KymN

Progress report OK, I am back on the model railway after diversions for house renovation/redecoration, genealogy (albeit railway-related) and gardening during the first dry days of the past two weeks. My new-found model railway group has offered some hobby sessions - a couple of evenings building minor structures, some ballasting, and a couple of operating sessions. I am learning about club dynamics - how to work together when members have differing approaches and standards! The operating sessions have been great. They are run to a sequence with cards for each wagon and loco, using walkaround controllers for driving and boards for point control at each station or yard. The main advance with Fal Vale is that I have now raised the three station boards to the same (higher) level, and aligned them. This is something that I never achieved once I moved the layout downstairs in Sydney. This view picks up (just) the three station boards. Brighton Cross is the lower level on the left, Fal Vale yard (two boards) is in the middle with the loco depot behind, and the approach board is where the end of the train is. The train entering the back station road is a Maunsell set hauled by a Brighton Atlantic. Must have been borrowed from further east. To work on the back I need a step - purchased from Bunnings - B&Q type warehouse I guess. Please excuse the mess. I am pleased with the alignment where the track is in good shape. No, that is not a waterfall - just the break between boards! And I am not sure where the red flowers (lower left) came from Unfortunately there was a fair bit of damage at the ends of the boards, like this: The next steps are to fix this, and to complete the viaduct board. This has been raised, but needs the superstructure to be rebuilt to make use of the extra height for the viaduct. I can also restore Brighton Cross Wharf station (the lower level) to operating condition. This is wired for DC analogue and I still have the control panel. I also want to build the running in track so I can run in some of my DCC collection. Until next time, stay safe.

My Dad had a similar story. He served on HMAS Perth and saw action in the Mediterranean and then in the Pacific. Perth fought in the Battle of the Java Sea and then, with USS Houston, was sunk by an overwhelming Japanese force in the Battle of Java Strait. Dad spent the rest of the war in Changi prison and then on the Burma Railway. He too had nightmares until the day he died. Two thirds of the crews of the Perth and the Houston never survived the war. Neither captain survived the battle. There is just one foreign ships company commemorated in America's Arlington Cemetery. That is HMAS Perth.

With thanks to Gary Larson.

For the most part over the past few weeks I have been house renovating (new ceiling finish in the snug/media room and gas BBQ/outdoor kitchen in the new undercover patio). However, all is not lost. Although Fal Vale is a bit quiet I have had a few sessions with a group of local H0 modelers. One has a large dual-gauge American-themed double-deck layout that is being fettled back to order after a house move. I have helped with some simple modelling. The other is a South Australian Railways layout, also a double-deck room filler that is at a completion stage. It is set up for operation with 5 cabs, some 16 yard/stations each with its own yard control, automatic signaling and documented movements via a card system. Superb, and great fun, and with any luck I will stay as a member of the operating crew. My other 'work' has been writing the Adams family genealogy. I have finished chapters on two more of the family. The second John Henry Adams was the third son of William and Isabella. He had a career not unlike his father, but firstly in Brazil and then back in England as Assistant Works Manager of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway under Harry Wainwright. In March 1902 he was appointed as Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent of the North Staffordshire Railway – ‘the Knotty’. He passed away suddenly in November 1915 from heart disease, aged just 55, where he was regarded with great affection by his men and the directors. John Henry Adams G and L Classes I have also completed the chapter on William's nephew Thomas. Thomas was also a career railway man with the North London, London and South Western and the Knotty, principally as a draftsman and engineering assistant. Much of what is documented about Thomas Adams concerns his beliefs and lifestyle. He was a professed atheist, a member of the Rationalist Peace Association and he studied ethical principles and the promotion of human welfare. He had very strong views about sustainability and the ability of the earth to support humankind and growing population. His politics followed Socialist principles. The rest of the week is forecast to be wet, so I shall try and return to Fal Vale! Stay safe.

With any luck somebody will explain it to me!

