Upgrading my Stations has been a long time coming, the latest is Fassifern the second last one on the lower deck, then it's onto Ourimbah. Not much has been done lately.
I made new 1.3 M long platform bases, using 19mm thick Pine. I added styrene to the platform edges then covered the platforms with a Sand mixture. I added a Fence to the Down Platform & "adjusted" the Footbridge a little for the Steps down to the Platforms & Road (down side).
I used my original station buildings, a Suburban Station kit for the Island Platform & the the two small buildings on the Down platform then added some Platform Lights including the Nameboards.
I will have to upgrade my Bracket Semaphore to be one of Ray Pilgrim's Fassifern's Double Bracket Semaphores with the prototype shown below. Because of the Wakefield Road Bridge, drivers could not see the Signal, so a Double Unit was made.
Looking north through Fassifern, the 1200 Ton Double Garratt Coal Train backing out of Newstan Mine & crossing over onto the Down Main. The Garratts will stop when they've passed the end of the Platform, then reverse, accelerating through the Station to attack the 1 in 40 Fassifern Bank, with some speed.
The Australasian region of the NMRA had a Convention at Rosehill over the October Long Weekend, where I had volunteered for Convention Attendees to visit my layout on the Friday, Monday & Tuesday. This above upgrade was just completed prior to the Layout Tours, Visitors in the Morning & a 3 hour Operating Session in the afternoon. I had about 30 visitors.
I knew my Queensland Mates were attending the NMRA Convention, so I offered to have them over for Dinner, coming on Sunday night, where I cooked Spaghetti Bolognaise, topped off with a Nanna's Apple Pie & Ice Cream & plenty of Cakes. Then we got to run some trains but mostly had a yak fest. I had a ball. Thanks Darren, Bill, Craig, PK etc. for making it to the Main North. Thanks for the photo Darren & Craig.
During the 3 Operating Sessions, I asked for a volunteer to "run" my Double Garratt 1200 ton Coal train from Newstan Mine using my Operating Card & asked them how to improve the "running around" of the train at Broadmeadow to haul it into Port Waratah, without "running" onto the mainline at either end of Broadmeadow. as it's been suggested that what I need to do. The 3 different Operators had fun to say the least. Geoff, the last Operator worked in the Signaling Department of the railways & suggested I needed a few more Signals. Ray, I may order some more.
The Northern Tablelands Express DEB Set & the Garratts of this above train, had a few de-railments during the weekend, fixing why they de-railed, is my next Blog topic.
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