Post #15

 As I am taking myself back around 50 years to revisit a modelling format that I enjoyed, slowly as I come across various 'triggers' that start me remembering items. Traction modelling seems to have been around its peak then and modellers were luckier than now in the fact that brass models from Japan and Korea were there to satisfy the needs. I am not sure if there are still manufacturers current that are making model trolleys in brass.

When I was modelling HO trains and I wanted to model New South Wales prototype, then there were virtually no ready to run models except when Lima came to the rescue and provided us with a 44 class diesel, which vaguely looked like one with a poor nose and cabin supplied and then similarly with the 38 class steam locomotive. Really designed for the toy market they were gladly purchased and both became subject of many magazine articles on how to modify and improve the models into something respectable. This is when the first brass NSW locomotive, the 38 class sold by the Model Dockyard in Melbourne became available.

Painted brass Model Dockyard 38 class loco - Bergs Hobbies photo

Although this was the first brass NSW model made, future releases of 38's were able to get a finer model produced.

So although I wasn't modelling NSW railways at the time my decision to go into traction didn't give me much choice except to start buying a few brass models. I was working at the time so it wasn't a big chore to be able to afford some models. Having said that I usually selected single truck models, the birney, sprinkler and freight car as starting models. Later I actually purchased a few bogie trams. I bought a New Orleans car as when painted up in red and silver it looked like the H class trams from Adelaide in South Australia. I had a North Shore car which I don't think ever got painted. I also had a PE Hollywood car which I painted in green and cream to represent a Melbourne tram. A fellow traction modeller Bill Bolton offered to paint it into the prototype PE colours and it turned out great and the only one I owned in prototype colours.

The 70's and 80's were a great era for traction modelling. There were plenty of brass HO models available, the modellers were possibly young enough to still remember the end days of the systems in the states.

By the mid 70's I had constructed my first HO model and as I got deeper into the hobby, you are always on the lookout for research material. As mentioned in an early blog I had a copy of Middletons 'The Interurban Era' and 'The Time of the Trolley', two excellent books. And also mentioned I have been able to obtain again copies of both books.

I can't remember how I found out but there was a magazine called 'Traction and Models' I must have purchased a copy from somewhere as I thought that it was worth subscribing to which I did. Each magazine had a cut out section for your subscription. But this was in the days before the internet and it all relied on posting a letter and sticking a stamp onto the envelope and hoping for a reply within the month. How spoilt are we these days with just a couple of clicks of a mouse it is all done?

So I got the subscription and the magazines started coming in. The magazine was the work of Vane Jones and he was the only name credited inside the front page. If this is so then it was incredible dedication for him to produce. What makes it more remarkable is that it was produced monthly, the guy probably didn't have time for a 9 to 5 job. Inside an issue was a list of back copies available for sale and No.50 is listed as an April 1969 issue. I am not sure of the first and last issue dates.

Back in the 70's there were a few mainly traction modellers who were roped into an group called the 'Model Traction Association'. The driving force behind this group was a guy called Arthur Perry. He was well known amongst the railway fraternity, he had a strong interest on steel wheel on steel rail items but his major emphasis was anything 'electric traction'. One of his true enjoyments was to travel to Japan and ride the rails there. I believe he had over twenty trips there. 

While the MTA continued on, I had decided to change my modelling objectives and after I had collected quite a few 'Traction & Models' magazines, I donated them to the MTA library.

After some time the MTA eventually broke up and sadly Arthur passed away recently in 2022. The magazines had resided at his residence until recently his son John contacted me and stated the magazines were still there and would I like them? 

One hundred T & M magazines

I picked them up recently and have been going through them to rekindle the memory on any of the articles. No memories of articles but what is incredible is that it was over fifty years ago that I donated them and now they are back with me.

As mentioned earlier Vane Jones certainly put a lot of himself into the magazine. Such a mag does not exist today but I suppose we will have to say that the internet has taken its place. It was generally a black and white publication with often a centre fold colour addition. Compared with todays advances in printing, some of the photos were not clear and sharp reproduction but better than nothing. Diagrams were all hand drawn as computer graphics were a thing of the future. But at the time this was all we had and no future comparisons could be made. So treasure any copies of 'Traction and Models' magazines you have, I don't think we will see the likes of them again.

As an added bonus with the magazines I also was given four books that are traction related. The Suydam - Interurban Modelling Handbook is a picture book full of brass trolleys made back in the golden era.

More reading

 

The Adelaide H class tram.

 

 

Post #14

 Well things are moving along slowly but surely. The area that SCT will reside in has been cleared of the previous O scale VR narrow gauge railway. The supporting timbers (that were rejected timbers for a neighbours house build) have been un assembled and are now on the ground waiting for yet another rebuild into the supporting timbers for the traction layout. Talk about recycling, I'm doing my bit for the planet (and hip pocket). 

So the area is now cleared of previous layout but the room still looks like a jigsaw puzzle with various piles scattered around the room waiting for a decision as to their fate. There is still a residual amount of left over O scale items still waiting to be disposed of. Today was lucky, just a chance posting of a photo of the narow gauge layout and a brief mention of some track and points left over led to a substanial sale.

Now you can see why construction on the new layout will be a while. South Coast Traction will reside where the red vacuum cleaner is

 As everything is slowly coming together and a start on the baseboard, I have been collecting items required for the layout. I have collected the trolleys, the overhead requirements (wire, poles, wire hangers). But one item I have collected as I see them are buildings for the town center. At this stage it is all guess work but when I see a building that I like the look of I will grab it. One place that sometimes produces good results are the second hand stalls at the various model rail exhibitions. Unfortunately I live in New South Wales and our exhibitions are few and far between and not all support second hand stalls. It is a lot of work for the organisers but a goldmine in sales when the seller pays 15% commission. As I have only become tractionalised since the start of last year I have only managed to collect a few buildings. Luckily my choice of modelling a US style layout has helped, whereas many are modelling Australian styled layouts and are looking for suitable buildings to match.

I regularly check out Ebay and Facebook Market place for items but they are slim pickings. Just got to be lucky and keep looking.

But I have managed to obtain some nice looking buildings mainly from Walthers. These will form part of the city center with a few impressive buildings for a corner or two. Trouble is the cover with the finished buildings is very impressive, but when you open the lid and see sprue after sprue you start thinking "Oh I'll put it together another day" And then there is the painting. Although some are multi coloured it still takes some various colours on the building to make a striking finish. I managed to get a few fully completed buildings which will save a lot of time. 

So for now I will stop collecting buildings until I get the baseboard in place. Then after the desired track plan is laid out, I can see what space I have left for the remaining buildings to go. The first building I will plan for will be the trolley shed/barn, then the rest can all fit around it. After all they need a place to sleep at night.

Here are some of the buildings I have collected so far for the layout:

 

 

At least the photos on the box give you an idea on what you are shooting for, I just hope I still have a steady hand for doing some of the finer painting.

'Till next time............