Back Issue: April 2016

The paper version of the April 2016 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue direct from SCR Publications. Back issues of the digital version of AMRM are available from Zinio. 

Purchase digital back issue AMRM

This issue's feature layout is another fine NSWGR steam-diesel transition era layout; Dick Grace's home layout, Koolah, based on the long closed station at Coolah, north of Mudgee in the mid-west of the state.

The contents of the April issue

Dick Grace's Koolah, another fine NSWGR layout in HO scale, is our feature layout.

You have built your layout, the rolling stock looks good and the scenery provides a fitting backdrop to your trains, but aimlessly running generic trains doesn't appeal for long. Rather than tear it down and start again, why not replicate the traffic movements of the real thing and make it interesting again? Adrian Gunzburg starts a two-part work on operating your layout, based on the operating patterns of the real railways in the steam-diesel transition era. 

Who said scratchbuilding was dead? Peter Sansom has built two NSWGR 19 class locos using traditional techniques that work in any scale, not just the one in which he has built his locos.

Having trouble keeping your track clean? Jonathan Majer adapts a track cleaning method purchased in an American prototype product to fit in a NSW vehicle, not only making keeping his track clean and his models running reliable, but also providing an appropriate vehicle that can be utilised as part of an operational scenario. 

Multi-deck layouts are becoming more popular, but the helix necessary to move between the levels can be difficult be difficult to scenic realistically. David Bartle suggests a method suitable for the local prototype.

We also have the usual 'regular' features, including a Beyond the Fence from Phil Jeffery, describing some very 'modelable' trees and the latest In the Loop from Trevor Hodges, musing on ways of increasing the 'play' value of one's model railway (do I detect a bit of a minor theme for this issue... ;) 

Last, but certainly not least in the articles section of the magazine, this issue's Gallery takes a quick look at some of the models of real-life locations currently on the exhibition circuit. We certainly hope that we will be able to provide a more 'in-depth' look at these layouts in future issues.

Our experiment with the concept of an 'extended review' of a commercially available kit has proven popular with readers, with Kevin Tiernan having submitted this treatise on finishing the Oz Kits steam crane, almost before the ink was dry on the last issue! We have also come up with a name for this new section; On the Workbench (an) In-depth Review, as we expect it will become a regular feature. Submissions suitable for this section are welcomed.

We have also 'freshened up' the look of the Reviews-Recent Releases-News sections of the magazine with a little tweak to the graphics that we think looks better and is easier to read.

In the Reviews section we look at just some of the models that have been released commercially recently. Here you will find information on the SDS Models r-t-r MRC (and variants) refrigerator vans, the Southern Rail version of the WA L class diesel and the Auscision Downer EDI Rail GT46C-ACe locomotives, as well the kit for a NSW 20' milk container from Road & Rail Resin and a new book from Scott Whitaker on a subject dear to the heart of many modellers Railway Hotels of Australia -Volume One: Victoria!  

The Recent Releases and News sections have much of interest for those with wallets they wish to have become a little lighter!

As most are now aware, 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.

Or click here to

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

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

You can also purchase a digital back issue from the Zinio site:

James McInerney

Production Manager

Back Issue: February 2016

The February 2015 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue from SCR publications. Back issues of the digital version are available from Zinio

The cover, featuring a montage of Tony Scott's N scale home layout, Emu Creek.

The contents of the February issue

After a run of (very fine) NSW layouts, it is time to go south of the border for February's feature layout.

Tony Scott describes his, now-demolished, N scale home layout, recalling the glory years of the 'blue and gold' era of the Victorian Railways.

Continuing the VR theme, Peter Ennis describes another of his VR wagon models.

For those constructing layouts and looking for a solution to the ongoing problem of access, David Bartle has an interesting (and scenically attractive) solution to the problem.

A bit of light entertainment, but with a serious edge, comes from Robert Gorrell, with a riposte to Trevor Hodges' recent In the Loop: Image Problem? What Image Problem?

The numerically largest section of our readership has not been forgotten though, with a few articles exploring various aspects of modelling the NSW railway system.

Ian Dunn has put together a Prototype File on the NSWGR's HBW four-wheel ballast hopper, essential reading for anyone building the Peter Boorman's Workshop kit (also reviewed in this issue) and of interest to anyone else who likes steam-era NSW rolling stock.

