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Issue 2

CONSIST * GOVERNOR’S CAR * WAGGA SHOW ROUNDUP * FROM THE ROOMS * MEET THE MEMBERS * HISTORY * HOME SIGNAL

Wagga Wagga Model Railroaders PO Box 6340 Wagga Wagga Business Centre Wagga Wagga NSW 2650

A Second Issue? Who would have thought you would all like this electronic rag? Many have offered assistance with articles, how to essays and pictures to share. Some help and ideas were also received in regard to basic layout and page set up. Notice that the header flag at the top of this page is now based on a popular NSWGR colour scheme. I have a series of different ones to use for the sake of variety. Thanks Dale for that idea. You will also notice the top of page flag on the back page depicting a home signal of the NSWGR. You will see more than the 4 pages of the first issue. Two specific pages are set aside for comment from the Club President and a Club Musings page that I would hope dif-ferent club members may take upon them selves to contribute to. This issue, it contains come back ground and planning ideas for our permanent railway which is available for casual running on club nights or by invitation. My discussion last issue of the Tumut Group was met with some interest and so a Meet the Member column has been added. This month we meet our Club President, Graeme Hearn. That will keep us going for around three years, so we need some more members. I have been asked about the photo above, just below the title flag. It is an Andrew Browne Photo. It was taken during an exhibition in Melbourne and is of the station board on Stockinbingal. The station buildings are Andrew’s work and were built to plans provided by the Railway Engineer’s department at Wagga and built using vari-ous sheets of scribed styrene. Adjustments were made to the plans based on on-site observations. The back drops painted by our founding President, Garry Walden, set them off nicely. The Assistant Station Master’s residence is also built to plans by yours truly as was the Fettler’s gang shed. Compression was used to fit everything in, but it is hard to pick how without being familiar with the township. Locals have com-mented how realistic the scene is. Notice the pains taken to not leave a straight edge at the base board front. There is not much variance from straight, but the edge is softened as ground level variation is accentuated. The eye sees a gently rolling diorama.

SUBMISSIONS: To the Editor Ian McIntyre ianmac57@bigpond.net.au Preferably in word format and pictures in JPEG for-mat separately. A flash or thumb drive may be used or CD. These will be re-turned.

MURRUMBIDGEE MAIL

This document is provided free to share without modification or addition. The docu-ment remains the property of the Wagga Wagga Model Railroaders Inc. Where possi-ble, photos and articles used are with the owner’s permission. Reproduction in part without the permission of the owners may contravene copyright laws.

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The GOVERNER’S CAR (President’s Page)

WAGGA WAGGA MODEL RAILROADERS INC. PRESIDENT GRAEME HEARN VICE PRESIDENT LES WEST SECRETARY STEVEN RAVENSCROFT TREASURER FLEUR WEST PO Box 6340 Wagga Wagga Business Centre NSW 2650 The Club meets so-cially, most Monday evenings from around 7.00P.M. at the BEST RESERVE HALL for running on the perma-nent HO layout under construction. Members are encouraged to par-ticipate in the con-struction. Guests are most welcome.

A Club Newsletter! A lot has happened in the short time since the first one. We have had our 9th Annual Model Railway & Hobbies Ex-hibition and some of us are still recovering. All Club Members & Volunteers performed well and a lot was achieved. We introduced a few changes & identified a few more that are needed before the 10th Show. I will not name people as I could forget someone so I will just say “Well done to all!” The hard work over the last year has been worth while and the club is once again vibrant. It is also very good to see so many people enjoying the facilities of the club and indeed helping to develop them. This is what a club is for. The number of people “dropping in” is a testament and reward to the new Committee and members. Monday evening at the Club is going well with a good atten-dance & plenty of running on the layout under construction. A pleas-ing thing here is that most seem to be using it or joining in whilst oth-ers do. The show and tell of some of the participants has been very interesting. I would like to encourage all members and visitors to bring something along to run on our social meeting nights. That way, we can all share and learn from one and other. The ladies of the Club have taken it upon them selves to ensure that a cup of tea or coffee, along with a biscuit is available each meet-ing and I would like to thank them for that. A “lady’s place may be in the kitchen” but don’t be scared to go and lend a hand in the kitchen. (I am going to get hung, or worse for that). One of the early choices this club made was to introduce a gold coin donation to cover petty cash type costs. (Macca take note a Gold Coin) This practice has been revived and it is this donation which pays for these biscuits and so forth. Maybe we can get a cake or a pack of party pies every so often. Also we are thinking of banning any discussion of Scalextric LOL.

