Rollingstock

WT Water Tank

2011-09-24T04:48:00.000-07:00

Steam Era Model's combination etch/cast WT kit is an interesting build and has been backdated to the interwar period with the usual mods.

OH Tool Van

2011-09-07T03:19:00.000-07:00

This model is of a van that may not have existed. Phil Dunn kindly supplied a 1920 General Arrangement detailing conversion of one of the old style K flat wagons into a Tool Van for one of the overhead trains via adding a box body, peaked roof and working platform. For night work, the plan has an acetylene powered lamp included - hence the small tank on one end, and pipework. This looks convoluted as the lamp is folded down for transit (as is the end roof platform extension). The G.A. was for the conversion of K157 - Peter J Vincent's very helpful records show this K as having been converted to a water tanker or like, however later K's of the same time may have had these changes done, they are listed by PJV as have been converted to Overhead use. So, it may be a "what if" or a prototype model.

The model is built up in bass wood with SEM W irons/axleboxes, wheels (mounted in MJT fold up axleholders given the unusual chassis length), buffers and cut down brake lever workings. Other details are made up from the scrap box. I will post a picture once she's painted.

6 wheel U van

2011-08-26T06:05:00.000-07:00

Further to my earlier entry on "Glenburn" U vans, I have recently followed David Foulke's October 1989 AMRM article to produce a much more accurate 6 wheel van than my first attempt. I cheated with styrene modifications for the ends rather than the cut/shut recommended given I had to backdate the ends in any case. I also referenced Philip Dunn's April 2000 AMRM article on the U vans. Wheels are mounted in MJT fold-ups, with Steam Era W iron/axlebox/spring fascias from the new 10'6" chassis kit mounted on a styrene I channel solebar. On SEM's seperate recommendation, I use a Code 88 wheel for the centre wheel and this has worked very well. Decal is from "Signs of All Kinds", cut up to word size and louvre size to help bed it down. Not perfect, but the best I have done with these to date. This van's painting was different each side as shown.

M Livestock Wagon

2011-05-19T17:17:00.000-07:00

(Picture above courtesy Public Record Office of Victoria)

For my first M wagon I tackled one of the mysterious open topped M's. The picture at the top is the only one I have ever seen of these (please let me know if you have seen another!), and Peter J Vincent's site shows them as running largely unmodified until their demise in the late 1920s/early 1930s. Perhaps as they were a small class, they missed the photo limelight. As such I have had to build the ends and top speculatively, and based on the other wooden M's, which may be close. Similarly the roof walks are speculation as they appear to be there, however there is no sign visible of how one would get to the roof! Also, I have left her unroofed, though it is hard to believe they were'nt modified in this way at some stage in their relatively long life. I built the model from wood as it was all I had to hand, wood is great to work with, however, I will be usuing styrene for my next "wooden" M to get the detail crisper. I added representative bolts rather than every one, a close look will show the prototype is prickling with bolts! She is mounted on Steam Era's great new short chassis. My thanks to Philip Dunn for helping with rare details of these wagons.

L Wagon

2011-05-07T01:18:00.000-07:00

Steam Era's L wagon is one of the simplest to backdate to the interwar era, just adding a number plate between the levels, and the usual "Glenburn" detailing as listed on the information at right. Another wonderful kit, this would not have been a fun scratchbuild before it was available!

QR Bogie Open

2011-04-24T05:27:00.001-07:00

I backdated Steam Era's superb QR wagon to an earlier (not earliest) version via replacement of end bracing, addition of wooden buffer beams, truss rods and the usual buffers/couplings/hoses. QR's were still essential for regular general goods traffic in the period modelled so she's carrying a tarped load. My thanks to Philip Dunn for information regarding the earlier version. Wonderful kit, well done SEM!

