[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
//-->N Scale Modellerwww.nscale.org.auIssue 4 ~ June 2010• The ‘Old Benalla’ layout• Product News• Trees for your layoutN Scale ModellerSomething old, something newWith the end of the financial year imminent, I imagine many modellers will be rubbing their handstogether in anticipation of a boost to their modelling budget courtesy of the Tax Man. It’s a greattime for anyone modelling N scale, with new models to tempt the wallet no matter what yourpreferred outline.Reviews of recent releases of British models, such as Ixion’s Manor class, Dapol’s class 58s and ‘Silver Bullet’wagons, and anticipation of the long awaited overhaul of Graham Farish’s Mk I passenger coaches has thatmarket well and truly humming. US modellers continue to enjoy a range of superb models released to them fromcompanies such as Kato, Atlas, Micro-Trains Lines, BLMA Models and others.In Australia a host of new products either arriving as this issue ofN Scale Modellergoes to ‘press’, or due in thecoming months mean that modellers of Australian prototypes have never had it so good. In this issue we featurea brand new arrival, the NR class from Robyn Taylor. Also scheduled for release later this year is the VR B classand the ‘Spirit’ passenger cars from Aust-N-Rail which are sure to appeal to a wide audience, and further enticeoverseas modellers to look at buying Australian models.At the same time we also take a look back in this issue at a layout that is sadly no longer with us – Ian Wood’s‘Old Benalla’ layout. There are lessons and inspirations for all of us from layouts such as this and we hope you’llfind something that sparks an idea in this issue.The 12th Australian N Scale Convention is in Sydney in May of 2011 and registrations are now open. If previousConventions are anything to go by this will be an event not to be missed. Mark it in your diary now.We love to receive your feedback and are always on the lookout for articles andpictures that can be shared with modellers around the world.N Scale Modellerisbeing read by N-scalers in places as far afield as the USA, UK, Germany, France,Hungary and Japan. Chances are that someone out there will be inspired bysomething you have tried or discovered. Why not share it with us?Publication TeamGraham CocksTrevor MayDavid BromagePublished by N Scale Modellers AustraliaEmail ........................................... nsm@nscale.org.au______________________________Articles may not be copied or reprinted without the permissionof the respective authors. Orginal articles in this publicationmay not be copied or reprinted without the permission of thepublisher. The publisher accepts no responsibility for articlessubmitted by contributors.Modellers wishing to submit articles should take note of thefollowing technical requirements. Photos must be forwarded asseparate items:1. Text may be submitted using Word or plain text by email if it’sa short item. We can do the formatting.2. Photos to be in JPG (JPEG) format. 300dpi or better. We canreduce the size if necessary.3. Text should indicate where a photo should be inserted, eg.(Fig 1 placed here)Assistance with article preparation is available from the Team ifrequired.While advertising is not accepted as such, N Scale Modellerwelcomes relevant product news from manufacturers.All correspondence and submissions is via the publication’semail address:nsm@nscale.org.auContentsThe ‘Old Benalla’ Layout ...................................3Product News ...................................................8New r-t-r NR class released ..............................12Trees For Your Layout .......................................13Extending Atlas Mechanism Pick-up Strips .......17N Scale Clubs/Groups/SIGs Around Australia ....19Upcoming Exhibitions ....................................... 20Cover:Steam on ‘Wallan’ - K class owned by Paul Blake, R class and wagons owned by Chris Pearce(photo: Chris Pearce)2N Scale ModellerIssue 4 ~ June 2010The “Old Benalla Layout”A saga of website trawling and its outcome.That Australian N Scale modelling is where it is today is in no smallpart due to the Internet, and also those intrepid and dedicated websitekeepers who keep groups together and informed by hosting Yahoogroups and similar forums (Thanks again Graham et.al.). You see I ama “lone wolf” modeller. While I enjoy exhibitions, and the generosity ofsome HO modellers who opened their layout to me many years ago formy occasional visit, my own life is very full of commitments which to mymind have to be higher than model railways, despite observations tothe contrary by those closest to me. As a result, I am not a member ofa club and tend to model on my own, so the flexible facility of Internetsites for information exchange is just what the doctor ordered!Some of the Yahoo site members may have seen me sign off on occasion as MWilson “SARite”, or M Wilson “Shriker” – That’s me, an SAR enthusiast who foryears has slowly been riding the lonely SAR N Scale bike. So when looking aroundfor other like minds I came across the Victorian N Scale Collective (VNSC) site whosemembers had some previous exposure via the AMRM and I liked what I had seen.The reason being? Familiarity. This is due to SA and Victoria having had a commongauge connection since the 1800’s (That lovely 5’3” stuff) and to see a VR