Back Issue: August 2014 AMRM

The Aug 2014 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue. 

The August issue cover.

The contents of the August issue.

Feature layout this issue is Geoff Small's little NSWGR exhibition 'gem', Whereisit , showing what can be achieved with a good 'eye' and the judicious application of r-t-r and ready-to-place models. 

The construction articles in this issue show a distinctive Victorian slant with another VR wagon construction article from Peter Ennis...

and, as encouragement to those who are prepared to 'have a go' rather than wait for one of the importers to produce the exact model they want, Christopher Jewell shows how he created a model of West Coast Railway's S300 from a blue and gold Trainorama S class diesel.

However, NSW has not been forgotten, as AMRM Editor, Ian Dunn, has followed up his recent review of the IDR 18' LV with an article on how to backdate it to an earlier version.

We'd love to print construction articles from other states, but we need someone to write something! Come on Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania, don't let NSW and Victoria have the magazine all to themselves!

Encouragement of another sort is described in Ron Geeves' article on the layout constructed by pupils of Kaleen High School under the mentoring of members of the Canberra Model Railway Club. Who was that saying that the 'old blokes' don't encourage the younger crowd! 

This issue's Beyond the Fence highlights a very common Australian building style that is rarely modelled. Hopefully models of these houses will now be less rare!

It looks like we now will have two semi-regular columnists, with the printing of the first of well-known O scale enthusiast, Trevor Hodges, new columns under the heading of 'In the Loop', where Trevor intends to be occasionally 'side tracked' by topics of interest to all modellers, not just those of a specific scale!

Along with the featured articles we also have some 'short and sweet' articles on subjects as diverse as modifying the current version of Peco turnouts for slow-motion point machines, adding a mini-scene featuring bee hives to your layout  and a simple method for neatly cutting windows in scratchbuilt passenger cars.

Last, but by no means least, in the article section of the magazine, this issue's Gallery features some of the magnificent models of Victorian (the state!) buildings that were on display at the 2013 Victorian Prototype Modeler's Forum.

The Reviews section in this issue is another relatively 'quiet' one, with reviews of Southern Rails QR VAK/VGK hopper wagons, Bragdon weathering powders, arched bridge kits from North Eastern Scale Models and the DVD Recordings from Hunter & Northern Lines 2013 from Train Buff Productions. This issue may be 'quiet', but going on the huge pile of models on my desk awaiting distribution to reviewers, next issue might be all reviews!

The seven pages of the Recent Releases and News sections, however, are anything but 'quiet', with coverage of the many interesting 'goodies' that have either just been released or will be arriving soon. As I have said before, you can forget those blurry thumbnails on the net, if you want to see top quality images of what has been released and what is coming, take a look in AMRM!

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:

http://au.zinio.com/www/browse/back-issues.jsp;jsessionid=C428397DA1AB0376D61147A637F62B6A.prd-main-news1?&prnt=&productId=500924101&offer=&categoryId=

James McInerney

Production Manager

Back Issue: June 2014 AMRM

The June 2014 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue.

The June issue cover has a very fine shot from the camera of Ray Pilgrim, illustrating an evocative NSW locomotive shed scene on David Allan's Belltrees depot, which is featured inside the magazine.

The contents of the June issue.

Our cover feature is a description of David Allen's HO scale 1970s era NSW

locomotive depot with words and pictures from Ray Pilgrim. 

Also featured is the conclusion to Iain Hunter's description of his dual gauge, UK based,

HO scale exhibition layout based on Broadford in Victoria. 

AMRM's past editor, Ross Hurley, describes his methods of creating gum trees which results in a scale model of a tree, rather than just something that reminds one of a tree!

Peter Burman comprehensively describes how to make working diaphragms for passenger cars, a method that works in any scale and for any prototype and also has the great advantage of eliminating the unsightly gap between carriages.

Peter Ennis returns with another of his very useful series on building models of the more obscure VR rolling stock that are very unlikely to ever be offered as kits, let alone r-t-r.

Andrew George describes some simple detailing tricks that will improve any

scene in any scale.

Craig Veitch continues his interesting layout building series with a treatise on the

importance of getting things running properly!

