Although I enjoy anything that runs on rails, mostly I collect what are called 'toy trains'. These are really only representations of real trains, they don't in any way pretend to be accurate models. Sometimes though, I am tempted to dabble in the scale model branch of the hobby, and my latest acquisition is firmly in this category. As a kid growing up in Melbourne in the 60's, naturally I tried to make my model railway represent what I saw around me, which was Victorian Railways. There was almost nothing available commercially then for VR modellers, and my attempts to modify American or British rolling stock were crude in the extreme. There is no way that I could've dreamt that there would eventually be absolutely superb models of VR (or NSW) prototype trains available, at relatively affordable prices.
So the latest box of goodies in the mail is a set of E passenger coaches from Auscision Models. These are absolutely superb!! I haven't run them yet, or even photographed them, but have had a really good look at them, and I think they're great!! I rode in the real ones a few times as a kid, heading out into country Victoria, and remember them with great nostalgia.
This is the set that I bought, plus a blue version of the baggage/guards carriage. They're the early paint scheme, current up to about 1954. The blue Van is the later period, from about 1954 to 1963, which I remember very clearly.
I hope to build a Victorian Railways themed layout one day at Whistlestop to display the various VR items that I've collected, which now amount to quite a reasonable number. I have some really interesting ideas for the building already, but there are a few other priorities first! And yes, there will be plaster mountains and trees! (the most common question when talking about toy trains!!)
While I will never be a scale model railroader as such, I really like these models for the nostalgia and sense of history that they bring with them. Like many people, I wish I'd paid more attention to the scene around me as I grew up, now long gone. Models like this, and accurate scenic layouts to run them on, can really evoke that era though, and that is what I hope to achieve one day, with this particular section of Whistlestop.
Now for a request to the Aussie manufacturers. Can you please produce a suburban Tait set- the Red Rattlers that I so fondly remember from my school days!!
There hasn't been too much happening lately specifically relating to the train aspect of Whistlestop, hence the lack of recent posts. I do have an S scale Santa Fe F-7A model on it's way though, which will be a great addition to my Scale/Gauge display collection. I'll present this on the blog when it arrives. Suffice to say it will be a superb model! This only leaves the O gauge F-7 still to get, which you would think should've been one of the easiest to find, but no.
An important aspect of Whistlestop is that, apart from all the different trains, it is/ will be simply a really nice place to be. Whilst there will always be much more to do in this department, I'm really happy with how it's going. The open grassy area around the cottage is gradually being developed, and is looking great! It's been really hot and dry here the last couple of weeks, but progress is being made. Every trailer-load of green-waste that goes to the dump ensures that Whistlestop looks a tiny bit neater.
I am extremely 'proud' of our cottage and I know I've put many pictures of it on this blog before, but here are a couple of very recent ones. Small details are constantly being added.
Lastly, here's a photo of me with the Whistlestop sign at the entrance to our property, the installation of which is now completely finished! I have found a new 'joy' in actually, completely, finishing things!! Who said old dogs can't be taught new tricks?!
Although I'm putting a LOT of work into our property "Whistlestop", mowing, clearing and generally tidying it up, it is definitely still a bit of Aussie 'bush'!! We have quite a few kangaroos and wallabies of course, and last night we saw a really cute little possum, but the most unusual and unexpected visitor recently was a huge goanna! It's been very dry here recently, and I suspect this bloke came out of hiding looking for water.
I love living here in the bush- there's always something interesting going on!
Despite a very busy, but enjoyable, Christmas period I managed to sort out many of my toy trains which have been stuffed away in random boxes for years. So now everything of each brand is supposed to be in the same box. Supposed to be......... I also cleared off the table that I used for the Cit-in car display last year in order to display some of my trains and cars. It will also come in handy for photographing some eBay items that I am planning to sell. For my first display I decided to set up my small collection of Lone Star Locos push-along trains, some of which have featured on this blog previously. Very good fun, until I realised that there are quite a few missing, and I have no idea where they are. Hmmmm. Anyway, the small display looked good, and here are some photos.
These were my first trains, given to me when I as about 3 or 4. They were also the first toy trains that I started collecting as an adult. Ah, nostalgia.
Although Lone Star was an English brand, some items were made under licence here in Australia. Part of the track on this little layout is the Aussie version. Here's a picture of the underside of the tracks, showing both the English and Aussie versions.
I've just bought some Tri-ang TT items, so I think I'll make this the theme of the next display. Hopefully I won't discover that I'm also missing some of that!
