Kit, Scratch, or buy?

 

Kit, scratch, or buy? 

 

This topic is now a reality with many options to build a model railway layout.  The choice is one of your skills, availability of models, time, ambitions, space constraints, and the depth of your pocket.  How you get there will be your journey.

The Railway reached Tumbarumba, and the opening day ribbon was cut by James Batholomew on March 9, 1921.  A century later, I am still planning a reinactment.

How did I come to concentrate on Wagga Wagga, rather than something else?

The beginnings

I started in HO/OO with a Triang brand train set.   The track was attached to a sheet of plywood, and whilst it allowed trains to run, it lacked scenery.  The lack of scenery allowed my parents to store the layout on edge in the garage – where it spent probably 50 weeks each year entertaining the spiders. 

The Triang range also had a number of pre built structures, but my parents didn’t buy me any of those.  What they did buy, were Airfix lineside kits.  So I gained skills in kit building, and this probably influenced my future buying habits.

A selection of Airfix kits, built by myself a long time ago. I am not convinced by my colour choices.

In the 1970s, I finally got a permanent space to house the layout, and add some more tracks, install some scenery.   This phase stopped when I headed off to Uni; the layout was dismantled, and track sold.

During my time in Sydney, I “discovered” AMRM, and liked the idea of modelling Australian – a prototype that I had experienced first hand.  Apart from the limited range of RTR models from Lima, and brass locos that was unobtainable on a student budget, everything had to be built from kits, or scratch built using plans that appeared in the magazines.

I bought my first NSW model kit in 1982 after starting work in Canberra – the Camco FO coaches.  These went together fairly well.

I built this model in 1982. My first NSWGR model. Nowhere as good as the RTR Austrains coaches.

The 1980s were a great time for NSW kits production.  Whilst starting with the injection moulded (very similar to the airfix models I had built), there were a lot more variety in the resin, needing epoxy glues.  And I could finally afford to buy brass locos

A pair of Camco CW wagons, built from kits. Fairly simple construction with injection moulded styrene. Again, this wagon type is available in high quality Ready-to-run from Austrains

Rails North produced many freight wagon types in resin, this louvre van being just one.

AR Kits started to produce most of the commonly seen NSW, freight wagons, and whilst fairly simple in detail, they were also simple to assemble in quantity for me, those block wheat trains.

Brake vans were only available as resin kits. The JHG was from Mains West

Joining a club was also instrumental in adding to my skills.  Benchwork, wiring, tracklaying, scenery all progressed with guidance from the “old hands”

All the above was adding to my confidence.  I started to modify the plastic kits I was buying, and come up with new wagon types.  They may be a bit crude by my current standards, but I was proud of my efforts then.  But it still was a leap of faith, to buy an expensive loco kit, and successfully assemble it.  And I tried scratch building a few structures, from simple raw materials

Start with an ARKits GLX louvre van kit

Make some changes, with repositioning doors, and adjusting the louvre pattern for a HLX

Or just keep the ends, roof, and floor, scratchbuilding a body, to come up with an IHG guards van

Start with a Ready-to-Run Trax (now powerline) FS coach. File off the moulded roof vents, add steel paneling to the roof, add new roof vents, paint, Lloyds flushglaze windows, Kadees and new wheels. I never got around to fitting an interior. Is it as good as the recent Austrains FS models? 

A Rails North 5 car HUB set. I spent a lot of time assembling this model, but disappointingly, it was rather heavy for the locos I had.  With a lot less effort, the Eureka Models HUB set can be bought, and it is better detailed, and runs superbly.

 

Lloyds models L car set. Whitemetal and wood. Lloyds models went onto produce passenger car kits in resin, which were generally superior

Lloyds Z18 loco built from a kit with low-melt soldering. There is no RTR model for this class of engine, and kit building is the way if you want one

Sentinel Z19 class - this kit dates from the early 1980s.  Prior to Sentinel, Protype had done a kit, with a poor chassis. Both kits are now rare.  For those who are wanting a Z19, Casula Hobbies (who also produced the Camco range of kits), have recently had the class made as a RTR model 

Another Sentinel loco kit - the Z20. This was the first NSW steam kit that I made, using epoxy glue. Not a model I can use on Wagga unfortunately.

