Tinplate

Not exactly making progress with Weddin, but having been inspired by the current display of tinplate at the Powerhouse Museum yesterday, this afternoon I broke out the old suitcase containing the "family heirlooms". The Hornby type M1 0-4-0 reversing locomotive (LNER colours) is not the original for the collection. The couplings are different from those on the two passenger cars, "Marjorie" and "Aurelia". The clockwork stuff belonged to maternal uncles, and the truss bridge, side-tippler, station and scissors cross-over were made by my grandfather circa late 1940s. I'm told the bridge and station were based on structures at / near Telopea on the Carlingford line, where the family lived.

 

The kids then talked me into digging out the Ferris three-rail Sydney single deck set, having walked through F1 while on display at Sydney Terminal yesterday. This had belonged to my dad's late brother. The marker lights came on, we got some very halting movement from the mech, and a fair bit of arcing, so I assume the motor is not actually burned out, but in need of a lot of TLC. Not sure that the original transformer would pass a "test & tag" inspection, though! The power car definitely needs an application of "bullfrog snot" to repair perished tyres.