April 2013

April is here! The first quarter of this year has gone fast!
Last weekend we were trading at the Hurstbridge show over the Easter. A big thanks to Lyndon and the members of the Yarra Valley MRC for a great weekend. Here we released our long awaited Oil Tank wagons (OT's) and also our Weedex Spray Van (HZ/WZ). Both these items along with our HO, OO and O scale 44 gallon drums are now available online. The OT's are $35ea or 4 for $125 and the HZ for $30 both include decals. The HO and OO drums are $1 for 6 and the O scale ones are 2 for $1.

You will also notice the website's will under go a bit of a make over the following weeks with the online store set to be split in two. One page will be only wagons and other for our decals, drums and other bits and pieces.

You many also be pleased to find that Buffer Stop in Preston now stock our wagons and others coming soon..

New Release @ Easter

Our OT Oil Tanks will be released this Easter long weekend at the Hurtsbridge Expo. They will retail for $35ea or 2 for $65, 3 for $95 and 4 for $125 for the weekend. They will be available from the website after the long weekend for $35ea for 4 for $125. The kit includes underframe, tank, feet, walkways, sign board, brass ladders and decals. A SEM GY Underframe kit will be needed brought in addition. The HZ 1 Weedex Spray Van will also be available this weekend for around $27 as well as our Sand wagon and HO 44 barrel drums.

Decals Now Available:

We currently have in-stock decals for IT Scantling Wagon, Q Pintsch Gas, HD 27 and 33 Departmental with more coming soon! Decals are $2ea. Will have them available at Hurtsbridge Expo over the Saturday and Sunday of Easter.

March 2013 Update:

March 2013 Update:
Thanks to all those who braved the heat to come support the smaller manufacturers/ traders at Sanddown's Market stall day on Sunday 10th. Those in attendance would of notice two things at our stand; the first been some our products have had a slight price increase this is simply due to the addition of decals to those kits. The second and more exciting thing is that we announced that our VR BP Oil Tanks OT 77 (low dome) and 78, 79 and 80 (high dome) will be released at Hurtsbridge show over the Easter break! These kit should include a cast tank, underframe, side walkways & bp sign board, brass ladder and decals. They will retail normally for approx $35ea or 4 for $125 (save $15). We will also have a show special for the Easter weekend which will include 2 for $65 (save $5) and 3 for $95 (save $10). We would appreciate those modelers who wish to buy a 4pack at the show to contact us and make a pre-order to avoid dissapointment. No payment is required with preorder (cash on pick). Feel free to spread the word. To those wishing to make an normal order that ain't able to attend the Hurtsbridge show will be able to do so in early April after the Easter holidays

NEW short wheelbase VR HD Sand Wagon

NEW short wheelbase VR HD Sand Wagon

 

This sand wagon group consisted of hand-me-down IC Tippler (I/IA Tommy Bents) rollingstock placed into low mileage traffic. These 11 wagons were built at Bendigo Workshops from 1972 to 1975 and were used to traffic locomotive traction sand. The IC’s already had their doors removed and a sheet of steel welded in. With the conversion to HD Sand wagon they also had hoppers installed and discharge shoots added to the wagons.By the early 80’s these short wheelbase sand wagon were either taken of register, scrapped or modified and renumber for another use. There were other similar wagons that were built to the same design but used the surplus longer wheelbase RY wagons.

This wagon will be released SUNDAY at Sanddown Exhibtion. It will retail for $20 and will include decals.

VR Casts Update Jan 2013

Last year seen the release the following items: - Victorian Railways Q 26 and 30 Pintsch Gas Tank Wagon
- Victorian Railways IT 1 - 251, 253 - 273 Scantling Timber Wagon
- Victorian Railways HD 150 to 218 Departmental Van
- A mixed goods wagon load for I/ IA and GY wagons
- A six pack of HO scale 44 gallon drums
- A two pack of O scale 44 gallon drums

During the second half of the year we looked into purchasing an 3D Rapid
Prototype Printer. After visiting with stockists, viewing samples, many emails
back and forth, comparing costs and further number crunching it was decided that
it was not feasible for our small scale business at this time.

Since then David and Rachel have been busy drawing up some underframes in a 3D Software program to get some test printing done for some of our upcoming VR 4whl wagon projects.

Some will have noticed that the VR DFdf Horse/Guards Van, VR IX Open Wagon, VR F11 Short 4whl Horse Box and VR C/J 4whl Hearse Van are no longer
available on our online store. These products will be discontinued but an odd
may appear for sale at exhibitions.

The larger 6whl Horse box is still currently un-available as a new silicone mould needs to be made. Those who order this product may incur at least a 2week wait up on top of the usual few days to cast the order.

NEW ITEM - Victorian Railways IT Scantling Timber Wagon

New Product Coming Soon - Victorian Railways IT 1-251, 253-273 Scantling Wagon In the early sixties just over 270 fifteen foot wheelbase I/IA wagons were modified to provide a special vehicle for scantling timber traffic. They were introduced due to a rise in housing development and the increased amount of timber traffic out of the Orbost region of East Gippsland Victoria . After a trail with one wagon the class IT was adopted.

The IT were loaded with scantling timber packed by sawmills in packs. Each pack consisted of various sawn timber which was stacked with all the ends together at one end. This results in load distribution problems. To deal with this problem the 273 IT's that had three distinct features:

• Bulkhead at one end only (to support the stacked timber) 
• Heavy springs, 10"x 5" journals and 3'2" diameter wheelset at the bulkhead end 
• Standard springs and journals, wheelset diameters of 3'0" at the opposite (light) end

Even though they had a the appearance of uneven load, derailments were rare, with you more likely to have seen them in the shunting yard 'rearing up like horses' when hit roughly from the bulkhead (heavy) end during shunting.

IT 91 - Photo by Rob O'Regan from www.pjv101.net