Model Gallery

Richard’s stunning models are based on Murtoa and Marmalake stations in Western Victoria.   Richard says, “The idea for the Murtoa layout began way back in 1979 when I first saw Graham Brown’s prototype Woodend layout at the Australian Model Railway Association’s (AMRA) exhibition at the Camberwell Town Hall. I had never seen anything with such detail and realism up to that time and decided there and then that I had to build a prototype layout like this for myself. “The location I chose to build my prototype model of was Murtoa, situated on the main western line between Melbourne and Adelaide; Murtoa is the branch line terminus for the Warracknabeal–Hopetoun line. It had almost one of everything you could find at a country station at that time. It is on a main line with a branch line terminus, had an island platform, footbridge, railmotor dock and more. The results speak for themselves – outstanding modelling work and exquisite detail.   All photos by John Dennis. Murtoa W.C Thomas & Sons Flour Mill and Wheat Silo Murtoa. R 752 with Loaded GYs coming into Murtoa from Dimboola. Hopetoun Rail Motor leaving Murtoa. C510 leading an up Jet to Adelaide in the late 1970s. J 516 taking on Coal at the Murtoa Coal stage. Up and Down Pass passing at Murtoa with DERM ready to leave for Hopetoun. An A2 heading up to Marmalake with a rake of fully loaded GYs. B 71 bringing fully loaded GYs into Murtoa on the Hopetoun line. Late afternoon goods from Horsham. N453 coming into Murtoa from Warracknabeal during peak wheat season. R 707 with afternoon pass from Melbourne. A unique way of getting goods from island platform to Van goods shed at Murtoa. X 37 with non-stop up fast goods through Murtoa. Passengers waiting at Murtoa with the large brick water tower in the background. R 752 coming into the Murtoa yard from Dimboola. Murtoa railway station. Loading sheep at Murtoa. Loading bagged wheat at Murtoa. Afternoon Melbourne pass leaving Murtoa. B 62 heading a fast goods from Adelaide. J 516 at the Murtoa coal stage. Elevated view of Murtoa station and yards 1962. Roadside goods passing through Murtoa. Local businesses opposite Thomas flour mill. Murtoa loco maintenance yard. W.C Thomas flour Mill at Murtoa. Looking at K 184 in Murtoa engine shed through foot bridge. Murtoa signal box Murtoa Station packed with GYs during a bumper wheat season Looking down at the Murtoa station from the five-story water tower. B 62 with the Dimboola goods. K 184 outside the Murtoa engine shed. Looking down Soldier Avenue Murtoa. B 71 with fully loaded GYs from Hopetoun. Marmalake Melbourne pass passing Marmalake wheat Storage facility. Melbourne pass passing Marmalake wheat Storage facility. J 516 removing empty GY from Marmalake Afternoon Dimboola pass passing over the Yarriambiack Creek at Jung Raking wheat out of GY at Marmalake wheat storage facility near Murtoa GYs unloading wheat in undercover track shed at Marmalake GYs in undercover track shed at Marmalake No 1 and No 2 sheds at Marmalake. Fordson tractor pushing loaded GY onto the unloading pits at Marmalake Swimmers in Yarriambiack Creek at Dimboola pass passes by. Loaded GYs waiting their turn to be unloaded at Marmalake. Raking wheat over Marmalake pits. GYs in undercover track shed at Marmalake. Locals fishing in the dam across the track from Marmalake. X 47 with Ararat good passing by Marmalake coming into Murtoa. Local farmers bringing their wheat harvest to Marmalake. Melbourne pass passing Marmalake wheat Storage facility. Melbourne pass passing Marmalake wheat Storage facility. J 516 removing empty GY from Marmalake Afternoon Dimboola pass passing over the Yarriambiack Creek at Jung Raking wheat out of GY at Marmalake wheat storage facility near Murtoa GYs unloading wheat in undercover track shed at Marmalake GYs in undercover track shed at Marmalake No 1 and No 2 sheds at Marmalake. Fordson tractor pushing loaded GY onto the unloading pits at Marmalake Swimmers in Yarriambiack Creek at Dimboola pass passes by. Loaded GYs waiting their turn to be unloaded at Marmalake. Raking wheat over Marmalake pits. GYs in undercover track shed at Marmalake. Locals fishing in the dam across the track from Marmalake. X 47 with Ararat good passing by Marmalake coming into Murtoa. Local farmers bringing their wheat harvest to Marmalake.

