Albury Model Railway Exhibition 2022

 Murray Railway Modellers - Annual Model Train Show

On Sunday, May 22, I joined Pete and Ben, and car pooled our way from Junee south to Albury.

After a manditory stop for morning tea (at Culcairn), we arrived at the exhibition about 11am.  

Culcairn station

The Albury Exhibition was back at its normal venue in Lavington, and almost back to normal with eased covid restrictions.  

For a regional show, Albury has an advantage being reasonably close to the Victorian population centers, so there is a high chance of seeing layouts that don't venture further north.  Other advantages are good retail support, close parking, great catering, and a second-hand area.

Being Sunday, I doubted that there would be anything left in the second hand area.  I was pleasantly surprised that I was wrong.  An ANEModels DCC Smart switch servo driver set for $20 was the pick, although I did find a campbell's stock yard kit; both destined for the future layout.  Plus some books.  (The servo driver kit was near complete - had all servos and electronics, only missing the toggles, and instructions - both of which I had). 

Then off to the retailers.  I like to support the retailers that support the hobby.  SDS was a major sponsor, and they had a stand full of temptations.  My mastercard says I spent $360 there.  Other retailer were RW Hobby, Paul's 3D Prints, Road & Rail, The Model Emporium, Byron's Trains, Hayward, Stafford Stamps & collectables, Lyndon's Trains, and Trackrite. 

Inland Rail also had a public information booth at the exhibitioin - and were giving away a few freebies, and pamphlets on the changes occuring for double stacking in the Albury-Illabo section.

Some of the Layouts.

Culcairn in N scale - Mark Jesser has been making this model since 2017, and uses T-Trak standards. All the buildings/bridges are scratch built and  modelled after the real structures in Culcairn. 

Mid Valley by Greg Hughes included a sawmill.  This had some interest for me, as I will need a small sawmill for Tumbarumba

Healesville was a "new" layout for me.  Whilst the prototype line is being restored as a tourist railway, trains running on this layout are both from the past, or current Victorian railways.  Possibly the lack of a backscene is its only shortcoming for taking pictures.  

Somewhere Creek by Stuart Cray was another "new" layout for me.  Started around 7 years ago, it features a lot of scratch built structures, following a freelance Victorian Railway theme.  

Ettamogah by Peter Allen & Graeme Shultz is a sizeable layout, depicting the large former paper mill sidings,  now a Rail Hub Container handling site, besides the Hume Highway 

After about 3 hrs at the exhibition, including a light lunch, Ben, our driver, decided he wanted to do a bit of sight seeing.  

The Tallangatta branch

Our first stop was the Hume Weir.  There was once a lot of narrow gauge railway activity to build this dam, but there is little evidence of it now.  Not even a display.  Good to see Hume Dam almost full.

I had not ventured along this branch since 2002, when I returned to Canberra from a karate tournament via Tallangatta, Shelley, and the snowy mountains, to avoid a boring drive up the Hume Highway  In 2002, there was no rail trail.

Ebden station site.  Now a stopping place for the cycletrail

Huon Goods shed

Abandoned Walkers Railcar at Huon.  This relic was left behind by a group that wanted to restore a section of the Tallangatta line as a tourist venture.  I had seen the accumulation of railway vehicles in 2002, but this is the only thing left.  Rather sad to see it stripped and left to the elements.  

I have a brass model of a Walkers Railcar, and Trailer - this one made by Ajin, for ALCO Models (australia) in the 1990s

The long viaduct over the dam water is now a highlight of the rail trail.

Site of the Tallangatta station

Tallangatta Goods Shed.  This end is as built - the other end had been extended at some stage

Some interpretive signs as displayed beside the railtrail. Click on an image to enlarge to read it better.

We got back to Junee around 8pm, after a stop at KFC for tea.  A most enjoyable day.

Until next time....