In my August blog I mentioned about having trains coming and going. Over the past months I have been buying and selling on Ebay. I have added a Eureka 50 class to the collection, sold my 70 class, as it was unemployed and just sat around, then I bought and sold off Pullman Cars, so I could end with what I needed and got rid of what I didn't need. I found that the 12 class was flat out pulling 6 Pullman cars so I only kept 2. I have been back and forth several times to Sydney with my dealings and my last trip was to take my 50 class to get a new decoder and sound update fitted. Mr. Cunningham told me on the phone that the 50 ran well and was lightly weathered, but when it arrived it ran with hesitation up to half throttle, then smoothened out and the sound was nothing like a 50 steamer, the weathering was a total covering of Khaki color including the coal in the tender. My 30 class would run for a bit then suddenly stop and nothing could get it to move. This is the 2nd motor fitted to this locomotive and I was told that the spare motors were purchased from "Austrains" and all suffered the same fate. It is in Sydney getting a different motor fitted "I hope". On a lighter note, I am waiting the fitting of Louver shutters to the 3 windows that get the afternoon sun, having wrinkled glass makes it hard on the eyes when looking at the layout and into the sun, these I can adjust to block the direct sunlight.