We are also trying out a new idea, an 'extended review' of a commercially available kit that goes beyond the areas usually covered by reviews. We have taken a Model 'N More building kit and not only reviewed the kit 'as provided', but have also shown how it can be modified to more closely resemble the prototype and how to achieve this, including painting and weathering.

This is unlikely to be our last 'extended review'!

We also have the usual 'regular' features, including another Beyond the Fence from Maikha Ly, describing some very 'modelable' buildings in Wolseley SA and the latest In the Loop from Trevor Hodges, describing his adventures dabbling in commercial kit building.

And then there is Gallery, taking an unusual departure this issue with a description by Les Fordham of an O scale outdoor layout that existed a very long time ago in Cheltenham (NSW) a northern suburb of Sydney.

The Reviews section covers a plethora of items that will be of interest to many readers, including the r-t-r Auscision NSWGR 43 class, Bendigo Rail Models Victorian P class and Haskell WA L class diesel locomotives. Also reviewed is a VR 30' goods shed kit in HO scale from new producer, Model Train Buildings, the aforementioned HO scale NSWGR HBW four-wheel hopper wagon kit from Peter Boreman's Workshop, new micro speakers for DCC installations from Model Railroad Craftsman and last, but not least, modelling inspiration in the form of two books (An Australian Locomotive Guide-Second Edition by Peter Clark, and The Daylight by Chris Banger) and a DVD, Australian Railway Historical Society Archives Collection Volume 1 The Alex Grunbach Films, produced by Belbin Video.

.

Despite it being traditionally a quiet time for announcements and new releases, the Recent Releases and News sections still manage to run to five pages, with a major release announced that will be of great interest to VR modellers. It may pay dividends for those VR enthusiasts to plan on attending the Corio exhibition over the weekend of 23-24 January! 

As most are now aware, 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.

Or click here to

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

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

You can also purchase a digital back issue from the Zinio site:

James McInerney

Production Manager

Back Issue: December 2015

The December 2015 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue from SCR publications. Back issues of the digital version are available from Zinio

As promised, the December issue features part 2
of John Reid's brilliant HO scale Reids Flat layout.

The rest of the contents

Part 2 of Reids Flat has been well worth the wait; John Dennis has captured the 'look' of this layout exceptionally well.

Here are a few more of John D's excellent photos that we couldn't find space for in the magazine.

Double-headed Standard Goods locos approach Reids Flat from the north with a general goods train from Cowra beneath a typical winter overcast.

A view of the forecourt of the station, looking towards the Lachlan Hotel. For some reason, this view reminds me very much of the view looking south on the down side of the prototype NSWGR station at Harden.

However, we can't have an entire issue devoted just to one layout, no matter how good (can we?) and there are lots of interesting articles to inspire you to operate your own layout and/or sit down at your workbench.

David Clark presents another in his series of easy conversions of VR rolling stock, this time showing how to adapt the SEM kit to represent a 'one-off' GY open wagon.

So, you want to build a rock face, but weren't sure how, or want to try a different technique? Ross Hurley's illustrated guide will 'show you how'.

When we think open wagon loads, most don't think beyond coal, so Rod Tonkin has suggested a few alternatives. In a similar vein, Maikha Ly's Beyond the Fence: Kaniva Vic suggests a few buildings to model that aren't houses, shops or service stations!

Scratchbuilding locomotives is a theme covered in two articles in this issue.

Roger Hill gives some practical hints for effectively springing scratchbuilt locomotives and Trevor Hodges presents an entertaining treatise on how he came to be scratchbuilding a NSWGR 20 class 2-6-4T in O scale.

Some practical hints towards getting started in 3D printing are provided by Dain Penman, proprietor of Madasu Model Trains. 

The return of Under Construction sees Brian Shields describe the beginnings of a layout based on South Australian practice that has sound lessons for those modelling any prototype (or none!) 

Also furthering the layout building theme is Jonathan Majer's short piece on the practicalities of adding overhead catenary to the layout.

This issue's Gallery highlights some of the fine work being done in O scale in Victoria.

