DESERTED ISLANDS

One day a man decided to retire...

He booked himself on a South Pacific cruise and proceeded to have the time of his life, until the ship sank.
He soon found himself on an island with no other people, no supplies,nothing, only bananas and coconuts.

After about four months, he is lying on the beach one day when the most gorgeous woman he has ever seen rows up to the shore. In disbelief, he asks, "Where did you come from? How did you get here ?"

She replies, "I rowed over from the other side of the island where I landed when my cruise ship sank."
"Amazing," he notes. "You were really lucky to have a row boat wash up with you."

"Oh this thing ?" explains the woman."I made the boat out of some raw materials I found on the island.The oars were whittled from gum tree branches. I wove the bottom from palm tree branches, and the sides and stern came from a Eucalyptus tree."

"But, where did you get the tools?"

"Oh that was no problem,"replied the woman. On the south side of the island, a very unusual stratum of alluvial rock is exposed. I found that if I fired it to a certain temperature in my kiln, it melted into ductile iron, I then used to make tools and used the tools to make the hardware."

The guy is stunned.

"Lets row over to my place," she says. So, after a short time of rowing, she docks the boat at a small wharf. As the man looks to shore, he nearly falls off the boat.Before him is a long stone walk leading to an exquisite bungalow painted blue and white.While the woman ties up the rowboat with an expertly woven hemp rope,the man can only stare ahead, dumb struck. As they walk into the house , she says casually, "Its not much, but I call it home.Sit down , please."

"Would you like a drink?"

"No ! No thank you ," the man blurts out, still dazed. "I cant take another drop of coconut juice."

"Its not coconut juice," winks the woman." I have a still. How would you  like a Pina Colada ?"

Trying to hide his amazement, the man accepts, and they sit down on her couch to talk. After they exchange their individual survival stories, the woman announces, I'm going to slip into something more comfortable. Would you like to take a shower and shave? Theres a razor in the bathroom cabinet upstairs."

No longer questioning anything, the man goes upstairs into the bathroom.There, in the cabinet is a razor made from a piece of tortoise bone.Two shells honed to a hollow ground edge are fastened on to its end inside a swivel mechanism.

"This woman is amazing," he muses ."Whats next?" When he returns,she greets him wearing nothing but some small flowers on tiny vines, each strategically positioned, she smelled faintly of gardenias.She then beckons for him to sit down next to her.

"Tell me," she begins suggestively, slithering closer to him,"We've both been out here for many months. You must have been lonely. There's something I'm certain you feel like doing right now, something you've been longing for, right?" She stares into his eyes.

He cant believe what hes hearing."You   mean ........" he swallows excitedly as tears start to form in his eyes,


"You've  built a Model Railway?"

TRUCKIN ON DOWN THE ROAD

As the main aim of the game is to recreate real life in miniature.At some stage your going to need some trucks.But without going as far as the trucks taking over and the line being closed.
There are some really good ready to run models available ,mostly based on American trucks but with a little effort you can turn these in to Australian trucks.With that swinging 70/s feel
With placement at the loading bank,goods shed ,station or weigh bridge they help to recreate the scene
So here are some of my small collection.

ATHEARN D SERIES MACK

ATHEARN C SERIES FORD

Both models are straight out of the box with some weathering.The trailers are scratch built using evergreen styrene and bits from the scrap box.The gates on the Ford are etched brass from Road And Rail as are the white metal gates on the Mack.The tarp is folded up painted tissue.And a suitable Australian container.Wheels and rims plus spare tyres are from Road And Rail.

IH TIMBER JINKER

The logging truck a Mini Metals model started life as a boogie refrigerated truck.Once the refer was removed a rear head board was constructed from evergreen strip with chains draped over the boards.
And a white metal bull bar from Rustys for the front.
The rear jinker unit was scratch built from evergreen and scraps.With the log load from suitable sticks shaped and painted that raw red orange fresh sawn colour.With the bark being cinnamon sticks with some draped over the frame and rear.These are chained down and a red rag from paper bringing up the rear.

PTC CREW TRUCK

The crew truck started as a WIKING MAN Dump truck with crane WALTHERS 781-67502.
The tipping body was shortened with the hyab moved back from the rear of the cab and a crew cab made from styrene with clear being used on the window sides.
The original green was painted over with PTC blue and a decal put on the door.A load of drums and sleepers finished it off.

