Easing out of the public spotlight.

I have recently had an invitation to exhibit Victoria Street early in the second half of the year, while it's nice to be invited, and I have seriously contemplated this invitation for a some time, but unfortunately I don't believe I can fulfill this obligation to my satisfaction, so therefore I'm declining. 

Compared to a few years ago, life, work and family now takes up a fair bit of my free time. The key to any exhibition is preparation, the cleaning, repairing, and fine tuning that is required to be done to hopefully enable a good outcome, along with the finding and training of crew mates together with the logistics of transport tend to thieve time from family duties. 

Last one to run in from the racecourse.

While the other final car in comes in from the 

Ammunition Factory

I also work shifts that involve working weekends, while I have the ability to trade away weekend work due to their increased penalty rates. At this stage of my life would rather enjoy my rostered weekends off engaging in family and social activities than be tied up in an exhibition. 

While preparations are one thing, the commissioning and operations along with well intended interactions with the public, as well as the wear and tear to the layout from travel and tactile punters, in the end can turn the whole epic weekend into a chore. 

I have met some wonderful people during exhibitions along with followers of the blog, but I find after the hard graft of an exhibition weekend, it results in me being more fatigued than 'actual' work. 

Then after closing and two days of operations, I have been known to lay up the layout for a month to six weeks in pieces due to being absolutely exhausted and sick of the sight of it, until I feel the need to 'putter about' again. 

Recently I had a lengthy discussion with a like minded colleague about the whole exhibition concept and about all of the involvement, we concluded it's all good if you are part of a larger group that can share roles and responsibilities over the course of the weekend, but as a stand alone independent exhibitor, you can sometimes feel like that you're on your own.

I'm at that stage in my life where I would now prefer to wander around the site for a few hours, touch base with some people, part with some cash, then enjoy my purchases at home. 

Victoria Street was never intended to be an exhibition layout. It started as a modular test track, it expanded, it had DCC installed, it expanded again, but in the end it's my little interpretation of Melbourne tramways   

I am retiring this 'old girl' from actual public consumption, but I will continue to share 'her' online.

I am always thinking and doodling of potential exhibition layouts, but that maybe later when time allows. 

For those who attended previously and were inspired, then offered continued interest and support. 

I thank you. 

Yours faithfully from under the wires. 

Glenn

That time of the year again, and a milestone

The last twelve months have been somewhat tumultuous to say the least, with the relocation of the family and the layout. Yet here we are staring down another Christmas, so as per usual, here is this years Christmas card.

There is also another celebration with Victoria Street, this one in cricket parlance, one would raise their helmet and bat towards the sheds to honour the achievement. Here, I just sampled a beer and pointed to the (somewhat surprised) bride that there must be a fair few similar like minded modellers who actually look at the blog. 

Yes, there have been an odd 100,000 plus 'fares collected' on Victoria street. 

On this humble occasion, I again thank all of those who read the blog and encourage those others to post all about their trials and tribulations of their layout, along with their stories and the 'fun' of modelling.

"Little did Edna know that she was the surprise lucky punter that was the 100K fare on Victoria Street, yet she still insisted to pay her fare with five cent pieces."

All the best for the season with the usual warnings about excess and remember it's all about creating great memories for the kids. 

Merry Christmas from under a somewhat busy set of cross suburban wires. 

Glenn. 

Back on track.

"Under the cloak of darkness of an early Sunday morning, after a sly reconnaissance mission during a weekday, it was decided to power up the trolley wire and it was time to knock off some oxide of the rail head. As the poor locals of Victoria Street have had to tolerate bustitution for over twelve months.

The tram, SW6 964, out of service with 'special' on the headboard, gently coasted into Victoria St from Albert Rd, then gingerly back shunted into 3 road of Westside depot. Replacement buses transferred from Footscray were laid up on roads 1 & 2. 

 
The next trip was out to the racecourse, with somewhat a minor delay at the gates, as the railway signal man was caught out, for he and his colleagues haven't had to throw the switch for the overhead from the 1500V railway to the 600V tramway for over a year.

It was rather quiet at racecourse terminus, there was no one there. The replacement buses had somewhat diminished the reliability of the trams, even with the bus idling there, no one was interested.
  

As this was the only tram service out this far today, the crew had chance to inspect the operation of the bundy clock and the track phone, together with a few cigarettes and a discussion about yesterday's football results.  

The return trip was interrupted by a slow moving freight train coasting through the gates at regulation speed, finally it passed off into the serenity of an early Sunday morning. 

The station crossover was next, it was decided to zig-zag the tram through in both directions as part or this rolling inspection. With a side trip to the milk bar to load up with some cigarettes and the Sunday Observer or maybe the Sporting Globe. 

