Farewelling my Noughties locos

Time doesn't stand still, and sometimes by taking that approach into our modelling we can instill a sense of modelled history on our layouts. After moving-on some model locomotives last month so that I could afford some new camera gear, I have seemingly farewelled the Noughties era of my HO scale shelf layout.

Just like that, the days of seeing twin National Rail Indigenous NR Class locomotives working my layout are over. So too the sight of twin CFCLA leased locomotives resting in the yard. Retiring certain models from your model railway collection can have an instant impact on the era that you are modelling. In my case, the opportunity to clear out my Noughties era locos and replace them with something from a more recent time period to run alongside my existing Pacific National pairing, now moves the period that my layout is set in forward a decade to the 2013+ era.

Farewell my old Faithfuls. This CFCLA pairing were survivors from my Philden Street Yard layout.

This was the second model I had owned of JL406. I originally had a DC version back on my original Philden layout that you can see photos of in the Philden Museum.

With my new camera paid for so that I could continue my photographic studies uninterrupted, I thought it appropriate to capture some final images of my Noughties fleet in action at Philden Beach.

NR30 was the first locomotive to depart, and after realising that I hadn't taken a single image of that model on my layout's new North Coast setting, I quickly put my new camera to work to record the other 3 locomotives before they departed for the final time. NR52 was the second Indigenous locomotive to depart Philden Beach, and along with the blue and silver CFCLA pairing of FL220, (the ex-NSW 422 Class) and JL406, (the ex-NSW 442 Class), all are now relegated to history on my HO scale shelf layout.

While NR52 may have been a stunning model and extremely rare, the prototype example had been repainted Pacific National blue and yellow by 2008.

In a further example of time not standing still, the first replacement locomotive is on its way as I type this. Adding a single C44ACi model to my small roster moves the layout's modelled era forward to 2013, where it will fit in alongside my Pacific National pairing of NR22 and BL28, and my Cootes Industrial leased C Class locomotive. From there I can gradually return my layout's roster to full strength over the coming year as I save for the next modern locomotive on my hit-list, the GT46ACe. For a small shelf layout, having 5 or 6 locomotives is really enough. After facing a challenging start to the year, it's nice to have a little something to look forward to again.

Until next time...