Back in the late 1940's when the mass electrification of Sydney's network was underway, plans were put in place to extend the electric network far beyond the city. While most of these plans were successful others not so much. The electrification to the Blue Mountains and Newcastle were accomplished. however the original plans to extend this network on the main south line sadly never was completed. The plans to have electrification done in three stages beyond Campbelltown, first Picton, then Moss Vale and finally Goulburn. Sadly many factors and red tape saw the plans never come to pass.
With a growing number of ready to run NSW electric locomotives and stock becoming available it is making the modeling of inner sydney trains more possible. The recent release of Auscision's 86 class, with their 46 class not far behind along with the V-set's and Tangara set's at some stage are just some.
Southern Rail have their wonderful U-boats and gantry, the IDR castings kit for the 85 class, berg's Red Ratlers along with Casulas double deck cars. The Sydney suburban stock is becoming a strong market.
Personally I couldn't resist the growing range of HO scale electrics. I got the first taste of what rolls under the HO scale wires at the Liverpool show a few years back. The layout of the Electric car sheds had me fascinated. I then picked up one of Southern Rail's U-boats the same day. since then I have added to this. First with an 85 class kit from IDR this being the first loco kit I have ever done. Also my first attempt at airbrushing to paint it. While not perfect I do like how it came up. With Auscision releasing their 86 class I thought why not. Having visited Thirlmere not long before hand and seeing the 86 they had preserved. I took the opertunity to add to my heritage fleet ordering 8646. With its arrival last week and being very impressed I then proceeded to order another two 8642 in candy and their unannounced number 8601 in freight rail blue with Silverton logos as it is today. currently owned by Dorrigo and stored at Broadmeadow.
So what dose all this have to do with the Goulburn layout? While it is reasonable to adapt a real location to fit a model somethings can be a bit of a stretch. Now I have no intention of being completely unrealistic and putting overhead wires through Goulburn, but a small branch line off the Argyle station section with some overhead wires would be good giving my electric fleet somewhere to run. A fictitious station connecting the main south to a link in the Sydney electric network. this would allow quite a few number of operations, shunting and of course change in loco's to continue the train. None of this of course will begin until the entire layout is up and running to its full capacity.
so on to a few photos of the growing fleet of Argyle's electric stock.
So firstly my locos all my 86class lined up.
8642 looking the part at the head of a local supplementary interurban train.
Loco workings were quite interesting for that night.
although a question was raised how these loco's were managing with the lack of over head wires!
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