Blue Mountains is the current layout of North Shore Railway Modellers Association. It made its debut at the 2018 Forestville NSW Exhibition, albeit in an incomplete form. Subsequent completion of scenic details saw it win prestigious awards at numerous exhibitions. This year we are exhibiting the layout in an expanded form with the completion of Katoomba added to the front side of the layout and Warrimoo and Valley Heights stations as well as Valley Heights loco depot including an operational coal stage on the rear side of the layout.
The layout is based on the final years of steam operation (and start of diesel running) on the steep Blue Mountains line west of Sydney from about 1950 to 1957. This was one of the most extraordinary railway operations, possibly anywhere, due to the frequent train operations, steep grades, double heading of most west bound trains, delays while goods trains were stopped to set and release brakes. And while goods trains ran slowly, passenger trains operated smartly on steep grades. Again, most west bound passenger trains, even when hauled by the popular 38 Class, required a banking engine. Star of operations is the use of double headed 57 and 58 Class locos on 1500-ton coal trains.
Member’s trains cover the range of passenger services, such as the Central West Express with a rake of HUB cars or the Caves Express with a rake of end platform cars. Goods services will cover local mixed freight, wool or wheat trains to Sydney and returning empty, and 57 and 58 locos double heading on block coal trains.
Blue Mountains won the “Best Layout” award at the AMRA Victoria 2023 Exhibition.
Watch Will James’ review of the AMRA 2023 exhibition, Blue Mountains is featured from 1:13 to 9:32 in this video.