The main reason this tramway was built is the Ammunition (Ammo') Factory, the issue is that during the bus replacement the service didn't 'cut the mustard', it was infrequent, not large enough nor offered a direct route to the station, this was especially noted during shift changes, upon which hundreds of workers would pour through the gates.

Today it was all quiet, an opportunity to use the facilities and to traverse the main terminus and the slightly overgrown siding. 

Then it was back to the depot, by this time the buses had moved on, this allowed the tram to be berthed on the top of 1 road. An inspectors car has been sent out to collect the crew, as all appears well with the route so there will overtime for some tram drivers to do some depot transport trips and bring the trams back to Westside Depot."

Finally from under the relocated wires.
Glenn

A mutual understanding.

Yes it has been quite a while since the last post, we have moved into the bigger domicile and have progressed through most of our boxes of stuff. The kids have also settled in nicely. 

The 1960's tilt door garage was cleaned out, swept and dusted, while this was initially destined to become the new home for Victoria Street, the bride had another suggestion.........

Her idea is that the layout in its usual configuration could reside in the spare room the other side of our en-suite as just a running layout, while all the "untidy"(her words) works such as painting, modelling and soldering should take place in the shed, this inside space would significantly reduce the dust experienced in the shed and I can share the inside space with her sewing hobbies.  

While this offer is proving inviting, the reality is that the wall space allocated is long enough, the right hand side return that would feature the bend and racecourse modules would foul the doorway for the en-suite, and this will not do. 

So while these matters are in play, I'm in the process of re-configuring the modules into a cohesive narrative and a functional layout. 

The best scenario and easiest solution at the moment is to remove the bend module and have the racecourse module attach directly to the gates module as an 'old school' along the wall shelf layout. The bend module would reside in the cupboard for exhibitions or could be dragged outside for photography in sunlight. 

Another option is to position the bend module between the junction and railway station modules, this would require trams running out to Ammo factory to traverse the bend before shunting at the station cross over.  This would require the layout to have a return on the left hand wall of approximately four feet, with the rest of the layout along the allocated wall. I ran this configuration at the Sunshine model railway show in 2012, at that stage minus the junction and depot. This concept will need to be negotiated. 

Something like this. (Pre DCC)

And this, one huge retail strip. 

Hopefully to be under the wires soon. 

Glenn

The things we do. (We all started from somewhere)

With the layout in exile, and with the family away up north while I have to work. Normally about this time of year I perform major works on Victoria Street. 

Question; What does one do and not yet indulge in self destructive behaviour before moving house? 

Answer; Plonk down some set track and run some retro train sets on the living room floor.  

First cab off the rank, remember the Christmas of 1977, Hornby punch out an Australian series that include the Victoria Railways S class with a ZL van and a loose collection of domestically branded British rollingstock all resplendent with tension lock couplers.  Sadly the box no longer exists, but I found this example online. 

From the catalogue.

As presented 40 odd years later. 

Not in bad condition for something over forty years of age. 

Then a Bachmann set with a Santa Fe F7 and a small collection of rollingstock in original box with track and controller. 

In the box.

Out of the box.

These were obtained by either the local buy swap and sell page on Facebook, or from the somewhat dreaded eBay, off loaded by individuals who had no real idea their historical or intrinsic value. 

As one can remember, set track can have its setbacks, rusty steel rails and flogged out rail joiners make for some iffy running, but add a track rubber and some new fishplates and its Christmas Day, once again for this child. 

Either way I can get my fix while the rest of my tram fleet resides in storage. 

Here is the recent arrival to my tramway fleet cutting notches on the 'set track'. 

My motto in life has been, always have a plan B. Mission accomplished.

From under the radar while the family is away, while running old school DC. 

Glenn. 

Well, that was a busy year.

I know it has been quite a while since the last post, but a fair bit has happen since. 

We have sold up our little abode in the inner west of Melbourne and obtained a good price for it and have bought a massive piece of suburbia in the south east sand belt. 

The bride will get her wish of moving back to her side of town after her tour of duty out west. 

This palatial domicile has ticked all the boxes on the original wish list, the kids will get their own rooms, the bride will get a study, I will get a decent sized shed and we all will get two bathrooms, two living areas and a massive covered outdoor entertaining space. 

This residence unlike some others we have seen doesn't require a renovation that starts with a box of matches. 

As always at this time of the year, I wish followers of the blog the best for the season, try to sensible with the food and drink, and remember it's all about the kids. As it will be our last Christmas west side this year, it is still shared with family and that is what matters.

This years Christmas card is a rework of the fifty thousand hits photo.

Seasons greetings all, from Victoria Street. 

So to the matter of the resumption of services on Victoria Street, as the layout was the first thing packed and stored, it will no doubt be the last thing to see the light of day after the relocation, which will happen in late February.

