Blog Image

Wombat Creek Tramways

Wombat Creek is a H0 (1:87) scale model of a fictional town situated somewhere in the Victorian Goldfields, Australia.

The time is 1963. Geelong wins the VFL Championship against Hawthorn (109– 60). John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas. ValentinaTeresjkova is the first woman in Space. The men behind The Great Train Robbery get £2.6 million from a Royal Mail train heading from Glasgow to London.

The town consists of several buildings. The “Wombat Creek Bank and Gold Exchange” is a prominent building in the town centre. You will also find several other commercial buildings; among them the daily newspaper“W.C. Chronicle”(colloquial known as the "Toilet Paper") and “Wombat Creek Brewing Company” (Famous for the “Wombat Bitter”). “The Big Nugget Gold Mine” is situated at the Western outskirts of town near the small Chinatown. The War Memorial is in a small park along East Street.

The town’s mayor Alfred Campbell together with his son David Campbell owns several businesses, including the bank, the pub and the newspaper. AC/DC basically run the town and make most decisions on behalf of the rest of Wombat Creek’s residents, who, on the other hand, are too busy with their own businesses.

The mayor’s latest initiative is Wombat Creek Tramways. Wombat Creek doesn’t really need a tram system, but AC reckons tramways will improve the town’s reputation. Partly because of limited funds the tramways' construction and rolling stock depend heavily on second-hand requirements from other Australian and overseas tramways.

Buildings and Features of Wombat Creek

Buildings and features Posted by Claus EllefPosted on Tue, February 16, 2021 15:48:33
Building / Construction / FeatureFinishedIn ProgressPlanned
Bakery ‘Wombat Creek’Fphoto
BandstandFphoto
Bar ‘The Wombat Cave’Fphoto
BarberFphoto
Barristor ‘Lawson and Partners’Fphoto
BookshopFphoto
Brewery ‘Wombat Creek Brewing Company’Fphoto
Butcher ‘A.J. Roberts’Fphoto
Chinese Restaurant ‘Golden Dragon’Fphoto
Church Street, shop #1 ‘Antiques’Fphoto
Church Street, shop #2 ‘Real Estate Agent LJ Hooker’Fphoto
Church Street, shop #3 ‘Tiles and Taps’Fphoto
Church Street, shop #4 ‘TAB’Fphoto
Church Street, shop #5 ‘Bottle Shop’Fphoto
Church Street, shop #6 ‘Veterinarian’Fphoto
Church Street, shop #7 ‘Burke & Wills Surviors’Fphoto
Church Street, shop #8 ‘Pet Shop’Fphoto
Church Street, shop #9 ‘To Let’Fphoto
Church Street, shop #10Fphoto
Church Street, shop #11 ‘Toy Shop’Fphoto
Church Street, shop #12 ‘Rugs’Fphoto
Church Street, shop #13 ‘Tiny Trends’Fphoto
CinemaFphoto
Coffe shop ‘Bert. Edwards’ Tea Rooms’Fphoto
Coles StoresFphoto
Dentist ‘Molar’Fphoto
Doctor ‘Paine’Fphoto
Electrician ‘Gilbert Electrical’Fphoto
Emporium ‘Raven’s’Fphoto
Fibro House #1Fphoto
Fibro House #2Fphoto
Fish’n’ChipsFphoto
Florist ‘Flowers on the Corner’Fphoto
Funeral Director ‘Bell Brothers – Best in the Ground’Fphoto
Furniture Shop ‘ Simpson Lee & Co.’Fphoto
Goldsmith ‘Goldstein’Fphoto
Green grocer ‘Pears’Fphoto
Haberdashery ‘Buttons’Fphoto
Hairdresser ‘Chez Alberto – Curl Up and Dye’Fphoto
Hardware ‘Allan W. Taylor & Co.’Fphoto
Joinery ‘Ray Knott’Fphoto
Ladies Fashion ‘Manning & Co.’Fphoto
Milk barFphoto
Newspaper ‘Wombat Creek Cronicle’Fphoto
Old tram shedFphoto
Petrol station ‘Golden Fleece’Fphoto
Pharmacist ‘John McCoff’Fphoto
Photographer ‘J.F. Hurley’Fphoto
Post officeFphoto
Public toilet ‘Victoria Square’Fphoto
Pub ‘Mug Punter Hotel’Fphoto
RacecourseFphoto
Radio TV Cycles ‘Hillman’Fphoto
Stock and Land Agent ‘Kookaburra’Fphoto
Tailor ‘ Boyson’Fphoto
Town hallFphoto
Tram depotFphoto
Tram stop ‘East Street’F
Tram stop ‘Victoria Street’Fphoto
War MemorialFphoto
Watchmaker ‘McFarlane & Son’Fphoto
Water TowerFphoto
Woody’s Timber YardFphoto
BankIP
ChurchIP
Department StoreIPphoto
Plumber ‘Leaky’IPphoto
Queen Victoria MarketIPphoto
Shoe shop ‘C. Row Rauert’IPphoto
Factory ‘Vinegar’IP
Coal DepotP
Fire stationP
HotelP
Mechanics’ InstituteP
Police stationP
SchoolP
Statue ‘Queen Victoria’P
Finished (for the time being)63
In progress7
Planned7
Total77


Wombat Creek Bank and Gold Exchange – part 16

Text & photos from the layout Posted by Claus EllefPosted on Tue, February 16, 2021 15:39:46

While waiting for the balustrades to arrive from England my attention has been on the road at the back of the bank. It will hardly be visible from a normal point of view, but I know it is there and it must look right.

wct 210216
Behind the Bank

The area has been raised some 15 mm above the baseboard, which has caused a small issue with Myer’s display window. A few steps will connect the lower footpath to higher grounds. The surface of the road is made of fine sandpaper which looks quite real apart from the joints. Retaining walls will be built along the footpath next to Myer and in front of the vinegar factory. Why vinegar? It will give me a reason to model a famous sign (at least famous around Melbourne) of a skipping girl. Not sure how I make her skipping at night time. Neon lights in H0/00 scale are rare!



Wombat Creek Bank and Gold Exchange – part 15

Text & photos from the layout Posted by Claus EllefPosted on Tue, February 16, 2021 15:33:48

Life in Wombat Creek is pretty quiet at the moment. Recent work includes some ‘underground’ adventures. To make room for the basement of ‘City Hatters’ a crossbeam under the Bank has been moved 45 mm to the west.

The roof of the building is finished, finally. The central dome has been topped with a flagpole, which bring me to the following question:

How to model a flag?

A paper flag will look like – a paper flag on a stick!