Author Archives: Ross

New clubroom number & updated membership list

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The WAMRC club rooms has a new mobile phone number: 0451 186 010

This phone is in the club rooms and switched on all the time — but there is no answering machine or voice mail. It will only be answered if there is someone at the club (which is normally only on Wednesdays and during the day on Saturdays and Sundays).

For other ways to get in contact with the club, see the contact page.

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A new membership list is now available in the members’ area (restricted access to members only). There are quite a few updates on this latest version (including Rowan’s mobile, Cliff’s address & mobile, Paul’s address & mobile, Chris’s mobile, Gary’s mobile and Brian’s mobile) so I encourage you to update your records accordingly. I’ll also print out a bunch of hard copies to leave in the club rooms.

As we are coming up towards the AGM in July, I’ll also be sending out copies of the current membership register in conjunction with the usual call for nominations at the beginning of May.

Rail Enthusiasts’ Day

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Rail Heritage WA is holding a “Rail Enthusiasts’ Day” at the Rail Transport Museum on Sunday 2nd May: 11am-5pm

Activities on the day will include:

  • Book launch — Bill Gray’s revised, fully detailed, guide to all our locomotives, carriages and exhibits – now in full colour. Special first-day price!
  • Selected stalls catering to enthusiasts
  • Behind the scenes tours — see restoration area and talk to restorers**
  • Tours through an XA diesel locomotive (bring own ear-muffs!)**
  • Special displays of Western Australian prototype models – multiple scales and gauges – with help and information desk
  • Behind-the-scenes tours of WA Model Railway Club system
  • Used book and magazines sale
  • The bookshop newly stocked
  • Sales on commission (rail artefacts, special books, etc.) – contact email hidden; JavaScript is required for details
  • Sausage sizzle, cool drinks, tea, coffee and snacks available

** For insurance and safety regulatory reasons, participants in these tours must wear hats and closed shoes and be over 12 years of age. We also recommend you dress appropriately for an area where objects may be rusty and/or oily.

The Railway Museum, 136 Railway Parade Bassendean WA 6054

http://www.railheritagewa.org.au/

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Also available is the April newsletter from Rail Heritage: Acrobat logoNewsletter 2010 04

November Minutes now available

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Iron ore locos

Happy New Year everyone!

A reminder that the first meeting of the year is on Wednesday 20th January, 8pm in the club rooms. Minutes from the November meeting are now available on the members page. Also on the members page is an updated membership register and new public layout roster (Feb — Jul 2010).

See you at the club next week!

Image: BHP Locos queuing up to enter Port Headland, 15th May 2009

AMRA Model Rail

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Mt Newman loco 5451

AMRA has kindly sent us an invite to their annual ‘Model Rail’ open day. This year there will not be any modelling competitions as they have decided that aspect is to become a biennial event (i.e. held every two years).

On exhibit this year will be a couple of new layouts, plus others that are now operational that have been in construction for some time. There will also be a sausage sizzle, other displays and workshops.

Make a note in your diary for Sunday 8th November and get along to their clubrooms to join in the fun (24 Moojebing St. Bayswater, opposite the end of Paddington St.).

Image: Mt Newman loco 5451  in the Don Rhodes Mining and Transport Museum, Port Hedland, May 2009

General Meeting 19th March

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Steel Mill (annotated)

At the general meeting on Wednesday night, two new members were accepted into the club (Simon Pegram — as a junior member, and Anthony Reeder). Welcome to the club guys! Chris Kalajzic was accepted by the membership as our new committee member and we also discussed and agreed to replace the dirty carpet in the public area with industrial vinyl, which should be a lot easier to keep clean.

Terry Kestel supplied me with a legend for his scratch built steel mill, so I have marked up a photograph of all the components (see above). Terry based his design on pictures of the Walthers Steel Mill kit that was produced in HO scale in 1996. We have been looking for one of these Walthers kits for the club for some time, but they have been out of production for a while now. Although some second hand models are sometimes available on eBay, they are usually assembled — hence shipping costs to Australia become prohibitive! I think Terry has done a terrific job, especially considering the ordinary everyday items he has build it from.

Below are some more photographs from the night — the steel mill from the other end (it is so long it is very difficult to photograph in its entirety!) , Chris K. — our new committee member, and a general shot of some of the workers and watchers — anxiously fiddling with stuff after being forced to sit still during another general meeting.

Steel Mill (rolling mill end) Chris K. Workers and watchers

At the club last night

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Steel mill

Spotted at the club last night was the second half of Terry K.‘s scratch built steel mill — an amazing conglomeration of recycled materials — including even the super glue bottles that held the glue that holds it all together!

Also noted was the much tidier workshop area — as promised by Peter O. Click on the thumbnails below to see more detail.

We had a committee meeting last night (as we generally do two weeks ahead of a general meeting), so I didn’t get much of chance to do much else. But the new Rails Through The Bush books are now waiting at the club for those that pre-ordered. Wow — what an amazing quality publication!

Steel mill (closer) Steel mill (opposite) Clean workshop bench Tidy workshop shelves