The year is 1963 somewhere in Victoria, Australia

That's going to be fun Claus.

Did you build that Aru motor or did the instructions defeat you ?  Looks quite complicated even without any instructions..............

Fantastic building skills on that Bellcord building - amazing !!

Petermac said

That's going to be fun Claus.

Did you build that Aru motor or did the instructions defeat you ?  Looks quite complicated even without any instructions..............

Fantastic building skills on that Bellcord building - amazing !!

From “Post #288,415”, 16th August 2023, 10:25 AM

Thank you.
Haven't given up on the Aru motor, but I had to buy a small tapping tool and screwdrivers before commencing the task. An app on my phone will help translating the Japanese instructions.

Cheers,
Claus

Claus Ellef said

Motor for a tram

A few weeks ago I bought another kit which can be turned into an ex-Hobart tram. The kit didn't come with a motor, but Japan Plaza sells an Aru Model with the right distances between the wheels. It looks like this:


I was informed from the website, that the instructions are in Japanese only. I thought, the instructions would be something like the ones you get from an Ikea flat-pack. Mostly drawings, so how hard can it be? Well, the instructions look like this:


If you think I speak Japanese, think again!

From “Post #287,834”, 28th May 2023, 3:00 AM

I finally got around to put the kit together this weekend. The kit wasn't too hard to do, though the screws are tiny. I had to take the kit apart twice to make sure the motor was connected to the pick-ups. No soldering needed, so a bit fiddly to get the contacts in place.

Time for a test run and problems kept coming. One axel did not connect to the worm drive on the motor. The other was fine, but the the whole unit ran in the opposite direction compared to my other trams. After a while the 'worms' slipped off the motor. With the worms back and both axels connected, the bottom plate was screwed in place - and the motor stopped working. To my wife's surprise I gave up! The unit is rather cheap (around $37), so not a big loss, but I had hoped to make the ARU models the go-to for my trams.

That's a shame Claus, perhaps take a break and give it few days and try again.

Ed

Ed said

That's a shame Claus, perhaps take a break and give it few days and try again.

Ed

From “Post #288,499”, 21st August 2023, 7:46 AM

Hi Ed,

I haven't totally given up, but it will take more than a few days. The Bachmann tram conversion will take a higher priority.

Cheers,
Claus

Update on the Y class tram



The photo show the progress on the rebuild. A visit to and photos from Melbourne Tram Museum will help me with the details of the roof.

Hello Claus

As a fairly frequentish visitor to Melbourne (with occasional ventures out to rural Vic), I've just had a very enjoyable, informative and memory-jogging wander through Wombat Creek and its surrounds. Some very fine and skillful modelling, or bonza, as some may say :-)

I'm only just setting-out on my modelling journey, but if I can achieve even just a tiny fraction of what you've done, I'll be very pleased indeed.

Although obviously much smaller, the Bellcord reminds me somewhat of the Rivoli Cinema in Hawthorne East. I know the residents of Wombat Creek already have the Regal, but I do wonder if you could be tempted…………….  ;)

Shunter_J said

Hello Claus

As a fairly frequentish visitor to Melbourne (with occasional ventures out to rural Vic), I've just had a very enjoyable, informative and memory-jogging wander through Wombat Creek and its surrounds. Some very fine and skillful modelling, or bonza, as some may say :-)

I'm only just setting-out on my modelling journey, but if I can achieve even just a tiny fraction of what you've done, I'll be very pleased indeed.

Although obviously much smaller, the Bellcord reminds me somewhat of the Rivoli Cinema in Hawthorne East. I know the residents of Wombat Creek already have the Regal, but I do wonder if you could be tempted…………….  ;)

From “Post #288,549”, 25th August 2023, 7:22 PM

Hi James,

Temptation taken!

I read your reply Saturday morning before I went to the Melbourne Tram Museum housed in the former Hawthorne Tram Depot. Mentioning the Rivoli Cinema being in Hawthorne East I thought it was worth travelling a few more tram stops and have a look. I like the building and the challenging lines and curves.



The build will take some time and effort, so I want to put it somewhere in Wombat Creek with the facade to be admired. At the moment such a space is not vacant, but the 'Regal' could be moved from its prominent position at the end of Main Street.



After all, it is a generic Metcalfe model and a sort of place holder. With a proper 'back' and turned into a full-scaled building it could sit nicely opposite the 'Myer' department store.

With other projects on the list, the Rivoli building will be put further down the list but will certainly be build and rebranded as Wombat Creek's Comedy Theatre.

Thank you, James, for the inspiration.

