Friday, June 3, 2016

New Facebook Page - PR Art Services

 I have set up a new
Facebook Page




It features my work as an artist...and also a point where you can contact me directly.
I invite you to drop by regularly and like or share the page.
 Here is an example of a recent backdrop I did for a Sn3 layout recently exhibited at the June Long-weekend AMRA Model Railway Show, Perth WA

Enjoy browsing.




Friday, April 24, 2015

New acquistions on the Orphan Valley Railway - Estrella & Sonora Grande RR #23

There was much activity and excitement on the Orphan Valley Railway this week with the arrival of the re-acquisitioned Estrella & Sonora Grande RR #23 Davenport and 6 ore wagons shipped over from the US. 
Shay number 4 spent the week hauling the loco and wagons up to Orphan Valley heights to be then unloaded by the work crew. The crew quickly came to terms with the link and pin couplers. Here are shots of the unloading process. Click on the photos for a larger image.
All the Edwards family are out to help with and view the unloading.


Steady progress as the last ore wagon is prepared to be unloaded.

W.R Edwards gives the OK to the davenport engineer Atkin, who has moved from the states to work with his favorite loco in the quarry. W.R. is slowly coming to terms with the deep, broad Arizona accent, and can't quite get over how broad his cowboy hat is. The other boys reckon it will be a great asset in the bright Aussie sun.

The last wagon is off and the boys are ready to hook up the pin and link coupler. They are very impressed with the slow, smooth running of the Davenport.

The engineers younger brother Barret has moved over with him, to make a new life in Australia.

The train is complete, ready to head off to the quarry. Young Joel Edwards is just home from school, and keen to give a helping hand.

 A big thank you to the Estrella & Sonora Grande RR and in particular Verne Ninner, who made possible the purchase of this rolling stock for service on the Orphan Valley Railway. The history of the  Estrella & Sonora Grande RR #23 can be viewed at: 
http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/12782
and the personal site of the  Estrella & Sonora Grande RR
There are changes taking place with the Estrella & Sonora Grande RR, with it turning into theThe Arroyo Verde and Western Railroad

Friday, January 9, 2015

New years Fun


 Christmas does bring some surprises.

Has been a while since last posting, but Christmas always brings some new surprises. Here are a few fun shots of a speedway outfit  that my brother prepared for me. These are 1:87 models displayed on my On30 module (hence some of the details are not to scale.) Tim also made the wheat truck. The speedway setup is reminiscent of speedwaying in the 60's and 70's, when stock cars were open and pretty basic. The character of those times and styles have been perfectly captured..thanks Tim!


 Here we find the crew winding up out of the Orphan Valley on their way to a speedway meet, followed by the grader, also headed to the speedway track.  The farmer should just have enough time to get home, shower and return for the meet later on in the evening with his family.

A wrong turn over the railway line has meant a slight delay as they wait for a 44 class led freight to make its way across the valley heights.


Tuesday, June 4, 2013

AMRA 2013 Model Railway Exhibition Perth Western Australia

 AMRA 2013 Model Railway Show Perth
On the June long weekend each year, AMRA holds the Model Railway show at the Claremont Showgrounds. It is a very big show. As mentioned in previous posts, the ModofAu guys were presenting one layout, consisting of 3 parts - Oberon, Tarana and the Hawkesbury Bridge. This NSWGR layout was set around the 60's to 70's time era. Here are some photos capturing the  weekend. Most photos were taken on Peter Higgins layout Oberon and features mostly my rolling stock and locos. Click on the photo's for much larger versions.


Peter, who owns Oberon, and Rodney, owner of Hawkesbury getting things organised.
The beginnings of Hawkesbury Bridge.


3830 ( a Model Dockyard brass model) heads the first train across the bridge for a test run.
A successful crossing. The loco is fitted with Loksound and fibre optic lighting. The bogie water gin is the Casula Silvermaz kit with Keiran Ryans detail kit plus other extra details.

Early morning in Oberons yard, the first mixed freight is ready to leave with some return freight and empties, but still has to pick up the cattle cars, and load some cattle from the yards. 4401 has been sent up the branch line for some extra work.
Peter H's CPH number 5 awaits the return early morning trip, before the freight goes down the line. In the background the station masters daughter is sent to see what he wants for morning tea.
The boys are nearly ready to start work, but need to finish their catchup of the weekends activities.
Old Mr Walters only has his wheat lorry running at the moment, and has stopped by to see if his delivery of farm parts has arrived, before overseeing the loading of his cattle down at the yards.

4401 has picked up more wagons, and is patiently waiting for the cattle to be loaded.

Mr Walters doesn't rush things.
Meanwhile back at the yard, another strange guest has arrived.

The 2 mainline locos dominate the yard.
A late evening storm is approaching. 3830 waits patiently for the 44 to clear the goods siding before picking up an assortment of rolling stock ready to head out in the late evening.
4401 finally gets to head out back towards Tarana for mainline duties.

The storm is fast approaching the mainline back at Tarana. A 48 class sits at the station.


The judges looked favorably upon our contribution to this years Exhibition. What was more satisfying was seeing the smiles and knowledge that we had contributed to giving kids and adults a happy experience and knowing they will go away with positive experiences of a Model Train Show.

 Thanks to Peter, Paul, Rodney, Andrew and John for a good weekend and allowing me to participate and run all sorts of trains on the branchline. Who'd of thought, a 38 at Oberon!

Friday, April 5, 2013

Another set of Back drops

The next set of backdrops completed this past week are for the Oberon portion of the exhibition layouts for the 2013 Perth Model Railway exhibition created by the guys from the MODOFAU group. The panels are 2400mm each. The panoramic scene is early morning in Oberon.  See it at the Perth Exhibition, June Long weekend.

Basic blocking in with sky. Buildings are masked out with tape.
 
Early morning sunrise taking shape.
 
Basic hills and tree blocking in.
Starting to add foliage details. Light facing the sun side.


Buildings with basic blocking out before adding in details.
Close up of the buildings .

Finished panels with the 2 side wings.

Sunday, March 24, 2013



Painting Backdrops
It's been a while since I posted, but the New Year is well underway...so, apart from heaps of computer work for school, I have in the last week completed a back scene for one of the layouts for this years Perth Model Railway Show as well as completing a few carriages. This backscene is  going behind a layout based on Tarana NSW which will be part of a bigger exhibition layout.
  
You may see the back drop is sitting on the back of our sectional roller door in the car port - for an easel the back beams of the door worked really well to support the 600mm high 3mm MDF lengths. I tek screwed a couple lengths of aluminum L bracket to the bottom beam and a few clips on the top beam...easily braced and supported the backdrops. Only one incidence of my wife activating the rooler door with the remote. Got to her in the nick of time.
I have one more set of backdrops to do.  
 
Undercoated and the blues are housepaint blues applied with roller and then blended with a 5 inch brush.
Clouds and distant hills blocked in with Acrylic paints. I use Ateliar artist acrylics.

Hills going in.
Building up the distant hill foliage and trees, and starting to create valleys and rises.
Other end of the scene. Few bigger closer gums in the foreground.


The finished scene. The unfinished bottom bits will fasten to the layout baseboards and have scenery coming up to meet the backscene.