Back Issue: April 2015 AMRM

The April 2015 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue either direct from SCR Publications or online from Zinio.


The cover...

What's inside...

Thanks to the excellent support from our many advertisers, we have been able to include a bonus eight extra pages in this issue.

This issue's layout article features a fine rendition of one of NSW's most iconic location, Oberon, but with the unusual feature of it having been built in Perth, about as far away as one can get from the real Oberon and still be in Australia!

Our extra eight pages has allowed us to squeeze in a few more articles than usual, covering modelling fixed wheelbase wagons on two systems, modifying a DJH locomotive kit, lighting your layout and another look, courtesy of Peter Attenborough, at the activities of a current era prototype private operator.

The Arnott's biscuit van (ABV) has always been popular with NSW modellers and AMRM editor, Ian Dunn, has put together a guide to the prototype and then followed it up with an article on modifying the r-t-r Austrains CV wagon to recreate the NSWGR's conversion of the prototypes!

Lest we be accused of a NSW bias, we have two articles on modelling Victorian Railways vehicles!

For those who like a bit of variety in their Z vans and want to reproduce some of the variation explored in Phil Dunn's article VR Z Vans in Passenger Service (AMRM Issue 309, December 2014), SEM's proprietor, David Foulkes, shows how to add buffers to his Z van kit and includes a few useful construction tips as well.

Another vehicle popular amongst modellers in all states are the cattle wagons modified to convey elephants. David Clark shows how to modify an SEM kit (the principals would work on an r-t-r version as well) of the VR M cattle wagon to accommodate elephants, plus gives a little prototype information as well. 

Excellent though they are, some modellers find the design of the motor/gearbox mounting in some DJH kits a little frustrating to assemble and then later dismantle for servicing. Alan Templeman has modified another of his DJH locomotives to simplify assemble and servicing, plus the modifications have the added advantage of increasing the locomotive's haulage power! 

Even the best modelled layout isn't much good if you can't see it! Ben Grey shows how to install LED lighting strips to good effect.

And for those who want to know where and why QUBE operates, Peter Attenborough has provided another beautifully illustrated guide to current prototype operations.

Last, but not least, of our articles is this month's Gallery, highlighting some of the magnificent modelling seen at the 2014 Hobsons Bay Easter exhibition. One assumes that the 2015 exhibition will be just as 'mouthwatering'! 

The five and a half pages of reviews highlight two significant recent r-t-r releases, those being the Haskell On30 VR NA 'Puffing Billy' and the Trainorama HO scale NSW 48 class locomotives. Also reviewed are the latest additions to the Southern Rail 'Trackside' series of ready-to-place buildings in HO scale, a very useful carry case for models from Fast Tracks and our latest book, Gerald Dee-The Life and Times of a Remarkable Railwayman by John Fowler, a very interesting and profusely illustrated book that has much of interest to modellers about the Victorian Railways in the later half of the 20th century. 

Then the six pages of Recent Releases and News will keep you up to date with what has become available lately and what is on the way in the next couple of months.

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.

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

AMRM is now on Facebook.

You can now find Australian Model Railway Magazine on Facebook. Like the page and let us know what you would like to see posted on there.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Australian-Model-Railway-Magazine/486890978118754

Melissa Cullen

Office Manager

Back Issue: February 2015 AMRM

The February 2015 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue either direct from SCR Publications or online from Zinio.


On the cover...

What's inside...

This issue we return to NSW for our feature layout, highlighting the Guildford Model Railway Group's HO scale exhibition layout based on the Central West location, Wallerawang. The layout, modelled on the prototype as it appeared in the mid-1990s, features trains from the last 60+ years, all provided by members of the group.

Once more, the content of this issue concentrates on activities related to layout building with the main feature being part two of Mal Smith's treatise on the construction of his diorama of the Bell's Grotto area on the Wolgan Valley railway.

Mal describes how to go from slabs of foam to the finished item and then shows how to successfully photograph the result!

Our American correspondent, Dennis Murphy, describes the basics of scratchbuilding a simple structure, the techniques of which are applicable to any model building project.

Phil Jeffery looks at a building in Beyond the Fence that could be just the thing to try your scratchbuilding techniques out on!

"And now for something completely different..."

This issue's extended Gallery features some of the locomotives and rolling stock constructed by well-know light railways expert and author, Jim Longworth, for his Gn15 layout set in the south coast area of NSW.

Jim shows what can be achieved in an unusual scale/gauge combination that has no commercial support, except by accident!

In other items, Trevor Hodges once more keeps us 'In The Loop' with a discussion of some of the issues involved in designing layouts for a long life, both of the layout and the layout's owner!, plus Ian Dunn issues a timely warning about the dangers of attempting to strip paint from models without checking that the stripper is compatible with the material being striped.

The six and a half pages Reviews section covers more of the huge number of r-t-r and ready-to-place models that continue to dazzle the marketplace, along with books to assist in the assembly into a coherent whole the amazing range of items now available to the Australian market. We review the GC open wagons from Eureka Models, the ACX sleeping car from Austrains and the fuel depot buildings from Southern Rail (all HO scale), a new DCC decoder from NCE and the latest Byways of Steam, plus the newly released Sydney Suburban Steam, from our book publishing arm, Eveleigh Press, as well as Railways of Tasmania's Wild West, Up the Straight The Sunshine - Bacchus Marsh - Ballarat Rail Corridor 1980 to 1995 and Ted Payne's Vantage Point, all of which have some stunning images that will inspire any modeller to greater heights.

