East Guildford Exhibition Layout Update 02/19

Hey hey, another milestone has been reached in the build of the new East Guildford Exhibition layout. 4 Modules have now been completed to the stage of being ready for making out track and scenery. These modules make up the first part of the scale layout stretching from East St (which is now the Great Eastern Hwy level crossing), almost through to Meadow St. This layout is scale and no compression has compromised this project in anyway allowing for scale length trains to run through the scenery. To get an idea of the length of this monster layout, below are a couple of images of the first 4 modules.

So far this only reaches the start of the mill sidings of which allowance has been made to include large radius points. Micro Engineering On30 weathered track will also be used with trimmed sleepers to give the right effect of 3'6" gauge track. A double slip point will be included as opposed to the single slip point used on the prototype to allow for greater flexibility in operation. Roger Palmer has generously accepted the challenge of building the oddly shaped low relief mill to be included on the non-viewing side of the layout and act as the back scene.

There is still quite some way to go but if you want to get a better look at this layout, it will be on display at this year's Annual Model Railway Exhibition on the June long weekend (http://www.amra-wa-branch.asn.au/calendar/model-railway-exhibition/). Members of the group will be working on the layout so you can get up close and see the processes of how a layout is made and the effort put in by the club's members.

Finishing off this post, I leave you with a couple more images of the area being modeled with thanks to Rail Heritage WA's archive (http://www.railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?album=search&cat=0&pid=9496#top_display_media). If you happen to have any photos of the East Guildford area surrounding the station during the late 50's to early 60's period, please send them through to us as they would help immensely with the construction of buildings and scenery.

A full view of the layout completed so far showing 4 modules with legs ready for finishing and scenery.

Trevor Bourke hard at work on the 4th module of the new layout. (Photo courtesy of Murray Hartzer)

ADG/ADH type railcar makes a stop at East Guildford during the period where the station was modified for the standard gauge project. (Image courtesy of Rail Heritage WA)

A close up look at the flower mill at East Guildford showing the inside of the loading/unloading dock. Of interest to note is the angle of the roof facade that follows the alignment of the track at the top right of the photo. (Image courtesy of Rail Heritage WA)

April Running Night 2019

Hey hey, apologies but photos are a little light on tonight so I will keep this brief. We had a good turnout of members showing up for the running night however not many brought trains to run. Ross Green brought a train but I was unable to capture a photo of it. So I had time to chat and experiment with different angles and train combinations. These nights are a great opportunity to chat with other members in an informal environment and/or maybe even test a new train or two that you may have been working on. Keep the 4th Friday of the month in your calendar if you're interested in coming along.

Neil Blinco's X class Models X1023 sits in the sidings at Swan View awaiting signals to return to Midland after a successful trial run (wheels got cleaned).

Nope, you're not seeing double! Two Zs but not the same type of Z. Alison Kelly's RailWest Models Z1153 shunts her WestOz Models Z9 into the sidings at Swan View station. 

Neil Blinco's WestOz Models DM585 hauls a suburban train of WestOz Models AT and AS cars through Swan View station.

Alison Kelly's Marbelup Models DB1588 recently got a second chassis made from a ViTrains UK Class 47 loco. It received extensive testing on Swan View to ready it for exhibition running.

April Meeting 2019

Hey hey, I'd like to start with a big thank you to Stuart Mackay for lending me his notes from the evening as I unfortunately had to miss an hour due to other commitments. I'd also like to thank those who left their models on display long enough for me to get photos for this blog post. There were some fantastic models on display, especially for the bring and show including a superbly detailed MSA from John Morrison and more great weathering from Kieran Wright. The photos below will do these models more justice than I can though. 

John Morrison's superbly detailed brass, styrene and cast MSA class garratt under construction minus it's leading and trailing bogies.

John Morrison's superbly detailed brass, styrene and cast MSA class garratt under construction minus its leading and trailing bogies.

John Morrison's superbly detailed brass, styrene and cast MSA class garratt under construction minus its leading and trailing bogies.

Neil Blinco's train of LA ballast hoppers from GA Models along with a Marbellup Models ZBA.

John Morrison has also been working on his LA hopper train with this addition of a scratch-built LX ballast plough.

John Morrison has also modified a DB van and a couple of RailWest powder vans with brass roofs utilising his metal bending machine.

Neils Kroyer has assembled these two FD vans and the KA wagon from RailWest Models kits.

Stuart Mackay has completed his MRWA LC van along with two GA Models RA wagons (one 5 plank and one 4 plank), both with fox bogies.

Kieran Wright has not been quiet in his absence. He has completed (and weathered) these wagons from RailWest Models, GA Models and X class Models.

Kieran Wright has not been quiet in his absence. He has completed (and weathered) these wagons from RailWest Models, GA Models and X class Models.

The theme of the evening was bulk loads that flowed when exposed to gravity and how you achieved them i.e. coal, wheat, ore, etc. This excluded taped wagons and loads like pipes, timber and tractors. Thanks goes to Murray Hartzer for suggesting the topic.

Kieran Wright also displayed several various wagons containing Ballast and Coal.

Murray Hartzer and Ron Fryer displayed several coal wagons each with different  techniques used to achieve the desired effect.

Graham Watson displayed a couple of coal wagons and his photogenic GH with wheat load.

Stuart Mackay displayed a large variety of loaded wagons from Coal, Ore and Wheat to Bauxite and Ballast.