A GERMAN CONNECTION I was reminded this week by a new railway modelling acquaintance - who is German - that a number of structures on my layout appear to be German in origin. Indeed, the diligent observer of architecture and the built environment may note a Germanic influence in the vicinity of Fal Vale, notably in its industrial buildings and even in the railway’s goods facilities, Royal Engineers block and locomotive shed. The back story of Fal Vale may go somewhere to explain this, and several other matters. Much of the Fal Vale story derives from a genealogy of the family of my late mother-in-law (bless her - she was a wonderful soul) still in preparation. There are three significant elements: An ancestry that includes the Adams dynasty of railway and dock engineers, notably William Adams of the London and South Western Railway. I will return to that later in these pages. A Cornish connection with the Landers of Truro A German link through my first wife’s grandfather. The position of wife #2 remains vacant. Here are just a few elements. You may choose what is fact and what is fiction. The Ungewöhnlicherzverarbeitung Gesellschaft In the late Nineteenth Century a small number of companies established themselves near Fal Vale and in the Brighton Cross area. One that was particularly notable was a German company Ungewöhnlicherzverarbeitung Gesellschaft. The Ungewöhnlicherzverarbeitung Works had their own rail siding near the old Brighton Wharf of the failed Retyn canal, and imported a second-hand locomotive, some open wagons and a few other items of rolling stock from Europe to work from the works to the wharf. The works railway was in Stephenson’s ‘other gauge’ of one metre, which he had used for a mineral line at Crich, now the Tramway Museum. While the works locomotive bears a strong resemblance to the Bavarian T3 of 1882, it is in fact smaller (almost exactly 7/8 in proportion) reflecting its narrow gauge origins. The Bavarian T3 The rest of the Ungewöhnlicherzverarbeitung fleet was similarly smaller in scale. The small fleet and the wharf lines were converted to standard gauge and connected via Treviscoe Junction in 1899. German Style Carriages in Cornwall Along with a number of industrialists of the nineteenth century, the firm had philanthropic ideologies, in this case derived from their strong Lutheran faith. In Germany, or more specifically Prussia, devotees of the Old Lutheran faith had been persecuted. King Frederick William III of Prussia issued a decree for a new common liturgical Agenda (service book) to be published, which occurred in 1821. The Protestant congregations were directed in 1822 to use only the newly formulated agenda for worship, and this met with strong objections and non-compliance from Lutheran pastors. By 1835 many dissenting Old Lutheran groups were looking to emigration as a means to finding religious freedom. We believe that the German presence in Cornwall was, at least in part, a result. The Ungewöhnlicherzverarbeitung company was a major benefactor in the region, in one case to a school for wayward young ladies near St Dennis, intended to save them from the evils of their ways. At this point readers should note that non-PC schoolboy jokes about saving one for me are no longer acceptable. The correspondents’ decision on this is final and no judges shall be entered into! The building still exists, although it was sold after the First War. Unfortunately the anti-German sentiment that emerged with the Great War forced the Ungewöhnlicherzverarbeitung Gesellschaft to sell up and to leave Britain. It is rumoured that it was purchased by HM Government Ministry of Magic to become a prep school for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Scotland. This is not certain, but it would explain the shields of the Hogwarts houses now visible on the Fal Vale academy, and the occasional appearance of a red liveried Castle class at Fal Vale. But as John Harrison of Torpoint (GWR) famously wrote: ~ ‘Ooever eard of a red engine? Tes vlyin in the faace of natur…. Everybody knaws the praaper colour vur an engine is green and braassen. Even they Zouth Western people knaws that an they dawn knaw much’ (Harrison J. (1963). ‘Progress Report’. Railway Modeller. December 1963 pp290f.) The Koll Adams German Connection The Australian branch of the Adams’ descends from Robert Adams, who was the younger brother of William. Kathleen Adams, my first wife’s grandmother, married Christopher Koll, who came from the Isle of Fehmarn via England to Australia. Here he became a soldier of some distinction and then a vigneron. He served in the Australian 3rd Light Horse at Gallipoli and in Egypt and the 15/27th Infantry Battalion on the Western Front. The nationality of the Kolls was always a cause for debate and amusement in our house. The Kolls came from Fehmarn, an island in the Baltic Sea off the eastern coast and part of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. From the Middle Ages until 1864 Fehmarn formed part of the Danish Duchy of Schleswig, although physically it was closer to Holstein. In 1864 Schleswig passed to Prussia as a result of the Second Schleswig War. Fehmarn now belongs to the district of Ostholstein, Germany. Koll is a common name in Germany, notably in the Düsseldorf area, and is not uncommon in Denmark. My Mother-in-law would have none of it: they were Danish. ‘Don’t mention the War!’ was my children’s catch-cry. She was most likely right. Fehmarn was under Danish rule and had been for centuries until about twenty years before Christopher Koll left. OK, it had no physical connection to Denmark, and the culture was more likely German, but it was a Duchy of Denmark. It is certainly now German and the kick-off for The Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link, proposed to provide a direct link by railway and highway between northern Germany and to the Danish island of Zealand and Copenhagen. Kathleen was not just an Adams but she was also of Cornish descent – her mother was a Lander. Richard Lemon Lander (1804 –1834) was a Cornish explorer of western Africa. He was the son of a Truro innkeeper. Lander's explorations began as an assistant to the Scottish explorer Hugh Clapperton on an expedition to Western Africa in 1825. Lander was the only surviving European member of the expedition, but he returned there. A monument to his memory stands at the top of Lemon Street in Truro, and one of the local secondary schools is named in his honour. In 1832 he became the first winner of the Royal Geographical Society Founder's Medal, ‘for important services in determining the course and termination of the Niger’. The Reality As for the Germans in Cornwall, this is in fact part of South Australian history, not Cornish. The first to come here in any significant number arrived in 1838 with Pastor August Kavel. These immigrants created three settlements at Klemzig, Hahndorf, and Glen Osmond in South Australia. In 1841, a second wave of Prussian immigrants arrived, led by Pastor Gotthard Fritzsche. His group settled in Lobethal and Bethanien in the Adelaide Hills. A number of towns in South Australia, notably in the Adelaide Hills lost their German names as a result of the First War. The Hills, where I live, now has a thriving tourist scene based on this German heritage, notably in the town of Hahndorf. It is also quite noticeable that many Hills families have German surnames. The Hahndorf Inn In truth, the architecture of Fal Vale the model derives largely from the ready availability of Faller, Vollmer and similar kits. This provided a relatively quick way of adding structures to my layout. Unfortunately it would seem that my attempts to anglicise them has largely failed.

