Back issue: April 2020

The February 2020 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue direct from SCR Publications (paper copy) or Zinio (digital copy).

You can purchase a paper copy of this back issue online at:

www.australianmodelrailways.com

or directly from the AMRM office by phone on (02) 9311 2036, using your Credit Card.

The digital version of the April 2020 AMRM has been released by Zinio.

Buy digital back issue of the April 2020 AMRM from Zinio.

(scroll down from current issue for all back issues).

The April 2020 cover.

The contents page.

This issue's feature layout is one we have featured before, back in 1993, when it was brand new. But, as with most layouts, it got a little tired as it aged, but rather than scrap it and start again, the owner, Martin Murden, decided to strip it back to baseboard and track and rebuild it. This article shows how successful this approach to renewing a layout can be.

This issue could well be described as an 'infrastructure' issue, as the theme is definitely buildings, starting with the first part of another multi-issue treatise, this time discussing the goods sheds of the SAR and how to model a typical example. In this first part, author Don Bishop describes the various types of goods sheds that could once be found serving the railway users of South Australia.

Don has also written an associated article describing the process of adding ridge capping to buildings.

Phil Jeffery's Beyond the Fence series continues with a description, images and drawings of a type of building that one rarely see modeled, the various types of Salvation Army Hall that one can still find dotted about the landscape.

Continuing the infrastructure theme is a short description by Roger Lloyd of one of the ways one can make it easier for oneself when wiring and ballasting track.

If you have ever thought about adding non-train movement to your existing layout, Jonathan Majer has a few words to say on the subject in his article describing how he animated some traffic on his layout.

However, locomotives have not been forgotten, with a description by Phil Knife of a most unusual class of WAGR steam locomotives and how he build a model of one.

Models of  locomotives, rolling stock and infrastructure are all very nice, but to get the most from these individual models, one needs a layout to run them on, which can be a problem if you have only a small area available. Alan Shaw shows how he overcame his own lack of space and created a delightful little 'gem' of an N scale layout.

Speaking of layouts, this issue's Gallery features a glimpse of one of the great Australian exhibition layouts that few have even heard of, let alone seen.

When you have assembled all your rolling stock, built the infrastructure, constructed the baseboards and laid the track, you will need to control it all; a topic that regular columnist, Trevor Hodges, covers more than adequately in his In the Loop column in this issue.

Even the Reviews section is about infrastructure this issue, with reviews of the 5000 and 10000 gallon NSWGR locomotive water tank kits from Mechanical Branch Models, the latest 3D printed/cast brass NSWGR lower quadrant signal kits from Signals Branch (Ray Pilgrim) and a book completely filled with exquisite infrastructure images, the latest from Nick Anchen, Visions of Victoria The Magic of Kodachrome Film - 1950-1975.

Last, but not least, keep up with the latest intriguing happenings in the model railway world with the five image-filled pages of the Recent Releases/News section. 

We also have available an online version of AMRM to compliment our traditional paper version. You can purchase the paper version from newsagents, hobby shops and specialist bookshops (or direct from AMRM if none of the above are convenient), while the online version can be purchased either through us or direct from Zinio International.

Contact AMRM, either by sending us the form below, or via our website, to take out a subscription to the online version (or adjust your current subscription to include the online version) in time for the release of the online version.

Purchase this issue of AMRM in either paper or digital form.

Ring the office on (02) 9311 2036 and have your credit card handy.

Or click here to

online to the paper or digital (or both) versions of AMRM at our website.

You can also purchase a digital issue of AMRM (including back issues) from the Zinio site. 

James McInerney

Editor

Back Issue: AMRM February 2020

The February 2020 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue direct from SCR Publications (paper copy) or Zinio (digital copy).

You can purchase a paper copy of this back issue online at:

www.australianmodelrailways.com

or directly from the AMRM office by phone on (02) 9311 2036, using your Credit Card.

Buy digital back issue of February 2020 AMRM from Zinio

(scroll down from current issue for all back issues).

The February 2020 cover.

The contents page.

This issue's feature layout is the editor's favourite, as it belongs to him! This article describes the history of the Lambing Flat concept from the early versions of the layout begun in the late 1970s through to the end of 2018, when the layout moved house. It is illustrated with photos of the layout as it was at the end of 2018, just before it was dismantled for the move.

If this issue has a theme, it is definitely prototype operation, starting with an article on the modern era QR train 243/752 which ran regularly between Brisbane and Townsville in the 21st century. The article also gives a brief overview of what models are available to allow modelling of this train in HO scale.

