Model Trains and Things

I was stationed in Orange in New South Wales for eight years from 1988 to when I resigned in 1996. During that time a group of live steamers got together and, by the time I left Orange, had established neat running area in Anson Street just on the outskirts of the shopping centre.

The group is still in existence and the track is still in place and becomes a hive of activity on operating days. These photos were taken during one such operating session last year by one of my sons who still lives in Orange.

Photo courtesy of John Livesey

Not everyone goes to run their live steamers on an operating day. Some come along to show off the work that has gone into their latest creation and get some input from other club members. Here are two members casting a critical eye over a partially built NSWGR C30T.

Barry Potter is well known as a loco builder in live steam circles and he has built a number of NSWGR 50 class steam locos for various people. It’s quite possible that 5035 and 5037 are products of his workshop.

Photo courtesy of John Livesey

Photo courtesy of John Livesey

The 36 class were one THE mainline passenger loco of the NSWGR before being bumped to lesser duties following the introduction of the 38 class and diesels such as the 40 class, 42 class, 43 class and 44 class. Here we see a model of the last of the 36 class sitting in the yard area.

Photo courtesy of John Livesey

3807 was one of the first non-streamlined 38 class locomotives. I’m not sure if it ever In real life it never carried the green paint scheme shown here (although 3813 and 3830 carried this scheme) but when you built a beautiful working model like this you’re entitled to paint it any colour you choose. (I’m not sure where my brain was when I wrote the first part of that sentence) All members of the 38 class carried a similar green livery at some stage of their working lives.

Photo courtesy of John Livesey