My other option was '… like the tart's knickers'

Despite the lack of writing on my part, Fal Vale has progressed at least a little. It has been slow largely because of my indecision and other matters happening at the same time - mainly house renovation. I mentioned the lofty height to which the station boards have now risen. The board that was to contain the Gothers tunnel and Treviscoe viaduct has been up and down like the bride's nightie. I have now removed the extra leg length previously added, and attached the board to the wall. The brings substructure (up to the L-girders) back to where it was. I now plan on raising the superstructure to the new height to make the viaduct valley a lot deeper and more dramatic. I might have to move Fal Vale to a more rugged area! This picture shows the changes. The bottom of the valley is the lower board (where I put my foot through - If you look closely you can see the hole!). The new track level is on top of the box (marked 'BOX') on which is sitting the Great Western liveried bubble car DMU. The DMU is the Dapol model, on sale ahead of the release of the new Bachmann one, will work low-loaded services between Fal Vale and Truro. The gap between the station and the viaduct and tunnel will be bridged with countryside, expanding the track length in each case by about 1 metre. The old trackbed board will be removed and the superstructure modified to bring the track to the higher level.

Glad to see that you have your priorities right. Happy Birthday to you both.

This was the Australian National Railways Budd RDC, now in our National Railway Museum in Adelaide. In AN, we did our best to retain just few country passenger trains - the Iron Triangle Limited to Whyalla, the Blue Lake to Mount Gambier for example. But economics were against us. Years before when I was at school, a few friends and I travelled into SA's north by steam and diesel, including the Commonwealth Railways Budd Car service from Port Augusta to Port Pirie. Fast and unforgettable. I remember the conductor saying to us at Port Germein 'watch that [motor] car - we will overtake before the next stop'. He was right.

Dear gentlefolk. It has been quite a while since I last posted. I am sure that you have been waiting in rapt anticipation . I am afraid that this virus isolation has not encouraged me to get stuck into the modelling - just the opposite. However there have been a few developments. The main one is that Fal Vale is now rising to the lofty height of height of 1.23 metres. It took a little experimentation (i.e. error) to get the legs and wall supports right. I have been able to reuse and extend the old legs as per the pic here: Reminds me to tidy up underneath. I am now much happier with the way that the layout appears. The perspective is much better, as the viewer no longer looks down on the track. I am not sure if the pictures capture this. The little loco is a new addition - a Dapol Adams B4 'Guernsey'. This is one of the best finished pieces that I have - superb. In the distance is another new addition to my South Australian fleet - a Rapido Budd Car. This is currently lettered for Lehigh Valley, but is the same model as run by the Commonwealth Railways (CR) here. The CR fleet was absorbed by Australian National Railways, once my employer, and the two Budds became the 'Iron Triangle' limited in a futile effort to retain South Australian passenger services.

I'm now using a Roco track rubber - Our local model shop brings in a lot of Euro stuff. I rank it as the best that I have used.

