The Campbelltown to Camden Branch - another modellers perspective incorporating Stroud Road: 2021

Reasonable progress this month

3034 awaiting to depart Camden with an up passenger service.

A shot inspired by recent photos posted by James Rush on the Camden to Campbelltown Facebook site. The building on the far right is nearing completion - its function still remains a mystery and I have put the feelers out to a number of people including Camden Historical Society to determine its purpose. Consensus among a number of my modelling colleagues is some form of produce/grain facility.

There has been more progress in the last month than the last year. The new building above is now being blended into the layout with basically fencing gates and downpipes to install. The building is made from card with Scalescenes Brick paper and Bergs Corrugated Iron.

The revised curved module heading out of Narellan towards Campbelltown is progressing well and should be able to post some pics before the end of the month.

A good time to be modelling in these restricted times

Another couple of shots from around Camden yard

The Best Laid Plans

These buildings have been made using up to 10 layers of paper on the new backdrop. The fences are Northeastern timber and the Telegraph pole has been cut in half then glued into position

The Camden Railway project has been pretty dormant for many months with plenty of other distractions, building another shed, rebuilding old motorbikes amongst other things.

I have started acquiring a few VR items to build a small Victorian line inspired by the Cudgewa Branch this will go under the existing layout.

I have had an interest in British N scale and Victorian HO and now adding another two railway systems into the train room.

Since starting the new wall attached backdrop and connecting all the modules up the aisle way between Camden milk factory, and the back of the curve towards Kenny Hill is now way too narrow. I was working with 30 inch radius curves (762mm) and to create sufficient clearance I have to reduce the radius and overall width of the curved module out of Narellan. The maximum width I can have is 1600mm and providing some clearance on the backdrop side of the track I opted for a radius of 675mm. I set up a test track at this radius and have run the 70 class and 30 over this with no problem - the 20 class has yet to be tested and I won't commit to structural work until testing the 20.

a test curve of the new radius was made and various engines tested to ensure they ran OK in both directions - note the high tech controller circa 1960s.

I was also unhappy with the construction of the curved module basically short sections of L girder that would be held firmly with plywood front and backing pieces.

The original curved module leaving Narellan

The new module will be a sheet of 12mm ply cut to shape with edge and cross supports as well as ply front and rear edge boards.

I have made up some clamp on wheels that has made moving the modules a lot easier

Trying to fit in an N guage and VR layout has also added some complexities - the main section of the VR layout will run below the Nepean River Module which gives a length of around 3 metres to build a small station and yard. To do this the legs will need to be removed from the Nepean River Module which will be supported by the upstream and downstream modules as well as three x 380mm long metal brackets attached to the wall. I am keen to have a spindly trestle on a curve coming into the VR scene the shots below coming from the Weston Langford Collection