goodstrain was frequently to see an SAR goods train, at least on the main western andmain south lines respectively. While the VNSC site had photos of N Scale trains withblue and gold GM’s of various sorts, the scenes depicted on the site could just havewell have been in the Mallee of SA if they had a loco change (Something ALCO or EEcomes readily to mind). The scenes were open, free of obstruction, flowed freely, in alight and open perspective. The photos were obviously of one layout, and I wantedto know more!I emailed the VNSC contact and I was pleasantly surprised to get an email fromanother person, one Ian Wood, who claimed responsibility for the photos and themodelling portrayed. He was open and interested in my reasons for contacting himand offered to answer any questions if possible. So what follows is taken from theemail correspondence that followed – with Ian’s cooperation.I was particularly taken by the open feel of the layout which was a shelf design, asthere were no obvious supports visible in the photos on the VNSC site. I also askedhim about the possibility of a track plan. This is an item which I feel is really importantfor the reader / viewer to put the photos into place and perspective. It also helps toIssue 4 ~ June 2010A layout by Ian Wood. Story line by Mark Wilsonput the human movement element into place. i.e. Is there space to operate, how dopeople interact with the layout etc. He was most apologetic originally at not beingable to provide one despite his efforts at producing one on a PC. I responded thata pencil drawn one was fine, and that “Model Railroader and other mags did themthat way for years and I missed their earthiness from an artistic perspective. Thesecomputer drawn plans are all very wonderful, but somewhat lacking in character.Besides such things were prototypical for the “Blue and Gold” and the “PipingShrike” era. So go ahead with a pencil.” His end product is reproduced here and Ihope it helps put things into perspective. It did for me.This plan revealed more to this layout than appeared on the VNSC Site photos whichconcentrated on the top and left hand sides of the layout. Some more questionswere obviously required! Size, location, and those yards and intriguing branchline and terminus, wall treatment, the lot, all needed investigation, and I was reallypleased with the response.He replied regarding the walls - “I did choose the blue colour carefully. The ceilingwas painted as well as a couple of feet down the wall, then using a spray gun thecolour was gradually faded until it was almost white at layout level. It doesn’t showthat much in the photos, in fact it wasn’t that obvious in person, but when pointedout to visitors they’d say “oh yes, so it is”. It gave the effect of distance. On a clearday take a look next time and notice how the sky is a darker blue above and fadestoward the horizon.”3N Scale ModellerIn the photos below, note the wall colour and the lack of visible legs.High nose T364 and Y124 head a mixed goods.S312 + B73 head an up bogie freight past the standard gauge loop.B73 + T364 amble across the broad gauge bridge over the Broken River on the upside of Benalla on the North East line in Victoria. The bridge is a very accurate modelof the real thing. Many plans and photographs were used during construction. The“steel” supporting pylons were turned from fine grain timber in the chuck of anelectric drill. The “concrete” piers support the parallel standard gauge, these beingshaped from the same wood. Behind the B + T is a rake of aluminium wheat wagonsmade from kits.My initial interest in Ian’s layout was in what I could see of the mainlines, pluralbecause one represented the standard gauge Sydney line with a passing loop, andthe other the broad gauge line to Albury/Wadonga, but as you will read later on hewas also really interested in telling me about the branch line portion.He also provided a lot of detail about the layout as a whole. “The layout was builtin the spare room which measured approx 10 x 14 ft. It ran around the four walls,cutting across the doorway by means of a duck under. Track height was a constant54” (no gradients). Basically there were two mainlines, the outer represented thestandard gauge track and the inner was the broad gauge.The main station was a condensed version of the actual Benalla track plan and thebridges were scale models of both the broad and standard gauge bridges over theBroken River at Benalla.The rest of the layout was freelance Victorian including the branch line and station. Thelayout was never finished. I got as far as the platform for the station, but never builtthat impressive building. The loco shed was partly constructed.Another view showing the long siding on the approach side of Benalla station.4N Scale ModellerIssue 4 ~ June 2010Benalla Loco DepotThere was no interconnection between the two (Broad and Standardgauge portions - MW). A branch line left the main station and curvedaround over a trestle bridge to an island in the centre of the room.”Above and below:terminusY Class with Goods on their way to the branchMain lines.“Broad Gauge” on left and “Standard Gauge” with loop on rightIssue 4 ~ June 2010Note the trestle and the broad open scene above. The hidden storagesidings are in the hill behind the trestle.N Scale Modeller5 [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]