Wallace Creek

Having stated above that I don't know anything about Aussie coaching stock and knowing I have some, I thought I'd better do a bit of research. So courtesy of a 2010 post on NSW carriage codes:

The coding, two or three letters, came from a telegraphic code used around the turn of the nineteenth century.

B = First Class
F = Second Class
C = Composite First and Second
A = Sleeping (or special, including dining cars)
H = guard's accomodation
K = miscellaneous, but mainly mail vans (and some prison vans)
R = buffet (as opposed to dining car)
P = Power (either self propelled or train electric power)

There were suffix letters which usually indicated the vehicle type.

So why is B first and not F?

 

Some UK visitors courtesy of my mate Nick (and his dad) visit Wallace Creek. Must get an 03 for my UK layout.

 

I have an 08 and an F (Roco). Want an 03 as they worked my home town of Ipswich up until the 1980s.If anyone has 03162 in blue do get in touch!
D

 

Signalling has not been a priority at Wallace Creek. Its not that I am not interested its just another loco ro set of wagons seems more interesting that doing anything meaningful about signalling. So signalling (where it exists) consists of a few Dapol single Multi-Aspect Signalling (MAS) signals, 2 Dapol MAS gantries and some Australian ground signals. I had thought about more of these but a chance encounter with a retro toy shop in Whitby whilst away with Mrs W for a few romantic days, saw me come across some old semaphores and before thoughts such as "they're not quite the right scale" entered what passes as the decision analysis and making area between my ears I'd purchased two signals.....followed by some late night not particularly sober e-bay bidding for some more.

Still whether or not they are in scale or not they are here to stay and they are currently placed at Wallace Creek which may become the only station in the world to be resignalled from MAS to semaphore. Apart for being basic, they are of course not NSW or Victorian but there comes a point where continuously shipping stuff from the other side of the world becomes expensive and I am unsure whether there are any commercially available anyway (may be in kit form and I am also attempting to build a ratio signal as well but my dexterity and eyesight usually renders any building efforts a fruitless exercise but I keep trying).

Anyway I like them so for now (or until something better comes along) they are here to stay and here are a few pictures from yesterday's session.

 

I'll look forward to that and check out Hand made accessories.
Dave

 

Cor you weren't kidding about price were you! Better start doing the lottery!
D

 

Do You want to part with them?
Dave

 

I wondered whether to post this but as this acts thread partly as a blog here we go. My friend who we will call Sid was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a few years back and it’s been a while (9 months) since I’d seen him. I’d run into a mutual acquaintance who had seen him recently and he’d told me that he was deteriorating. A quick call to his wife and I picked him up last Saturday and bought him over for a session at Wallace Creek.

It was a sobering experience – I’d hoped he was going to be able to help me operate the layout, but even changing direction and controlling the trains was beyond him. He has limited conversation, although there are occasional flashes of the man he used to be, but mostly it was me operating the railway keeping up a running commentary on what was going on and telling him all about the locos and stock. I think he enjoyed it and it was certainly a change for him but I fear the day is near when his memory goes completely and does not recognise his friends.

I’ll invite him again and try, when work allows, to see more of my former friend before he slips away from us altogether. The only thing I ask from you fellow modellers is a request that if you think you can do something which involves your model railway and an Alzheimer’s sufferer, then I’m sure it will be appreciated.
Dave

 

Nicely put Richard. My wife's sympathy could do with improvement...…..so how many Auscision 48s did you end up with (not that I'm jealous).

 

Look forward to seeing some photos.
Cheers

Dave

 

As a result of Gormo's recent advice on wheel cleaning I plunged in for two hour wheel cleaning session cleaning a number of wagons and carriages. I'd always stayed reasonably on top of the locos but stock was well overdue a clean. Still more to do but the lure of an operating session was too much. One alarming thing that has happened is the wood that comprises the bridge section seems to have expended during the hot spell (see photo). It does not seem to have affected operation but its a job for the winter to set this right.

Two new arrivals - a late birthday present of 2 WSC sleeper wagons are a welcome addition to the Wallace Creek PW fleet, the purchase of a second-hand AR Kits loco that derails everywhere is not. Also attached is a picture of yours truly driving a 12 inches to the foot scale industrial loco on the nascent Yorkshire Wolds Railway. A lifetime ambition! Now on with the cleaning.

Cheers Dave