Homebush Exhibition, and a very big milestone

Before we get to the Sydney Model Railway Exhibition at Homebush, I finally finished installing all of the uncouplers. All are wired and work fine, though I was having some trouble getting the LED fascia indicator to switch off on the final uncoupler pictured in the foreground. In the end I've decided to leave an LED indicator off that siding, as when I'm shunting in there I'm not going to be using multiple uncouplers like when I'm running around a train or shunting the coal siding. 

Just need to finish the control panel now and then it's on to scenery!

The 2019 Sydney Model Railway Exhibition - Homebush

Overall, the Homebush site was a big step up from the Whitlam Leisure Centre. I queued with the pre-paid wave on Saturday morning and although it was raining we were permitted to line up undercover (not possible at Liverpool), and even watch The Overland warming up on Murray River Bridge (hi Scott!) through the glass of the building.

Although the interior lighting was a tad dark in places, most layouts had their own lights, and the aisles were generously spaced. I didn't feel crammed in at any point, even in the side-rooms, which is another improvement over Liverpool. There weren't any substantial food outlets inside the building, but there was a coffee cart and plenty of chairs and tables offering somewhere to sit down. With an older crowd coming to the show, the seating is probably one of the biggest improvements in my view.

I'd been hoping for a big commercial announcement or release at this exhibition from SDS or On Track Models, but I get the impression that both have a number of projects on the go already, both announced and unannounced, and are keeping their cards close to their chests.

As for the layouts, it was great to see Murray River Bridge after the pub and roadway had been added to it. And it's just nice to see a layout that doesn't focus on a station, as much as I like station scenes. In terms of NSW HO scale layouts, Goulburn, East Mateland, Blue Mountains, Binalong, Bullenbung Creek and Electric Car Sheds made an appearance and took most of my focus. I think most were at Rosehill, but it was good to see so many at what is advertised as quite a large show.

I really enjoy seeing the Blue Mountains layout every time it makes an outing, but 'Passing Time' caught my eye as a relatively small layout, displaying Australian scenery in an achievable format. Naturally, the smaller layouts appeal to me given my own space constraints thus far, but I feel like this is one of the few examples at the exhibition that shows the average punter an achievable example to inspire building something achievable in their own space at home.

I'll be interested to see if it drew the crowds as much as Liverpool, but for my money's worth I was impressed with the new location.

Of course, no exhibition would be complete without the obligatory loot photo. I really only wanted the Comeng Vol 4 book for the history of the design of the 85 class and the XPT, but Auscision's exhibition sale on DCC-sound equipped locos was too good to pass up, and so 48163 in Indian Red made it's way home in the loot bag. Similarly, the 10 Australian gum trees from Trackside Trees worked out to about $8 each. I find trees disappear into the background in a heartbeat, and despite having 4 other gum trees already I'm sure the same will happen on Mt Wilson. Will have to pack additional funds next time. Rounding out the list is a book of track plans by the German-language MIBA magazine. I always buy a MIBA magazine from Orient Express when they come over to the Sydney exhibition to keep my language skill going - it's so much easier to motivate yourself for revision when you're reading about something you're genuinely interested in.

And now for the big milestone...

We bought a house!

More importantly, the house has a 12m x 3m room underneath, of which I've been able to claim just under half for a train room. We should be in and running trains before Christmas.

Among the minutiae that comes with moving, I've managed to draw up a plan that will expand Mt Wilson to add more of a proper branch line between the terminus and the fiddle yard with another coal mine to justify the use of main line electrics, as well as expanding the fruit co-op industry at Mt Wilson by swapping it and the fuel siding over. More on that in a future post sometime.

I've had to pack all of the trains and tools away for the move so it's going to be a bit quiet on here for the next few months, but I'll endeavour to update the blog again before the end of the year once the trains are up and running again.

Until next time!

Cheers,
Ben