Bergs Hobbies produced a range of Whitemetal loco kits in the 1980s-90s. Some kit types are still available. This model lacks the detail of the Auscision 45, but would win a haulage contest

Bergs also produced a range of NSW steam engines. The F351 was their first, and it was an engine I struggled to assemble, and still have not completed

Footplate models in around 1985, produced an excellent model of the Z26 tank engine. As Footplate was based in Canberra, I got to know Footplate very well. 

Footplate's next engine was the C32.  This kit was produced by DJH in the UK, and was state-of-the-art at the time.  DJH/Footplate went onto dominate the NSW steam scene, with 15 more steam classes.  Some of the steam engines are now available as Ready to run plastic models, although the kits have a loyal following, and can attract some very high prices on the secondary market 

One of the owners of Footplate Models, Lloyd, started a complimentary line of diesels, available as resin kits. All of these locomotive classes are now available as RTR plastic, but I still plan to use the models I have built on my Wagga layout.  

As earlier hinted, Lloyd also produced many whitemetal locos not covered by the DJH range. The patterns for the C30 were Protype, although the chassis was completely new. Casula Hobbies now sell this kit, even though there is an RTR plastic one by Austrains

Fast forward to the situation today.

Over the years - I kept buying kits, and now have a large number waiting to be built.  But, you don’t need to buy and build kits anymore – many of the models are now available as ready-to-run, at a standard I would struggle to reach irrespective of the time I spend.  And speaking of time, I now have to weigh up whether I build a model, or simply buy it ready built.

It seems a shame, but the reality is that I simply cannot afford the time to build and detail a model, if I can buy it ready to run.

Bergs BSV kit dates from 1982, and still available. It is a very basic model, lacking almost all the underframe, and no assembly diagram (despite the instructions refering to one).  I won half a dozen at auction, and didn't pay anywhere near the sticker price

For old time sakes, I assembled and painted the BSV (for this blogpost), to try and remember what it was like to build a model "straight from the box" despite my desire to improve it. Hmmm. We have come a long way in the last 40 years, but this wagon doesn't show it. However, the Eureka Models alternative has long sold out, and if I want to transport sheep on my layout in a bogie BSV, then I have these. At least I didn't pay the sticker price. 

 

But I love to build things.

I have settled on modelling a branchline, with mainline attached.  It is based on a specific location.  Many of the structures are simply not available as kits, which suits me, as I enjoy the challenge of research, and scratch building is addictive

Replacement goods shed for Tumbarumba. Building from a Bergs G1a kit. This is a case of where scratchbuilding would be better (and cheaper). Having metal siding, wood, and some plastic parts in one kit just adds to the complexity. I now have the skills to build the lot out of styrene, and probably a lot faster than the kit.

Kits will still be built, as it would be a shame to not build them, although they probably won’t be detailed.  Models need to be prioritised to those I can use on the future layout.    And the rest of the unbuilt kits might be sold on, or given away to encourage youngsters into the hobby..  Models I made in the 1980s/90s whilst not up to present standards, will be retained for now.

 

 

 

Over the years, my modelling journey has had many false turns, and failures.  But overall, Model Railways has been an experience that is hard to beat.

Build a model or two

Station painting continues, plus some distractions

 Wagga Wagga Station painting, and a derailment at Bomen.

Firstly, I would like to apologise for my last post.  It was far too long, and apart from a nice 3801 picture, not much new.  It did however, give me a chance to complete the tedious task of painting the Wagga station, without having an overly long gap in my blog posting schedule.

