The sweet new addition

My layout is once more feeling 'sweet-as' following the arrival of my new Auscision Models C44ACI locomotive in the attractive Aurizon 'pineapple' livery, (pineapple field added for effect). Although you would be forgiven for describing the yellow locomotive as a banana given that my layout is set in a town where the Big Banana reigns supreme!

While revamping Philden Beach over these past 12 months has seen my layout's setting become more modern, finding any suitable small locomotives to act as the yard shunter has proven to be a prickly-sweet affair. However, the sweet new addition of loco no. 6025 will only enhance operations on Philden Beach, and it seems I have made a great choice in selecting the Aurizon livered 6020 Class locomotive to join my roster. As was the case with last year's release of the C and BL Class locomotives, the model again comes in the simplified black foam inside liner, making it a lot easier to remove the model from the box given that the model is dripping with details that you would once only dream about on a brass locomotive.

The bright yellow livery already looks right at home on my Philden Beach shelf layout.

I've liked this locomotive livery ever since photographing a similar 5020 Class coal variant at Chilcotts Creek on a trip back from the Hunter Valley back in May 2016. Of course, my wife now refers to my model of 6025 as the 'lollipop man train', as she shot the image shown here of 5042 from the passenger window of our car as we slowed for roadworks after chasing the banker units off a coal train from Ardglen along the New England Highway.

The lollipop man gave the obligatory smile once he realised he was going to end up in someone's photo, and eight years on we have a funny story to go with one of the model locomotives on my shelf layout.

This was the same case with the Auscision Models C Class locomotive that I added to Philden Beach last year. I'd stopped to photograph an SSR grain train at the Moree Bulk Grain Silos back in 2018 whilst driving south to Victoria along the Newell Highway, and amongst the 6 loco lash-up were 3 x C Class diesels idling away, (C504 + C505 + C509).

After walking the cotton prickle infested grass corridor alongside the railway line to photograph them all, I knew I was going to want a model of one for my own layout. Even if I was complaining while removing cotton spikes from the soles of my sneakers for the next couple of hours from the comfort of the passenger seat. I ended up ordering the model of C509 in the Cootes Industrial livery as it was the only number produced of any of the locomotives I photographed that day. Although I still get tempted by the thought of adding the SSR pair of C510 in the SSR green & yellow, and C507 in the 40 Year Anniversary SSR blue and yellow livery!

Memories. They're prickly-sweet even at the best of times!

My models of a C44ACI locomotive 6025 alongside ex-Victorian C Class unit C509.

I like the flared radiator fins on the no. 2 end of the Aurizon 6025 as much as I do the North American comfort cab on the nose of the C Class.

Which brings me to the prickly end of the pineapple. After farewelling my Noughties-era locomotives and rolling the time period forward on my layout, it's a case of big or nothing at all on the new release front for the foreseeable future.

For a 2013+ era layout that is set on the NSW North Coast line, right now we have the NR Class locos available from both Auscision Models and SDS Models, along with Auscision's C43/44ACI, C, G and BL Class locomotives. Of these, I already have the Pacific National NR22 + BL28, the Cootes Industrial C509 and now Aurizon's 6025 plying the rails on Philden Beach.

Coming soon, or currently available to pre-order are the SDS Models 81 Class and Auscision's GT46-ACe, CLP, CLF and 90 Class locomotives. Of these, perhaps the QR National LDP Class GT46-ACe is the logical choice to pair up with my new Aurizon 6025, given that Aurizon never repainted the LDP's from their QR National colours, and kept them running right up until their lease expired and they ceased intermodal operations at the end of 2017.

A small shelf layout that really only operates single loco transfer runs and switching operations doesn't require a big fleet. But even on a fictional layout, I'm mindful to keep everything era appropriate.

However, given that 4 locos are providing enough ample power to operate my shelf layout, perhaps doing nothing for the time being and holding out for some smaller locomotive models to serve as yard shunters might be the more sensible approach. Auscision Models recently updated their website to show that they are planning to produce the 42 Class, S Class, GM Class and A Class Bulldogs, the NSW Mk II & III 44 Class and the NSW 49 Class locomotives. Of these, a 49 Class diesel in either the Greentrains/Cootes Industrial or SSR liveries would be ideal to complement my C Class.

As they have now also archived all of their sold-out models, I'm not expecting an announcement regarding a NSW 48 Class re-run anytime soon either. So it remains a case of go big or go home...

Given that I made the switch to DCC sound equipped models in the early days of building Philden Street Yard and have since revamped the layout as part of my series of books, I can't complain about keeping a frugal layout roster when the models I have are all of the highest quality available. With DCC sound models here locally in Australia pushing the $500 mark, right now would be a daunting prospect for any modeller thinking of changing from DC to DCC operation. However, the quality of models available on the market right now is also the best it has ever been. I guess that is the reason why the thought of adding an extra C Class or another C43/44ACI model in a different livery is so appealing.

Until next time...