Many modellers aspire to a large layout designed for operation, in the style very popular in the United States. Graeme Barnes discusses the issues involved in designed such a layout based on Australian prototype and operating practices. 

Not everyone has the space for the sort of layout described in Graeme's article, but it is still possible to have a lot of enjoyable operation with a well-designed small layout, as Tom Carlos shows with the final chapter in his series on his minimum-space layout, Billabong Marina.

Of course, if one wishes to operate any size layout prototypically, one needs authentic rolling stock. Ian Dunn guides us through the small modifications needed to backdate the Auscision HO scale NSWGR 36' 'fishbelly' MLV louvred van to a more accurate model for those modelling the late steam era.

Now, that authentic layout has been designed, constructed and populated with appropriate locomotives and rolling stock, but to finish it off, scenery is needed... Joe Dal Forno creates a typical vineyard to help the scenicking process along!

That layout has been designed, constructed, scenicked and is running nicely. You may now want to exhibit it! In this issue's In the Loop, regular columnist Trevor Hodges discusses his experiences with the pros and cons of exhibiting. 

You may even want to use that layout to model the Commonwealth Railways before the AN takeover. This issues Gallery takes a look at a variety of models of Commonwealth Railways prototypes from both the steam and diesel eras, courtesy of photos by Gavin Thrum and Paul Grundy.

The Reviews section covers a model of a very important item of NSWGR steam era rolling stock, the ubiquitous four-wheel open S truck, modelled in O scale by ModelOKits, plus the latest volume in the Railway Portraits series from the very talented Wheatley brothers.

The Recent Releases/News section, despite covering a traditionally quiet time of the commercial year, still manages to fill five pages with some intriguing models. 

We also have available an online version of AMRM to compliment our traditional paper version. You can purchase the paper version from newsagents, hobby shops and specialist bookshops (or direct from AMRM if none of the above are convenient), while the online version can be purchased either through us or direct from Zinio International.

Contact AMRM, either by sending us the form below, or via our website, to take out a subscription to the online version (or adjust your current subscription to include the online version) in time for the release of the online version.

Purchase this issue of AMRM in either paper or digital form.

Ring the office on (02) 9311 2036 and have your credit card handy.

Or click here to

online to the paper or digital (or both) versions of AMRM at our website.

You can also purchase a digital issue of AMRM (including back issues) from the Zinio site. 

James McInerney

Editor

Back Issue: AMRM December 2019

The December 2019 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue direct from SCR Publications (paper copy) or Zinio (digital copy).

You can purchase a paper copy of this issue online at:

www.australianmodelrailways.com

or directly from the AMRM office by phone on (02) 9311 2036, using your Credit Card.

The digital version of the December 2019 AMRM was released by Zinio on Wednesday 13 November .

Buy digital back issue of December 2019 AMRM from Zinio.

(scroll down from current issue for all back issues).

The December 2019 cover.

The contents page.

This issue's feature layout models a prototype that (as far as I can remember) has never been featured in AMRM previously, the North Australian Railway, and it is set in the dark days of 1942. Peter Lucas has adopted some very interesting techniques to model this extremely obscure prototype. 

Not many modellers have the knowledge or interest to create authentic signal box diagrams for their layout, but the late Wilfrid Brook, did. He shared some of his knowledge and techniques in this fascinating article.

Tom Carlos is back with the latest installment of Billabong Marina, describing how he constructed more of the many buildings populating this fascinating little 'gem' of a layout.

Peter Michalak presents a DCC Workshop on fitting a 'stay alive' module to his SAR F class steam locomotive. Don't be misled by the prototype, this article is applicable to anyone who has fitted a DCC chip and wants their locomotive's to proceed smoothly and without annoying stalls.

It's not often we get the opportunity to highlight 'good works' in AMRM, so we are delighted to be able to publish an article by Brad Peadon describing David Xuereb's commendable efforts to raise funds for the charity Kids with Cancer Foundation Australia through the medium of model railways.

This issue's In the Loop takes a wide-ranging look at what might happen to a layout once the builder has passed on and explores some of the issues surrounding layouts whose owner is no longer with us. 

In this issue's Beyond the Fence, Phil Jeffery describes some idiosyncratic and very modeleable equipment once used to unload wagons on the Victorian Railways.

For the modern era modeller, Chris Jones describes a very basic structure used to unload grain in Melbourne, while general maintenance of models is covered by Jonathan Majer's Cleaning Unpowered Electrical Pickup Wheels and Steve Donohue's artistically illustrated Coasting to Clean Track.

