G... 2023 went fast!

It only seems like a few weeks ago that I turned my inner-Melbourne HO scale shelf layout into a slice of the NSW North Coast. Now here we are at the beginning of another hot Australian summer, and while looking through some of the photos I had snapped at Philden Beach during the course of this year, I had to stop and calculate exactly how long ago it was that a G Class locomotive paid a visit to the shores of Philden Beach?

Two of 2023's new release models from Auscision, an SCT livered G Class and my Cootes Industrial C.

It was way back in early January that I transformed my Philden Street Yard layout into my NSW North Coast Philden Beach affair. That's now close to 12 months ago. During that time, there has been a steady stream of newly released and re-released models over the course of 2023, many of which have made their way onto my layout's roster.

It started with the re-release of Auscision Models NR Class locos, (late 2022), of which I added NR22 in the 4 star Pacific National livery around this time last year. Then continued with March's release of Auscision's long anticipated BL Class locomotive, my choice being BL28 in the intermodal Pacific National livery. Moving onto some rollingstock, I added Auscision's re-released NGGF sugar hoppers, and their NQJX container wagons and NDMX spoil wagons. And then in July, an Auscision Models C Class locomotive turned up by the seashore in the form of C509 in the Cootes Industrial leased green and gold livery. Things were beginning to look settled until... the above Auscision Models SCT G Class locomotive suddenly popped its head up in one of the back sidings of Philden Beach. Like, what was that all about?

The only SCT PBGY multi-freighter wagon to ever appear at Brandon Industries.

Well, sometimes you just try out different things on your layout, just because you can, like the Trainworld/Rail Motor Models SCT PBGY van above. As you can see, a single van was long enough to completely fill the back dock of my Brandon Industries warehouse. At 27 cm long over the couplers, the PBGY van remains the longest thing to ever run over my layout's rails. Coupled to the G Class, umm, perhaps a little too long! It didn't stop me however from jumping right in and weathering the pair to turn that pristine red and white livery into a dirty slice of diesel delight!

By the time it was collected from the back sidings of Philden Beach, it was looking pretty grubby!

The G Class loco copped even more of the same treatment. Perhaps if I hadn't already released my book Model Railway Weathered Wonders, the G might have made its way onto the cover! It turned up a filthy treat! I think I took these photos around August. The loco sold quickly afterwards and the PBGY van is available now on my eBay page.

G513 was in a filthy state by the time it left Philden Beach!

Amongst all of my incompleted projects for 2023, I discovered some video footage I'd shot of a heavily weathered G513 working the yard around Philden Beach.

G513 no. 1 end showing...

...and a nice side-on shot as the loco idles away.

I think I vaguely recall my plans for 2023 were to purchase a new model, weather it and then film it operating on the layout for a short YouTube video. Then when the fun was over, list it for sale on my eBay page and repeat. Time never permitted me being able to do this more than once, and while the above loco has since found a new home, I haven't even found the time to produce a single YouTube video during the course of 2023.

After a very brief spell in the Harbour Yard, G513 has now long departed. That's 2023 in a nutshell.

Before I can say, "gee the year has gone quick," it is now almost over. I suppose that's been the case for many folks. For myself, I've forged ahead with writing and releasing 3 books over the course of 2023, yet still find myself disappointed that I won't get the 4th book finished before the year is out. The plan was to finish on 23 books in the year 2023 before seeing where next year would take me. As of the 18th December that target is looking rather unattainable.

So, with this little reminiscing post now posted, perhaps I am better off talking about what I'd like to achieve layout-wise in 2024. There are some small ideas such as;

• Re-lettering the layout front with some stick-on vinyl names that reflect it's North Coast New South Wales location.
• Completing the street market scene atop the Philden Street overpass, (yes, the name seems to have stuck from the layout's previous incarnation).
• Adding a quality bluetooth speaker beneath the Jetty Hotel to stream music from my iPhone.
• Starting work on building/modelling some drop-in scenes on either side of the track as it transitions to staging.
• Scenicking the staging yard tracks without the need to add a backdrop or structures that would be protrude above the staging shelf's raised outer lip.
• Anticipate the arrival of my pre-ordered Auscision Models NPHH cement wagons?
• Expect a further announcement regarding the Auscision NSW 49 Class announcement?
• Expect the unexpected?

Perhaps that last point is all I can be certain of.

Let's wait and see what new arrivals 2024 will deliver on Philden Beach.

With the G now a distant memory in 2023, I need to wait until the heat of summer is over before I can get busy weathering my Pacific National pairing of BL28 and NR22. I plan on making the pair my workhorses of the layout, along with the mighty C Class. The NGGF sugar hoppers will follow, with an extensive spell in my airbrushing booth planned to get them looking authentic, and my spoil wagons and container flat wagons will also get treated to a light dusting before I jump into restocking my eBay store with a few more weathered models as time permits in 2024.

Meanwhile, so long as this hot weather continues Down Under, the AC shall stay on and I will remain perched behind my laptop writing, in the off-chance that I may get the final Philden book completed before New Years Eve...

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