Electric Loco - Steeple Cab

2011-01-28T02:29:00.000-08:00

I have recently completed scratchbuilding one of VR's pioneering Steeple Cab electric locos. Loco is powered by twin Steam Era Models' Beetles electrically linked as suggested by David Foulkes (and detailed by him in AMRM) via phosphor strips and contacts as shown in the picture above. Chassis plate is from Hollywood Foundry, with the body seperately being built up in layered styrene. The pictures above show the main stages in the progression of the build, from the couple o' Beetles and Hollywood board, through the basic under-body in thick styrene with the Steam Era bogie sides added, through weighting (important for traction and prototype performance) and laminating the outer body layers to form the basic body to detailing, painting and completion.

Pictures of her in service on "Glenburn" are at:

http://vrlatestupdates.blogspot.com/2011/04/finally-end-to-steeplechase.html

D4 Class

2011-01-15T19:08:00.000-08:00

Train Hobby/Precision Scale Models D4, one of around 60 produced in the early 1990s. I have been lucky to find one with good provenance, as they are not essential, but certainly appropriate for a Melbourne suburban layout in Glenburn's era.

IY Class Wagon

2010-12-05T00:31:00.000-08:00

Steam Era's IY wagon, backdated to it's interwar appearance including supporting struts for the W irons and coding as I - the IY's were one of the few wagons to later add a second classing letter rather than having it removed.

O Class Hopper

2010-11-03T04:56:00.000-07:00

O Class scratchbuilt using modified SEM Tommy Bent sides and SEM 10'6" chassis (6" too short for the O but retained as is for rigidity), the remainder being built up in styrene and wire, with the usual Glenburn accessories and detailing.

E Class Electric Loco

2010-10-25T05:52:00.000-07:00

I have finally managed to acquire one of Train Hobby/PSM's E Class locos. The quality, detailing and finish of this model is outstanding. Once I've aclimatised to this my first brass loco, she will need to be converted back to interwar appearance.

N Class Ballast Open

2010-10-22T23:49:00.001-07:00

Several of these wagons lasted into Glenburn's era, and I have been looking forward to building one for a while. Model is scratchbuilt from wood with Tichy Trains bolts, SEM W irons, however given the short wheelbase I mounted the SEM wheels in MJT etched axle mountings. Thanks to Phil Dunn who supplied a diagram of the braking here, photos proving elusive. If the model looks a bit dilapidated it's meant to, they were getting quite old by this time!

UB Class Van

2010-09-19T00:17:00.000-07:00

Steam Era's UB kit has been built according to their form in this era - removal of the autocoupling surrounds and replacement with louvres, original bogies addition of the original handrails, and less obvious changes - removing the later style of door handle and replacement with the original type, side bracing and removal of the supporting brackets for the four wheel chassis springs. Other changes last for the UB life - the corrugated roof appropriate to thsi wide door UB and the lamp irons fitted for their original passenger train capability. Credit to Phil Dunn's comprehensive AMRM article for the accuracy enabled here.

Workers Shower Car 56W (Ex E Mail Van)

2010-07-24T03:24:00.000-07:00

(Picture above courtesy Public Record Office, Victoria)

Worker's Shower Car 56W is scratchbuilt in styrene, wood, card and wire on a modified SEM Z van chassis.

Tait Set - under construction

2010-06-20T05:34:00.000-07:00

Having now completed the Driving Car (D) above, I can run a three car set, which will suffice for a service through Glenburn pending my building up enough inspiration to tackle a second M unit.

Powered Motor is now complete, and prompted a photo-session (in Updates).

Some in-progress and road-testing shots of the Tait set I'm putting together. Body crafting and assemblage is the excellent work of L.Crowther, roofs are SEM as are the bogies, as with the Swingdoor set, the Motor unit is driven by one of Hollywood Foundry's robust and smooth running mechanisms. Another Motor will complete the initial 4-car set. The Trailer was built some time ago, and is covered in the update at:

http://vrsuburbanrollingstock.blogspot.com/2009/09/tait-trailer.html

S.A.R Yy Wagon

2010-06-20T05:17:00.000-07:00

Strath Model's Y wagon backdated to a Yy via the usual changes, with some extras for the S.A.R specifics - coupling chains, different brake gear made from a combination of styrene and inside shoes by Cooper Craft, and original axleboxes - the pre-painting picture shows the major additions. Something to relieve the near universal wagon red, and applicable given the regular interchange between the V.R. and S.A.R.