Ron Cunningham returns with another Branchline Ramblings, this time describing

the simple safeworking system he is building on his layout to keep

drivers on this large layout under control!

We don't normally cover specific exhibitions anymore, but the recent Aus7 Expo at Casula had some very interesting examples of fine modelling in O scale that we thought were worth sharing with our readers.

The recent all-Australian Hobson's Bay club exhibition over Easter in Melbourne has bumped up the number of new items to report in the well-filled pages of the Recent Releases and News sections. Reviews featured in this issue include the books, Iron Work Horses, Peninsula Pioneer Revisited and The Phoenix Foundry - Locomotive Builders of Ballarat, plus the kit for an HO scale NSWGR 18' louvred van from IDR Railway Castings and the r-t-r N scale NSWGR 'American' end-platform cars from Gopher Models.

Forget those blurry thumbnails on the net, if you want to see top quality images of what has been released and what is coming, take a look in AMRM!

Purchase this issue of AMRM as a back issue.

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:

http://au.zinio.com/www/browse/issue.jsp?skuId=416305502&prnt=&offer=&categoryId=

James McInerney

Production Manager

Back Issue: April 2014 AMRM

The April 2014 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue direct from AMRM.

The April issue cover features a scene on my very own HO scale Lambing Flat, showing the level crossing, plus the new signal box that controls the junction to the new section of the layout that is described in this issue.

The contents of the April issue.

As mentioned above, this issue covers the extensions that have, and are being, constructed on my home layout, Lambing Flat.

(The second part of the article describing Iain Hunter's Broadford layout has had to be held over till the June issue, due to lack of space.)

And here is one we have been working on for (literally) years! A comprehensive modelling article (with a section on the prototype) on the original VR bogie J class hopper wagons, complete with a very comprehensive drawing of the prototype in both HO and O scales. The article describes two different approaches to converting an American prototype model to a J class, using two different brands as the source, by well-known VR modellers, Peter Ennis and Tony Gray.

Phil Knife brings us another in his series on building WAGR steam locomotives. The 'hints and tips' he describes are useful for building any model, not just the one he has constructed.

Another one that has been 'in the works' for a while. Alex C Brown presents another of his NSW passenger car conversions, showing how to create a model of a supplementary interurban car that we can pretty much guarantee will never be available r-t-r!

Ian Barnes takes us through the steps of fitting a DCC sound chip to a DJH steam locomotive kit.

Roy Elder shows that building good looking scenery isn't hard at all.

Peter Jarvis describes his collection of kit- and scratchbuilt versions of the BCV/BLV/MLV/MLK vans, the prototypes of which were described in Ian Dunn's article, 

The BCV - A Much Modified Van, in AMRM Issue 293 (April 2012).

Unlike last issue, there is much more commercial news happening at the moment! 

With over nine pages of Reviews and nearly seven of News and Recent Releases, there is plenty to tempt the wallet.

This issue we review the r-t-r Eureka VR R class 4-6-4 steam and Auscision AN class diesel locomotives, plus the r-t-r Southern Rail QR ALY four-wheel vans, Austrains NSWGR LHG/OHG goods brakevans, SDS VR U four-wheel louvred vans and Auscision VR VLX/BLX louvred/closed vans (all HO scale).

Lots of interesting stuff in the News section as well.

Purchase this issue of AMRM as a back issue.

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

or

Order a back issue from our website

James McInerney

Production Manager

Alternatives to Floquil Paints

As many may be aware, the Floquil range of paints has ceased production. This has opened a real gap in the range of colours available to modellers. 

However, Micro Scale Industries has put together a list of substitute colours from other manufacturers which should go some of the way towards making up for the loss of this very useful range. This list can be found at:

www.microscale.com/Floquil%20Color%20Chart.pdf.


James McInerney
Production Manager 

Back Issue: February 2014 AMRM

The February 2014 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue.


The February issue cover features a 1980s era V/Line passenger train passing under the Hamilton St bridge on the approach to Broadford, Vic, as reproduced in HO scale by Iain Hunter.

The contents of the February issue.