COMING EVENTS Keep in touch as a Christmas Party will be held during De-cember at the home of Barry

Jones.

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MODEL SHOW ROUNDUP As usual, a lot of running around and just fixing things or doing jobs as they arose, getting bread, empty a bin, wash up and serve lunch, but as one of the ladies said to me, “we got it done!” And we did it without any real issues. Lots of frayed nerves, but no issues. Yes we did. I have not seen final figures yet but it seems from what Graeme Hearn has told me already, we may have even gotten over the line. A study of the figures will obviously highlight areas we can improve on. And they will be available to members during the show round up meeting which will be held once the accounts are all in. An Official Opening! What will they think of next? The attendees, traders and exhibitors were all sur-prised by that but saw it as a natural part of the show. With our tenth show pencilled for next year, the part-nership now formed with our chosen Charity, the Cancer Council, and hopefully some new major event sponsors, will allow us to implement some me-dia promotion thus expanding our door and of course the size of the donation made to the Cancer Council by our Club from collected donations and a portion of our own profits from things like the now famous Wagga Wagga Swindle.

One of the hard things to do when you act as an event man-ager is to actu-ally slow down and smell the roses so to speak. I probably saw less than 10% of what was on offer and now look forward to the next show just to “have a look”. I did manage to make a few small purchases as I am sure you all did. Show and tell is every week at the hall. Of note was the model of the trailer on its’ side on the Epping layout, Brunswick Park based on the accident coming to Wagga in 2007 with Brisbane Water. You gotta laugh. How cool was Midsomer Norton? I once modelled the GWR and so am familiar with 4mm modelling. This concept of the small circular layout was well executed and the scenery was fabulous. It is a lesson to all that a good exhibition layout does not

Dr Ted Wolf, Regional Chairman of Cancer Council Advisory Commit-tee, speaking at the official opening Saturday morning. President Graeme Hearn stands waiting to present the WWMR Life members with com-memorative plaques.

MIDSOMER NORTON

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have to be large and to be honest, that would be nice in the spare room.. Eskbank looked a treat with its’ period rolling stock. 12th Street Yard entertained the Yankee fans and Broadford starred again with long trains. Wili-gobung with its classic NSWGR flavour was popular as was Tumut, lots of comment on the growth of that dis-play and from what I saw it was running nicely as well. Dirt, you just want to stand there and take it all in and still miss half of it. So much trains and so little space, so much sound and lights and I am starting to dribble now! Toot’l had a few running issues initially, but many peo-ple stopped to see what was actually happening as the guys cured their first show nerves and teething problems. A good first effort for a young fellow and the good thing is that the group did not give up, but continued to work until they got things running. Stone Creek and the Can-berra Monaro “N” Scale Group waved the flag brilliantly for our smaller cousins showing us what this smaller size can do. Who did not stand in awe of those ships? Task Force 72 and the Canberra Shipwrights should be com-mended for their efforts and display supporting our show. With trains and cars, I don’t know if I can afford another hobby. Now, where to get some planes for next year? Thanks to Keiran and Darryl for stepping up and running the Saturday evening function and frivolities for me. We have some spare MRA magazines to pass around so please see Graeme if you can use or distribute any.

A huge thank you to all who helped out over the weekend and thanks espe-cially to our commercial sponsors who have again helped to make the Wagga Wagga Model Railway and Hobby Exhibition the best in Country New South Wales. Without these people, these weekends simply cannot occur.

Memorable moments

Brett, son of Founding President Gary Waldon, tied the knot with Natalie

Sutton on Saturday afternoon, Novem-ber 1st. WWMR members wish them

both well for their future together.

Dale Richards from the Mckenzie in HO Land stand popped the question

during a family reunion at Binalong on Saturday evening. The young lass must have said yes as she was sporting a rock on Sunday . Congratulations from all of

us and best of luck for your future.

Competition Results Aaron Denning of the Epping Club managed to win the 2008 Andrew Browne Memorial for Im-

proved Rail Models, for the second time. The Corvus award for Scratch Built Rail Models

went to Michael Holiton of the Hobson’s Bay Model Railway Club

Our new One87-1Scene diorama trophy and prize went to Matthew Herriot of Canberra for an interesting before and after of a Victorian

Powder van. John Herriot, runner up for the Andrew Browne Memorial, publicly thanked our sponsors and encouraged all present to prepare an entry for

next year, so how about it?

A diesel switcher toils away on the back street roads which form 12th Street Yard.