It has been a bit quiet on the railway front of late. It seems that the social isolation that we are enjoying (?) at the moment is not encouraging me to do much, contrary to the ‘get modelling’ suggestions that abound. Also I have had to take advantage of a few lovely autumn days to get out in the garden - another very slow project. So to try and raise the motivation for the layout I had a little play and took a few a few pics - nothing much that is new though. But first, Australia Post has found my missing dual gauge track after three weeks coming from 16 Km away. And I got myself a mechanic's creeper to get under the layout and hopefully get out again. That must have been a good day - Charlie (my elderly cat) hadn't yelled at me all morning. Here is some of the track (with some trains). The little Climax/Shay was built from a Sekisui electric by my brother-in-law-to-be while we were still at school. The Heljan Exe is towing an ancient Liliput SKGLB coach. I should say that I have not been totally idle on the Fal Vale front. The shot below of Kelly's Coal drops shows a bit of carpentry in progress on what will be an extension between two existing boards. No I am not building a two-tier layout. The board at the back has been raised to what will be the track height for the whole layout. As for Kelly’s Coal, the sign says that it is a ‘division of Kelly’s Wood Yard’. It was an old South Australian in-joke to answer the phone as ‘Kelly’s Wood Yard’. A Great Western/BR departure from the wharf yard. Close-up of the instantly recognisable wharf steps. The Army is active in the wharf yard… …while the Great Western is busy at Kelly’s.

I have had a look in the box of 'track shorts'. Interesting. Doubtless from failed layouts . Most of the turnouts are code 100 unfortunately, while my layout is code 75 . Might be useful for some of the fiddle yard sections though. The are about 8 that might be salvageable. The one still packaged is code 75. In addition there are two 009 turnouts, operating but heavily 'weathered'. I was surprised that the train set track is branded 'Lima', even though the set is Hornby! In the meantime the usually prompt Australia Post seems to be struggling with the COVID issue. A parcel of dual gauge track (Tillig) from my local model shop is still sitting at the Post Office where they posted it 8 days ago . Take care everyone.

I haven’t been totally idle over the last few days. My ‘Hobbies Room’ AKA Garage and Railway space needed organisation, particularly to store a stash of timber off the floor and to get ladders and garden tools out of the way. The big removal box marked ‘Baseboard Bits’ was finally opened after three years. I had totally forgotten what was in it. I found: · Timber for the extended baseboard legs; · The Modratec South Box interlocking; · Several yards of code 75 Streamline track, unused; · A stack of cork roadbed strips; · Two large packs of cork tiles; · A printers’ tray that slides under the baseboard to hold bibs ad bobs; · A lovely little antique display cabinet in need of repair; and · A box of assorted Streamline turnouts and track shorts in various states of repair (one still packaged), and an oval of Hornby track and a turnout from my son’s ‘Nellie’ train set c. 1980. Well I never. Life is full of little surprises.

The lost at sea goodies have finally appeared. While Royal Mail + Australia Post allege that parcels should take 5 working days UK to Oz, this has never happened. I work on two weeks elapsed. This time it was five elapsed weeks, no doubt due to virus-disrupted supply chains. Mind you I should be more disciplined in what I collect. It is a bit of a stretch to imagine that 1829 Liverpool and Manchester stock would be running in Cornwall in the 1950s. You have it – I am now the proud owner of the nice Hornby Messrs Stephenson’s ‘Rocket’ in its Tri-ang-themed box. Here it is, along with some sundry related items, at Fal Vale. Quite a remarkable model. It is tiny - much smaller than the old Tri-ang tooled version. The detail is exceptionally fine (and I assume breakable). It has now taken up residence in my display cabinet, along with some other ring-ins. Compare the size of 00 scale Rocket with the H0 Pennsy T1 above it! Even the Adams B4s make Rocket look small (and their steps keep falling off (!).

Time to move on methinks. I can't think for a moment why I would need to stockpile toilet paper like so many panic buyers in Australia, but perhaps I should pop down to Orient Express (my local model shop) for a supply of track. In the meantime a few things that I have ordered from the UK seem to have been lost at sea. I did pop out today for a few things to organise my 'Hobbies Room' so that I can finish the prep for the layout - still a bit to do. I am increasingly not watching news and current affairs on the TV - too depressing. British Railway Modellers of Australia is cancelling meetings. All the best everyone. Take Care.