Cheers,
Claus


 

You're very very welcome Claus  

I'll look forward to seeing how you get on and am sure we'll see yet another fine model, a Gold Class one even :-)

I very much enjoyed my visit to the tram museum, back in early 2020. When I lived in Melbourne in the early 80's, if ever life got a bit too much, a couple of rides on W would always put things right, it's a shame they're gone.

Newest addition to the tram fleet


The Wombat Creek Tramways has added a new tram to the fleet. The tram has a distinctive European look, but with altering the windows it could resemble the second tram of the ill-fated Doncaster to Box Hill line.

Had to look up Doncaster to Box Hill line Claus, interesting reading.

Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society: Box Hill - Doncaster Electric Tram.


Ed

Regal Theatre relocated


Following up from post #288560 the Regal Theatre has been relocated from the end of the Main Street to a position opposite the Bank. The theatre is a Metcalfe low-relief kit and has been extended with new walls at the back. There is a slightly colour difference in the bricks. I hope it will not be too obvious with a downpipe running along the joint in the wall. The roof is a bit of a challenge. The original roof has two different pitches (the front is steeper than the sides). At the moment the plan for the roof is partly tiles and partly zinc cladding. I will keep you updated.

That's looking really good, Claus.

Can I suggest you try some of the Redutex self-adhesive vinyl texture sheets for the roof tiles? I have had some success with these when re-roofing my large hotel building, and as the roofs are generally the first bit seen by observers, it is worth adding that bit of texture.

As for the colour difference between the original cinema face and the extension walls, there are plenty of prototype examples where colours vary due to a variety of reasons, such as later renovations, repairs or extensions anyway, so yours looks entirely realistic to me. Actually, that particularly applies to cinemas and theatres, where the facade is the all-important public face of the building, and the rest can be quite decrepit. :D

SRman said

That's looking really good, Claus.

Can I suggest you try some of the Redutex self-adhesive vinyl texture sheets for the roof tiles? I have had some success with these when re-roofing my large hotel building, and as the roofs are generally the first bit seen by observers, it is worth adding that bit of texture.

As for the colour difference between the original cinema face and the extension walls, there are plenty of prototype examples where colours vary due to a variety of reasons, such as later renovations, repairs or extensions anyway, so yours looks entirely realistic to me. Actually, that particularly applies to cinemas and theatres, where the facade is the all-important public face of the building, and the rest can be quite decrepit. :D

From “Post #288,680”, 14th September 2023, 12:55 AM

Hi Jeff,

Redutex is certainly worth a thought, but rather pricey. For now, I will stick to a 'paper' roof. Later I may go for a more elaborate roof.

The Regal is open again

The extension of the Regal Theatre has been finished with only a few minor tasks still to do. The capping of the walls will be done once the neighbouring building has been constructed. The fire escape will run down the wall to the left.

That's looking great. Claus. I have the skills to do something similar, but I wish I had the patience nowadays (I used to!!).

I feel like I could just walk into one of those doors and see the screen and stage, and the rows of seats.

SRman said

That's looking great. Claus. I have the skills to do something similar, but I wish I had the patience nowadays (I used to!!).

I feel like I could just walk into one of those doors and see the screen and stage, and the rows of seats.

From “Post #288,720”, 20th September 2023, 11:46 PM

Hi Jeff,

Glad you like the building. If the have a closer look at the building and realise how small the dimensions are, you will not find many rows of seats. I think the Regal is what experts will call an 'intimate theatre'.

Claus Ellef said

Hi Jeff,

Glad you like the building. If the have a closer look at the building and realise how small the dimensions are, you will not find many rows of seats. I think the Regal is what experts will call an 'intimate theatre'.

From “Post #288,722”, 21st September 2023, 6:36 AM

Very few of our model buildings stand close scrutiny as to their inside dimensions or layouts. We have to use a bit of modeller's licence in much of it just to fit everything into our smaller, cramped model worlds.

Small it may be, but it is very big on atmosphere.

 

Closing the gap


After more than 6 years of the work, today was the day to finally lay the last piece of track and the tramways would be fully operationally. The last track was bought Friday and today was the day! The section will be a tram stop and needs to be isolated with two plastic joiners. Here comes the catch! I was left with only one isolated joiner! 
I will be off to the nearest model railway shop very soon!

The tramways are fully operationally

After more than six years Wombat Creek has gone from this


to this.


The last track work involved the bridge over the mining railway and the creek. After months of deliberations I have come to the conclusion a gauntlet with the tracks intertwined was not possible. Instead the two tracks a positioned close to each other allowing only one tram at the time to cross the bridge. To avoid a tram crash ( or a car crash) traffic lights have be installed at either end of the bridge. Electronics controls the frequency of the lights but not the running of the trams.

wct 230927 (1)

View

As mentioned the bridge is rather narrow and people crossing the bridge risk being squash by out-swinging trams. Appropriate warning signs have been installed.