Some more additions to the rolling stock fleet

This month I finally got around to finishing some more wagons. I seem to always have a backlog of half-finished models lying around, so it's good to finish some and get them into service. 

First up this month are some VQCX container wagons. I've had 3 sitting around at about 90% completion since February this year, and I decided this week it was time to finish them. The only things left to do for these wagons was applying the container locks, handbrake wheels and some dullcoat. The reason they haven't been completed until now is because I scratch build the container locks out of brass sheet, and it's a time-consuming and laborious job that I don't enjoy all that much. Anyway, I bit the bullet this weekend knocked them out as quick as I could. 

VQCX wagons with custom container locks

 These wagons have been set up in a number of different configurations. One is configured to carry a single 40 ft container and another to carry 2x 20ft containers. The third one is a little different, with the centre locks set up to allow a number of different combinations. I'm not sure yet which I prefer, I'll probably do a few of each type with my next lot of wagons.

Also this month I applied the decals to my quarry hoppers. The next step for these is attaching the bogies and shunters steps. After that, they'll just need some dullcoat and they'll be ready to go.

Rail Motor Models quarry hoppers

My first buildings

Well this month hasn't seen much in the way of modeling, but at least what I have done is a bit different to what's been done previously. 

Last summer, during a visit to Train World, I picked up a couple of building kits made by Ian Wilson Models. One is a VR 20ft portable building and the other is a VR 10ft x 8ft portable hut. These kits appear to be milled from a single piece of styrene using a CNC router and they couldn't be any simpler to put together. I've also given them a first coat of paint, now the next step will be some weathering.

20ft Portable Building

10ft x 8ft Portable Hut

Corrugated iron roofs

It's been a busy week

I've been house sitting for a mate of mine for the last week or so, and as there wasn't much to do I decided to get stuck into some modelling. And I'm happy to say it's been a very productive week.

I've now assembled 11 more SEM VQCX wagon kits and given them a coat of VR wagon red paint. The next step for these will be applying the decals.

Painted VR wagon kits - VQCX container wagons and VHQY/VHFF hopper wagons

My 4 RMM VHQY Quarry hopper wagons have now had a final coat of paint and are also ready for some decals. I also assembled and painted an RMM VHFF Phosphate hopper wagon kit that had been half finished for a while. This will be the second on of these wagons on my rolling stock register.

Partly assembled VHGF grain wagons

I've also made some serious headway with my remaining grain wagons. Assembly of the underframe sections is now complete. The next step will be painting the brake detail. This needs to be done before the upper section of the wagon is attached to the underframe, otherwise it's almost impossible to paint properly. The upper sections are also assembled and partly painted. The paint is applied to the end, the top and the underside of the walkways. 

Once the underframe and upper sections are joined I'll apply paint to the rest of the model.

I've also started construction on a couple of VZTX Sleeper wagons from Lyndon's Trains, which I didn't take a photo of. I'll have an update on those next month.

Been a quiet month...

I've been busy with other stuff recently, so there's not really much to report this month. The only news is the arrival of the Austrains G Class is V/Line Livery.

Quick Update

I finally managed to get the airbrush going this month and get some paint on some models. First up were the bogies for my 3 VQDW container wagons. They're moulded in red plastic to begin with, but the colour isn't quiet right, so a coat of SEM VR red was required. I also added the couplers; all that's left now are shunter's steps, container locks and some clear coat.

VQDW Wagons with bogies and couplers

While I had the airbrush set up, I got some paint onto the 4 Rail Motor Models VHQF Quarry Hopper wagons sitting on my bench. They still need a little more paint around the brake detail at the ends, next time I'll leave the rock shields off until the detail is painted.

VHQF Hoppers with a coat of paint

A couple of weeks ago I bought 3 VQFX Container wagon kits of eBay. These are a single part wagon cast in resin, with additional detail pieces applied separately. On the weekend I removed the flash around the upper deck, and now they're ready to have the extra detail added.

VQFX Container wagon in resin

Over the Easter long weekend I got a Powerline H class loco from Trainworld. I didn't have a H class, and according to the Powerline website a lot of the T/H class units are now sold out, so I decided I'd better get one while I still could.

Powerline H Class Loco H2

Modelling season starts up again...

With the return of the footy and a spell of wet weather here in Canberra, I've been getting a fair bit of modelling done. I've finished the next 6 VHGF Grain Wagons, bringing the total fleet up to 12.

 

  

 I first started some of these kits over 3 years ago now, and I'm happy to have them finished. I feel like I'm in the groove of kit-building at the moment, so I started building the other VHGF kits in my kit box. After swearing I'd build them in smaller batches next time, I've now got 12 (!) in the early stages of construction.

Cleaning up the underbody detail is the most time consuming and frustrating part of the build for me, so it's good to have that part out of the way.

