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Above photo is my Gosford complete with the Overhead. Click on the photo to see the Main North Album at Flickr

Friday, April 28, 2023

Hawkesbury River Upgrade.

My Hawkesbury River Station platform needs surfacing & the area especially around the Marina, needs sprucing up.  

I had previously made a curved 3.0 mm MDF platform top. To surface it, I used the same  method I did for Broadmeadow & Sulphide Junction, for details click here . With the top off, I trimmed the base pieces for a better fit then added brick facing paper to the front edge. 

I had a "suitable" Sydney Suburban Station kit built already. It should have a Signal Box on the up end but it'll have to do for now. I added a Stuart Walker Platform to Ground Footbridge & two Sheds on the up end. With a few seats & people, it's nearly completed. 


I added the Railway Crossing at the southern (Up - Sydney) end with a Signal Box that controlled the boom gates. I tried a yellow pencil for the double yellow lines at Rob's suggestion in the Broadmeadow Comments but it didn't work. I borrowed a Bow Pen but I can't make the lines so I 'll try a fine yellow Marker pen. I'll also need to "centre line" the road in front of  the shops & hotel.


I started to install Troughs for the signal wiring that are very prominent in the 3 photos of Hawkesbury River Station in the Country Station Books (Book 3). I bought an Anton's $12 Trough kit that'll make about 350 mm of Troughs, that means I need about 10 kits for my 3 metres, that'd be $120 & it'd have nice brackets. 

Instead, I used styrene strips & using a Jig to drill the holes for the Supports, 25 mm from the track, with the posts about 8 feet apart.

With the first strip of Trough fitted, I suddenly remembered I was going to install Overhead Wires to my Main North from Hawkesbury River to Gosford.  

I removed the Trough. 




Many years ago I had purchased at the recommendation of Geoff S of Mullet Creek layout fame, a packet of Code 83 rail, Tichy HO Insulators, 0.025" Phosphor Bronze wire to make Stanchions & plenty of Marklin Catenary. I used the above Jig to drill the holes for my Stanchions. Now I've done Hawkesbury River station, I'll need to get more of the Marklin Catenary. Installing the Overhead will be my next Blog topic.

I added a bit more land on the road to McKell Park (towards backboard) & found a building under the layout, sprayed it grey. It'll do for my Marina Office/Workshop. Made a Ramp down to water in front of the Workshop & added a couple of Jetties that are waiting for some 3D printed Row Boats. Added a Pilot Boat, cause that's what I found once again under the layout, tied up to the closet Jetty in the "corner".


Using the applicable Facebook group for inspiration, my Marina area is a poor representation but much better than what I had before, so it'll do for now. 

I added fences to the road to Long Island on the Causeway adjacent to railway & added the Brooklyn Ferry Wharf.

As can be seen, a very basic & incomplete model of a boat, is tied up to the Brooklyn Wharf, hopefully I'll find the rest of the kit & it'll be the ferry to Dangar Island.


I was given an 80 foot Sardine boat kit, that's too big for my Marina, so you'll see the hull tied up to a wharf under my Hawkesbury River Bridge. I must & complete the boat as I have the parts but not a high priority at the moment, much to the disgust of John H in Brisbane, who gave it to me.

Adding the jetties etc was done after I had installed the Catenary that made the job even harder. Soldering the last of the Overhead, I tripped over the Soldering Iron's chord with the Soldering Iron & Stand, falling from the above shelf (my Newcastle station) & it broke the first Stanchion I'd made. At least it didn't land on my Footbridge that would have broken in half or on the Station/platform that would have been much harder to repair. 

I added the Troughs, modifying the Jig after using it to drill holes for my Stanchions & platform Lights including Nameboards to fit the 8 font "Hawkesbury River". 

For the Comment from my South Coast Rail mate, there was a General/Fast Food Store in 1965 across the road from the Pub, see below. Bit different now in 2023. 


          

        

8 comments:

  1. Kicking a few goals in quick succession Marcus, Broadmeadows, Sulphide Junction and now Hawkesbury River. Very impressive. Cheers Phil

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    1. Hi Phil. Thanks for the comments. Got to keep busy so I'm lucky to have a layout. Will have to get you down onto the Main North soon.

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  2. Looking good Marcus, hope you have a fish and chip shop there somewhere!

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  3. Hi South Coast Rail. Thanks, Yes, I have a shop in my 1965 Hawkesbury River that I'm sure they sold Fish & Chips, added a "photo".

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  4. Marcus
    Busy, busy busy!
    Nice work, it looks great and I like the jig.

    Ray P

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    1. Hi Ray. Thanks, the Jig is worn out need to make another one for the Stanchions to Gosford.

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  5. Marcus
    It is time for you to design one and print it ;-)
    Ray P

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    1. Hi Ray. That would need more time on the Laptop, something I don't want to do. I used the Jig but this time drilling a hole closer to the track as my tracks at Wondabyne are on a strip of timber & with the 10 cm Overhead Double Stanchions, some holes are in the dirt that makes for a wobbly pole. I had to "tension" the overhead wires. More info later. The Overhead has reached Gosford so I need to finish off Gosford. I've just added 4 Rapido Un-couplers & thinking of an automatic way to energize the Un-couplers so Operators will have to stop & change to/from 46s. Regards Marcus

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