These photos feature the amazing N Scale layout “Wallan”, owned by Christopher Pearce.  These images give a great feel for how N Scale can portray prototypical railway scenes in a realistic landscape. 2 Flatties hauling a wheat train to Melbourne (photo using 320 shots stacked together by Mark Jesser) H220 hauling a GM on a delivery run to Melbourne passing through Wallan

These Models of Victorian Railways Lineside Structures were scratch built by Graham Fraser to represent some of the buildings on the Melbourne to Bendigo Railway Line. The models representing buildings at Castlemaine, Malmsbury, Elphinstone and Harcourt were built in HO Scale (3.5mm/ft) for his home layout. Most of the models were constructed from polyurethane resin castings. Patterns for the brickwork, bluestone, corrugated iron walls and roofs were made from various materials e.g. Evergreen styrene sheet/strip and Northeastern timber. Silastic rubber was then poured over the patterns to make the mould from which the castings for the buildings were created. Additional styrene weatherboard sheet and strip was used to complete some of the buildings. The decorative details were drawn and then etched in brass. *Additional details for these models can be found in the VMRS Prototype Modellers Forum Paper 2013 “From Prototype to Model” Castlemaine Station Castlemaine Station and Island Platform Castlemaine Island Platform and Underpass Pedestrian Bridge Island Platform Etched Brass Detail Overview Castlemaine Station and Goods Shed Castlemaine Goods Shed Castlemaine Goods Shed Thompsons Foundry Office Building and Lop Bracket Signal Thompsons Foundry Pattern Shed and Railway Gates Thompsons Foundry Boiler House building Castlemaine Woollen Mill Office Building Footbridge to Castlemaine Island Platform Underpass Coal Stage at Castlemaine Yard Malmsbury Station Malmsbury Station and Ticket Office Malmsbury Station Goods Shed Malmsbury Produce and Cool Store Elphinstone Station and Goods Shed Elphinstone Station Elphinstone Station Lamp Room and Station Master’s Residence Elphinstone Goods Shed Elphinstone Goods Shed Harcourt Station and Station Master’s Residence Harcourt Apple Packing Shed Harcourt Co-Op Sawmill Harcourt Co-Op Sawmill Harcourt Sawmill Interior Pulleys and Saws Harcourt Co-Op Sawmill VR Departmental Residence Weathered Eureka Models VR R Class Locomotive Scratch Built VR 60T Wrecking Crane

All models are 1:48 (1/4 inch scale unless otherwise stated VR K class. Veteran Models kit. VR K class. Veteran Models kit. LNER A4 4-6-2 4491, 7mm scale. Purchased second hand and restored. E Class 0-6-0 scratch built. Veteran Models 6 wheel passenger cars and van Darjeeling and Himalaya Railway train. B Class 0-4-0 loco. 7mm scale, EDM Models (UK) kit. Wagons are kits by UK Model Railway Developments. Loco in the first wagon is from a Backwoods Miniature kit and built by Frank Kelly. 1:48 Hilltop Engine Shed scratch built from VR Moe Engine Shed WD’s. Floor is embossed card, structure from Micro Mark bass timber, corrugated iron is pressed cartridge paper. Lighting is incandescent mini bulbs in VR lamps cast in white metal. G42 is hybrid kit and scratch build, D3 659 is a Veteran Models kit, Na 17 is scratch built. Figures are from Modelu painted by Ian Fainges. R 758 Precision Scale Models RTR, repainted and weathered to reflect well maintained but in use look. Car is a Veteran Models W car kit. A2 995 with original round top tender. Scratch built in brass and nickel silver. ABL car based on a Veteran Models kit.

These models are to 4mm scale and run on 20mm gauge track. They are all scratch built from brass, the only commercially produced components are the motors, gears, wheels and couplers. 720 Class 720 Class Coffee Pot Gd Class I Class L Class No. 1 O Class P Class Q Class Rx Class Sandfly X Class Y92 Class

These models are built in 4mm scale, running on 20mm gauge track. 24 Q; Travelling store holder with pump house 27 Q Travelling store holder Pintsch Refuse Tank; carried sludge from the manufacturing process to the tip Shale Oil Container: Shale oil from NSW used when there was a shortage of petroleum during the Great War

These models of Victorian Railways Narrow Gauge prototype are from Fraser Clayton, who also took the pictures. The wagon bodies are Ian Lindsay polyurethane castings and the underframes are various. Some are cast polyurethane and others fabricated from brass. The roofs are venetian blind slats cut to size with tissue stuck on to represent canvas and corrugated aluminium to represent galvanized iron. The models are built to 1/4″ = 1 foot scale (1:48) and run on 16.5mm (HO) gauge track to represent the 2′ 6″ gauge of the Victorian Railways narrow gauge system.