THE GHOST TRAIN Fal Vale of course has been shamefully neglected by geographers. Recorded history of Fal Vale Junction is limited, but there are a few facts that may be gleaned from literature. One is the notorious role that the Junction had at the time of World War I. Across the Irish Sea, this was the time of the Easter Rising & foundation of the IRA from the Irish Volunteers. Pro-separatist sympathisers were supplying the rebels with weapons. Some were also Bosch sympathisers. In order to frighten away any possible observation of their illicit activity, they played upon the local legends of ghostly activity. This was dramatised as The Ghost Train, written in 1923 by the English actor and playwright Arnold Ridley OBE – Private Godfrey in Dad’s Army. Despite playing a conscientious objector in the TV show, he had seen active service in the First War, sustaining serious wounds in close-quarter battle in the trenches on the Somme. He was commissioned in the Second War as an intelligence officer and, after being discharged with ‘Shell Shock' - now known as PTSD - he served in the (real) Home Guard. The Ghost Train tells the story of Ted ‘olmes, onetime station master at Fal Vale, who suffered a fatal heart attack one night while attempting to prevent a passenger train destined for Truro being diverted onto the Gothers Branch, already occupied by a stalled china clay empties train. This was dramatised in the play as crashing off an open bridge. The speeding train crashed, with all lives lost but that of the driver, Ben Isaacs. Isaacs had lost his mind, wandering through the tunnel with his lamp, singing Rock of Ages to the hymn tune ‘Toplady’ by Thomas Hastings. Ever since, upon certain nights, the signal bell can be heard ringing, and a phantom train comes hurtling through the junction; and those that look upon it are doomed to die: “Whatever it is, it never starts out at St Wenn, and it never runs into Truro. If it be a natural thing – where do it come from... where do it go?" It remains a very funny comedy drama, even today. Well I think so. The quote above was, in the movie: “Whatever it is, it never starts out at Truro, and it never runs into St Anne’s. If it be a natural thing---where do it come from? Where do it go…?” The 1940s movie depicts Fal Vale Junction as a Great Western station; however, as this research shows, it was London and South Western. Tommy Gander, a vaudeville comedian played by Arthur Askey, pulls the communication cord on a GWR express train to retrieve his hat, evidently in the vicinity of Dawlish. As both Dawlish and Truro are on the GWR mainline it is somewhat implausible that the hapless passengers for Truro would need to transfer at an obscure minor station such as Fal Vale. Were they travelling on the South Western such a connection is much more credible. The reference to St Anne’s is no help – such a place does not appear to exist. The closest is St Ann's Chapel, a hamlet in the parish of Calstock. The full movie is available free on several sites, including YouTube. Try this if you have a spare hour and a half: See

THE FAL VALE EXTENSION We have just enjoyed a rich discussion in St Enodoc’s story of the Mid-Cornwall Railway of the long-lost branch of the Chacewater to Pentowan (AKA Newquay) line between Perranporth and Goonhavern Halt. To this tale has been added the matters of hill forts and of military activity in the vicinity. You need to go to the top of page 118 of Mid-Cornwall Lines - 1950s Western Region in 00. The backstory of Fal Vale parallels that of the Mid-Cornwall Lines in terms of geography at least, albeit in a parallel universe. It would appear that there is more to it than just location however!. Fal Vale was not shown on any map before the coming of the railway. It is still hard to find. Without the North Cornwall Railway, Fal Vale was little more than a simple wharf on a connection from the L&SWR (earlier B&WR) link to Ruthern Bridge and the Cornwall Minerals Railway lines. Practically it could be little more. It was located on the edge of Goss Moor, just north of St Dennis. Goss Moor in more recent times While there was little by the way of settlement near Fal Vale station, there was some industrial activity as well as the mines within a five mile radius, notably near Brighton Cross. This industry, such as it was, was first developed with a prospect of a canal connection to Pentowan - the Retyn and East Wheal Rose scheme of the 1820s. This was to build a canal from the River Gannel at Newquay to Retyn, near St Enoder, with branches to serve the Brighton industries and the East Wheal Rose lead and silver mine. Work was commenced, but in the event only a short section was built between Brighton Cross and Retyn. The local industries performed poorly in the absence of good transport, but their fortunes revived a little once a railway connection came. Other industries, including treacle mining at Wheal Koll, were to follow. The L&SWR line to Fal Vale utilised the the Ruthern Bridge branch alignment of the B&WR, then followed the valley through Withiel and St. Wenn before turning south, with a halt at Castle Downs to serve the Castle-an-Dinas Iron Age hillfort. Castle-an-Dinas, at the summit of Castle Downs near St Columb, is considered one of the most important hillforts in the southwest of Britain. It dates from around the 3rd to 2nd century BCE and traditionally was the hunting lodge (hunting seat) of King Arthur, from which he rode in the Tregoss Moor hunt. Castle-an-Dinas The line then crossed the Cornish Minerals main line (later the Great Western Railway Par-Pentowan branch at the western end of Goss Moor. The L&SWR ‘main line’ continued to Fal Vale Junction and beyond. Developments in the upper Fal Valley were prolific. The South Western promoted both its main line and a branch, the latter to replace the tramway that served the Gothers China Clay works, and pushed on via a tunnel to Littlejohns, Dorothy and Dubbers works. All signs of this extension have, in modern times, been completely obliterated by the expanded china clay workings. The main line crossed the Fal River valley at Treviscoe on a steel trestle, similar to that at Meldon. A second L&SWR branch left the main line south of Treviscoe Junction to the little industrial area where the remnants of the partially built Retyn canal wharf remained. The little yard was named Brighton (Cross) Wharf to reflect the nearby small hamlet of Brighton Cross. In later years the wharf was cleared to form a pleasant spot for fishing and limited navigation. Modern Treviscoe Meldon Viaduct The line was ultimately to go via minor stations at St Dennis and St Stephen to join the Great Western at Grampound Road, which marked the end of the South Western’s contiguous territory. A branch linked the line to the GWR line to the West of England China Clay mine and facilities at Drinnick. You may recall that the wily William Richardson Roebuck was required to provide dual gauge between St Dennis and Drinnick under the terms of his Parliamentary approval for the Cornwall Minerals Railway. He did so, but the third (broad gauge) rail was unusable. The connection to Grampound Road of course did not occur until the late nineteenth century, in conjunction with the opening of the North Cornwall Railway and the standardisation of the Great Western’s Cornwall Railway to Truro and beyond – the last outpost of the broad gauge. The last broad gauge service left Paddington station on Friday, 20 May 1892; the following Monday, Penzance trains were standard gauge. A curse upon them all This then is the resultant network around Fal Vale, albeit subject to resurvey as necessary: Fal Vale L&SWR and Environs Network at its full extent .