T Van

2010-05-10T03:56:00.001-07:00

Steam Era's long wheelbase T van has been backdated to the era using a modified Z van chassis. Modifications to the chassis include lengthening the I channels, shortening and repositioning the springs and supports, reducing the axlebox to the early pattern, adding standard wagon brakes and rodding, and adding a revised base to the W irons. I also found body changes were required (in addition to adding handrails etc. and the usual removal of shunting apparatus and like modifications), specifically removal of the side/end bracing and not adding the drain, both of which appear to be later changes. Norm Bray has requested I continue to post "under construction" shots where appropriate, these three show the major changes. Thanks for the feedback Norm!
For the short T Van I made the same backdating modifications to a Northern Models short T van body, placed on an SEM chassis.

IZ Wagon

2010-03-08T04:35:00.001-08:00

The IZ is about as modern as 4 wheel wagons will get on "Glenburn", having been introduced towards the end of the era being modelled. Model is cast from a Graeme Brown master on an SEM underframe with scratchbuilt detailing. Being modern in this era, it appears they were delivered with the then new buckeye coupling and so had the transition 3 link in place. As such I have replicated this with the scratchbuilt workable transition coupling shown in close-up below.

1st Class Motor 8 AM

2009-12-20T02:37:00.000-08:00

First Class motor 8AM is one of the group of original First Class motors that retained their classification to enable an M(2nd Cl.) + AM(1st Cl.) pair to take E trains out to the edge of the suburban electrified Network - thereby allowing both classes of passengers to be catered for. The larger compartments of the 1st class originating car are shown by the broader panels between compartments compared to the 2nd class motor - see:

http://vrsuburbanrollingstock.blogspot.com/2008/07/2nd-class-motor-64m.html
As with my other swingdoors, the model is scratchbuilt, primary components being: My casts for cab front, sides, van, cab roof, under-chassis detail and last compartment, modified G&E sides and roof, SEM bogie sides, Tomix cross-arm pantograph, and a scale wood chassis.

IG Class Wagon

2009-11-24T04:35:00.001-08:00

The IG was a variant on the standard I designed to handle agricultural machinery, as such it had wide drop down doors rather than the standard side hinged variety. There were several models, this model is of one of the later versions.

The model is converted from SEM's Tommy Bent with ends and end sides shortened accordingly, and two sets of doors with added hinges between, all mounted on an SEM 11'6" chassis. I wanted a typically Australian load - a Furphy wagon was a somewhat easier build than a Sunshine Harvester... Bracing for the load follows typical prototype practice as does the purpose built wooden floor fixing.

F Class Horsebox

2009-11-14T05:36:00.000-08:00

This version of the F was a one-off prior to the class conversion to 6 wheelers and as such is slightly early for Glenburn, however was such an interesting vehicle I had to build it. The F is quite special amongst the rollingstock for Glenburn - it is the Tribute Wagon. I have continued a tradition started with my Cudgewa layout in that each Anzac Day I run a horse special the length of the line as the only working that day. The special is my way of paying my respects to Australian Servicemen who served, were wounded or were lost representing Australia in all conflicts. The choice of a horse wagon reflects the special place often reserved for the Australian Light Horse Regiments as representative of Australia's war service.

A secondary Tribute is now played by this wagon in so far as I built her primarily from traditional modelling materials - including a wood chassis and card body - in tribute to those modellers of Australian prototype who have led the way for us to follow, often with little reference materials and basic materials, with nowhere near the range of assistance and trade support modellers today have. I have appended some construction pictures below - My thanks to Ian Weickhardt for his encouragement to use card for rollingstock - I was genuinely suprised by how well card could be worked to represent the wagon structure and finishes, and will likely use it again.