East Guildford Exhibition Layout Update 01/19

Hey hey, as promised, here is the long awaited first update on the new East Guildford exhibition layout. East Guildford is a railway station on the Midland line situated approximately 14km from Perth Station. Originally named Woodbridge (Not to be confused with the current station called Woodbridge), it was opened on the 13th of July 1896 (Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Guildford_railway_station) to serve the Royal Agricultural Society's Woodbridge Showgrounds. It didn't receive its current name of East Guildford until the 1st of April 1908. Originally having two platforms either side of the tracks, a new island platform was created when the standard gauge was introduced in the late 1960's and is the current configuration today. On the up Perth side of the mainline was a siding that facilitated access to the Peerless Flour Mill and timber yards. Access was through a crossover to the up line so trains could access both mainlines. These have since long gone and the mill burnt down in 1975 (Source: http://www.swanguildfordhistoricalsociety.org.au/research/places/).

The new layout idea was first pitched to the S Scale SIG back in August of 2018 from which a small sub-committee lead by Murray Hartzer was formed. Over the ensuing months and meetings, plans began to materialise including wiring, track layout and the formal proposal to the AMRA WA committee. Last month, written approval was received from the AMRA WA committee. As a result  materials were purchased and construction commenced.

Since the March meeting where the initial frame was displayed to the SIG, progress has continued to gather steady pace as can be seen by the photos below. Members have been steadily working away during the week and the results are as you can see in the final photo. Several more modules will need to be constructed before track can be laid however if they continue to progress at this same rapid pace, a half sceniced layout could be displayed at this year's Annual Model Railway Exhibition (fingers crossed). Keep watching this space for more exciting updates on this project as they come to hand.

Pr536 and an unidentified PM haul a lengthy goods from Midland past the Peerless Flour Mill at East Guildford.

East Guildford station prior to the standard gauge introduction.

East Guildford Station as it appears today.

Murray Hartzer (left) and Trevor Burke (Right) commencing work on the frame of the first module of the new layout. 

(from left to right) Keith, Murray and Trevor adding the baseboard to the frame.

Two modules in an almost ready for track condition.

March Running Night 2019

Hey hey, another fantastic lineup of trains from the "usual suspects" at this month's running night. We were however treated to some different and unusual models from Bob Pearce including a heavily modified kit-bash of a WAGR P class (see photo below) and a few different models that weren't quite S scale. There was also a good variety of MRWA Rollingstock which should be ready for display on Stuart Mackay's 'Watheroo' layout which is planned to be displayed at this years annual Model Railway Exhibition. Stuart is still calling for volunteers to help set-up and run the layout at the exhibition as well as volunteers to man the modeling desks and other duties such as door sales and the U-drive. If you can make it to the exhibition (even if it's only an hour or so), please consider volunteering for one of these roles, even if its just long enough to give someone a break to have lunch. Your help would be much appreciated. Along with Watheroo, we plan to see a couple of modules on display of the new East Guildford layout which is currently under construction and progressing at a rapid pace. A separate update will come in a following blog post shortly, watch this space! For now, enjoy these photos I took last night and I hope to see you at another one of these running nights.

Neil Blinco's scratch-built N201 hauls a MRWA train through Swan View.

Following close behind is Neil Blinco's short goods train hauled by RailWest G118.

Another MRWA train far from home is Stuart Mackay's X Class Models A21 and a lengthy consist of goods wagons.

Bob Pearce brought in this heavily kit-bashed pacific into a P class. This loco was built quite some time ago while S scale was still in its infancy. She hauls a train of RailWest ACLs built by Ross Green. 

Alison Kelly's RailWest A1511 hauls a short consist down to Midland just past Swan View station.

Alison Kelly's Marbellup Models DB1588 hauls a short consist down to Midland just past Swan View station.

Alison Kelly's Marbellup Models DB1588 hauls a short consist down to Midland just past Swan View station.

March Meeting 2019

Hey hey, this month's meeting welcomes back members who have been absent for a while including Don Moir, John Miller and Owen Davis who all brought along updates on their current projects. The meeting centred around the photos of the late Malcolm Searle however the meeting had a larger than usual bring and show element as well as an update on the new Guildford Layout. Also there was much discussion and a call for volunteers for the rapidly approaching annual exhibition either for the exhibition itself or for the S scale precinct. The exhibition is a great chance to encourage newcomers to the hobby as well as display some of the great work everyone has been doing over the year. For some this is a great opportunity to get in some quality modeling time too! ;-)

Don Moir's scratch-built FS399. 

Don Moir's Alyn Models ASG20.

Charles DeBruin's scratch-built MRWA B class.

John Miller's heavily modified RailWest A1512.

John Miller's heavily modified RailWest A1512. 

John Miller's heavily modified RailWest A1512.

The bogies of John Miller's heavily modified RailWest A1512.

The internal modifications to John Miller's heavily modified RailWest A1512.

These are the extra parts for John Miller's heavily modified RailWest A1512. 

Further to previous blog updates, John Morrison has made more progress on his LA ballast hoppers. They now include internal detail as well as prototypical chopper couplers. 

A close up of the chopper couplers used on John Morrison's LA ballast hoppers.

Owen Davis has not forgotten us and continues to 3D print wagons and locos. He intends on making them available online for those who wish to print them on their own 3D printers which are becoming more and more available.

Greg Aitken has been busy with this model of a diesel tank wagon.

Greg Aitken also has released kits of the RA wagon both as the 4 and 5 plank versions and has a limited supply of fox bogies to suit.

Stuart Mackay has not been quiet either working on a new MRWA LC bogie van similar to the WAGR V type vans.

Stuart also shared with us his process of casting to make up the MRWA LC van.