East Coast Layout tour - pt 1

 Visiting layouts, and Train Stations - part 1

Over the last 2 weeks, I have been travelling within NSW; visiting friends, some with model train layouts, exploring train stations, and viewing some great scenery.  

Dorrigo contains what is the largest private collection of standard gauge railway engines in Australia.  Viewing this collection was just one highlight, of what was an incredible 2 weeks. More of this collection in future blog posts  

 

The trip coincided with the NMRA meeting at Batemans Bay, but getting there and back was the fun part.  So, after 2745km, and 726 pictures, I get to write the blog post.  Let's start at the beginning

Day 1.  Junee to Bombala

I was  unable to get to Tony's NMRA meeting in March, so I gave an undertaking to Tony I would visit when I could.

The Snowy Mtns highway was fortunately snow free, although there was some sleet enroute   I arrived in the early afternoon.

Tony's layout, as you enter the room

 Tony has been building this layout in a mezanine level of a large shed.  Under construction.  There are actually 2 layouts, the shelf is a point to point, the lower level is an out-and-back, with the main station based on Bombala.

Bombala had 2 oil depots.  Tony's model is a good representation of one of them - and a guide to what I will need for my Wagga layout

3D printed elevated water tank also spruked my interest, as there were 2 of these on the Tumbarumba branch that I am planning to model

Tony was very good with his wiring, and had adopted an electronic control for his control panels. Not shown was the use of suitcase connectors to tap the main power bus wiring - a great idea to save a lot of soldering.

Stockyards will be a theme on my Wagga layout too - Tony's was quite impressive

Bombala Station, showing many of the important elements.  Tony had changed the locations of the station, and goods shed, from the prototype

Day 2 - Bombala to Eden - via Bemboka

I started the day by spending 90 minutes photographing Bombala station.  The station's last train was in 1986, and my last visit here was in 1995, as part of an ARHS tour.  It is good that the citizens of Bombala have been able to repurpose many of the buildings.  Below are just some of the 70 pictures I took

View from the top of Brown Mountain, before the descent into Bemboka.  The ocean was visible, and the gloomy skies of the plateau behind me

Rob at Bemboka has been constructing a large double deck layout in a purpose built shed.  It has a similar theme to the layout he built in Canberra in the 1990s - being the east cost main line (fictional) from Melbourne to Eden.  The layout has a large staging yard doubling for both destinations

The scenery block above the staging yard represents either Eden, or Melbourne.  Rob was an early adopter of DCC - EasyDCC now being quite antiquated, and we discussed moving to DCC EX, a clinic Rob and myself attended at Wangaratta N scale convention

Train control is in the middle of one of the layouts two helixes.  The singleline main line being controlled here - with permission given to various train drivers to enter the respective section

A simple remote control to turn power points on and off.  Rob has the ability to easily turn off and on, either selected lights, or the lot using this.  A good idea, to save crawling under the layout to individually access the power points. 

Rob's electrical power is contained in a cabinet.

Unfortunately the other layout to view today was a no go, as the owner was suffering from Covid, so I headed to Eden.

Road from Bemboka to Eden via Candelo. If you were wanting backdrops for your layout, there were views aplenty

I have always liked ports, and fishing boats.  So whilst there were no model railways to visit, I did enjoy my time there

But there was a railway - a marine railway.  If you are modelling a port, including a slip way will add interest.

Aslings Beach at Eden.  There is something relaxing about the ocean.

Day 3 - Eden to Batemans Bay

Today was a long drive, no model railway layouts, although I did pause for scenery pictures

I stopped for fuel at Narooma, and this was the view from the fuel station.  The lift bridge carries the Princess Hwy over the Wagonga inlet.  The north side of the inlet once hosted a horse drawn timber tramway from Bodalla, but apart from some formations in the bush (if you know where to look), there is no evidence left in Narooma

Day 4 and 5.  NMRA meeting at Batemans Bay, hosted by the Eurobodalla Model Railway club

Lightweight legs are ideal for a portable layout.

The Eurobodalla club layout has recently been modified with a staging yard, and oval.  It is a great layout for showcasing the members' NSW models to the public, and Ian advises me that it can be transported fully in his toyota land rover, saving mucking around with trailers.

The meeting included a bring, swap, giveaway, and buy.  I acquired an Atlas RSD4-5 with punchbowl models NSWGR 40 class conversion kit for a future project, and a couple of Eureka cattle wagons.  

Home layouts at Batemans Bay

- Matt's layout had a Western Canadian theme.

Walthers Turntable, with 42 bays showcased just part of Matt's locomotive fleet

Visible Staging yard under the main layouit was enhanced with a mirror.  Neatness was a theme of Matt's layout room

The layout power was in a drawer that could be accessed as required

With so many engines, from different manufacturers, Matt had produced a guide document for each loco.  Matt also insisted that operators wear Model Railroader aprons which had pockets for the paperwork, throttles, and uncoupling tools.  A neat idea

- Eric's layout was an ex NSWGR exhibition layout

Main control panel.  Eric is using DC, rather than DCC.  The complexity of DCC can sometimes be an impediment for a running layout

If you have the space, purchase of an exhibition layout can be a great way to get up and running quickly.  An exhibition layout will have been tested, and proven.  Eric was running a long wheat train, and a small passenger train, headed by Casula Hobbies Z12 class when I visited.

- Ian's layout is NSWGR, with some freelanced areas. 

Some of the freelanced areas.  This is a logging branch, that interfaces with the mainline.  The branch is DC controlled, where the rest of the layout is DCC

The mainline climbs steadily from the main yard upwards, avoiding a spiral to get to the upper deck.  The bridge adds drama to the scene

The double deck of the layout is viewable here.  The main yard at the bottom contrasts with the rural scene above.  When you are running the layout, the difference in lighting is not as apparant as this picture implies

Ian's roundhouse could be a tribute to Valley Heights 

I shoved my phone camera into areas where I shouldn't to get ideas on how Ian runs his lighting, and uses brackets.  Note the white paint, which enhances the effectiveness of the LED lighting. The yard is the staging yard under the freelanced logging section.  The mainline decends on the pine "L girder" on the upper RHS.  This is an  aspect that I will have to do on my Wagga layout too.  I asked Ian how he cleans the track/accesses stalled, or derailed trains in that area.  Ian responded that he hadn't needed to so far.

Arduino controlled servo turnout motors

Wiring for the Tam Valley Octopus stall motors.  Ian also had peco twin coil motors.  The advice from Ian was to standardise on one type, and stick with it.  Good advice, from someone experienced, and probably regretting  a mismatch 

Coal stage was a great model in itself

Aisle width excellent, and carpet also slightly muted the volume of DCC/Sound locos.  Storage under the layout in drawer cabinets

Ian treated our visiting group with a triple headed train, with a rear banker up the long incline from the main yard, to the upper deck.  Here is my quicky video showing the train getting to the top

And the rear of the train - finishing with the bank engine disengaging the brakevan

Ian's workbench is a lot neater than mine.  He displayed two scratchbuilt O scale NSW 4 wheel wagons at the NMRA meeting - a change of scale coming, or maybe a new exhibition layout?  Time will tell.

Finish of part 1.

That concludes the first part, of what I think will be 3 parts (or maybe 4 if people want a photo coverage within the Dorrigo train collection) .  I wish to thank all the people who hosted my presence, and given me advice.   

Until Part 2, hopefully within the week, build a model or two.