I've also applied the decals to 2 of the VQDW wagons, with 1 left to do. I'm going to apply container locking lugs to these wagons, which will be the same as the ones on the VQCX wagons I made last month. In real life they used a different system for securing the containers, but to recreate that at HO scale I'd have to permanently attach the containers to the wagon. The plan is to use these wagons as part of a Melbourne-Adelaide jet service, where they usually carried TNT containers, so permanently-attached wagons wouldn't be out of place. But I want to be able to change the wagon load in the future, so i'll compromise and use the white locking lugs.

The final step for these wagons is to attach the bogies, but they need a coat of wagon red paint. 

I've also finished the assembly of my VHQY Quarry Hopper Wagons, and they to are awaiting some paint. Unfortunately with all the rain we've had here I haven't had a chance, but hopefully the weather will be fine this weekend. I've also got a bunch of bogies that need painting too, so I'll be on the airbrush for a while...

Getting back into the swing of things

I've been spending a bit of time on a variety of rolling stock this week. I've had some container wagons on my workbench for a while now, and all that was needed to finish them off were the container locks. But when I went to attach the locks that came with the kit, I didn't like the way they hung off the side of the wagon. I hadn't been able to figure out a solution for this for a while now, and at one stage I thought I'd have to glue the containers onto the wagons. 

But during the week, it occurred to me that I could make some container locks out of brass sheet, which would be much thinner than the original pieces. And sure enough, they look pretty good.

There's still a slight overhang on the sides, but there doesn't appear to be any way around this. 

With the additional of handbrakes and some dullcoat, my first container wagon is finished.

I've also been working on some RMM quarry hopper kits. The kits are pretty basic, so I decided a while ago they'd be a good kit to try and add some extra detailing too. Most of the extra components come from a brass fret made by Model Etch, but I've also added some grab irons and some air piping made from brass wire. These are now ready for a coat of paint.

I've also been adding some detail parts to a VVDY Guards Van kit I have on the go. And I've got 6 grain wagons which need some decals. Fingers crossed, I'm hoping to get everything that's currently on my workbench finished before winter rolls around, so I can spend some time on my diorama. But that'll have to wait until next month.

Planning begins...

I grew up during the Tangerine and Gray era, and when I think back about trains during my childhood I think of the yellow V/Line Grain wagons. Living close to the western line near Ballarat, the grain trains were a common sight, hauling grain from the Mallee and the Wimmera to the ports in Melbourne and Geelong. So when I decided to get into model trains about 3 years ago, I knew my focus would be the trains of my youth, just like so many others in this hobby. 

Since then, I've taken any opportunity I can to hit the road and see as much of the Victorian railway network as I can. These trips were as much about personal interest in the history of the railways as they were about research for modelling. After the first couple of trips, I decided that when I built my layout it would be based on the Mallee region of Victoria. Hence the name of the blog!

Well, a proper layout is a few years away at least. So, as I said in the last post, I'm going to get on with building a diorama instead. One of the problems with modelling the Mallee during the V/Line era is that a lot of the traffic had left rail for road transport instead. The main traffic on the Kulwin, Robinvale and Piangil lines was grain, with little else left. Luckily, there was still a variety of traffic on the Yelta line, with grain, containers, louvered vans, bulk fuel and passenger traffic to Mildura and gypsum traffic to Cowangie on the Pinaroo line. Also, prior to standardisation of the Western line in 1995, the line via Pinaroo was occasionally used for interstate traffic between Melbourne and Adelaide.

So for these reasons I decided to settle on a location on the Yelta line, somewhere between Birchip and Ouyen. I wasn't really sure which location I wanted to model, but I knew that I wanted a grain silo to be the main feature of my diorama. In my mind, the typical silo arrangement was a 4 cell Geelong silo with a steel annex and a bunker. But when I went back through my photos, I couldn't find a single location on the Yelta line that had this silo configuration. Most sites either have more silos, or only a single 3 cell Geelong silo. In fact, the only site with the configuration I had in mind was Ellam, on the Yaapeet line.

So with that, I gave up the plan to model a prototypical location and instead model whatever I like. Which is liberating to be honest, I'm no longer tied down. The overall plan is to keep structures to a minimum; I want to focus to be the scenery. I'm aiming to try and capture the feel of the Mallee region. There will be the silos, maybe a goods shed, maybe a basic platform and station structure.

At this stage, that'll be about it around the station precinct. I'd also like to have a CFA shed, maybe a farmhouse as well. But that's about it at this stage. There'll be lots of trees, most of which will be low Mallee scrub. There may also be 1 or 2 large feature trees.

I haven't decided exactly on the track plan. There will obviously be a siding for the grain silo, and maybe another if there's a goods shed. For the mainline, I haven't decided yet if it'll be single track or dual track. Single track is more prototypical of the region, but dual track will allow more options for operation in the future. 

In other news, not a lot has been happening over the summer break. Modelling is very much a winter sport for me! I've added a final coat of paint the other 6 grain wagons sitting on my workbench. They're now ready for decaling, which I probably won't get to for a couple of months. I also got some VR 4 wheel wagons during Auscision's sale after Christmas. But that's about it.