Workers Shower Car 56W (Ex E Mail Van)

(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

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

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

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.

1st Class Motor 8 AM

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 (16 Ton)

 

 

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

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

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

 

This 2 door (1st series) V Class bogie van built up from a casting of a Graeme Brown master, with SEM bogies and details, and other minor detailing.

 

I Wagon

  

 

A few of my I wagons from SEM's excellent kit.