Then, we review two Auscision r-t-r electric locomotives in HO scale, the NSW 86 class and the Victorian L class, along with the r-t-r HO scale Victorian FX wagons from SDS, an HO scale kit for a standard VR goods shed from Mount Blue Model Co. and two books that should provide much inspiration to VR and SAR modellers.

The Recent Releases and News sections runs to  nearly nine pages, expanded with coverage of the models released, shown and announced at the recent AMRA (NSW) Liverpool exhibition.

As most are now aware, 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.

Or click here to

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

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

You can also purchase a digital back issue from the Zinio site:

James McInerney

Production Manager

Whoops! Incorrect MODRATEC ad published in the October 2015 issue.

We inadvertently printed the standard ad for MODRATEC in the October issue, rather than the special one highlighting MODRATEC's attendance at the AMRA (NSW) Liverpool exhibition over the October long weekend (3-5 October) and the Ipswich model railway exhibition over the weekend of 24-25 October. Our apologies to Harold at MODRATEC. The correct ad is reproduced below. 

James McInerney

Production Manager

Back issue: October 2015 AMRM

The October 2015 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue from SCR Publications. Some digital back issues are available from the Zinio site.


The cover...

What's inside...

Every now and then we get to feature a truly exceptional layout in AMRM. This issue we feature the first section of a two-part feature on John Reid's spectacular 'Reids Creek' HO scale home layout, based on a 'might have been' cross-country line from Cowra to Goulburn, set in the late steam era. Not only is the modelling superb, but the magnificent photos taken by John Dennis bring out all the excellent detail.

Despite breaking the article into two parts, we still couldn't fit all the the magnificent John Dennis photos in, so here are two photos that didn't make it, by way of an appetiser for what is appearing in the magazine.

John Reid's 'heavy' Garratt, 6041, hauls a down empty wheat across the Whitton-style ballasted deck trestle over Gunning Creek, on the southern approaches to Reids Flat station on the 'main line' from Goulburn. 

Just a sample of the many evocative scenes on the layout. The pub next to the station was once a feature of many country locations.

Where once AMRM content was dominated by building individual models, mainly of rolling stock, the things that inspire our volunteer authors to submit articles appears to have undergone a change over the last couple of years and we are now receiving far more articles on the wider aspects of layout building. This issue contains quite a few articles on this theme, including Part 7 of Craig Veitch's Void to Layout series, this time covering scenery building.

Also following the layout building theme is Peter Schierloh's description of his Yahara module, a tiny oasis of Aussie defiance in an otherwise American club layout!

Still on layout building, but with a slightly more philosophical bent, is Garry Kahler's description of some of the features of his layout, which strive to give a more impressionistic portrait of a busy railway, rather than attempting to reproduce a particular section of the prototype.

However, builders of individual models have not been forgotten with these two construction articles. Steve Davies shows how to remotor a kit-built model and David Clark makes some small, but not insignificant, alterations to r-t-r and kit-built models to give variations not available commercially.

We also have another in our series of 'prototypes worth modelling' with a description of a modern day train that is not that difficult to model accurately.

Plus, there are the usual spread of smaller articles on various topics, including the latest In the Loop from Trevor Hodges. 

This issue's Gallery return to the VRMS's Prototype Modeller's Forum for some more fine HO scale modelling from the broad gauge states.

Then there is just over ten pages of Reviews, Recent Releases and News to keep you up to date with the goings on in the commercial sector. Make sure your credit card has some capacity!

We review the HO scale r-t-r NSWGR four-wheel S trucks from Austrains, plus two new laser-cut wood kits from the USA, one in HO and the other in N. We also cover Eveleigh Press's latest book, South Australian Steam Memories.

There are also many new models mentioned in Recent Releases, as well as updates on many eagerly awaited items in the News section.  

While there is nothing quite like holding a fresh copy of AMRM in your hand (our photos look so good on quality paper) purchased from your local hobby shop or newsagency (if they don't stock it, ask them why not!) those who have fully embraced the digital age can obtain our online version of the magazine from Zinio International.

Contact AMRM 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.

Or click here to

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

You can also subscribe (and purchase individual online issues - including some back issues) at the Zinio site

If you can't find the paper version of AMRM where you are,

purchase it direct over the net from SCR Publication.

James McInerney

Production Manager