16th Narrow Gauge Convention

 

 Easter 2026 - 16th Australian Narrow Gauge convention

The 16th Australian Narrow Gauge convention was held over Easter at Noble Park North, a suburb of Melbourne.  The venue was Carwatha College, which has been used in the past for some conventions, most recently in 2023.

Dan Pickard came out of retirement (he announced that 2023 would be the last convention he would chair), and once again, excelled in the role.

A railway convention is an excellent way to gain new ideas, see some excellent modelling, meet up with friends, exercise the wallet, and discuss products with traders without the distraction of the public at exhibitions.

Conventionioneers were provided with a large spiral bound book, which besides the standard blurb, containing details of the traders, clinics, and displays. Extra fare items such as the polo shirt, and saturday banquet.  Lunch, and endless tea/coffee was provided during the day.  

The layouts.

One of the many highlights was to be able to get really close to the layouts, without the barriers that one encounters at a model railway exhibition.  And the atmosphere is quite relaxed - no one seems to mind that trains may not be running, and even the layout owners may not be present to supervise.  There is a high level of trust, and this is refreshing.  

(note: Click on an image to get a bigger picture on the screen)

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Cinnamon Port - by Peter Kendall MMR.  On18.  Ceylon - Before 1948.

Peter's latest mini layout follows on from Apple Cove that was displayed at the 2023 convention

Peter conducted a clinic on modelling ideas, which included construction of this layout.  Below pictures from clinic

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Alp Grum - by Greg Coggins.  HOm Swiss

 Greg continued down the Hume Hwy after his layout was exhibited at Kaleen exhibition 2 weeks earlier.  This was Greg's first convention.  (more pictures in my 2026 Kaleen exhibition report)

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Animas Canyon - by the Grampian Model Railroaders.  On30 USA

The Grampian Model Railroaders displayed their new layout.  Their old layout, Port Franklin was exhibited at the 2023 convention

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Chamatiago & South Western - by Steve Pettit. HOn3 USA

Peter was unfortunately unable to attend the convention, but Pat Britten took over, and also gave Steve's clinic.

Emu Creek Tramway - by Adam Edge  Live steam - 45mm gauge 1:13.7 scale

A double track oval, with a slotted roadway for the traction engines.  

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FreemoOO9 Australia - OO9 Welsh

This layout took up an entire room. Modules built by various people anywhere in australia with common interface and electrical standards, are brought together to form a layout that is unique.  The group were selling extra interface sections, so it is possible that more modules will be built. 

There are no backscenes with the modules, which makes photography harder.  But, I liked the accident of the classroom wall with this one, as it mimics the tidal flats that Wales is known for.

Operation cards promote the idea that the layout is a working transport system

One end of the layout is as a canal interchange

The standard gauge lines are just an excuse for a bridge

Most of the models had simple legs that bolted to one end.  This yard though rested on a larger trestle that doubled as a shelf

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Jewel Valley - by David Whelan  OO9 - Victoria

David started construction on this delightful layout in 2025.  The locos and rolling stock is OO scale, rather than the more conventional HO for this prototype.

Mt Wilson to Stacktown Railway - by Ian Wilson.  On30 - Victorian

Parts of this layout were acquired from Bob Stack in 2025, and are being extended with new sections.  Very much under construction,

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Tequila Ferrocarrel - Rob Goslin  On30 and On18

I first saw this layout in 2023, and the scenery has been much enhanced.

 

Other display layouts

Rubicon Hydro by David Price.  

Amper Sand (On18) by Geoff Potter

Bubble and Squeak (Gn15) - a double deck display layout using leftover materials by Geoff Potter

Seikiu Lumber (On30) by Prof. Klyzir

Skid Row (HOn30) by Pete Heininger

The Points by Rod Hutchinson.  Represents transfer from timber rail to steel rails.  The timber railed tramway engines are R/C with their own battery.  Rod presented a clinic on these 

Workshop (Gn15) by Prof. Klyzir

Displays

Very impressive displays.  I don't have details of all the models, so most of the pictures will be uncaptioned.

Grant Morrell made the trip across the ditch from New Zealand wih a quirky collection of bush railway models in On30.  

The Johnson 16 wheeler logger was unique to New Zealand.  Grant has made this from styrene, but will later remake it in brass

Some dioramas created by the late Laurie Green.

Traders

The convention had good support from the trade.

John Hunter of 'Smalltown'

John was selling a tribute kit to Laurie Green

A selection of models from Roslyn Foundry

The AusScene Models display

Sales Table

Argyle Loco Works display

Brunel Models were selling the Haskell range of Puffing Billy models

Light Railway Reseach Society had lots of specialist books.  Disappointingly for me, I doubled up on 2 titles I already had from previous conventions or exhibitions

Brian Chester from BGM.  Brian is planning to produce a kit of "Little Yarra" engine in On30, and later the narrow gauge VR G class garratt.  Brian gave a clinic on a the status, and update of producing "Little Yarra"

Contests

All conventioneers were given a voting slip to vote on their prefered model in the contest in the respective category.  

