Post #2

I have finally made a start gathering together the bits and pieces required for the tramway layout. The addition of overhead wiring makes another layer that has to be completed. Should I switch to cable tram modelling and forego the overhead? It is also true that now light rail systems have been built without overhead wiring. Sydney and Newcastle are two examples but there is a certain fascination with the effort that is gone to getting the overhead up and working.

Look - no overhead

When you think about it, not having overhead means - cheaper, quicker and nothing to break and damage/repair. But overhead is part of the fascination of model tramways.

Newcastle trams - no overhead, just battery.

The copy of the 'Interurban Era' has arrived and I have been through it at least once rekindling my photo memories from long ago. Certain photos stick in your mind, mainly ones that have lots of detail in them.

I have also been looking at many Youtube videos from the 40's, 50's and 60's to try and absorb details that can be squeezed into a layout. The good side is that many of these films have survived and can still be appreciated. Sadly the means that they were filmed in really lags behind what we are spoilt with today for film recording. Films recorded in 8mm and 16mm were really the only format available in the past and just any mobile phone will give you crisp 4K resolution results. But we have to be thankfull with what we have got. I think we faired better with still 35mm colour and black and white photos from the long ago. I often see photos from the past that were taken on glass plates and the quality is brilliant and have sharp results. And not forgetting that many blemishes on old photos can now be modified using photo editing programmes such as Photoshop. There is also the ability to colourise black and white photos.

If people living in the past could have seen the future they would loved to have had our technology in video cameras, phones etc but we envy them in wishing we would have lived in their era to see what they witnessed every day, imagine riding Pacific Electric to work everday. Next project - build a time machine.

While I am hunting and gathering bits and pieces, I am thinking what type and size of layout I should build. Although I have plenty of room for an empire I am just considering a small layout something around the 8' x 4' size. I reckon I can fit a lot in that size. It may come down to a 7' x 4' size.

What I will try and fit into my empire are features that I feel give variety into the build, such things such as:

• Double track in roadway
• single track in roadway
• reserved track
• a crossing loop in the reserved track
• a combination of single and double arm trolley poles
• a depot/trolley barn
• a balloon loop
• reversing loop for single poled trams
• a freight track and building
• a run through passenger terminal
• and try to incorporate a few grades so it is not all flat

Looks a tall order to fit onto a small board but the beauty of a traction layout are how sharp curves can be and therefore squeeze more in. These trials of curve radius have yet to be made.

I enjoy designing layouts and have come up with the following plan which looks ambitious but features most of the dot points above. It is always different drawing up plans with a pencil or on a computer but until it is all laid out onto the actual board then that is the real test to see if it all works. I roughed out the following plan on paper then drew the rest on a computer programme. So this could be the plan or very likely there will be more changes. The dots represent where motorised point/switches will be, all the others can be sprung

Plan 1

 Well that's it for this post, more next time

The First Post

 Yes this is the first post of the blog for the South Coast Traction Company. As with many companies this blog will start slow and gradually get bigger.

My 're entry' to traction modelling came about after a long break of around forty years of doing other things in between. I had been traction modelling back in the mid 70's till the early 80's. I then turned to model trains for probably the 4th time in my life. What I liked about the traction modelling was the challenge of construction and scratch building. 

The only thing you could purchase was the brass trams that were primarily made in Japan and later in Korea. The issue then with most brass models whether they were trams or trains was that they came in their raw state i.e. just brass. So they had to be painted to your favourite colour scheme. US models dominated the market but every now and then they made some European models.

There was also another issue with them in that for some reason they never provided any glazing in the models. How draughty can that be. I would like to know the reason that this couldn't have been supplied even if it was separate and the modeller inserted it after painting. They probably thought once your model was a few feet away, you wouldn't know any way.

What sparked this return to my tramway days was I was looking at an ancient 8mm roll of movie film. It was unlabelled and became a lucky dip when I ran it through the projector. And what should be on it but a very small segment of a model tramway I had built way back. The scene lasted all of around 10 seconds and was of a single truck freight car rumbling past the camera. I then remembered that I had taken more film of the layout but it could be amongst thousands of unlabelled 8mm movie film. At my time of life and many projects on the go it may never be found.

After discovering this movie film find I then started to research model tramways again. If any readers of this are from the US forgive me for referring to them as 'tramways' and not 'trolleys' as in Australia thats what we call them.

