Busy Busy

I've just taken 2 weeks off from the Salt Mine for 2 main reasons. One, it was my birthday and I don't like to work with salt on my birthday. And secondly, I wanted to finish off the the top deck or 1919 mainline for my layout. I also decided to lay some carpet in the train cave and also make another 4 bookcases so I can move all my train porn into the cave. So it was a very busy 2 weeks in the cave plus a few other odd jobs around the house like fence repairs with my neighbour Gavin and cooking for the little get together I'm having next weekend with friends for my birthday. I don't normally have any celebrations but this year is a little different seeing as my age now has a 5 in it. The good thing about the birthday was the wonderful evening I had with my wife's family and the lovely speech she made for me....I'm sure she was talking about someone else because all of the nice things she said. Some train goodies came my way as well including a NCE ProCab. Woohoo!!!

So here's some pic's of the train cave

Watch your head Fred

New Top Deck

The Top Deck meets

So now, it's back to the Salt mine after all the fun of finishing off the Top Deck. I know where I'd rather be.

Night Time is the Right Time

Went down to the Loftus Tram Museum last night with the Kids and had some rides on trams in the dark. Met up with Elscotto as well as he's a confirmed tram geek as well!! Well Steam Tram that is but the electric type are also cool. The kids loved it as did Elscotto and I and it really showed what it was like to ride in a tram in winter and at night. Running were O 805, W2 249, Adelaide H Car 358, Nagasaki Car and Ballast Tram 42s. Riding in the O was great if a little chilly as the wind whipped in through all the open doors.....luckily it wasn't raining!! The thing that struck me was how bright it was inside the car. For some reason I expected the light to be a bit on the dull side but you'd have no problems reading in the O class.
Everything ran well except for 42s which decided to mount the concrete turning from the mainline between Railway Square and the workshops. No problem though, just back 'er up and she re-rails herself.....nice.
It's a pity the Museum can't run the trams down to the Royal National Park after dark but I'm sure there's some rule or regulation which prevents them from doing it.
I also took some photos of which 98% turned out  crap. I've posted the best of the bad bunch for you all to laugh at.



After last night I'm really kicking myself for not hanging around for the night trams during the 150th anniversary celebrations. Hopefully, they'll do it again at the next tram gala and I'll have my act together photographically.