2021_12_29 Graeme Apple seed and more!!

 2021-12-29 The apple orchard and more back drops.... In pictures!!

OK, I did an oopsie here forgetting that the new frame needed to be screwed together on the flat and sit flush on top of the old plaster backdrop.

 

And I had to undo them and screw them together the right way.

The measurements were still ok.

The angle will be hidden behind the brick pillar covers And when I find out where the covers locate on the frame, I will have to add another upright to glue the cover on to. Then we will cut to fit masonite sheets to fill in between the covers.

MR Apple seed plants his best!

Nice!!

Cheers

Rod

2021_11_26 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

 2021-11-26  Merry Christmas :D

Seasons Greetings!  Things are slower on the blog than I would have liked. But Covid is still slowing us down. Al has een out of action for a few weeks looking after a sick wife. And the season has its effects as well.

Was very quiet here as family took the opportunity to take advantage of the "freedoms" the Andrews gov, has graciously granted its slaves. I cannot believe my Labor Party has actually dressed in red and joined the Chinese CCP empire. But enough of that. At least he has left our models alone for now.

Biggest work here is point motors and wiring. We keep taking the way ahead with many success's. But one fix shows us another problem. Good news is that we think we can see the light at...eh?

As usual pictures can tell the story!

Ok here Graeme prepares the apple orchard. Ah ok we thought we had plenty of trees!  70 is about half our needs.  First the spacing was marked with pins. Next blended bark (Vitamised) was sprinkled uner the tree canopy.  Next job will be to "plant" the grass, build the fences and then place the trees. Mark out the wheel ruts etc and it should look ok.

Bugger!! not enough trees.

Touching up the tunnels. 

Finishing off the backdrops (East wall)

Decided the backdrops should be made higher and really wanted to hide the bricks.

And Graeme found some very rare thin masonite. He bent it into shape, and hopefully liquid nails will hold it to the bricks.

We have pre-cut the masonite and will fill in between the covered brick piers.

Last week we finally worked out how to fill in the windows. (How much money would I have saved!)

 

We created frames that can sit on top of the original backdrop. Masonite sheets will cover both the old backdrop and the new frame. I will add two additional uprights when we work out the distance between the brick pier covers after they are fixed to the bricks and extended onto the frame.

And thats about all their is.  Except to thank all of those who are watching and to wish everybody a MERRY CHRISTMAS    and a HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR.

Cheers 

Rod 

2021_11_26 D3 on Pass this morning!

2021-11-26..  Yeah making point motors and panels today.. and a video

Cheers

Rod

2021_11_19 Scenery? Wow!!

 2021_11_19  Graeme paints his canvas.

First he highlighted all the cracks and crannies with black paints.

Then highlighted it with reds and grey.

And as it dries back.

It becomes really nicer as it dries back.

Yes we are pretty happy with this.

This will end up a little like the Wangaratta side of Glenrowan.  Wait for the apple orchard :)

wet

Drying out... Fences extra blending and a lot more to come here. This is day 1.

Blending dirt back in on top.

Cutting in and access track on left.

Dirt on top.

Ok watching it dry :D

Cheers

Rod

2021_11_17>19 Lots of stuff!!

 2021-11-19 A package arrived! Some scenery etc

So you want to run a prototype length grain train?

Got 55 goofies?  Yes check all Auscision grain wagons!

Got good couplings?    No they are plastic!

ok what about power?  We have 3 new Auscision B Class locos with DCC Victoria sounds... check!!

So will they pull it?

Yes they do but they strip the plastic couplings away and the train parts multiple times. The wagons are fantastic however the cheap couplings not so.

And as I had a pack of 50 scale whisker couplings in storage, I best get cracking!

It took me 2 days to replace them all. What a waste of time. And the goofies were set up incorrectly. The couplings were all low on the kadee coupler height gauge. I had to place a kadee fiber washer under the wagon to lift it up to standard height, and even then, I had to bend up every trip pin to clear the height gauge.

Here I slip the whiskers under the bottom plate and screw it down with a magnetic screw driver.

A package arrives from Narara Locomotive Shops.

TNT Overnight Express less than 24 hours!!

Thanks Gerry Nicely packaged.

These old brass locos have been sitting on a shelf for 20 years.

S302

Nice.. Good as new.. Ha Ha better it now has lights and sound.

Whats this ?    Two more?

?

C502 and C505

Just like they came out of the factory but also with sound and lights.

My first run on a C Class was  on the real C502 out of South Dynon in August 1977 as a fireman. I even got to steer it for a few miles after Seymour.

Short run of S302

Cheers

Rod

2021_11_16 Another video

 Kilmore East mob meets again!

Cheers

Rod

2021_11_15 Streamlining grain haulage

 2021_11_15    New Video 

Cheers Rod

2021_11_12 Ctrl P to the rescue once again!

 2021-11-12 Wrong bogies on Powerline Coaches.

After waiting for the Victorian AZ (particularly the ACZ) coaches for near 20 years I have been much disappointed by Powerline again.

Not only were they 75% more expensive than the Auscision daylight cars, they suffered stupid inaccuracies.

The seats look like the cut down O gauge versions and the back rests are taller than the windows (well almost)

The ACZ does not have the periscopes fitted on the early versions

And the BG SOP (sanserif) version has the modern commonwealth bogies fitted, whilst the SG version with modern lettering is fitted with Argentine bogies.

Anyway against my better judgement I outlaid $175 a carriage       and added some to my fleet.

I swapped bogies from one coach to another but ended up needing 4 sets of Commonwealth bogies. I contacted the shop and was old Brian had refused to sell spare parts for the AZ's I asked why not? and was told I was being directed to buy new coaches not upgrade the original coaches from 20 years ago. Did not matter that I was trying to upgrade the NEW coaches!

Anway I bought Auscision commonwealth bogies, but I could not fit them account of the different bolsters.

Then I noticed that Ctrl P had these bogies. I wrote to them and found that they were already out there and both versions of commonwealth bogies were up on the web site that very day. A version to fit the older carriages, and another to fit the new version.  So Powerline misses out, and my new best supplier wins big time..

Really nice 3D prints

Powerline BG SOP cars with Commonwealth bogies and lettering on bottom coach suggests SG SOP with Argentine Bogies. Although the BG might have received upgraded modern bogies, the SG SOP never ran on Argentine bogies,

Oh and I put the Auscision commonwealth bogies to good use as well. Trainbuilder brass bogies are a pain in the arse. Now they roll sweetly on their new bogies.

Here are the Auscision bogies fitted to the Trainbuilder coaches

Here are the Ctrl P bogies fitted to the Powerline coaches.

Cheers

Rod

2021_10_31 Magnetic couplings for V/Line Sprinters (Explorers too)

 2021-10-31  More video!

Ctrl P Models

Showing how well the Ctrl P magnetic couplers work.

Cheers

Rod

2021_10_30 A video?

 2021-10-30  Playing with J544 and some B's

Cheers

Rod