Electric Loco - Box Cab, E Class

 

I managed to acquire one of Train Hobby/PSM's E Class locos with great provenance during 2010, a lucky find. The quality, detailing and finish of this model is outstanding.

The E is the first brass locomotive I have owned and took quite a few years savings to afford, so it has taken a few more years to acclimatise enough to have the courage to backdate it to a proper appearance for "Glenburn's" era. The changes weren't a great deal of work, but made up for it in fear! With only 100 of these made, one didn't want to get it wrong.

I removed the horns, leaving the whistle/squeegee. I then removed the extended/halved buffers, the housing for the auto-coupler and the coupler lift bar, then filed/sanded down the headstock to flat. I formed a coupler strike plate from brass sheet in accordance with VR plans for same (with thanks to Phil Dunn and Brett Whelan for provision), and added this and screw link couplings, then added new buffers (Steam Era Models with the backing plate removed). I also added a brake activating rod and MV lenses to the marker lamps before the painting and light weathering. I don't have a MV Lens of the right diameter at this stage to replace the clear headlight but intend to do so at some stage, for now I just painted it with grey and some metallic silver in parts. The revised headstock arrangements, and the model as purchased can be seen in the pictures below.

 

FF Bogie Horsebox

The horsebox at the opening of "The Man From Snowy River" (VSPY 7?) was one of my first prompters to model Victorian Railways. As such, I was quite excited when Steam Era announced the FF. A challenging and intricate kit, the FF nonetheless repays with a very nice rendition of this quite individual prototype. Purchasing the early version has meant era-specific changes were minimal, and because this batch were new during the middle of my era I have kept weathering to a minimum.

BW 2nd Class Coach

I have finally got around to building one of Steam Era's W coaches, this one a BW. This is an interesting kit that goes together nicely, and I think the use of nylon thread for chassis bracing is ingenious and works very well. Changes for Glenburn's era weren't too significant - I scribed in the mirror surrounds above the windows, added buffing plates and supports and screw link couplers. The handbrakes weren't fitted until later so I left these out. One change I didn't make was to remove the anti-collision posts at each end as these are near-hidden by the corridor connection, and I would likely make more mess than benefit trying to remove them. The only other change is positioning and type of lettering.

IZ Open Wagon

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. Steam Era's model has plenty of detail which comes up nicely on the finished product. Era specific adds are visible in the pre-painting shot include extra handrails, buffers, a stirrup step and, as the IZ was 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 by mounting a 3 link on the buckeye.

M Livestock Wagon (Later wood/steel)

Minor additions in styrene are all that is required (apart from the usual Glenburn era-specific mods) to take Steam Era Models' peerless M wagon kit back to the interwar configuration. A great kit of a character-filled prototype.