This issue we feature another layout of an Australian prototype that was constructed, and resides, overseas, this time in the UK. Iain Hunter's HO scale exhibition is also notable in that the VR broad gauge tracks are modelled to a scale 5'3" gauge.

If you have always wanted to scratchbuild a model, but weren't sure how to go about it, John Gilbert's article on scratchbuilding a VR signal box will set you right! The drawings accompanying the article, created by Lindsay Bennett, are some of the most comprehensive we have ever printed.

Bob Lynch describes how to build a working NSWGR turntable using a kit available from Gwydir Hobbies.

It's taken a while, but we have finally managed to convince Justin Moy to share some of his very convincing weathering techniques with our readers.

For the modern era modellers who want to 'get it right', Peter Attenborough presents another of his Today's Railway Scene series, this time covering the activities of the Manildra Group.

This issue's Gallery contains a follow-up to Jim Longworth's article in AMRM Issue 273 (December 2008) on the NSWGR's exhibition layouts, in the form of a selection of photos of the first NSWGR layout when it was on permanent display in Newcastle during the 1960 and '70s.

Also included in this issue are articles on VR footbridges, detailling a locomotive depot and building a lift-out layout section.

For the first time in years, the commercial sector has been relatively quiet for this issue, so the Reviews and News section only runs to eight pages, however we have still managed to review the Auscision NSW NHRH/PHCH/RHCH coal hoppers, the Little Building Co baker's shop, the latest volume of the Wheatley brother's Railway Portraits series and a rather useful colour hand-held LCD television receiver. It's an ill wind etc... as the smaller commercial section has allowed us to expand the number of articles included in this packed with 'goodies' 80 page issue.

Purchase this issue of AMRM as a back issue.

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

or

Order a back issue from our website

James McInerney

Production Manager

Back Issue: December 2013 AMRM

The December 2013 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue direct from the AMRM office.


The December issue cover features a shot of the Indian Pacific crossing the flooded creek on the ACT Model Railway Society's HO scale exhibition layout, Yendys.

The contents of the December issue.

This issue's feature layout is a small (with a very 'buildable' idea for a 'minimum space' layout) slice of mid-20th century Geelong, featuring the long gone tramways of that rural Victorian city.

Even more impressive is that the layout resides in Canada!

Our occasional Lineside section features some images of three exhibition layouts set in or near Sydney.

It's been a long journey, but we have finally got to the end of Ian Black's comprehensive series on building the NSWGR & VR's 'glamour' train of the 1960s/'70s, the incomparable Southern Aurora. This last installment covers construction of the PHN power cars.

For those who want a nice, simple scratchbuilding project, Maikha Ly shows us how easy it is to build a typical suburban house.

All layouts need something to support them, so David Mitchell presents another way of building baseboards which will be particularly useful to those living in small spaces and/or rented accommodation.

The 'traditional' materials for scratchbuilding are often overlooked these days, given the amazingly versatile materials that are available now, but Barry Lloyd shows that good results can be obtained by 'looking back'...

Our theme for 2013, our 50th Anniversary year, has certainly been 'looking back' and we conclude with part three of our Gallery feature highlighting significant commercial models of the last half century, this time covering the years 1987 to 2012, using photos of the display organised by the AMRA (NSW) branch at the 2012 Liverpool exhibition.

Reviewed in this issue are the SDS Models NSWGR BCW/NSCF bogie cattle wagons and NSWPTC FMW/NRWF F.J.Walker refrigerated wagons, On Track Models NSWGR BOB set passenger cars, Trainorama NSWGR MRC refrigerated cars, Ozrail Models VR L sheep vans and a Chevrolet 'Blitz' truck kit from Times Gone By (all HO scale), plus ready-to-place SAR and VR colour light signals in N scale from San Mateo Line and a power amplifier for the ESU Loksound DCC chip from DCC Solutions.

With six pages of reviews, plus the article content and eight pages of new product news, this issue of AMRM should give our readers some enjoyable holiday reading over Christmas (if you can wait that long!) 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers!

Purchase this issue of AMRM as a back issue.

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

or

Order a back issue from our website

James McInerney

Production Manager