Parcels Van 4CM

2009-10-28T03:14:00.000-07:00

4CM, one of the 2nd type of Parcels Van, was based on an old body cast I think from Train Bits (please let me know if otherwise) very generously donated to "Glenburn" by my old mate Mark Tregoning. Underfloor detailing is from my own Motor chassis castings. Van is powered by an SEM Beetle wired to the second bogie which, with the recommended weight included, makes for a smooth running and powerful van.
Ps. For the specialists, Yes apparently the VR called them Parcel's Coaches but the signage on the VR's roll did'nt reflect this!

V Class Bogie Van

2009-09-22T03:39:00.001-07:00

This 2 door (1st series) V Class bogie van built up from an Ian Lindsay private issue kit with SEM bogies and details, and other minor detailing.

I Wagon

2009-09-22T03:14:00.000-07:00

Finally, some I wagons from SEM's excellent kit.

Tait Trailer

2009-09-06T06:02:00.000-07:00

Utilising the excellent and precise sides, ends and clerestory from the private issue kit of Leon Crowther, the Tait trailer has a modified SEM roof, SEM chassis and SEM bogies modified to include the outside extra braking apparatus common to all Tait and Swingdoor non-powered bogies.

U Van (Wooden)

2009-08-09T05:08:00.000-07:00

SEM's wonderful U van kit has been one of my favourites since building one for Cudgewa many years ago. The "Glenburn" detailing treatment tries to do justice to such a fine original model.

This is an earlier variant of the U (the 2nd wooden type), this time built using a cast from a Phil Dunn body master, SEM chassis with scratchbuilt roof and detailing. Key external differences between the two are one-less row of louvres and hence lower profile, and left hung door on the earlier type. Picture below is for comparison.

C Class Van - 43C

2009-07-28T05:50:00.000-07:00

43C was a beautiful van just waiting to be modelled. He she is during the "Glenburn" era following removal of the horse box and many years before her conversion to the second "Carey". I have included a photo pre-painting to show the primary materials of this scratchbuild.

Z Class Brake Van

2009-07-08T01:36:00.000-07:00

SEM's excellent kit backdated to the 1920-30's via buffers, screw link couplings, removal of auto coupler apparatus, higher footboard due to smaller axleboxes, no stove nor roof curves, and black-background to the body signage. Photo with XYZ for comparison also provided.

For this Z van I made the same modifications as above, adding the double roof that originated from it's days as a D van.

IA Class "Shandy" Wagon

2009-07-06T04:15:00.000-07:00

Representing the half wood/half iron bodied I wagons built during a steel shortage with a typical loading of cut timber. Model is a cast from a Phil Dunn master on an SEM chassis. I have also attached a couple of close-up photos to show the quality of the body kit.

I & IA Class "Tommy Bent" Wagons

2009-06-23T06:02:00.000-07:00

SEM's fine kit with the standard "Glenburn" detailing and real coal load (at least on top...).
This one still as an I, not dual load rated.

P Class Powder Van

2009-05-30T05:17:00.000-07:00

One of the original Powder (Explosives) wagons which lasted through to the 1950's in what I have guessed was the livery during the 1920's/30's - red with wagon red chassis. Interesting features of the original vans included springs inside the W irons, lamp irons and no class letter painted on. Model was scratchbuilt in styrene (including over 400 hand punched rivets but who's counting?) with Steam Era wheels supported in modified Model Etch W irons.

H Class Van

2009-05-14T06:48:00.001-07:00

By the 1920s/30s the H Class were mostly in departmental service and this one may be. Model body is a cast of a Phil Dunn master on an SEM chassis with new roof and added iron bar doors and detailing.

Another variant of the H, also in its very last days of general service, is this round roofed version. Model is again a cast from a Phil Dunn master on an SEM chassis with scratchbuilt detail including corrugated iron roof.

XYZ Class Passenger Brake

2009-05-06T06:18:00.000-07:00

Literally a "whole train within a carriage", the XYZ had 1st, 2nd and Guards compartments and was typically attached to mixed branch line workings. This one is modified from Steam Era's excellent Z van kit and I have included a couple of "in progress" shots that show most of the alterations.