This will happen when I sort out my new man cave/shed. 

From under a soon to be different roof that will eventually have wires to run under. 

Glenn

Moves are afoot.

I have in the last few months fielded a few enquiries about exhibiting the layout from exhibition managers and followers of the blog. I thought I maybe able entertain one or two exhibitions this year, but in reality the humble abode in which the layout resides along with the bride, three kids, a jack russell terrier, one cranky budgie and myself in is somewhat becoming cramped. 

This can only eventually lead to one conclusion, possible relocation. Soon!

Our current domicile is a quaint 'worker's cottage' in the inner west of Melbourne, while this was extensively renovated nearly ten years ago with a 'study' that I annexed. It is believed no longer able to accommodate my family and all our stuff. 

Therefore, not much at the moment is happening on the layout at this point in time, yet the entire bandwidth of Internet is being utilised on searching for possible candidates.  

As with every potential move, requests are being entertained, mine include a reasonable shed/workshop and some more potential layout/man cave space, as apposed to our current arrangement. 

The kids would like individual rooms, but on most stormy nights would huddle together in the main bedroom with the bride and I, to at which point I make a statement, " why bother with a house when could have a tee-pee."

The bride would appreciate a little space for her interests too, considering she smashed her graduate diploma with high distinctions on the laptop, on her lap and on any somewhat clean level surface in our free standing post office box. She does deserve better. 

Either way, be it through my Nostradamus like thinking or the strict initial limitations placed by the bride, but the concept of a modular layout in this current location may have paid off. 

Originally I opted for a tramway layout that was modular for two basic reasons.

One, tramway layouts allow for tight radii turns and shallow base boards.

Two, as I was offered the upstairs study, the insane idea of building a permanent layout would have been foolish, doing a modular layout in the end means that I can carry it piece by piece down the stairs and with time and/or space at the other end have the whole or some small part operational in a short space of time. 

As our place now has a somewhat lived in effect, the slow burn of 'tarting/dolling' up is now underway, as of a matter of interest, the neighbouring house is currently and rapidly being 'refreshed', as a smaller two bedroom abode with a single bathroom, it will go on the market very soon. 

This in the end will decide how sooner or later we may decide to realise and relocate. 

This ongoing scenario will obviously interfere with my creativity in regards to posts and photos, as I have a week off in early August, services will need to be suspended, then that time will be used to disassemble Victoria Street and place it into storage so not to freak out/ deter potential purchasers with my gunzel collection. 

I thank those who follow the blog and understand that the pending suspension of services will hopefully be temporary.

From just over a month or so from under the wires here. 

Glenn

Some more distractions

What can I say, I'll do anything than tackle outstanding work on the work bench. The annual leave/household maintenance has come and gone, then closely followed by the Easter school holiday, these scenarios are the thief of modelling time. 

While there is not any pressing issues that require attention on the layout, the rollingstock (anyone remember 821?) are trundled from one end to the other to keep the rails clean and the mechanisms moving. 

When it comes to recent achievements, I have finished the distraction that is the per way loco, introducing SEC 1. 

Nothing like a bit of imagineering. 

The other side project features an aspect of interior design with a tramway theme. Framed genuine W class tram route numbers. 

 82 (Footscray to Moonee Ponds) and 
57 (West Maribyrnong to City via North Melbourne) 

These take pride of place at the top of the stairs leading to the study/man cave with full approval of the bride.

I did manage to tidy up the study.  

From under the wires at the clean work bench looking at 821 on blocks. 

Glenn 

I'm too easily distracted.

I'm currently on a spot of annual leave from work, so along with the responsibilities of the school run, I have been reliably informed of tasks around the house the require attention, this tends to stifle creativity on and around Victoria Street.

The shell of 821 still resides on blocks at the moment with the chassis hiding in the in the back of the shed, as there is no real hurry to introduce another W class to the roster.

However I have phaffed about with other (non Melbourne) distractions.

Like fitting this powered bogie from a Bachmann San Francisco cable car to this little open platform tram. (Still DC at the moment)

This one of the many static models courtesy of the Atlas release that have inundated the European market and are eagerly motorised by the model tramway community.

We need a bigger tram

Another side project is this obscure steeple cab shunter which was made by Lima. While this does not have any relevance in MMTB operations in history, this will become a per way loco that will be part of the tram depot/museum that is Westside.

A drop in ride height along with new paint, decals and some trolley poles.

A while ago I obtained two Bluerail decoders that operate on the Bluetooth frequency from an app on your smartphone or tablet. One was installed in SW6 870 and after a few teething issues (dirty wheels/track) operates quite well, the spare unit has been fitted into a translucent zippy box with a socket and four LEDs as an ad hock DC controller.

Trying to make it look tidy.