Steam Locos and others

Even a Lego garratt

WAGR Sn42 garratt

Diesel locos and others

Rolling stock

Structures

Emerald Station in 1:48 scale

Dioramas

 

Tyer Valley Enginehouse - by Dan Pickard won "best of show" award.  As Dan was also organising the convention, I really admired his time management skills

Tyer Valley enginehouse in sunlight

Tyer Valley enginehouse in sunlight.  The real Climax loco depicted in this model, was obtained, and restored by Puffing Billy railway

Special category.  Structures no bigger than a 10' x 20' footprint.

Looks like the Laurie Green tribute model - and it was.  Constucted by John Hunter, it won the category.

Clinics

There were at times, three clinics running simultaneously.  As none were repeated, it meant careful selection.   I will not list them all - but only a small selection of ones I attended.

In the main auditorium, Glenn Howe described the Alexandra Timber Tramway and Museum, and the story behind some of the relics contained there-in.  The Museum was anticipating opening up on Monday after the convention, to host conventioneers returning north, but unfortunately, this event was cancelled. 

The Museum has 2 operational Kelly and Lewis locomotives (out of the 4 that were constructed).  These locos worked the nearby Rubicon forest timber operations

Grant Morrell described the operation of the 3 mile Bush tramway in New Zealand.  Modelling, and prototype.  Check out the simple turntable

Mick Bennie talked about prototype research on his favoured prototype - VR Beech Forest narrow gauge.  I got to visit Mick's layout on Monday, enroute back to Junee. 

3D printing was the subject of the clinic by Lee Styger

Banquet

The convention banquet was held at the Stamford Inn.

Room was fairly crowded

Guest speaker was Gavin Hince - former and last editor of Narrow Gauge Downunder magazine.  Gavin gave an entertaining talk on some of the challenges in producing the magazine, and then went onto all the opportunities of being an editor opened up for him

The awards for the contest were announced.  What I liked that each winning model was shown on the screen.  In addition, the Rick Richardson award for services to the Australian Narrow gauge modelling community went to Lynn Zelmer, whose website has hosted CaneSig, Modelling of Queensland, and museum collections

Layout Visit

Mick Bennie invited anyone who was heading up the Hume Hwy on Monday, or Tuesday, a chance to view his layout.  As Alexandra Tramway had cancelled Monday, this was a great option.  Mick's layout was featured in issue 98 of Narrow Gauge downunder magazine.  I did take a lot of pictures, but for brevity, I will limit the number here.

The real loop at Beech Forest went around a tennis court.  Mick has captured this well. The tennis courts also serve as an access hatch

Beech Forest.  The station building model won a structure award in the 2023 narrow gauge convention

Gavin Hince built the Colac Engine shed for Mick unannounced.  Besides being the editor of NGDU magazine, Gavin is a very accomplished modeller.

Wagons awaiting collection by a Colac bound goods train

There is a 1950s picture of the garratt passing fences heading into Colac.  This image of Mick's garratt is close.  A 3D model of Mick on the lawn tractor was not in the 1950s picture

Duckunder, or lift bridges?  Mick close the simple lift bridge path

Closed.

The garratt on the ashpit.  Mick has a lit LED to simulate glowing coals. In the wrong spot for the garratt's firebox, but it is a neat idea.

Operation cards for Mick's layout are more like a narrative, rather than cold switch lists

"Drone" view of part of the layout.  Not all scenes are finished.

Conclusion

I travelled 1100km over Easter, and came home exhausted, but really happy. Cost was around $1000 for fuel, accomodation, and the convention - plus another $1000 for purchases.  And I came back through Melbourne, where I was also able to tickle another interest - that being trams.

Sydney Road

The now rare railway/tramway crossing - this one on Glenferrie Road.  Bit of a fluke to get stopped by the train

Glenferrie Road.  Yes, it was raining in Melbourne on Easter Monday

Glenferrie Road.  The Z3 tram is over 50 years old

This blogpost has taken me a long time to edit all the pictures, and then write up.   And gardening got in the way.  So sorry for the delay.

None of this would have been possible without the fine efforts of Dan Pickard, and his crew of helpers: John Humphrey, Rod Hutchinson, Gary Kirby, Geoff Potter, Peter Kendall, Grant McAdam, and Gavin Hince.  The Spiral bound booklet was edited by Garry Kirby, with assistance of Grant McAdam.   Thankyou. 

I am hoping to attend the Sydney RPM meet on the April 18th  - so the write-up for that may be another epic.

Until next time, build a model (or two)