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Musings from “The Rooms”. We should probably start discussions soon to name some of the locations and indeed the railway being mod-elled in our club room. Maybe this is where we can honour past members or indeed achievements. I would propose “Ryan” in honour of Kevin, who spent a few years with us and passed his final years enjoying our hobby and company. “Brunswick” the shade of green used by the “Pennsy”, Andy Browne’s road of choice, or we could use “Andrews”. Either would tickle Andrew. Why don’t we all have a think and see what we can come up with. It would be good to be able to refer to stations with their name rather than to say “the station near the bridge over by the fan”. We also need to begin some scenery. The track work at the city end of the layout is pretty well as it will re-main. Platforms need to be cut and fitted. We have more than enough ply now to get involved with that. Once fitted, buildings and details can be planned and added as required and ready. If you feel that you can handle a particular project or would like to have a go at something, then feel free to claim that project and discuss it, after all it is a Club project. Some of the items currently needed include station building, signal box and associ-ated bric-a-brac, a couple of road bridges maybe a pedestrian bridge over the platforms and a number of inner city type buildings to represent a suburb around about the style and importance of say Liverpool or Parramatta. An effort needs now to be made to complete the point machinery installation at “City” so that the extruded foam we have collected can be cut and installed to become the scenery and base for these models. Permanent wiring will follow. Control panel location will also need to be discussed as we do not want to be moving them later on. Some discussion has also occurred at the hall as to the design of the station to be laid on the new bench work near the kitchen. The current theme outline al-lows this one to be repre-sentative of a single line Southern main station. It will be a junction station as our branch will depart here, en-tering the spiral to gain the necessary height to separate it from the existing railway. The branch will terminate above and to the right of he existing City station area. Items needed will include a silo, goods shed maybe a crane as well as basic loco facilities, water column and tank, coal staithe and maybe a turntable and small shed. The plan above is based on those discussions. The Main is the widest line with the branch exiting top left. The small yard may do mixed duty being wagon roads as well as possible loco servicing roads for branch locos. Two platforms are indicated, but an island may suffice, or the branch could even continue behind the upper, or “up” platform, still allowing direct access to the main. A further crossover would possibly be needed to the left of the platforms for correct prototype operation.

Although basic, this sketch gives an idea of treat-ments possible for the City Station and the associ-ated business district. The track would run through a cutting with a road overbridge and Main street just beyond. The operating pit is provided for the branch terminus which will be above the area between the two marked tunnels. Track will still be accessible for maintenance or re-railing of rolling stock. The plat-forms are indicated as black boxes, the white boxes represent buildings. A variation of this would see the main building spanning the tracks sharing space with a road overbridge. Waiting rooms, rest rooms and vendors such as news stands could be present on the platforms.

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Meet the Members Many would know Graeme Hearn as the proprietor with Jan his wife, also a member, of Iron Horse Hobbies. Graeme has had a long standing professional interest in model trains having once been a representative for Hornby and also operating a Model Rail Business at Penrith NSW. You cannot work this long in the hobby and not have some interest in it. Iron Horse Hobbies, apart from the obvious second hand items, provides a wide range of very hard to find spares for Hornby, Lima and Tyco amongst other brands, both well known and not so well known. Graeme is currently the President of our club and brings his business expertise as well as his club experience gained whilst managing the Yerong Creek Bowling Club to the role. His easy going nature allows him to not only govern the Wagga activities, but also to enthuse our members. Whilst not being known as a modeller of any note, he more than enjoys being entertained by those who can model. And those who know him, know that Graeme is always up for a chat about trains or his history in the hobby. The Club Yahoo News Group is a product of his method of management, being a way to contact and allow constant communication between most members. An off shoot of this new direction is this news letter, the inception of which Graeme supported and en-couraged.

Thanks and a BIG Thumbs up!

The Tumut crew would like to thank Tumut Metaland for the much appreci-ated assistance with transport arrangements for their “Tumut Branch Line”.

Assistance was gratefully accepted towards the construction of racking to

house the various panels in a trailer to allow safe, secure transport.

LIFE MEMBERSHIP During the annual Wagga Wagga Model Railway and Hobby Exhibition, Founding Mem-bers were honoured with Life Membership. It was a huge surprise to me personally when I was informed of this plan and I was personally humbled to think that the club members felt that way about me. Discussions I have had with other recipients, discovered great pride in the awards and humility in receiving them. This is not something any of us aimed for nor asked for. We formed the Club to gain some legal protection as a group whilst enjoying this marvellous hobby and the fellowship it provides. Recipients: Gary Walden, Alan Paterson, Wayne Armstrong, Rodney Smith, Peter Parsons, Barrie Price and Ian McIntyre.

