A early version Drop Centre in "O" scale part 6

It has been a long time since my last post, My wife and I have been to Perth and Western Australia for a holiday. There was the planning for that to be done and after we got home I have been assembling our tram museum's display in preparation for this coming weekend.

But I have still managed some time for working on my latest model. Sadly I kept forgetting to take photos as I went along. As I may have said before, a couple of firsts for me with this model. It's the first time I have built an "O" scale tram in styrene and the first time I have airbrushed a model with acrylic paint. I used Tamiya paints and there was nothing close to the Brisbane colours I wanted so I had to blend them myself. It wasn't all that difficult a job because, checking the museum's fleet of trams, no two greys are the same. So it was a case of getting a shade that fitted in the middle somewhere and I'm happy with the finished result.


The figures came unpainted from Micro-Mark in the US. Not knowing what I was going to get I only ordered one pack and I should have ordered more. They are ideal for my scale of 7mm/ft with the figures measuring around 40mm or a scale 5' 8" They have been eating too many Big Macs though.

As supplied the seated figures were too inclined and it was necessary to cut a slice out of their midriffs to make them sit more upright. Brisbane tram seats were never meant for relaxing on. The figures in the cabins are standing figures that have been cut off through the thighs so their heads are the right height above the seat.

The motorman had a new hat made from Milliput and his arms had to be cut off and re-glued so that his hands were on the controls. He has one Milliput hand as well. The hand in question had to be turned through 90 degrees. As I was glueing it back on I was holding it with the tweezers when if flicked out to vanish forever.


Sadly Brisbane's trams were neglected during the mid 60s as it was known that the end was in sight. Surface rust was starting to appear and the trams we generally starting to look untidy. I have used weathering chalks to try and create this effect.

The museum has a fleet of 24 Brisbane trams of which only 6 are fully restored and operational. The remainder are as they were when they stopped running. Many still have the old ads attached. This has been a marvellous resource for me. No 231 is in the museum collection. To finish up here is another photo of 231 in service in the 1960. This photo was posted on TDU some time ago and I can't remember the name of the photographer. I hope he doesn't mind.


It's poor condition is painfully obvious in the photo.