Continuing on...

Over the past weekend work on the new module has picked up some pace, which is good considering Liralau's next scheduled outing is in three weeks!

The wooden crossing gates in the above photo are modified Peco gates which come in their Setrack range of accessories... at $18 these were rather expensive, but given time is rapidly running out, I figure that that investment is worth it in the long run.

The pub has been positioned and is in the process of being bedded into the scenery which is just starting to take shape. I purchased two LJ kits to fill in the main street, as unfortunatley I just wont have the time to scratchbuild two more buildings.

The road surfacing is complete and I am very impressed with the results - I used plaster to create the road surface and then sprayed it once it was dry and had been sanded with a mixture of 3 parts Floquil Weathered Black to 1 part Floquil Engine Black, before weathering it with a mixture of artists chalks.

The end result, has been one which suprised me, in a good way!

The streetlights have been made from dowel and some old 5mm LED's which I had fried while fitting out a locomotive with a DCC chip.

Next weekend, I intend to complete the scenery and wire the module.

Until then... happy modelling!

Work Continues...

Over the past week work has slowly continued with the new module.

The mainline has been partially laid - permanently as far as the level crossing, but the remainder of the mainline is pinned temporarily, until I have some time to construct the mounting bracket for the off-scene setup tracks.

The tramway permanent way was laid, using Atlas Code 100 flex, which was re-railed using N scale Code 80 rail, producing a far finer rail profile to be embedded in the road surface. The footpaths were made from 1.5mm Styrene sheet, and the road surface then filled using plaster, tinted with a few drops of Floquil Engine Black - just enough to get rid of the stark white appearance of plaster in its natural form. Unfortunately, I ran out of plaster, combined with unexpected visitors meant that the opportunity to get some more supplies was limited.
















The pub has also received its signage, which means the pub only needs me to get around to painting the downpipes, TV antenna and conduits until its finished.

Also progressing slowly is my model of Vinelander sleeping car #14 - I finally got some Microscale Krystal Cleer which means the windows have finally been glazed and as I type this, I am waiting for the windows to dry!

Anyway, thats the extent of progress to date.

Happy Modelling!

Liralau upgrade - the replacement module

After dropping the township module prior to the NMRI show in October, I decided to rebuild the township module - this time with the same dimensions as the previous 'new' corner module we built prior to the said show (the bridges module).

So that said, I scheduled a work session on Saturday 21st February, which saw Ashleigh Bennett and Graham Nixon arrive to give me a hand. Fortunately (or unfortunately??) we got the beers out while waiting for Ash to arrive, and as such got about as far as marking up a sheet of chipboard before sitting down with a couple more brews and having a good old chat about days gone by- and the quality of American railway DVD commentaries (after I spent 5 minutes trying to work out why the dvd player wouldn't open the disk tray - turns out I was pushing the on/off button hic!).

After Ash and Graham headed home, I actually did some work, and after a little extra work on Sunday afternoon, I had the basic module built - now waiting on a few bits and pieces before I can start on the scenery - track being a major material I had none of.

So hopefully over the next few weeks, this module will start to take shape.

RBJ1 gets an underframe

RBJ1 - looking at its servery side.

Following on from the previous post, RBJ1 received its underframe and bogies this afternoon. The underframe is scratchbuilt from various sizes Evergreen styrene rod, 'I' beam etc and a number of SEM underframe components (ie brake cylinders etc).

While the handbrake is not the correct type, the SEM 'Miners' style handbrake was all I could get my hands on at the time.

The bogies are Powerline Models 'Commonwealth' bogies which I am in the process of modifying to suit the Overland cars mounting pad. In the photos below, the car is just resting on the bogies.

The body also recieved its concertina's - which are modified Steam Era W car corridoor connectors.













It isn't N scale - but it looks like it! RBJ1 basking in the evening sun after being mounted on its bogies and underframe!


Still to be added is couplers, coupler lift bars, handrails, shunters steps, Electrical jumper leads, airhoses... the list goes on and on and on.

Finally some cool weather - the RBJ body receieves decals

Well the cool change finally arrived overnight, and as a result allowed me to get the paint and decals onto the RBJ body. The body is a multi-piece polyurethane casting, which I produced from styrene masters. Now I have to start on the underframe and interior, part of which is sitting on the bench next to me as I type this. The car is fitted with home made flush glazing - made from CD Cover styrene. This was an incredibly long and drawn out process, but was worth it in the long run. Blinds are simply pieces of masking tape.