I looked but am none the wiser

You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

I'm sure it does. I'm still not sure that I want to do it again... but maybe

Building a MODRATEC Interlocking Some years ago (about 12) I built an interlocking frame using a MODRATEC kit. This is the one that I mentioned earlier, covering the South Box area of the what was to be Fal Vale yard. The embryonic Fal Vale then went by the working title Stoke Hampton. And I wrote an article/note about it, as I am wont to do. I sent a copy to Harold from MODRATEC, and he seemed quite grateful and suggested that Railway Modeller might be interested - for a while it was up on the MODRATEC Web site, but no longer. I thought that it may be useful to share it here. However, you need the MODRATEC Construction Manual to read in conjunction to fully make sense of what I have said, and you only get access to that when you buy a kit; nevertheless there may be enough here to offer a few clues as to the trickier bits. Incidentally Harold is presently looking to find a way to retire. Getting past Step 11 This note offers some miscellaneous thoughts on building an interlocking from the parcel of brass bits that arrive in the post once you have done the work with SigScribe. I found that Step 11 – fitting the levers – to be a bit of a psychological barrier, particularly since it carries a health warning! It need not be – it’s actually quite straightforward, and that is the main theme of this note. Wait until you get to the part where you fettle up the locking bars and tappets (Steps 14-17). That is the really tedious and frustrating part, but it is worth it in the end. It’s a very satisfying result when this peculiar archaic piece of machinery works perfectly. Mind you I think the pleasure is an acquired taste. I showed it with pride to my daughter-in-law who just looked at me with a quizzical look that said ‘what the..?’ The Baseboard First, you need to make up your mind as to how to mount your interlocking. Rather than cutting a hole in the layout baseboard as the MODRATEC Construction Manual suggests, I used a separate frame, more or less as described by ‘Roger’ for Ken’s Crossing in the Manual In my case I used selected 66mm by 12mm Meranti from the local hardware, cut and assembled square, glued and screwed per Roger’s suggestion. I plan on mounting it in front of the layout baseboard on a cantilever projection. I used mounting option 2 – saw cuts for the bearers – which is easy to do with the timber frame. Make sure that the cuts are vertical. The drawing of option 2 in the Manual is a little confusing since it seems to suggest an angle section in the baseboard, which of course is not what is needed. Having a separate mounting frame is very useful at Step 11 (Fit Levers), since the frame can be used to support the assembly while it stands on its side. Now for Step 11…. Step 11 – Fit Levers The warning in the MODRATEC Construction Manual that ‘you need to be in a mood of patient concentration for this step’ is a little off-putting. I am very good at procrastinating without having that to help! As it turned out, however, the step was surprisingly easy if the Construction Manual is followed. Just don’t party too hard the night before … you need a steady hand! Here’s a few tips: You need a well-lit comfortable spot at which to work, uncluttered and clean – lost springs and little steel balls are hard to find among clutter! My modelling bench was definitely not suitable, so I used a dining table under a skylight that had the more clinical characteristics. I was a bit nervous of scratching the French Polish on the table so I put down an old bath towel. I would recommend this in any case because it arrests miscreant springs and balls better than a hard surface. Because I used a separate timber frame for my interlocking, rather than a hole in the baseboard, this was very handy to support the upturned assembly for this step. All that was needed was a counterbalance to stop the whole lot falling forward. A small timber off-cut and a bound volume of Railway Modeller served this purpose admirably. See Figure 1. Figure 1: Supporting the Assembly My tools for this stage are shown in Figure 2. Figure 2: Tools Xuron Rail Cutters are ideal for cutting the springs. They are sharp, fit between the spring turns and give an absolutely clean cut. Using Tool 9 the insertion of the springs and balls was a doddle. I discovered I had a tool that was spot on for the push rod function, but until now hasn’t been useful for much at all! I think it is supposed to be a pin pusher-in, and is branded ‘Finkal-Watt-Aust’. Put it through the hole in Tool 9 and into the blind hole in the Signal Lever to line the tool up before putting on the peg – that way the spring and ball will drop straight into the hole with no mucking about. See Figure 3. Just don’t slide Tool 9 too quickly and uncover the hole with the ball in. Figure 3: Aligning Tool 9 with Push Rod With this Step 11 (and 12) compete, and final adjustments made, it is a very satisfying point in the assembly. Figure 4 shows the Stoke Hampton assembly at this point. I painted the levers before assembly – it seemed to be easier to do it then. I only scratched one, easily touched up. To complete the work just follow the excellent instructions that come with the kit. The main thing to remember is to continue on methodically and carefully. Measure and mark twice, file once is a good rule. Figure 4: Step 11 Complete Finishing Off To draw the Signal Diagram, I found that Microsoft PowerPoint, which comes as part of the Microsoft Office suite that is the industry standard for most major businesses, works very well. Here’s my diagram: Figure 5: Signal Diagram To finish the project I French Polished the casing to give it the feel of an antique instrument (I tend to French Polish anything that stands still in my house!). Here’s a couple of pics. Figure 6: Finished Interlocking Case

