Model Trains and Things

I’ve been sitting here all day writing articles for clients and I just finished the last of them a few moments ago and decided that it was time post something here. So I put my hand in my drawer of photos and pulled this one out.

This photo shows Isis #3 crossing the Bundaberg-Childers Road with a string of empty cane bins. Isis #3 started life as number 18 of the Queensland Railways DH class. Back then it was a 1067mm / 3′6″ gauge locomotive of 347 kW / 465 hp.

It first entered service in December 1968 and was subsequently sold to the Isis Mill were it was extensively rebuilt for use on the mill’s 610mm / 2′ gauge railway. This photo was taken on 15 October 1996 when the loco was 28 years old.

The photo comes courtesy of Brad Peadon and it’s appropriate because he’s just annnounced a series of postings coming up soon that will look at the old Moreton Mill system at Nambour on one of his blogs

In my wanderings around the Net I stumbled across this site and found a treasure trove of images of some outstanding Australian and American narrow gauge models and layouts.

When you get to the site use the links down the left hand side of the page to explore some of those layouts. The realism is incredible.

It’s sometimes hard for me to believe that there was a time when I scratchbuilt in N Scale. NSW S trucks, a BPV, a TME, an SAR SOC wagon … those and others all rolled off my hobby desk and onto the layout.

But that was backwhen I was in my 30’s and these days my eyesight just isn’t that good anymore so I’ve stepped up to On30 and the scratchbuilding will begin to happen again. Others though go much bigger than O and here is a link to a website that displays the work of a number of large scale modellers.

These models and layouts will blow you away.

There’s been a lot of prototype waffle here lately so now it’s time to step into some modeling with a link to site that features the work of a master in the art of weathering.

Here is an interesting website that reveals some of the weathering techniques of a real craftsman. His work is outstanding and he certainly has the ability to add character to out-of-the-box models with just a little dirt and grime.

Ok, so it’s been nearly a month since I last posted here. My conscience has been bugging me and telling me that I would feel a whole lot better if I actually got round to posting the last photo in this segment but unfortunately work … and lots and lots of it … has been getting in my way.

But now here I am to post the last interesting photo I took the last time I was in Newcaslte and here it is:

If you look back at the photo I showed you in Part 3 of this series you will see this train coming in the distance. It didn’t take long to arrive either because it was moving along at a smart pace despite the fact that this loco, like the Government steam locos, was in the twilight of it’s life.

The loco was one of three very similar 2-8-2 tank locos built by Kitson for the Richmond Vale Railway. The locos were numbered 9, 10 and 11. No 9 was built in 1908 and carried 4567 as its builders number.

No 10 was built in 1911 and carried 4798 as its builders number. No 11 was built in the same year and its builders number was 4834. Number 11 was scrapped in 1968 but 9 and 10 remained in service until 1974 and I believe that both are now preserved.

Toni and I are actually planning a very quick trip to Newcastle this Easter to meet a new grandson and of course I’ll have my camera with me so you never know what I might have to show you on my next trip to Newcastle