This issues Gallery takes a look at stock handling on the VR, courtesy of photographs by John McCallum of models displayed at various Victorian Prototype Modellers' Forums.

This issue's On the Workbench continues the stock handling theme, but in NSW, with an article describing the NSWGR's '1890', '1891' and '1896' bogie cattle wagons and Ian Dunn's adventures constructing the newly-released Stephen Johnson Models HO scale kit of the '1890' version.

 On the Workbench leads into the Reviews section, which cover's our publisher, SCR Publications, latest release, Hudson Brothers A History of Hudson Brothers Carpenters, Engineers & Manufacturers 1866-1898, by David Jehan, as well as the latest release from Train Hobby Publications, Ted Payne The Steam Era • Victoria, featuring many more of Ted Payne's excellent photos.

As one would expect in the issue after the AMRA (NSW) October long weekend exhibition, the Recent Releases/News section contains a lot of new models, as well as some intriguing news of what is coming up in 2020! 

We also have available an online version of AMRM to compliment our traditional paper version. You can purchase the paper version from newsagents, hobby shops and specialist bookshops (or direct from AMRM if none of the above are convenient), while the online version can be purchased either through us or direct from Zinio International.

Contact AMRM, either by sending us the form below, or via our website, to take out a subscription to the online version (or adjust your current subscription to include the online version) in time for the release of the online version.

Purchase this issue of AMRM as a back issue in either paper or digital form.

Ring the office on (02) 9311 2036 and have your credit card handy

or

Order a back issue from our website

Or click here to

online to the paper or digital (or both) versions of AMRM at our website.

You can also purchase a digital issue of AMRM (including back issues) from the Zinio site. 

Scroll down for back issues

James McInerney

Editor

Back Issue: August 2019

The August 2019 issue is now available as a back issue direct from SCR Publications (paper copy) or Zinio (electronic copy).

You can purchase a paper copy of the current issue online at:

www.australianmodelrailways.com

or directly from the AMRM office by phone on (02) 9311 2036, using your Credit Card.

The digital version of the June 2019 AMRM has been released by Zinio.

Digital back issues of AMRM can be obtained from Zinio.

(scroll down from current issue).

The August 2019 cover.

The contents page.

This issue's feature layout is a 4mm scale, 14mm gauge rendition of Fingal station on the TGR's St Marys branch, constructed as an exhibition layout by Simon Handby. 

Scratchbuilders (and those contemplating scratchbuilding) will be pleased to see the third and final chapter of Kevin Tiernan's story of how he built models of the NSWGR's VHO passenger brake van, utilising techniques applicable to any prototype or scale, described in simple, easy to follow and reproduce form.

The advent of computers and the internet has made creating signs for your model railway a lot easier and simpler. John Casey shows how he created some simple signs and how he found the appropriate fonts.

There are plenty of fine r-t-r and kit open wagons available now, in lots of scales, but there is not much info available on how to model what they carried. Arthur Hayes shows how to create some suitable loads for open wagons.

Trevor Hodges' In the Loop highlights the advantages and disadvantages of helping one's mates!

This issue's Gallery features another Eureka 50 class conversion from Ray Smith, describing how he built his model of 5599.

The Reviews section features another steam era vehicle that was part of the scene for nearly 100 years, the 1884 six-wheel 'supplementary tenders' that lasted until the end of steam and into preservation, produced as a kit in HO scale by Peter Boorman's Workshop. Also covered is Nick Anchen's latest book, Outback Railwaymen Life on the Commonwealth Railways.

The Recent Releases/News section always expands considerably after a major exhibition, and this issue needs 13 pages to report on what was released and foreshadowed at the recent Epping Club exhibition at Rosehill.

We also have available an online version of AMRM to compliment our traditional paper version. You can purchase the paper version from newsagents, hobby shops and specialist bookshops (or direct from AMRM if none of the above are convenient), while the online version can be purchased either through us or direct from Zinio International.

Contact AMRM, either by sending us the form below, or via our website, to take out a subscription to the online version (or adjust your current subscription to include the online version) in time for the release of the online version.

Purchase this issue of AMRM as a back issue in either paper or digital form

Ring the office on (02) 9311 2036 and have your credit card handy

or

Order a back issue from our website

Or click here to

online to the paper or digital (or both) versions of AMRM at our website.

You can also purchase a digital issue of AMRM (including back issues) from the Zinio site. 

Scroll down for back issues

James McInerney

Editor