Modern trams in George Street Sydney (or light rail as they are now referred to)

My first tram layout was made on a flat door that was cheap as there was a big dent on one side, which wasn't a worry. (I was only going to build on the one side anyway) It was also rigid and didn't need any framing. At this was my first attempt at tramway modelling I had to go my own way, remember this was well before the internet so unless it was in a book or Model Railroader/Model Railroad Craftsman had done an article you were on your own.

I decided to cut up some brass sheeting and glue this to the door following the track layout I had decided on. Pliobond glue held the brass down as I had heard this formed a stronger bond under heat when the rail was soldered to it. Must of been true as none ever lifted up. Wow what sharp corners you could get in tramways. I used code 100 rail and it was soldered to the brass sleepers.

 Infrastructure

It was one thing to have the track finally laid but no tramway is complete without overhead wiring. Luckily there was a local wire manufacturer (back in the days when you could buy locally made products) In my youthfull innocence I entered their doorway where I saw a worker and told him what I was after. I am sure he was totally confused trying to picture a HO tramway. So after selecting a fine wire he then picked up an empty reel and promptly wound enough wire onto it to be able to produce a layout around three actual miles long. That roll disappeared when my whim changed and I ditched tramway modelling and was onsold with the layout.

I came across a few Model Tramway/Trolley Facebook sites and joined them to get the flavour back in my veins. I came across a guy named 'Jasons Brass Poles' and when he advertised some Suydam wire hangers for sale I was straight onto it. Sometimes I think going back to tramway modelling is like stabbing yourself with a knife - Don't do it! Eventually I had to go through the saga of the exchange rates and in the end the seemingly excessive postal rates to Australia. What choice do you have? But the internet is great, you can find this stuff readily and have it sent here. Traction modelling seems to be a very niche market, similar to narrow gauge modelling. Jason also produced some brass poles so as a time saver I ordered some single, side and double poles for a layout.

The other find was some overhead frogs and wire hangers which I call ears. When I was modelling all that time ago these items were readily available to purchase but everything had to be ordered via the postal service. It seems now that any of these items able to be purchased now are 'leftovers' from someones dreams from long ago. When you see a packet on line the way cheaper price on the package sticker has been crossed out. But I suppose the thrill of the chase is still there. So all of these part orders are on their way across the Pacific.

Research

With everything I have modelled in the past, I have tried to gather as much prototype material on the subject as possible. This is always a help to get the feel of how things were done such as colours, style, structures, design etc. Although tramway modelling was a fringe selection there was plenty of material. Firstly books were written about the systems of each state and regional cities. Problem being forty years ago was that there  were no Australian models available, there were maybe some English models mainly double deck trams. Then there was the brass US models which were popular and readily available. One major importer of brass into Australia was the Model Dockyard in Melbourne. As an occasional visitor to the southern capital, the Dockyard was usually the first stop after alighting the train at Spencer Street station. Located in Swanston Street you entered the shop and then proceeded down stairs and once below you faced an incredible showcase full of brass trains, carriages and of course the 'trolleys' tucked up on a row or two. I didn't have any particular system to model and follow and my budget was tight at the time. Over time I aquired a PE Hollywood car, a New Orleans car (painted up to look like an Adelaide H car) a Birney car and for the works side of things a Brill single truck sprinkler, a single truck freight car and a bogie flatbed motor.

Apart from the prototype books on traction, I discovered a magazine called Traction and Models. I think it was sort of every month or two months and was eagerly waited on when modelling. Wall to wall traction.

"The magazine for Traction Modellers"

 

I think as time has passed since its publication there has been a loss of traction modellers and the likes of this magazine will never be seen again. I now regret passing my pile of these mags on when I surrendered interest, I had plenty of issues. What I would love now is if someone could scan the old issues and make them available digitally for newcomers and for the sake of nostalgia. There were so many model traction layouts back then. If you have a scanned collection please let me know.

There were two 'bibles' amongst the books I previously had, both written by William D. Middleton. The first one was 'Time of the Trolley' which had world wide photos of tramway systems and the second by the author was 'The Interurban Era'. An internet search actually revealed an obscure bookshop in Tasmania actually had a copy of it, so with the ease of Ebay purchasing, one click later and it was on its way to me. It arrived today, its musty smelling pages attest to its probable life on a shelf for the last half century. I think I'll soon get over that once I start recognising past outstanding photos I am recollecting. Book number 1 is now on the shelf. So I will keep a look out for the 'Time of the Trolley', a copy will turn up one day.

 

George Street trams in Sydney

 Well hope thats a good introduction to my return to tramway modelling. The tram in the header photo is part of a collection I was able to obtain recently. It's an excellent start to more modelling ahead.