If you thought that the New Year would result in a lull in new releases and news about future releases, you were wrong! We needed over five pages to contain even brief descriptions of all the items that have just arrived or are due in the next couple of months.

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.

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 2014 AMRM

The December 2014 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue either direct from SCR Publications or online from Zinio.


On the cover...

What's inside...

We haven't had much from the west lately, so we are very pleased to present our first West Australian layout for some time, and it isn't WAGR! This exhibition layout, owned and built by well-known WA identity, Stuart Mackay, is based on the actual location of Watheroo on the (then) privately owned and operated Midland Railway of WA and features some of the colourful and unusual locomotives and rolling stock that was operated on this interesting system, which, at the time, was the longest privately operated railway in Australia.

To build a realistic model, one needs prototype information, and Phil Dunn has certainly provided some very comprehensive notes on the VR Z vans modified and recoded for passenger service.

This article will tie in very nicely with David Foulkes' construction article on adding buffers to Z vans, scheduled for a near-future issue of AMRM.

With all the very nice rail tank car models being produced lately, we need some where on our layouts to send them! Phil Jeffery looks Beyond the Fence again with some images of typical country fuel depots that should provide some inspiration for suitable models.

The rest of the issue appears to have become a bit of a 'how-to' on a number of layout building issues, with Craig Veitch presenting part 6 of his Void to Layout series, this time covering wiring it up and planning the operational sequences. 

Mal Smith, on the other hand, illustrates some basic track laying and scenery building techniques in this, the first of two parts detailing the construction of a diorama of the Bell's Grotto area on the Wolgan Valley railway.

Richard Gross also has some useful hints and tips on a number of aspects pertaining to the successful construction and operating of a layout.

Trevor Hodges continues to keep us 'In The Loop' with a discussion of some of the issues involved in fitting layouts into fixed spaces.

This issue's Gallery returns to the VMRS's Victorian Prototype Modeller's Forum with some photos of some exceptional modelling in N scale.

The Reviews section in this issue is another big one,  with reviews ranging over a wide variety of areas, including books, electronic aids, kits and r-t-r models. Here you will find considered opinions on the r-t-r SDS Models BMT milk tank wagons, Austrains 'Way and Works' set, Powerline's latest version of the NSWGR BCH and BWH hopper wagons , plus Casula Hobbies' Tulloch double-deck suburban electric trailers. If you are thinking of tackling Ezi Kits' NSWGR J522 locomotive kit or Andian's NSWGR 5000 gallon Commonwealth 'turret' tender kit, you will find the info here to be of much use! Under the broad heading of 'accessories' is a carriage internal lighting kit from ANE Models, a DCC control system imported by All Aboard Modellbahn and a DCC accessory decoder and button board from North Coast Engineering. You can't model something well if you don't know what it looks like and the three books (Train Hobby's NSWGR 53 class profile, plus Steam: Gone But Not Forgotten and Northern Exposures) reviewed will go a long way to providing a lot of very useful information on the late steam era of the NSWGR.

Then there is the nine pages of post-October long weekend releases and news.

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: October 2014 AMRM

The October 2014 issue of AMRM is now available as a back issue, either direct from SCR Publications or online from Zinio.


On the cover...

October is our traditional 'John Dennis' feature layout issue, but, having run out of narrow gauge layouts to photograph, John has once more turned his camera towards Victoria's broad gauge scene with Greg Coombs' HO scale model of Yea.

Greg shows just what can be achieved in part of a small garage in the average home.

The contents of this issue should inspire a few modelling projects.

Many of us have Lima passenger cars in our collection. Brett Kavanagh has detailed a couple of them to represent the prototypes as running in their final years during the 1980s.

Mark Laidlay has prepared a comprehensive guide to adding more weight to the Eureka R class, complete with dimensioned drawings of the weights and an illustrated guide to assembly.

Another of Leon Oberg's grandsons, Bailey Thorpe, shows that talent must be genetic and provides the modern era modeller with a selection of useful photos of current operations. Leon is determined to get more young people into the hobby, even if he has to get his children to breed them for him!

Ron Cunningham returns with another Branchline Ramblings on current trends in the hobby (no, he hasn't demolished Werris Creek and taken up modelling the QR!)

This issue's Gallery features some of the superb steam locomotives modelled by Allan English, with an extended description of how he added some distinctive detail to his models.

Also included are a couple of very useful small articles, one by Bob Quick on a method of fixing the infamous Trainorama clicking gearbox and the other by Bruce Walker on making corrugated iron sheets. Ralph Holden also provides another Superintendent's Notebook, this time a cautionary tale on the dangers of digging holes in baseboards!

Unlike last issue, the Review section in this issue is a monster, thanks to the large number of models that have been released over the last couple of months. In HO scale we review On Tracks Models' NSWGR TRC vans, plus their VR BLX and VLX vans, Columbia Models NSWGR K wagon, Casula Hobbies' NPCF and SDS Models' NPRY cement hoppers, Orient Express Reproductions' SAR M vans and Austrains' NSWGR LFX and HCX 'dogbox' carriages. In N scale we review Aust-N-Rails VR/SAR FQX and NSW OCX container flats.

Once you have digested that, then there is six pages of News and Recent Releases! The commercial side of the hobby is certainly buoyant at the moment!
  

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: 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