Hello From Australia and a Layout Called CHIMTONSTOKE

[David Waite]

My name is David
I’ve been interested in model railways since the early Sixties I originally started with a American Wild West train set the “General“ comprising of two coaches and a oval of track that was similar to OO Super 4 and powered by batteries from there to Triang Hornby and yes I do still have all these models. As the years rolled on life got in the way of modelling but the interest was always there, I did however build a turntable in 1986 and had it as a display piece ready for the future. Due to my trades in 1988 I did the maintenance on the Flying Scotsman when it was in Victoria for our Bi Centennial Celebrations. I eventually designed and built my own house in 1989 with a Attic the “Train Room”.
My Layout is Called CHIMTONSTOKE I started around 1992 on the base boards and managed to lay around 20‘ of double track and a branch line and a section of the loco depot in OO with code 70 FB NS on Copper clad sleepers but that’s where the bits of the layout stopped and with no scenery , most of my spare time was taken up finishing the house but over the years that followed as time permitted I started building the infrastructure for the layout. My main interest is Signalling equipment such as Block Instruments, Lever Frames & Signal Repeater Instruments ect. Since retiring a couple of years ago “and would you believe the last 22 years of my working life was maintenance with the Rail“, I’ve started moving along slowly again but with a worn out body life’s a struggle but I’m determined to build this layout. I will post photos and details about what I’ve achieved so far in the coming weeks if all goes well, I now have a computer but I need to learn how to drive it.
Regards David.

 

[Joe's Garage]

Welcome David and yes please we like photos. You were very lucky to build your house with a "train room"!
All the best
Julian

 

[David Waite]

Hi Joe,s Garage thanks for the welcome
The only way I was going to get a Train Room was to build one and I figured if I build a Train Room as a Attic I save building a roof as I needed one for the house anyway and I didn’t really have the room in the backyard for a free standing building that would have been the same size as the Attic room, as for building the house it was a very big job to take on, as I did everything myself it was a very draw out affair and hard work and took many years to complete but I was younger then with energy to spare and working in heavy industry as I did I was accustomed to heavy / hard work so I was able to complete the dream .The Attic measures 30’x 12’ but there is a Chimney in the middle ( hence “CHIMTONSTOKE” and you “STOKE” the fire down stairs ) and a stair case which takes up space and four windows that need access so the layout boards are arranged to get around these obstacles so the layout doesn’t Cover the entire floor area only narrow sections of it.
Regards David.

 

[Alan]

Welcome as Julian said we do like photos lots of them.

 

[Graeme Lewis]

Hello David and welcome.

I have just seen your post and note that you appear to be based in Victoria. You may not be aware, but there is an organisation called the British Railway Modellers of Australia, which encompasses all British prototype, scales and skill levels. There are a lot of members in Victoria (and elsewhere) and it is a good place to find some new friends with similar interests.

Regards

Graeme

 

[David Waite]

Hello David and welcome.

I have just seen your post and note that you appear to be based in Victoria. You may not be aware, but there is an organisation called the British Railway Modellers of Australia, which encompasses all British prototype, scales and skill levels. There are a lot of members in Victoria (and elsewhere) and it is a good place to find some new friends with similar interests.

Regards

Graeme

Hi Graeme and thank you for the welcome
I became a member of the BRMA group you mentioned a few years ago, the group meets at a different member’s house once a month I’ve hosted two meetings since I joined, I try to go to as many meetings as I can throughout the year but the day is tiring I normally catch the 8:30 am train ( Sprinter ) to Melbourne which is a hour’s journey then by the sparks (Met) to get as close to the meeting place as I can then by bus if it’s available or and walk the last distance so I usually arrive around 1 :30 pm stay for a couple of hours and repeat the journey in reverse arriving home around 9 pm if I manage to catch my train by that time I’m beat, I think the average distance covered in the day would be around 320 kms its not to bad as I’m not driving and not getting stressed trying to fight the traffic in the big smoke, however when I tackle the journey its always worth the effort its great to meet the members that turn up and see what the host has been modelling, during Covid I didn’t dare travel on public transport or even venture to Melbourne we just stayed in the country so I missed out on two years of seeing the group. I’ve often wondered if UK modellers have to travel long distances from their homes to their club meetings. the longest distance I have traveled so far was in last September 2022 my wife and I drove to the BRMA Convention which was held in South Australia we traveled a total distance of 2807 kms taking in the sites along the way many of which were of railway (the guest speaker at the convention was Simon Kohler from Hornby who flew over from the UK just for the event) there were many things I learnt at the event and many great layouts of high quality to be seen all of which I would have never known about if I hadn’t joined the group .
Regards David.

 

[Graeme Lewis]

Hi Graeme and thank you for the welcome

David

Goodness me, I must admit I have never caught any form of public transport to a BRMA meeting - or otherwise. Just to put that in perspective I have three guys coming to our house in northern NSW in about one hour - two from Brisbane - a bit over 200km, and another from Sydney - 800km.

Western Thunder likes pictures so just for the fun of it I attach two I took at "Double Junction" on my Kensington Midland layout.

Regards

G

 

[David Waite]

Hi Graeme
So we are almost neighbours I hope your mate from Sydney left early I do hope he’s not doing the return trip on the same day.
Great photos I like the switch diamond that’s something that isn’t always modelled, closing the gap certainly gives smooth running , I still have some original Wrenn 00 pieces of track a double track junction and some single points all like new and still in their cardboard packaging that they came with I’ve just kept them as a keep sake anyhow every time I see a switch diamond I think of them, as their design closed the crossing in both directions so they gave smooth running.
Regards David