Here comes the plug...

It's shameless, I know, but I have a new shed I want to build for some proper studio space, so I'm selling my soul, I mean, I selling my CD's.

 

As per the last blog post, I was up in Sydney for the Aus7 ExpO, and spent the whole day presenting my gum tree clinic over and over through out the day.  As part of preparing for that event, I spent some time rewriting my previous gum tree building clinic notes.  They were reformatted so they appear better on a computer monitor (ie landscape view), and with a heap of extra information pages, such as some colour charts and additional instructional pointers.  The clinics I hosted up in Sydney were accompanied by a slide show presentation to help speed up the steps in the shortened clinic format.  A reduced clinic time would mean less time to spend explaining my process, so I produced a pile of CD's with my clinic notes.  What I presented during the clinics was a brief overview of what I do, and if people wanted to know more, the information was available to purchase on the CD.  Thankfully, plenty of people wanted that extra information. 

 

So, play the jingle...

 

For those that have an interest in modelling Australian scenery, and enjoy the style of gum trees that I model and feature in my layouts and dioramas, the step by step CD, "A Guide to Building Iconic Aussie Gum Trees" is now available.  The clinic notes are now 35 pages of thorough details on how I pull these tree models together.  Heaps of photos of the different stages, all clearly described.  It seems like a lot of pages on how to build a tree, but the intention is to answer every question you might have about the process.  See below for a couple of sample photos from the guide...

 

 

I've also recently taken the time to set up and take some decent photos of some of my layouts and dioramas, so have included a selection of photo albums on the CD that feature my gum trees in some finished scenes.  A bit of eye candy, but also really helpful to see how the time spent on building these trees serves to really make a feature of the modelled scenery.  Again, couple of sample photos seen here below...

 

 

I intend to have my CD's available on my stand when I display at the couple of model railway exhibitions I attend across the course of the year (my next outing is up at Stawell in July).  For those that aren't able to get to these exhibitions, I am making the CD available through eBay, at a price of $10, plus postage (in Australia, $3 postage, or $7 to the rest of the world). 

 

Plug done, except for the eBay link...

 

Um, this is the link, so click here to go to the listing

 

Cheers,

Dan

 

The Aus7 ExpO

Um, yup, its been a little while, but thought I should actually get around to slapping up a bit of a report on this brilliant weekend I got to be a part of.  So, the Aus7 group (dedicated for O scale modellers of Australia) has been around for 10 years.  Normally their gatherings are a bit of a closed forum type of event, but to celebrate this little mile stone, they decided to organise a one day public exhibition, promoting the art of O scale modelling.

 

Held at the old Casula Powerhouse, which has been converted to an amazing arts centre, it was billed as an O scale only exhibition...that doesn't tend to happen, ever.  In my years of exhibiting, as an O scale modeller, you often feel a bit like the odd ones out.  With the dominant scale of choice, especially at exhibitions, being HO (even as far as all the trade offerings, its a bit rare to find anything O scale for sale at exhibitions), the whole O scale thing is kind of left to the modeller to do their own leg work and learn about it.  To have the chance to be involved in this O scale exclusive event was a bit of a dream come true.

 

So, with all my bits for display packed into the car, I made the long drive up to Sydney for the show.  I was up there to display some of my tree modelling results (took the Splitters Gorge diorama for show, and also my Diggers Bend layout, which was its last show with me, and handed on to a new owner up in Sydney), and spend the day hosting a repeating series of tree clinics for the day.  That clinic normally runs for about an hour if I do it at a convention, but for the sake of this event, I was able to condense it down to about a 20 minute overview of how to build a gum tree. 

 

I mentioned the venue, the old Casula Powerhouse...cool joint!  Heaps of industrial features, old iron and concrete mixed with some modern artsy features.  Excellent venue, and a really venue, which seemed appropriate for this different sort of show.

Set up for the show was pretty smooth, and also a great chance to meet some of the other modellers who I had only conversed with via web forums.  It was cosy little group of exhibitors, and we got the share a nice meal at the venue that night after setting up, dining whilst surrounded by a decent display of modelling creations.

The show was held for just the one day (March 1st, 2014).  Weather was a challenge that day, as I think we ended up having almost 40mm of rain that day.  Not really ideal weather for getting out and about!  Still, the show goes on.  It was a quieter day as far as exhibition attendees, but I think we expected that given the nature of the show.  The venue was still full, but had a decidedly different feel than a normal exhibition.  Not sure if the venue had anything to do with this, but it had a far more relaxed atmosphere.  To me, it felt more like an art show.  Not so much pushing and shoving to see displays, and being run over by prams and charging kids (in fact, I didn't really see too many kids at all).  This was a more mature sort of crowd.  Quiet, and seemed more respectful of what they were there to see.  I think a lot of attendees spent more time there slowly wandering through the displays, and taking the time to really appreciate the efforts some of the modellers had gone too.  Without a doubt, one of the most comfortable railway exhibitions I've had a chance to experience.

 

As for my tree clinics, I ended up repeating the session 7 times through out the day, plus numerous brief extra sessions between scheduled times for all those still with more questions.  It was good to sit with small groups each time with keen interest in seeing how this tree thing all happens.  They must have been interested because I parted with a good number of the CD's I've produced with all my tree clinic notes.  I was fairly spent, and just a bit hoarse by the end of the day, but it was a very rewarding thing to be a part of.

