The Inspiration has Returned

On Monday this week, I was still in Armidale after the New England Model Railway Convention. We checked out at about 8:30am and started our trip north, back to Brisbane. 

 

The Convoy with Geoff hauling Splitters in front and us in the rear

 

We got to Guyra and pulled over and took a few photos of the Station Precinct. Just as we were going, Bob from my Club and his wife pulled up with the same idea as us and went into the Station Precinct, as we left it.

The Goods Shed

Our next stop was about 3km up the road at the Guyra Stock Yards. These are located about 20 feet from the road on a slight embankment. We took a few photos and resumed our way north. While there the Toowoomba boys pulled up, again with the same idea as us.

The lower loading race

The upper loading race.  How fortunate, someone was on the access race next to where the sheep load.

The Toowoomba Guys arrive en mass.

Our next stop was at Rohan’s Bolivia layout in Glen Innes. It just looks brilliant. He has started on another similar layout next to Bolivia, which I think can either be joined up to Bolivia or separated from it. Some of the major scenic items have already been built and sections of track are laid. This will look every bit as good as Bolivia.  My travelling buddies and I must thank Rohan’s wife, for a fantastic morning tea of sandwiches, cake, tea and coffee. It was absolutely scrumptious, was much appreciated and delivered with true country hospitality.

The cattle/sheep loading races on Bolivia.

The new section.  Ssshhh!  Don't tell anyone you've seen it!

A fantastic hay shed.

This is how the layout is operated.

Again just as we were leaving Rohan’s place the next group of Queensland Modellers turned up. Upon leaving Glen Innes, we headed up the road back towards Brisbane and I took numerous snaps out the window of the car for modelling purposes.

 

This week my brain has been working overtime, planning what I need to accomplish before I can have my next running session. First of all on Wednesday night, I did a desk check of the latest version of the timetable, and I found out that I need to have 10 drivers at numerous times throughout the timetable to run it satisfactorily. Now that assumes that we don’t have a train or two running late, while the other trains are starting out or mid journey. This is of course on top of the North Coast Control position and the Yard Master for the two yards at Grafton and Acacia Ridge. I also like to have one person running round doing odd jobs in case something fails, like the headphone system, a staff machine in a section, or a set of points is giving some difficulty. This allows the session to continue while these issues are investigated and hopefully resolved.

 

On Thursday I picked up a few DS64 point controllers from a mate, and on Saturday I installed them under the layout at South Brisbane and Park Road. On Friday I installed two of the new points I picked up in Armidale into South Brisbane Yard. Saturday I also picked up my third NCE Mini Panel and installed it at South Brisbane. I also connected that to the cab bus to the new Mini Panel and the track bus to two of the DS64’s. I still need to connect the track bus to the third DS64. I also made a trip to Jaycar and picked up another two rolls of wire to allow me to connect up the two control panels at Park Road and South Brisbane, as well as some heavy bus wire to allow me to complete the wiring from South Brisbane to Dutton Park. 

 

I have also planned ahead and am starting work on the Staff machine panels for all the new loops from Acacia Ridge north. I am also looking at buying a few more 5mm bicolour LED’s and some additional Stereo plugs for the headsets for crews to plug into at each crossing loop or staff location. I will also have to buy the components for another two power supplies to power the staff machines. The plan was to start building the panel for the staff machines while watching the TV on Saturday night but that did not eventuate.

 

I am slowly gathering courage in building a couple (read two) Dual gauge points. However,I started off by doing something for the point into Loco Pilly first.  So last night I took an old standard Peco point and looked at how I can add a third rail to it for the entry into Loco Pilly.  I got some way into the task.  I will show progress next week. 

 

Hopefully I will post some photos of the New England Convention during the week.