Covid lockdown building - the Wardell Goods Yard

Since 26 June 2021, Sydney has been in lockdown with Covid restrictions with movement for only essential reasons such as shopping for groceries. This is the second time the Greater Sydney region has been in lockdown since the Covid Pandemic that begin in March 2020. 

The lockdown gave me ample reason to finish off the goods yard. I didn't have the dedicated time to complete with a start-stop approach reducing my motivation. However, four weeks into lockdown and I have been able to complete the Wardell Goods Yard

Above: Completed Wardell Goods Yard

Kits used

The Wardell goods yard area to be modelled is to represent the area of the Petersham goods yard that is currently occupied by the Transport Training Centre. I have made a few changes using artistic license. 

The kits used include the following:

Uneek Weighbridge and hut - the yard had a weighbridge in its day but was later removed. 

Sentinel Yard Crane - A yard crane was located at the yard but later removed

Uneek 5 Ton Crane Concrete base and stairs - To complement the Sentinel kit that didn't have a concrete base. 

Uneek Working Yard light - The yard light modelled was used in many NSWGR goods yards so I have installed one. 

Southern Rail Models G1b Goods Shed - This is smaller shed that the prototype but I decided to use this instead due to the small footprint. 

LJ Industrial mesh fencing - Industrial fencing used from a leftover kit to fence the area from the roadside. The prototype has something similar 

Sommerfeldt #300 and #388 - For the ending mast for the catenary and tension system. 

Scenery begins

The area is fairly large in comparison to the total layout and I had left it untouched for a number of years although I had completed the station. The varied terrain and the incorporation or a working tram line was one of the main stumble blocks. The gradient of the tramline had to be amended in order for the tram to navigate the steep incline. I have found a solution but this will be discussed in a later post. 

Above: Photo take in October 2020 showing the work required to scenic the area. 

1) The first thing I dealt with was incorporating a terminal mast for the siding that had catenary. At Petersham there was one siding that had electrical wiring and I wanted to incorporate that. 

Above is the Sommerfeldt kits unopened and the completed end terminal kit in the yard. This was completed in last 2020. 

The yard work was left dormant until the June lockdown this year. Where I had time to get to work on the scenery. 

Steps: I started with the backscene and reused an old LJ corner store card model and cut it in half and used it as a low relief building. 

Step 2: The road and footpath alongside the goods yard was done next done. I use 800 grade sandpaper for the road

Step 3: The Industrial fence was next and this was quite tedious since the road is curved and the terrain is uneven. I used a number of techniques to try and hold the fence up. 

Step 4: The Uneek Weighbridge and hut was next built using the instructions provided without any modification. 

Step 5: An corrugated gate and fence was added at the entrance this was remains of a Walthers kit I had used previously. 

Step 6: The ground cover was next made of a coal dust, asphalt and real dirt from my garden. The real dirt was dried in the oven and then sifted. 

Step 7: Woodlands Scenics foilage, fine and course turf using various colours and different grades of foilage was then used. The dark green colours were added along areas which were less trafficiated

Step 8: Trees were added along the perimeter of the yard from the inventory of trees I had on-hand. 

Step 9: I added vehicles from my collection, a Weico FC Holden Ute, Weico Ford F100 tray truck and I modified a Weico Bedford TK using a Peter Young longer wheel base and adding further details such as under carriage, side mirrors and driver. 

The completed scenery is shown in the top picture.