a move to Perth and the loss of a dedicated train room. Understandably disappointed, it seemed my Pemberton layout would be facing storage for some time. However having no where for my rolling stock to sit I decided i could find room for the centre section of the Pemberton yard.

After retrieving it from storage today i set up on a temporary table as the middle section had no legs being supported by the two sections eitherside and set about laying the first rails.

I have delayed laying rails for some time as i was unsure as to whether i would glue or spike or a combination. I had been leaning towards spiking, but my initial trials with hand spiking had been less than satisfactory. I debated obtaining a kadee spiker, but the price of obtaining a new one, the rare appearance of second hand ones online and the lack of information on whether it would be worth it caused further delay. (If you do have one or experience with one please get in contact with me). Anyhow decided it had waited long enough and with only spikes and a pair of pliers available i decided to give hand spiking another try and with some patience i managed a safisfactory result and the first rails where finally laid.

How i went about it

I had previously laid the sleepers based on measurements I took on variety of sleeper spacings in the Manjimup yard. And have made a variety of spacers to help guide me while laying sleepers. Whilst I originally planned to lay down cork first, for ease as i wanted the top of the sleepers be flush with the surface i had created a trench and glued them directly onto mdf.

I used several brass rail gauges i brought from DCC Concepts to set the gauge during the operation. They fit snuggly on the rail and their weight helped hold it in place.

With the sleepers laid directly onto mdf, it made it difficult to push the spikes in and i ended up with my share of bent ones, so i did just enough to pin the track. I then went back and predrilled the rest which whilst tedious, made spiking easier.

I should mention i had brought some spiking pliers from an australian hobby firm but i dont recommend them and wish i had got the micro mark ones. Im sure they would be fine with a large spike but were too sloppy for the small ones.

The spikes i used were the small ones from micromark but they had a very large head. I found that if I cut the head off (yes thats right i cut the head off each individual spike) leaving just a small lip, they looked more realistic. 

For the time being I have settled for spiking every 4th sleeper