Also it plugs into the 'standard' D.C. Controller socket on Victoria Street.

The red led shows power in, the green led highlights track power going out, and the lower blue LEDs indicate direction. Both the red and green LEDs are fed by rectifying diodes regardless of the power or the polarity. The translucent lid allows the status green led on the Bluerail board to be observed.

This now allows me to operate wirelessly all my DC rollingstock* that I haven't or won't convert to DCC. 

* only one at a time!

Looking and doing everything else under the wires except finishing off 821.

Regards Glenn.

Something different.

How does one make a layout a little different and offer some other entertainment. A narrative requires conflict in an effort to define a hero or a villain, enter tank warfare.

These were obtained in the Christmas Day draft that is Kris Kringle at the outlaws.
  

One of German decent the other somewhat soviet.

While Melbourne avoided direct contact with the enemy during WW2 other than the odd surveillance aircraft sporting bright red dots as an insignia, that what followed with the associated level of domestic anti aircraft fireworks. this city managed to continue on as a hub for munitions and logistics during the great conflict.    

The latest interaction features two small remote control battle tanks of indeterminable scale. but they do offer another dimension of theatre.

These little pieces of conflict are operated on the common remote frequencies of 27Mhz and 40Mhz, their only downfall is that they tend to run at full speed, regardless of straight line speed or turning and under certain circumstances prototypically throw their tank treads thus rendering them disabled.  I may have to 'adjust' their enthusiasm.

These micro examples of warfare use the concept of infra red signals to impact the other, after a four "hits" the receiver is disabled. The entertaining part is that the delivering tank 'recoils' on firing while the victim 'twitches' on  impact.

Waiting its turn at the gates.

The visitors are taking advantage of Oktoberfest at the racecourse.

The comrades are waiting in the siding at the Ammo factory.

"Sorry sir, but our insurance does not cover damage due to international and/or domestic insurrection or conflict."

A foot note:
' on July 14, 1943, tramcar No. X1 459 possibly made tramway history-- it collided with an army tank! It was outbound on the Russell St route '*
This happened while crossing Geelong Rd along Barkly St, outside the Plough Hotel,and..then...clout!.'

*Electric Traction, Footscray memories, Vol XVII, July, 1962.

Here is my take, sister tram X1 460 has had a run in with the interloper at Victoria St & Albert Rd.

(There will be some paperwork for this....)

There is nothing a spot of weathering cannot do to improve these.
 
Always learning under the wires and have a happy, safe and enjoyable new year.

Regards Glenn

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas

Another year rolls around and before you know, it's Christmas. Therefore as I have done in years past,
here is this years Christmas card from Victoria Street.

As always I wish all the blog followers the best for the season, the usual rules around safety, the fact the one cannot consume their weight in food and beverages and not suffer the consequences and in the end it's all about quality time with family that involves bringing joy to the little ones.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

From under the tinsel and the wires.
Glenn

Living in a parallel universe

As one of those that models a small scale tramway, one tends to heavily invoke the modellers licence; but what if your slightly obscure view of your small empire became reality?

 

X1 460 (an old Footscray Tram) leads SW6 964

across the crossover heading off to the football

 

Victoria Street is my little microcosm of the tramways that run in the western suburbs of Melbourne, while not true to any particular part that exists due to the ever dynamic streetscape that is an inner urban environment.

I have kitbashed various buildings with verandas together with rather local signage to offer an experience of familiarity.  A combination of local and nostalgia breathes life to Victoria Street. 

This weekend stuff did happen, my little empire may have cross pollinated life as we know it, because I for my own amusement had populated the local streetscape with small copies of the 1954 premiership banner poster from the long forgone Melbourne Herald newspaper celebrating the Footscray Bulldogs grand final victory. 

The Milk Bar

The Servo

The Pub

The Signal Box at the gates.

Football (Australian rules) is much a part of Melbourne as its trams, the original suburban football grounds were/ are served by nearby tram routes, some even had spur lines or loops built nearby to handle the traffic on game day (every game then started at 2pm and finished about a quarter to five).

The club I follow are now called the Western Bulldogs, formally Footscray. The club has somewhat a tumultuous history featuring the combination of poor luck, decisions and financial management. It has survived through all these dramas, but has never been successful on the field, it has always been every one else's second favourite club. 

This weekend I got to see my beloved Western (Footscray) Bulldogs play off in the AFL grand final, their first opportunity in fifty five years, then finally win their second premiership in sixty two years. I also managed to obtain a ticket to 'the big dance'. 

time for an update

As you may guess, the entire inner western suburbs of Melbourne and beyond are at this stage painting and or decorating this region red, white and blue.

Somewhat a shade dusty under the wires in a red, white and blue neighbourhood.  

Glenn