3801 visit

After turning on the Cootamundar triangle, 3801 returns light engine to couple on the rear of the train returning to Junee.  I was fortunate to ride on this train (April 9, 2021)

A chance to get into the loco cab was not to be missed.  This view from the long line of people at the Junee Roundhouse awaiting their turn (April 8, 2021)

Wagga station painting

2 coats of "streetwise" red sprayed with my airbrush.  I probably should have used an undercoat, as the red did not cover that well. 

The first coat of cream ("Bamboo Cane") contrast colour applied.  Having the window and doors fixed to the walls made the painting task a lot harder.  Note the roof was removed, and the station spun to suit my painting style. Even so, trying to paint the details, without the paintbrush slipping onto the red was very exacting work, and limited by my concentration to roughly one hour sessions, maybe twice a day. The odd glitch, touched up with some red.   

After what seemed like a month, the painting is now done.  2 or 3 coats of cream colour brushed.  The roof, and chimneys, being removeable, were rather straight forward - roof iron sprayed Tamiya aluminium, with the only brushwork being the attic vents, and the gable ends.  Aluminium also brush painted on the guttering.  Some dark green colour also applied inside the the window and doors for the main entrance, and on the platform side  (not shown) 

Glazing the station

I have made a start.  These pictures illustrate my technique

I used a post-it note behind the window openings

With a pencil, I drew an outline of the windows.  This outline is a bit rough, but it is only needed as a guide for the 0.010 clear styrene to be placed over the post-it note.

A different type of paint brush - a "bow pen" is essential for drawing window frames.  I bought this handy tool in Hong Kong in 1985 for $HK20. The width of the line is adjustable over a wide range, and can take all paint types 

Tamiya dark green paint is used for the frames.  The bow pen line is very straight. The rest of the colour is brush painted on the clear styrene to the lines drawn on the post-it note below. After drying, position your window frames against the window openings, and if not right, make adjustments

When happy with the frames, glue the clear styrene to the inside of the station walls. The result was all but invisible - which is why I have used another post-it note to show the framing

Bomen Derailment.

Last Thurday morning (April 15th) at 2:50am, an SCT freight train derailed after passing the former Dampier street level crossing.  Media reports said that 5 locos were involved.  Soon after daybreak, I saw my first picture

This picture (also appeared on the Junee Facebook site) shows a mess. One loco on its side, another 90 degrees to the track, with its end, and wagon just on the mainline near the loop point just visible (lower LHS of picture)

The line south of Junee to Melbourne was immediately closed.  The night down XPT which was to cross this train on the Bomen loop, was issued an emergency  stop order, and it reversed back to Junee.  The down steel train arrived later, and was marshalled in Junee until the line was cleared.  

I couldn't let this photo opportunity pass, so I headed to Bomen for some of my own pictures.

From what I could make out, the train derailed on the catchpoint/derail, that you can see in a picture I had taken of the site a few years ago.  Most of the train though had not derailed, as it was sitting on the Bomen platform track, and not the mainline

View of the line, looking north from the Bomen station.  The loop point can be seen on the mainline, and the catchpoint is visible just beyond the Dampier Street level crossing.  I am planning to model this level crossing, although the loop passing track is far too recently added for me to include. However, details such as the derail are needed to protect the mainline. 

Of course, the cause of the derailment is subject to an inquiry.  But the 5 scenerios that could have caused it are

1) Driver passed a red signal

2) Signal failure

3) Loco was already derailed prior to the catchpoint, and the derailed wheels hit the derail.

4) Brake failure

5) Track problem

Why the train was on the Bomen station line, and not on the mainline may also be asked.

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I noted that the steel train was leaving Junee on Saturday morning (April 17th 2021), so the mainline was back operational just 2 days after.  Well done.  However, the bomen platform track took some extra time.   I passed the site on Monday April 19th, and the cranes were still there

This derailment made the national news, and disrupted trains on the busy Sydney Melbourne route for over 2 days. 

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Until next time