SIGnallingWA

For those interested in signals, signal boxes etc. check out the new site from Chris French.

To find specific signal cabins look in Signal Cabins of WA - Archive, even better buy the book in the Shop.

A must for the modeller of the WAGR in any scale.

http://www.sigwa.info/index.html

Rail Heritage WA - P6777

Signals, signal box, Box "B", Midland

AY- AYB models Early Livery

Here is a couple of pics of some modelling done by Ross Green who has been with the S scale group for some time now. Ross has built these AY & AYB cars using WestOzModels kits, to run with his Dd & Dm suburban tank locomotives which he has previously scratchbuilt.

 Ross has chosen to paint his cars in the earlier Larch Green, Light Green, Cream and White livery which the carriages wore when they first entered service in 1945.

Ross remembers travelling in these carriages in this colour scheme as a young lad and wanted to recreate that period for his models.

There was much discussion, questioning and research that took place before paint was applied, as to what would be the correct combination of colours & how/where it would be applied to areas on the carriage.

Ross has mostly completed these models and brought them along to the recent running night to show others where he was at with the project. I think we all look forward to seeing this train of carriages running with one of Ross' D class tanks at the head of the train. 

X Class Locomotives

Fine tuning the bogies of an X-Class Models S scale model of an X class loco.

A number of modellers who have bought one of my X class kits over the past six years have commented that the bogies do not stay on the track. If this is the case I am fairly sure I know what is wrong with your bogies.

The radius for each of the radial arms which serve the bogies will not be the same length. The bogies have to sit exactly dead centre in the space of the short concave main frames above the bogies, or below the bogies if the loco is sitting upside down on your workbench. The radius is then measured to a central point just in front of the power bogie. At this point I place a 15mm 8BA machine screw in a 2mm hole. I then measure back to the pivot point centre of the bogie bolster which needs to sit upside down to get this measurement.

On the last X class I assembled, the radius is 30mm for one radial arm but the other one is 1mm shorter at 29mm but you will need to measure yours. It depends on where you drill the hole in front of the bolsters at each end of the rigid 8 wheel mechanism. I make temporary radial arms from 1mm styrene 4.5 mm wide, drilling a hole at each end to suit the two different desired radii until I get it right. The holes in the radial arms should be at least 2.5mm dia to take a 2mm or 8BA screw so it pivots freely, otherwise this will catch which is another cause for derailment of the bogies on curves or through reverse curves such as points.

Also the radial arms should sit as horizontally as possible so that the pivot holes at each end dont catch on the screw. Thus the fairly long screw in front of the drive bolster. Given all this, then the side frames of the bogies should not foul the mainframes below the driver’s cabs.

To provide added weight to the bogies, on the bottom side of the bogies I fit and stick a sheet of lead 35mm x 12mm x 1mm thick on the flat side of the bogie, the side facing the track ballast. Also, the brass bearings need to be at least 13.5mm long so you have slight, but minimal wheel and axle slop.

I have an unpainted X which "flies" around both my track and the Swan View layout at the AMRA clubrooms, because I have got these details just right, mainly through trial-and-error. You can use your own radial arms and not use the ones made with the kit. Brass radial arms would be even better.

 The back-to-backs of the wheels need to be checked as well and this can be done using an NMRA track and wheel gauge which is an invaluable tool in the modeller’s kit bag.

I can and usually do bring my unpainted X class to our monthly meeting so you can see what I'm talking about. You can email me to remind me to bring it.   meanwhile I hope this helps you. 

Meanwhile, a couple of photos may help....... or not.

  

Latest Finished products....

Well I have spent a few days "finishing off" the last few items on my Y class. Sound is fitted (Tsunami Baldwin VO), lights wired and people in the cab. Runs and sounds great, perhaps needs a little more weight but it loooks the part. I still need to fit the numberplates when I eventually get them.

Although I had finished the XA some time ago, its still needed some detail. After fitting the sound chip (Tsunami Fairbanks Morse) and speaker, I added the crew, the pull down blinds in the front, made some window wipers for the windscreen, added the handrails and steps. I also fitted the fan cover  (made from a tap aerator) inside the lip on the roof to make it flush with the body.

Im very happy with the end result.

Watheroo Engine Shed

Watheroo on the Midland Railway of WA

Watheroo is a small town and railway location on the Midland Railway line, 185 kms (123 miles) from Midland, or almost halfway between Midland and Walkaway. The MR was a privately owned railway before it was absorbed by the WAGR in 1964. 

In earlier days Watheroo station yard would have seen quite a lot of activity. Apart from the 300 ft platform and brick station buildings, the yard also boasted a coaling tower, water tank, turntable (later replaced with a triangle) and a loading ramp and crane. There was also a substantial wheat bin. The station and station buildings and engine shed, built in 1941, still stand in the railway yard. The Engine shed is used for storage and for unloading road vehicles while the station building currently serves as a tavern.

 

The engine shed, which was the second to have occupied the site is a distinctive and unique building in its design and construction. It incorporates the use of concrete pillars and purlins with an infill of clay brick. The present shed replaced a previous timber and iron building. As the engine shed is still standing and has been partly restored in recent years, it provides an excellent modelling opportunity.

The following photos show the prototype and the model of it.  The model is built in styrene card and balsa strip. The brick infill uses brick paper which covers the plastic card. The brick paper was downloaded from the paperbrick website.

MRWA loco C class, loco shed, coal stage, loco depot Watheroo 

Rail Heritage WA Collection P5744

Watheroo Engine Shed November 2011. Photo Graham Watson

                                               

Model of Watheroo Engine Shed in S scale.

Installing a sound decoder in a Railwest WAGR Y Class Locomotive

Since finishing my  WAGR Y class locomotive from Railwest Models, I thought I would upload some pictures showing the modifications I made to fit the motor, the motor mount and lead weight. Its also interesting how I was going to install the sound decoder, showing wiring and position of the speaker....

Hope this is of some help to those still in the construction stage.

The small video clip is the final product, with sound. Its a great little kit!

The Models of Allen Howe

At the recent July 2012 meeting of the Sn3½ special interest group of the AMRA WA Branch, the scratch-built models of Allen Howe were shown to the members. Though he started modelling relatively later in his life, Allen is a very accomplished modeller of the WA 3’6” system in the period 1940-1972.

Aside from the many WAGR kits which he has assembled, Allen has built at least eight steam locomotives in brass. Allen has also built four suburban side-door coaches in styrene and brass.during the period 1990 through 2006, during his retirement and following a long career with the WAGR.  The locomotives include two Pm, two P class, 3 D class locos (a DD, DM and a D) and an Australian Standard Garrett locomotive. Allan is probably the first to successfully attempt and complete a scratch-built model of an ASG in S scale. It was a major achievement and not to be tackled by the inexperieced model builder. Allen's ASG ran smoothly and successfully at several AMRA Model Railway exhibitions before and after 2002. The locomotive had the power and traction to haul very long consists as the prototype was designed to do.

Allen's models show great attention to detail drawing on his long and vast experience as a tradesman at the Midland Workshops.  An article is planned for the Australian SN Modeller magazine in the near future but in the meantime, the following three photos of Allen’s models provide a taste of his modelling work.

Allen's Howe's ASG emerging from Swan View tunnel 2002

Four of Allen's suburban coaches on S Mackay's layout

A fine example of Allen's D class locomotive on Swan View - Bill Gray photo.