Victorian Rail Glory Ahead

Welcome back,

I have been doing some research and have re-enacted my old account 'ozimica' on the 'Rail Page' internet forum. In my quest to turn some American Bachman Pennsylvania coaches in to mock versions of the Victorian Railways AE and BE style coaches.

I have already decided I will have to put up with blatant structural drifferences between the Penn State coaches and the desired VicRail cars. However my barstadised versions will be only for first glance impressions and will not most likely be running alongside other products that it can be comparred with. So I am quite optimistic that it will be a success.



PENNSYLVANIA COACHES



VIC RAIL COACHES (Circa 1905-1915)



As I said by the time you scale these beauties down to N-scale I am confident of a passable product. Below is an example someone else showed me. Personally I think it has come up quite poorly and hasn't been done carefully. But I take my hat off to the modeller for trying as the effect is still quite successful.  Note the car (and a bit seen here) are seen in the modern Steamrail preservation group's striking red livery and not in the traditional heritage colours which were more subdued.

CONVERSION EXAMPLE OF BACHMAN PENNSYLVANIA CAR




Well that's it for now. Thank you for reading and please look out for future posts.

Mike!


**** UPDATE**** - ACTUAL CONVERSIONS


Working with an uncle of mine who is into high end modelling we have managed to do a quick slap up job on three Bachman Pennsylvania cars, two of which are pictured for your information below.  These cars have been painted in the modern Livery of the Steamrail preservation gorup (which too my poor knowledge my be remnants of the final colours prior to retirement of the cars from revenue service in the late 80's - 90's).

While a far far cry from the real deal, I am thrilled with how the cars have come out.  I have three more left to experiment on, the only change I might make is for a glossier paint.

Fairhaven - Vision of the Future

"Welcome to Fairhaven!"

Fairhaven is the working title for my planned N-Scale layout which I expect to begin constructing within the next twelve months. First things first, I'm building a new house, so priorities aren't leading to Fairhaven directly, alas a few delays will be expected on this journey.

Fairhaven (working title) is the name I am bestowing on my layout which will be a modest design in N-scale which will be an eclectic scene of seaside hills meet city edge. The design era will be 1850 - 1920 architecture set in modern times. So picture if you will your classic country or inner city style and hopefully you will have a sense of where we are heading.

In rectangular shape it is planned the line begins at the satellite-city station of Fairhaven and town fringe on the left hand edge of the layout. The back end of the platforms will be masked by a station concourse over the platforms with ramps/stairs leading down to the platform area. This concept has been designed to cheat the station illusion allowing for the confines of domestic household space that all too often impede on our imagination. The platform proper will allow for the display of 3-4 coaches and a locomotive.

The layout is planned to run over a three level structure (and drawings I have prepared will be posted soon so please keep an eye out).

Level 2 will be the ground level equivalent.

Level 3 will incorporate hills bridges and flyovers etc.

Level 1 (basement) will be in the baseboard substructure incorporating hidden sidings for storing rolling stock when they layout is in use. A perspex fascia around the frame will allow for visibility and hinged to allow access following seismic events.

The lines, following Australian and British regulation travel on the left. Leaving the station in an anti-clockwise direction the line swings to the left across the lower plains along the front edge of the base board before swinging left again and plunging into the lush green earth of the Fairhaven foothills after a few moments we emerge into a central revene leading to the inner plains where we wrap around the outer edge of the foothills and begin our ascent up the midst of the foothills. Here we arrive at the as yet undisclosed upper country station where pause momentarily exchanging commuters and day trippers alike.

Leaving the second station a lengthy interstate freighter may come trundling out of the upper tunnel on it's approach down the hill in the clockwise direction. We enter now into the darkness of the upper tunnel and those listen carefully can still catch the tail of the freighter lumber past on the clockwise track.

As our train picks up speed in the dark tunnel the line dips into a comfortable slope that takes us back down to ground level (level: 2) along the back edge. Just as passengers are feeling weary from our journey our train pours out of the darkness making it's final approach toward the catacombs under the town and station structure, and again we are back in the darkness and losing speed. As passengers are collecting their belongings the train again pulls to the left and creeps slowly back into the Fairhaven platforms.

After a full disembarkment an empty train leaves Fairhaven for the last time, again swinging to the left as we clear the platforms. The track sloping down into a man-made brick and concrete cutting. The driver stops at a signal just prior to the tunnel portal. The Yard Manager is ensuring the entrance line on the inner yards is clear. As the train sits an express intercity service whisks through the centre of the yards on the clockwise line charging through the portal, up the cutting where our train waits, whistling through the station catching waiting passengers unaware and tearing into the catacomb lines leading to the country lines.

Returning to our train the driver receives the all clear and gently leads our train into the subterranean yards to his designated position at inner anticlockwise siding number 2. Climbing out of his cabin the driver pauses to admire the various trains visiting his hometown of Fairhaven. There is six lines in total across. The up and down main lines pass down the centre of the yard with two outer passing loops on both sides. Anticlockwise lines 1, 2 and 3 on the inside of the structure and clockwise lines 1, 2 and three on the outside of the structure (space dependent the outer number three lines may face forced cuts only allowing 4 instead of 6 trains at the ready.

Finally the driver stops to admire the eclectic variety of trains in town for the international rail celebrations. There are two Wagons-Lits orient-express Pullman car trains. One the classic and well known service from the art-deco era of the 20's and 30's.

The other the more vintage six axle consist in royal blue and brown, fitted with hand turned brass and raised roof-lines she's a rare and beautiful gem to behold. Next is a modern German diesel electric locomotive hauling a five car set of passenger coaches in navy and creme. Beautiful in her own right she's out of her depth next to her older ancestors.


The central clockwise line is holding a series of miscellaneous freight and container wagons which recently thundered through town. Clockwise line 2 is presently clear, but the driver smiles as hears the line begin hissing.

Finally his favourite, a refurbished six car set of Victorian Red-Rattlers being hauled by a bull nose diesel. The coaches were originally sourced by the American Bachman company (from the Pennsylvania Railroad) and have been lovingly converted into the Victorian style.

The driver heads toward the drivers pavilion and heads right in "Michael" he hears as he closes the door. There's one of his workmate mates raising a mug as if to ask "would you like a cuppa?". Mike nods with a grin, "just what I need" as he slouches into a wooden pue-like seating coral by the window, his energy sapped out of him.