Me and South Australia Warning: Much of this post is not about model railway matters. You might choose to let this one go through to the keeper and wait until I get back on the railway track (pun intended). This then is an indulgence. As they observed in the ancient world, ‘tough bananas Julius’. I thought that it might be of interest to share something that seems to have become de rigueur in the model railway media – that is to offer a Modeller CV. However I choose to do it differently. My choice is to start with someone else’s observations. The picture down the page is a superb caricature that was done by my Brother-In-Law John, as part of a conspiracy with my Brother Tony. It was presented to me on a significant birthday a couple of years ago. It shows me in my garden, surrounded by some of the things that have been part of my life. I also use it as the basis of my profile picture for RMweb. Despite the fact that John’s Sister and I have split up (she split from me), John and I remain good friends. He loves steam and has built a steam launch that putters around the Murray River and its lakes, with another boat on the way. He has also an encyclopaedic knowledge of the South Australian Railways, every class, event, and everything. John’s Steamboat: Flaming Galah John’s Drawing – my Profile You will see various items of railwayana in the drawing, but other things as well. The hat of course proclaims Fal Vale, not that I have ever had one embroidered thus. I do own such a hat – it is a Tasmanian Railways Porter’s cap, about two sizes too small. And there is a copy of Railway Modeller depicted in my pocket, plus some track (that doesn’t exist – but John keeps promoting it) in the garden. And there is my Daughter’s old cat (21 later this year) that I inherited when she moved to an apartment. It has a missing leg. The other stuff includes references to my collection of vinyl records and CDs. That, like the trains, is to excess. Much of this is English and other Folk-Rock or Electric Folk, and before that Blues. So you will see references to Richard Thompson (‘the greatest guitarist that you have never heard of’) and to obscure music. Some of the best of this also genre comes from Canada (think Wainwright, Cohen, McGarrigle Sisters and The Band) as well as the UK. The Americans have stolen it of course, and call it Americana. Despite being on the other side of the world, I have had the good fortune to see performances by Richard Thompson, Fairport Convention, Martha Wainwright and her Dad Loudon, Leonard Cohen, John Mayall, Muddy Waters BB King and other greats. I was at one of the concerts where Dylan was booed for playing electric, when his backing band was The Band. Magpies – the Piping Shrike The Magpies that feature are important. We South Australians have a special connection with Gould’s White-backed or Piping Crow-Shrike, a sub-species of the Australian Magpie that goes back to the beginnings of the South Australian colony. The Australian Magpie is larger than the European one, are very intelligent and have a beautiful song with a gift for mimicry. I have just fed my resident family of six. John Gould, who identified the bird, was an associate of the explorer Charles Sturt (and of Charles Darwin) and the author of The Birds of Australia. 328 of the species described in that tome were new to science and named by Gould. Gould collected in the Adelaide Hills, the Murray Lands and Kangaroo Island, working with Sturt. The Piping Shrike is the emblematic bird that appears on South Australia's Flag, State Badge and Coat of Arms. By default it appears on South Australian Railways locomotives and some special carriages. The Piping Shrike motif. The Government edict (PC008) on the emblem notes: ‘In almost every backyard was the irrepressible magpie – resourceful, brave and daring in defending its nest and young ones and with a very sweet song…’ The males swoop during nesting. But it is all about protecting their kids. They just want to feel safe, and for their babies. My guys have figured that I am not threat, and neither is my old cat. This year the brought their offspring down to introduce them. They are that smart. I wrote a whole page on these guys but deleted much of it - I was way off track so figured that I should return to the railway. But there is one thing about magpies that I have now put back, because there is an irony in all of this. South Australians are called ‘Crow-eaters’. Some of our early settlers, who lived up the road from here, ate magpies - they called them ‘Australian Pheasant’. There is not much else that you can do when you are starving. We have an Australian Football League team called ‘The Crows’. Actually we have several, now including a wonderful Women’s team. But there are no Crows in Adelaide except for the footy sides. The crow-like birds here are Ravens. We also have Currawongs that look similar to crows with a bit of white trim. But it is the Magpies that dominate. They will see off the Ravens and the Currawongs every time. Incidentally the birdlife around here in the Hills is superb. We have a range of Honeyeaters, Finches, Pigeons, Galahs, Blue Wrens, Kookaburras, the Adelaide Rosellas and various other Parrots. And Koalas. I have seen a mother and Joey amble across my lawn and others wandering down the road. The only downside is that in spring they get frisky and the noise is awful – the boys grunt and the girls squeal. Now let’s get back to the railway. A little bit of the South Australian Railways Fal Vale is set firmly in the west of England. But that does not mean that I have abandoned the railways that I grew up with. There is a trickle of SAR RTR rolling stock now on the market and I am not immune. So here is a small selection. The train has been assembled on Baseboard #4 on (were it to have some scenery) will become the Gothers Branch tunnel. Seems to have derailed! A Random SAR Consist The locomotive is the classic Adelaide suburban F Class tank from a local shop - the Orient Express. The same that appears in the photograph of Hove station that I posted on 31 January of this year. This was typical of the trains that I rode to school with my mates and the girls from Methodist Ladies College. The goods wagons are an open wagon used for carriage of grain, and several examples of what were known as billboard wagons. The 4-wheeler is from across the border in Victoria. These are not private owner, but for a small fee they could be painted in the colours of the railways' customers. The passenger cars are the country version of those at Hove. This particular set were ‘done up’ for the ‘Centenary Train’ of 1936, and carried the Piping Shrike logo, or will have when I put it on. The final picture is the elegant S Class express passenger engine that I think was used on the Centenary Train and carried a large Piping Shrike for the occasion. I suspect that the photo has been colourised, as I do not believe that any were painted green. They were usually black, and I saw one on the scrap line that had at one stage been blue. There was a yellow one . Must ask John. Unfortunately all were scrapped . S Class with Piping Shrike