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History Lesson It has been said that the character of a group is derived from the characters within the group past and present. This is so true. We are currently seeing a shift in priorities within our club never before seen as possible. Activities over the last year have seen me taking a good look from the outside in and I have noticed a lot, most of it very good. The most self evident fea-ture of the club now is the strong committee. Running evenings are fun again with people laughing and sharing a hobby which is so diverse and dynamic that we can never hope to support more than a portion of the current interests. This does take me back in time a little to the early 80s when I began to mix with a group of model rail enthusiasts who I met through a client of mine at that time. Little by little, over the next few MMs, I would like to introduce our current members and readers of this tome to some of this Club’s History. The Wagga Wagga Model Railroaders Inc was formed in the early 90s. It was formed to provide a level of legal protection in conjunction with a suitable Insurance policy for the circle of friends involved building Stockinbingal. But the story does not start there, in fact it started years before. The Riverina Trainmasters was a group of local rail enthusiasts holding regular home visits to model railways in the district which was well in operation during the early 80s when I moved to Wagga Wagga. I am sure someone will come forward with more information on this group later and I will be happy to hear and share that. Arthur Robinson, a Junee resi-dent and signalmen had an FO passenger car in his back yard full of N scale trains. Arthur managed the visits, keeping a calendar and arranging next years’ calendar well into the 80s when it was managed by what was to become the WWMR group. Arthur’s travels in retire-ment became more frequent and further afield, his son is tied up with the live steam remote control group near Berrima. Some layouts of note from that time are those of Russell Willis, Jack Turner, Barrie Price John Strudwyck and John Pratt. Struddy is an insulin dependant diabetic and supplied us with syringes for loco oil. A practice probably very much frowned upon today. He favoured the LMS with it’s bright Red pre British Rail steam Locomotives. No, not because he liked red, but because it made it difficult for his lovely lady to conclude that he had bought a new loco or 3 since she last checked the railway room. The best weekends of the year were AMRA NSW/Bowral in October and AMRA VIC in Sullivan Country, Camberwell. These weekends were planned for over many weeks with 2 maybe 3 carloads of us travelling together and meeting up several times during the day at different feed or shopping times. The way our group was welcomed and treated at Bowral by Peter and his group was to become a pattern for us years later at our first and subsequent shows. A couple of new layouts appeared, Andrew Browne and Gary Walden started to come along on running nights, Peter Parsons flew in on a RAAF posting for his second stint in Wagga, the RAAF probably supplying our largest number of short term members to the group. Our numbers at any time being somewhere between 10 and up to 30 plus at different times, playing trains and being fed some tasty suppers by the wives on many occasions. We all had a favourite layout but looked forward to each monthly visit to any layout just to run trains. The camaraderie, the trips away and the very real shared interest went through many changes but remained with us and helped to sustain our passion for the hobby. It was this group passion which made some of us realise that if we harnessed the various skills within our group, we could build an exhibition layout. To be continued…………….

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New Products

BERG’s Hobbies are set to release their long awaited Sydney electric Suburbans. KR Models has released a sheet of accurate brass loco numbers for the South Maitland locos. These include bolt detail and are a must for that accurate finishing touch.

BURNHAM PETROLEUM Just to prove that the Yanks do not hold a mortgage on recycled items of rolling stock, I submit this shot of Burnham Petroleum. The bowsers are long gone but the scene is recognisable as a service station. What looks like a derivative of the MHG type NSW brake van serves well as office and showroom for this facil-ity. The skirt under the car looks to be painted tin and concrete steps allow access. The immediate forecourt is also concrete with gravel approaches, all sheltered under a very basic corrugated iron roof which is sup-ported by the van at one end and a single RHS post between the now non existent petrol bowsers at the other. This would not be hard to reproduce and to be honest, the correct van would not matter. What an interesting mini scene!

HOME SIGNALHOME SIGNAL

ERRATA: Last Issue I wrote that Andrew Lawson was the 2008 Barrie Weatherall Encouragement Award recipient. Well of course, no-one knows who that is as yet as it has not been announced as yet. Andrew picked up the 2006 award and won a loco in the swindle in 2007.

Brand new 92 class at Goninan’s Newcastle. Late September 2008

WESTBY STATION Westby is the former terminus of The Rock to Pulli-top branch line. Located in rolling pastoral land South of the Livingstone State Forest, it is probably the least well known of all NSW branch lines. Closed in the 60s, most of the buildings still exist though the rails are long gone. Mangoplah is the only township along the line with isolated rural stations being the rule. Most were only a small waiting room but Westby boasted loco facilities including a 60 foot turn table.