Wombat Creek Tramways

The first tram has arrived at the new tram shelter. Mr and Mrs Patterson are too busy talking and will probably miss the tram.

At work I recently had an introduction to 3D printing. I thought it would be a good idea to print something useful for Wombat Creek Tramways. At thingiverse.com I came across a small shelter for a tram stop, so why not give it a go. Its architecture would fit in nicely with other shelters in Wombat Creek. Little did I know the model is a copy of a shelter from Fruens Bøge, Odense, not far from where I grow up in Denmark. The tramways closed before I was born, but the little shelter still exists at the tramway museum at Skjoldenæsholm.

The slightly out of focus photo shows the shelter before being painted. As seen it will take some of the future garden space at the terraced houses above the mine.

During a recent visit to Melbourne I spotted a building adorned by spheres, so why not in Wombat Creek?

The control panel for the Tramways is almost finished. All switches are installed but some are not connected.

The black sliding switches are for sections between tram stops. They are normally on and only used for emergency stops.

The black push buttons are at tram stops. They are normally off.

The red push buttons control the points. Some are still to be wired.

The toggle switches will control traffic lights (currently not working due to a short circuit!), street lights and interior lights. At the moment two are spare.

A proper country town in Victoria will have a ‘Mechanics Institute’ and Wombat Creek is no difference.

A 2021 visit to Lancefield provided me with the front of a very low-relief Institute (it is less 10 mm thick). Unfortunately it didn’t look quite right next to the RSL building. Too massive and dominating, but it had to do until something better turned up.

I recently visited Creswick and came across the Victoria Institute. Quite difficult to photograph with the sun right behind the building but worth a try.

Back home the image went through Photoshop. With the colours brightened and the windows cleared a mock-up replaced the old Institute.

Not quite right. It is more a free-standing building than in a row of houses. I liked the windows, though.

Back to the old Mechanics Institute. This time with the windows cut out and glazed, which has ‘lighted’ the building. I am in fact quite satisfied with the outcome. Only issue is the missing ‘urns’ at the top of the wall. Not sure how I replicate them.

After more than six years Wombat Creek has gone from this

to this.

The last track work involved the bridge over the mining railway and the creek. After months of deliberations I have come to the conclusion a gauntlet with the tracks intertwined was not possible. Instead the two tracks a positioned close to each other allowing only one tram at the time to cross the bridge. To avoid a tram crash ( or a car crash) traffic lights have be installed at either end of the bridge. Electronics controls the frequency of the lights but not the running of the trams.

As mentioned the bridge is rather narrow and people crossing the bridge risk being squashed by out-swinging trams. Appropriate warning signs have been installed.

After more than 6 years of the work, today was the day to finally lay the last piece of track and the tramways would be fully operationally. The last track was bought Friday and today was the day! The section will be a tram stop and needs to be isolated with two plastic joiners. Here comes the catch! I was left with only one isolated joiner! 

I will be off to the nearest model railway shop very soon!