MAN TRUCK AND DOG

The truck and dog combo started as a WIKING dump truck 781-673.The tipping body looked to European so a new one along with the dog trailer was made using styrene and evergreen shapes along with ROAD AND RAIL wheels.
The body was left unpainted white, weathered and a load of Chucks Ardglen ballast glued down.

FURNITURE TRUCK

This is a MINI METALS IH single drive flat bed truck with the tray remove and a new panteck back built from styrene with mirrors from brass wire and styrene circles for mirrors.The tarped load on the roof is actually a left over 1-18 scale pilots parachute.This truck just says the70/s but totally out of fashion now.

TOW TRUCK

ATHEARN REID TOWING 91976 straight out of the box just weathered.With sign writing which is just at home in WAGGA WAGGA as WYOMING.Just check that area code.

KW CONTAINER TRUCK


I saved the easiest till last with all out of the box components.ATHEARN KENWORTH Prime Mover 92658 combined with MATSON 20FT Chassis trailer 27913 which comes as a twin pack so you get spare wheels for something else.Plus a suitable 20 ft container and weathering.

I will post some photos of the trucks in there natural environment soon.

NEW YEARS REPORT

There has been some progress with track laying on the main line.From the A depot around to the Barwon River bridge all up about 6 mtrs.So while this is under control I thought I would show you the new signalling and safe working arrangements put in place on the Bolivia section.

Designed , built and installed by the McKenzie Group it has brought with it the realization that if you don't use this system to operate trains you really are just playing trains.
As with the real thing all train movements are controlled from the main lever frame and ground frames which are fully interlocked,meaning that points and signals can only be changed in the proper sequence to maintain block protection and train safety.

Bolivia yard diagram and pull list.

The main lever frame is a NSW N pattern frame.which as shown is pulled for use of ground frame C to shunt the fuel siding.
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Ground frame C.

48131 shunts the fuel siding.

The light indicators for ground frames and signals.And the up distant indicator showing that the up distant signal is at caution.

The up distant at caution.As the up home signal is at stop.

The main frame showing the lever cams and tappets.

And ground frame D for shunting the AFL siding.

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The actual brains of the machine, the locking bed.

So as for many years I didn't know any thing about signalling and safe working.Now I have it,although still very much learning I cant imagine running a layout without it.

The 2 new stations will be fully interlocked also with some form of staff instrument at each station. 

Watch for a new posting from Dale Richards on the McKenzie Group site with a comprehensive explanation of NSWGR Mechanical Signalling.

CHRISTMAS REPORT.

Progress is being made with most decisions on placement of bridges,stations and silos being made with a few changes happening from mind to reality.

An extra bridge was added on the end tear drop section which is the transition section from Ashford to Mungindi Station areas. This is based on the Gil Gil Creek crossing at Garah on the Mungindi- Moree line. With three different pier styles and refuges it makes for an interesting long, low trestle.

The Frazer's Creek crossing at Ashford is taking shape with a very rocky crossing, leading up between the canyon walls to a tunnel entrance. I haven't decided on the rock type yet, but granite might be the winner. I think I can do granite :>)

The other main bridge on the opposite end of Mungindi on the yet unnamed river is now positioned, but needs new piers which is the next project.

The Barwon River bridge crossing for the entrance to Mungindi is in place.



More later

Bolivia is an exhibition -home layout based on the old NSWGR main north line which runs alone spine of the northern tablelands to the Queensland border at wallangarra. The buildings, sceneryand bridges of this section have been used from Walcha Road through to sunnyside.The layout is basically finished.Which leaves me free to start work on the next sections that join onto the existing section and storage yard and will display a typical slopes and plains station called Ashford with precast concrete buildings, SOO8 and A depot silos.A 4 truss 35 ft Howe-deck transom top bridge will seperate the station from some small industry. While on the other side of this new section will be the western plains town of Mungindi with a 2 span Howe through transom top bridge bringing the line into town passed the 2 story Queensland pub and on into the yard with it larger grain storage facilities.On leaving town the line traveses the 2 span 157ft steel pratt truss bridge with approach spans which i have just finished and totals 2.4mtrs in length. The line then continues on to enter the existing storage yard. This will then give me a layout which covers 3 geographical regions and there different architectural styles, bridges and scenery.With a long single main line run and shunting at the 3 stations.