 

The other modelling on display was exceptional.  One of the things I've always appreciated about O scale modelling, is there is often more attention to detail with this scale.  There was no shortage of that.  A number of the layouts were built specifically for this show.  Some never intended for public display, but some huge efforts (O scale is a big scale, including some of the huge module son display!) to get them there for a rare viewing.  All seemed to run well, and all well appreciated.

 

 

 

 

The other part of this show that made it so special was the efforts made by the organisers to look after the exhibitors.  Accommodated at the nearby super comfortable Mecure hotel (I'm not likely to get model railway exhibitors accommodation like that ever again!), well fed on both nights at the Arts Centre and also back at the Mecure on the Saturday night (with a great presentation night), as well as the full cooked breakfast to fill up on each morning.  That alone was worth the drive, but the models I got to see, and modellers I got to meet, made it even better.  I would never expect any other exhibitions efforts to come close to this show (I mean, it was a one off event for a reason), but the level of professional presentation on behalf of each of the layouts was highly appreciated, and really took it to more of a display of artistic creations, rather than the usual rambling bunch of train guys with their stuff in a hall. 

 

As I made the long drive home with a couple of other local Victorian  modellers (Laurie Green and Grant McAdam), it was also a great opportunity to call in on another good modelling friend, Murray Scholz, (Bogong & Geehi Railway) and check out his layout progress.  A big thankyou to Murray and his family for sharing a much needed lunch (and break from driving), and giving us a tour of his efforts out in his modelling shed.  Always great to see what other modellers are doing, especially when its based around a similar prototype to what my interests are, and see how they are tackling the process.  Please make sure you check Murrays Bogong & Geehi blog for his layout updates.

 

So home again, with a bunch of new ideas and new inspirations.  Time to find some more time in the shed.  Time to build a new shed!

 

Cheers,

Dan

 



 

Climax 1694 steams again...

Hi all,
Got a short report on the pleasure of enjoying a piece of steam history being brought back into service the other week.  In the world of geared steam locos, the Climax is one of the classics.  According to records, there are only 19 known still in existence, and now (with 1694's recommissioning), just 4 remaining preserved and able to go into steam.  Luckily for me, I have a fine preservation society in "Puffing Billy" located a short drive from home, with a great little collection of narrow gauge steam loco's lovingly restored and regularly run. 

Sunday 8th September saw the official recommissioning of Climax 1694 up at Puffing Billy, with a special run from Belgrave to Emerald, and a happy bunch of steam nuts on board (with plenty on the train chase during the day).  The weather for the day was brilliant, and the smell of steam in the air as you enter the Belgrave valley is always a welcoming smell.  I got up to the Belgrave yards early to check some of the morning activities.  It was a narrow gauge steam enthusiasts treat, to see the Climax, the G42 Garratt, and a couple of the Baldwin nA's (aka "Puffing Billy) all in steam in the one yard.  Given the rather slow top speed of around 8mph on the Climax, we headed out first, ahead of the normal daily running schedule, and would soon be passed by the first regular nA hauled train for the day up at Menzies Creek.  Plenty of fans out along the line, with the casual pace of the Climax making it easy to play the train chase and drive ahead to the next photo opportunity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A brief stop at Menzies Creek to be passed by the first regular train was just another opportunity for everyone to jump out and check out this fine piece of restoration as she simmered away patiently while her stable mate waddled by.  All aboard again for the next leg of the journey up the grade to Emerald.  This section has a steep rise into the station yard, so I reckon we slowed to about 3-4mph for this twisting portion of the run.  Could have quite easily stepped out, walked past the train, taken another photo, and boarded again!  We previously took a brief halt just before "Landslide" so we could all off load and run ahead for a photo run through.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We eventually reached the mid point of the journey, and pulled into Emerald station.  More steam lovers feasts, with the "Ali Shan" Shay #14 sitting in the yard, as well as the Peckett.  NRT1 rail tractor took care of shunting duties while the Climax eased up to the nose of the Shay for some more photos.  It makes a very rare sight these days to see a Climax and a Shay buffer to buffer these days!  Hopefully the Shay is eventually able to received the same restoration process that the Climax has just experienced.  I feel truly luck to have to have such a fine collection of narrow gauge history preserved this close to home.  Its certainly an incredible collection of history all running from the one shed.  We took some morning tea at Emerald, before making the journey back to Menzies Creek for a tour around the newly constructed museum shed.  This venue will be superb once completed (rails due to be laid inside the shed in the next few weeks), with more valuable rail history going into a better storage setting.  We heard some thank you speeches in the museum and enjoyed some light lunch.  We waited at Menzies Creek for the passing of the afternoon trains (G42 heading back to Belgrave, while 6A was on its way up to Emerald), as the Climax sat in waiting on the museum access track.

 

 

 

 

 

As we ran back down the grade to Belgrave again, listening to squeaks, groans and rattles of the well aged carriages, the sun beamed through the Mountain Ash forest surrounding the little train.  A run across the much photographed Monbulk trestle bridge meant we were close to home again, and eventually we drifted into the Belgrave yards again.  Day done, with aching smiles all round.  I hate to think how many photographs were taken collectively on this day (I blazed off 400!).  A huge thank you to the Puffing Billy Preservation Society for the 12 years of hard work and fund raising that has gone into seeing 1694 steam back to life.  What a treat of a day to be a part of, and feel very rewarded seeing, feeling, and hearing a creature like this Climax blast her whistle in the lush surrounds.

 

I also captured a bit of video footage of the day, which can be viewed on YouTube at the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xiiVMI_Y48

 

Cheers,

Dan