The Vestibule detail - still waiting on handbrake, airlines etc













The non-servery side of the vehicle. The small white window at the non-vestibule end is the gents toilets.













The RBJ with the PCO and Nicks motorail wagon.













The servery side of the vehicle.

The Overland - Scratchbuilding the western lines premier passenger train

Over the past few years, this is one of those projects which for me has been on and off the theoretical to-do list. Nick (my brother, who no doubt, you will all get to know through these blogs as time goes on) has been bugging me to get this project back on track (please excuse the pun).

I have always had a soft spot for the Overland, particuarly as it was the interstate train I ever travelled on - departing Adelaide on 17th March 1997, behind trusty MKA rebuild CLP16 - ah the memories come flooding back! Thats not to say that my interest in it began then! I remember returning to Adelaide as a 3 or 4 year old on one of Steamranger's (ARHS SA Div) Southern Encounter services to the South Coast, and pulling up over the Goodwood road underpass at Millswood to allow N457 drag a Melbourne bound Overland up the hill. Naturally this was in the days before the main south was converted to the "narrow gauge" of 4' 8 1/2". (as an aside N457 will be the number of the locomotive I purchase from Auscision when the N is released this year).

Most Saturday evenings until late 1998/99 the family made the trek to Keswick Passenger Terminal to watch the departure of the Overland - sadly this came to an end when the Saturday evening services were abolished, and then later again when the timetable changed for Daylight running over the Adelaide to Melbourne leg of the journey during 2000. My passion for this train did not cease however, and on finishing school, I applied to work for Great Southern Railway at Keswick Terminal, which eventually saw me rostered onto the 'night shift' which revolved around the Overland, and saw my now Fiancee Sarah and myself head to Melbourne on the trial run of the refurbished Overland during May 2007.

We had originally intended to produce a series of kits of these cars, but unfortunatley, at the 2009 Modelling the Railways of South Australia convention, it was brought to our attention a number of times during the day that there was a very nice set of pre-production samples of the AJ, PCO, CO and a JTA twinette sleeping car on display - being produced by Noel Potter and Bruce McGuinness. Now these are very very nice models, with full interiors, correct Commonwealth bogies, correct under carriage detail the works - and at only $60 each for the power and baggage vans, and $70-$80 for the others - they've hit a home run in my books.

Unfortunatley for us, this meant canning a project that had finally gained some momentum - after about 5 months, we made the decision to start again, this time making a set for ourselves. Back in 2007, I made a set of moulds for the RBJ Economy class refreshment car, and as a result I am now in the process of making up an 'improved' version of the masters to get our project back on track.

I recently completed rebuilding an ancient Hornby VR baggage car into a PCO power van for the said train. This project appeared simple, but in reality was a little more complex than I had ever imagined it would have been. Having said this, it turned out rather well, and I believe it is a fine representation of such a car. The changes included relocating the large baggage doors, initially re-profiling the roof - which later turned into replacing the roof, adding extra windows/filling in of non-required windows, reworking the vehicle ends, adding new concertinas, new panelling above the windows, fitting of anti-stress ribbing between the windows and a multitude of smaller bits and pieces. The car was then finished in Floquil Old Silver for the stainless steel panels, Floquil PRR Maroon for the regal red car sides and ends, and Humbrol Matt Black for the roof. The car was then decalled with BGB Models decals before being given a light coat of weathering and liberal coat of Testors DullCote to seal the deal. The roof itself was a piece of re-profiled north-eastern wood shape.

Check back soon, and I hope to have some photos of the RBJ to show off - now a cool change is less than 24hours away - construction can finally re-commence!

Liralau on show - photos from the NRMI show Oct '08

The layout, with Pete Semmel carefully waiting for a cross of his Overland with the local freight.










Pete Semmel and the layout's Mascot "Bill" (named after Bill Lawry - for its proboscitis, or huge nose for those who don't follow the Billy Birmingham's Twelfth Man CD's)










Oops.... what happens when you are watching Bathurst and running a DCC layout - T375 and Y175 have come to grief at the Portland end of the layout.









Nick - Playing Trains











The October crew, after we took out "Best in Display - Peers Vote". L-R Pete Semmel, Ashleigh Bennett, Pete Michalak and Nick Michalak (with the trophy at the front).










X44 in the loop in Liralau yard.













Y175 shunting Liralau yard.



















Ashleigh Bennett's 943 hauling Pete Semmels Overland out of the rear storage tracks.