H0 Scale G Class Sydney Tram Construction

[RosiesBoss]

Intoduction

“Carmarthen Junction” http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70550-carmarthen-junction-miscellena/ shares its storage space with a freelance Australian tramway layout (“Rosemount”) which showcases a collection of models of vehicles which ran in many Australian cities. If there is sufficient interest, I may submit articles on other model and the layout itself.

 

The inspiration for the collection comes from the Sydney Tramway Museum http://www.sydneytramwaymuseum.com.au/ and the Bendigo Tramways http://www.bendigotramways.com/ , both of which make active use of restored historic vehicles from all around the country. My collection now has models of vehicles that ran in Perth, Kalgoorlie, Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Melbourne, Bendigo, Hobart, Broken Hill and Sydney.

 

Most of these have been adapted/kitbashed from other (inexpensive) models. A few were built from kits (or purchased as completed kits. However, such kits are hard to find and/or very expensive.

 

This project focussed upon the Sydney G class trams, introduced in the 1890s for tourist service, but scrapped after 1927. None were preserved. No drawings were found in on-line searches, although my research uncovered a similar design used in Christchurch (NZ):

 

They were based on a standard New York tram:

 

Introduced with open platforms at both ends, weather protection was soon provided at the driver’s end. Two were given a second set of controls (as modelled), but most ran as coupled sets of two. Here is a photo of one with the enclosed driver’s cab:

 

No colour contemporary colour images have been found, but the Sydney Tram Museum has restored their F class tram to its Edwardian period livery, so this was used as inspiration for the model’s paint scheme.

 

Some compromises were made in construction of the model, as parts were adapted from existing commercial models generally obtained second-hand. The model was assembled using an H0-sized image of G 127 as a guide. This is NOT a fine-scale model, just a working model that (hopefully) captures the essence of a long-departed vehicle when seen in operation.

 

Donor trams

 

1. Bachmann Brill bogie trolley

This provided the clerestory roof and the driver’s end, as well as its power bogie.

 

2. Bachmann San Francisco cable car

This provided the enclosed saloon and the other platform end, as well as the unpowered bogie.

 

3. Fragments before assembly:

 

Chassis

 

This was made from thick brass sheet, cut to the expected shape of the body, with both bogies mounted similarly to the original Bachmann models. Please note that, as the motor bogie uses a split chassis pickup system, black nail polish was used both on the motor bogie and the well in which it was mounted to insulate it from the brass chassis and prevent short circuits during testing.

 

 

Floor:

 

This was soldered together from thin brass sheet, L-section brass strip and shallow brass channel (reversed). The vertical strip hangers were made from offcuts left over from etched brass kits.

 

 

Roof & Cab:

 

This was carefully made from the original tram carcass.

 

Roof shortened and saloon added:

 

About 3-4 mm was cut from the non-driver’s end to conform with the length of an H0 scale print of the real tram.  After trimming the cable car’s saloon sides, these were glued to the roof.

 

 

Test fit on floor:

 

Handrails and front cab back:

 

Vertical handrails (kinked towards their base) and the rear bulkhead of the driver’s cab were fabricated from brass and soldered to the floor.

 

Test fit:

 

Seats added:

 

Seat sides were adapted from spare Coopercraft 00 scale GWR platform seats, fitted with polystyrene strip seats and backs.

 

Test fit, with rear platform skirt:

 

The rear platform skirt/end was then fitted, together with the front and rear bulkheads of the saloon.

 

Painted & lettered, with new trolley pole:

 

All interior surfaces were then painted. Once this was dry, the body top and floor were joined with 5-minute Araldite. Once this had cured and been trimmed, the remaining surfaces were painted. A working trolley pole was fabricated from modeller’s brass sections. It is mounted in the centre of the roof, as the two dual-control examples were so equipped. This has been provided with a harness which can facilitate overhead line pickup. The tram was then numbered and its transfers lacquered. It has been fitted with a “ModelPower” crew.

 

 

 

Conclusions

 

This project was FUN! (Isn’t that why we chose to make models?) It had lots of challenges and took quite a while to research. Construction took place in spare time over a period of about three weeks.

 

G 125 runs very sweetly and is a nice contrast with other trams in the collection. Here she is, passing F 397:

 

The collection will be displayed at the St Lukes Railway Modellers’ open day at St Lukes Anglican Church, 157 Galston Road, Hornsby Heights, NSW, Australia. Opening times are:

Saturday 9^th November 2013:      Exhibition                9am to 5pm

Sunday   10^h November 2013:     Church Service       9.30am – 11am

                                                  Morning Tea:          11am

                                                  Exhibition                12noon – 4pm

References

1. Robin Bromby: “Early Trams of Sydney – Photographs from the Field collection at the Mitchell Library” (Cromarty Press, 1983) ISBN 0 949675 05 9
2. Dale Budd: “Sydney Tramway Museum Visit Souvenir” (South Pacific Electric Railway Co-operative Society Ltd., 2004)
3. Howard R.Clark: “The Sydney Tram – A Pictorial Review” (Transit Press, 2003) ISBN 0 909338 06 X
4. David Keenan: “The South-Western Lines of the Sydney Tramway System” (Transit Press, 1992) ISBN 0 909 338 11 6
5. David Keenan: “Tramways of Sydney” (Transit Press, 1979) ISBN 0 909338 02 7
6. Ian MacCowan: “The Tramways of New South Wales” (I.A.MacCowan, 1990) ISBN 0 949600 25 3
7. K.McCarthy & N.Chinn: “New South Wales Tramcar Handbook 1861-1961 – Part One” (South Pacific Electric Railway Co-operative Society Ltd., 1975) ISBN 0 9598659 6 9
8. V.C.Solomons (Ed.): “Sydney Trams on Postcards” (South Pacific Electric Railway Co-operative Society Ltd., 1984) ISBN 0 909372 14 4

 

 

[aaron14xx]

Really love the work you've done with these trams, they look amazingly beautiful!!! 

[RosiesBoss]

Hello everyone,

 

For those who may be interested, I've uploaded an overview of my "Rosemount" freelance Aussie tramway. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/77505-rosemount-tramway/

 

 

Thank you for looking.

 

Regards,

 

Rob

[hartleymartin]

You do know that this means you have to make a second one so that they can operate (prototypically) in pairs?

 

Excellent work. I was thinking of tackling a G class in O scale after I finish the C and D class trams.

[RosiesBoss]

G'day, Martin,

 

Thanks for your interest. Actually I don't need another, as I've modelled G125 as she ran as a single tourist tram from Fort Macquarie depot. Like her prototype, she has her pole in the centre and controls at both ends. She may also haul an unpowered trailer from time to time (eg C10 or 64B).

 

Why don't you visit her at my club's open days at Hornsby Heights on 9-10 Nov? http://stlukeschurch.com.au/model-train-open-day/

 

Regards,

Rob

[hartleymartin]

Good to know about G125. I might model a single G glass like that.