Baseboard #4 Baseboard #4 of the original set is now standing. Nor a pretty one I’m afraid. This one had to be ‘adjusted’ to get it out of the attic room via a little Juliet balcony overlooking the pool. Essentially all scenery and structures above track level and the legs had to be removed. Board #4 viewed over earlier boards I had built a rather nice tunnel over the track nearest to the wall. The tunnel was part of a short industrial branch, actually a hidden track leading to the fiddle yard. This branch was originally known as the Gothers Branch. That would make it a clay line. I have not determined what industry it should be at this point, another candidate being a combination of treacle and tin. The treacle would be brought to the surface already tinned. Above the tunnel was a School for Wayward Young Ladies (intended to save them from the evils of their ways) or a Hogwarts Prep School, depending on the audience or time. Puerile jokes about saving one for me are no longer acceptable. I should add that a similar institution to the former – a maternity home - actually existed in Adelaide in less enlightened times near my parents’ house. Perhaps I should repurpose my ‘school’ as that. The ‘Gothers’ tunnel is of some import, as it was the site of a major accident documented in the literature and/or legend. A speeding train was diverted onto the branch and crashed, with all lives lost but that of the driver, Ben Isaacs. Isaacs lost his mind and was seen wandering through the tunnel with his lamp and singing Rock of Ages. Board #4 valley - site of viaduct The other short length track on this board is the beginning of the mainline to Truro that, although built by the South Western, also has Great Western running rights. The major structure on that line will be a steel viaduct over the valley that can be seen in the photos and was provided for that purpose. This board will be connected to the others by a bridging piece to make better use of the bigger space that I have now. Board #4 - rear I have raised this board to 1200mm from the original 900mm. It looks a bit odd – the extension at its lower end is pale and skinny. Still needs some height adjustable skids too. All boards will now be at that height. I could reach across the active bits of the layout before; now I can’t. I shall have to get me one of them standeroner thingummies. While I am about it, a mechanics trolley would be handy now that I have more clearance. Don’t be concerned if a lot of this only half makes sense at the moment. All will be revealed in due course if you can last the distance. But then perhaps it was never meant to.