Dd Class - Complete

2009-04-26T05:48:00.001-07:00

The completed model as D1 634, Phoenix last D for Victorian Railways. The only purchased items other than the chassis were the buffers (SEM), jacks (Kerroby) and couplings (W&T) - all up cost around $120 (and a month's elbow grease!).

Dd Class - Under Construction

2009-04-23T06:49:00.000-07:00

Nearly ready for painting, these pictures show the Bachmann 10 wheeler before and after conversion to a Dd, the changes being mostly visible with those sections of the original used being black. Changes not so apparent are the narrowing of the tender, shortening the cab floor length, simplifying the valve gear and replacing the lead bogie wheels with wheels closer to scale.

Q Class Bogie

2009-03-27T05:11:00.000-07:00

One of the original Q bogie wagons made from wood and wire with SEM bogies, with a crawler tractor and Milicast Rolls Royce Armoured Car (1920 model) as alternate loads.

Historical Accuracy Note: Some of the original Q wagons remained in use through the period of the layout, however no proof is to hand they were used for military loading at this time. While the Australian Army used RR Armoured Cars in WW1, I can find no evidence they brought them back home after use in the Middle East theatre. In any case the model here (1920) is a later version and I can't find records this version was imported, though they were common throughout the Commonwealth. However Australia did possess and develop several kinds of armoured cars during the layout period, to which the RR here is visually similar. So this pairing is plausible but not probable, rather it has been assembled to represent the era.

U Class Van (Steel)

2009-03-15T03:51:00.001-07:00

One of the 6 wheel vans with corrugated iron roof prior to change to four wheels or bogies in the late 1930s. Modified from a SEM standard 4 wheel U van. (Nb. This model needs a refurb as the axleboxes should be the earlier design, and the springs need shortening)

My second steel U van represents one of the short 10 ton versions, and is notable in that it is the first wagon I have rebuilt from one of my Shelley Railways - Cudgewa wagons. Some of the modifications are shown in the pre-repainting shot below, and by comparison with the original NG version also below. Not so noticeable in the backdating is the replacement of the handrail cut-outs at the end with the original louvre - the handrails only appear to have been added once automatic couplings were introduced, to assist Shunters.

IB Class Open Wagons (Wooden)

2009-03-15T03:47:00.001-07:00

Wooden versions of the IB, scratchbuilt from wood and styrene on SEM chassis, 2 with MJT compensation units.

2nd Class Motor 64M

2008-07-27T04:42:00.000-07:00

64M was the first of the "Ballroom" motors, so named due to the extra large van section between cab and compartments. Model utilises a Hollywood Foundry chassis. Model uses my castings for sides, ends, partitions, cab and motor gear below chassis, with modified G&E clerestory, Tomix pantograph and SEM bogie sides.

TT Class Van

2008-07-06T14:51:00.000-07:00

The sole 3 door version of the TT Class, the first built. A kit donated a long time ago by my good friend Mark Tregoning, running on Steam Era diamond frame bogies. If the body manufacturer is out there please let me know as I would like to credit your work.

IB Class Open Wagon (Steel)

2008-06-09T01:53:00.000-07:00

Converted from a Steam Era Models "Tommy Bent" IA wagon.

E Class - Complete

2008-05-31T04:25:00.000-07:00

E Class - Under Construction

2008-05-18T15:31:00.000-07:00

Still a Work In Progress, she is shown alongside the Hornby Terrier from which she was converted, the black sections show which parts of the Terrier were retained.

2nd Class Driving Trailer - 17D

2008-05-18T15:29:00.001-07:00

17D again uses my own castings for sides, ends, partitions and cab, with a modified G&E clerestory, modified SEM bogies and detailing from styrene and wire.

1st Class Trailer 32T

2008-05-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

32T utilises my own side, end and interior castings and underframe detail on modified SEM bogies with a modified G&E clerestory roof.