An old VHS tape that the Druffmeister thinks a guy called Dennis (a former boss of Mr Fettler) shot on one of the Otaki to Cass setups in maybe 1993/4. Of course I haven't had access to a PAL capable VHS player for 13 years now so it was quite nice to find this.
It turns out that there is a PAL capable player at work, so I managed to import this into my Mac using Elgato video capture. Screwed up the title/vid sizes, but such is life. Note the green fluffosauras at Otaki, commentary from Mr Dandruff himself, the seismic fault module joins, the only RoadRailer to ever visit the Otaki Ballast Pit, an accidental compulsory stop on the Otaki bridge (for electrical block switching reasons it would appear!), and a pair of racing DCs through the Karangahake Gorge in coal-black livery (portending the Bumblebee era by at least 10 years).
The layout seems a little devoid of rolling stock, although it looks like there is a decent sized DXR/DF coal train at Otaki platform and DJ+recabbed DG ballast train as well. The DFT+DF freight looks close to the limit of the Otaki loop but is certainly a nice size on this layout. The 4-wheeler coalie at the Otaki platform is a bit short - some poorly performing vehicles may have been banished to the ballast pit or goods shed sidings.
As Cass has a shortish loop, we needed at least one 'short' train to make a crossing there, so the CB coal train, the ballast train or Rhys's TranzAlpine (notably absent here) were the usual options. Much hurried point throwing (manual via rods) and block switching was required to effect the crossings, which as can be seen could be done without trains stopping at Otaki. The gorge-racing DCs were trying to get into the Cass loop so the lumbering freight could run through without stopping also, although as can be seen in the first sequence, this was not perfect all the time...
The scenic features in this iteration of the layout (counter clockwise) were Cass bank, Cass station, Cass River, Makatoke viaduct, Karangahake Gorge, Otaki, Otaki bridge and then back to Cass. In the middle, the editorial staff of this fine electric organ fended off hecklers, drank fizzy drinks and participated in frenzied switch throwing every 30 seconds.
Other Druffers and lurkers may remember more...
8 comments:
absolutely fab. some great footage and don't those coal wagons look good!that large viaduct is very impressive.what was it made from? ,or was it micro engineering kits.the layout is a credit to all involved.
Well, at least the loaded coal trains were running the right way!
OK, so it was an exhibition in Wellington, how many did we do? Porirua and...
Ahh the flying Cb train. From memory teh loop at Cass wasn't much bigger than the train, and I can't remember hitting them once.
We did have a lot of fun with that layout.
Wasnt there a show in Upper Hutt? (I remeber Lawrence B turning up for a look). Plus another one before DB headed to Sydney. Plus Cass got a few outings on its own, I seem to recall...
The viaduct was based on a square curtain rail with various bits hanging off it. The legs were scratchbuilt from plastruct H sections with little Xs made from wire ti give the illusion of detail. The trusses were cast in bog from a master made from a shortened commercial span.
I remember taking various forms of the layout to Wainuiomata, lower hutt? Porrirua, Christchurch (its final exhibition?).
Porrirua was the first one to have Otaki completed I think? At Christchurch the big bushed curve with the bridges made its debut I think? Maybe Wainui was the one with the first two cass sections, the viaduct and my long thin Otago central bit? Its all a bit hazy...
OK, lets play the memory game then.
-Lower Hutt. Just the otago central modules plus the viaduct? I remember scenic-ing one end 10 minutes before the door opened.
We went to Christchurch twice. First one we spent the 10 minutes before the door opened trying to work out what Rod had done to teh wiring. Glenn spent the weekened helping us run it which lead to his Broken river layout.
Porirua was the 1993 convention and we did have all the modules together then I think?
Was there a show in Wainui?I can't quite place it, though I do have vague memories of trying to find food over there at some point.
It seemed like we exhibited it more times than that, there was one that Bruce took Cass away on its own and spent the weekend swearing at the trackwork.
Wasnt the Wainui show the first showing for the Karangahake corner module?
http://kiwibonds.com/NZmodels/newkara%20vert.jpg
"At an early exhibition at Wainuiomata a DG/DJ coal train has left the 6x1 foot Central Otago section, crossed the viaduct and is now threading through the "Karangahake gorge" module based on that neat pic of the real thing by Norm Daniel. This particular exhibition was held before the Cass modules were completed so the tracks around the back completing the loop of track were constructed 'on site', stapled to scraps of wood and cardboard, much to the horror of the owners of more professional exhibits."
And someone spun their Purple Honda City on the Wainui Hill in the wet....
I vaguely remember the "swearing at the track" episode, I have no idea where or when though, Masterton maybe?
Cass also made at least one other appearance in Lower Hutt, all I can remember is Karl standing across the room swearing at us (good natured of course) every time the DXR came around the curve with it's ditch lights on.
Then of course there was the Pamly convention with Cass, the other 9mm layout and the beer fridge...
yes, didn't we just leave the layout running and go and drink beer, with teh occasional glance across to see if it was still running.
I also have vague recollections of trying to find an open strip joint in Palmy on easter sunday. We must have been hammered...
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