Railway Modellers' Club of Queensland

Club Layouts

The club has a number of layouts that it uses. Some are permanently setup in the clubrooms and others are used at various exhitions we attend and show at.

The first layout we have is our ‘HO’ scale layout based loosely around a single track continuous run, with return loops and double track passing sidings. This layout is permanently setup in the clubrooms. Additions and changes are always being done to make it more interesting.


Then there is an "N-Scale" layout called "Coyote Canyon" in the form of a folded dogbone for use at the club rooms, but can also be transported and put on show at various exhibitions that the club attends.


We also have an ’HO’ Exhibition Layout called "WHERARWE". This is 21’ x 8’ and is taken to various model railway shows. The layout is based on a modular system (The layout is transported, and can be stored in a specially built car trailer). The modules build up into a rectangle around the operators. This layout is continually undergoing improvements. It is also hoped to build a smaller layout based on a 6' x 4' board suitable to fit within a standard box trailer for easy transport, setup and display.

The History of WHERARWE
This railway line was built in 1966 to serve the community of WHERARWE. Due to a recession in the local economy, at this time, the RMCQ Railway Company looked at ways of reducing the cost of construction. One method they used was to transport a timber trestle from its original site on a disused railway and reposition it over McKinley Bay, so the line to Wherarwe Flats could be completed. A young draftsman named Jim from Hutchinson’s Builders originally designed this trestle. He was also contracted to move the trestle to its present location.

One of the area’s first citizens, Jim Hoskins a farmer of many years standing (after whom Hoskins Hamlet is named), built a homestead a couple of miles to the east of Wherarwe.

Just recently Rampaging Ron working with his business partner Crafty Cummings, the brother of the local Minister - Reverend Cummings (often seen performing weddings in the local area), discovered a deposit of highly sought after blue metal. This was developed and another Railway line was required to be built on a higher level to serve the quarry. In order to handle the freight requirements, the line had to be built to AAR standards. The new track had to pass over the old lines’ formation to the east of Hoskins Farm via the second most famous coat hanger bridge in Australia. From here the line went straight through the backyard of old farmer Hoskins, causing considerable distress to his fruit trees. The track then travelled the escarpment, through Wherarwe railway station, across Station Street, past the community hall and over McKinley Bay via a reasonably modern bridge before going straight past the front door of a house owned by Caston the Architect and through the town of Lachlan’s Gully to the west.

The town of Lachlan’s Gully, located a couple of kilometres to the west of McKinley Bay was completely relocated from its first place of siting called Goenbroke. This town went broke and the two business tycoons Rampaging Ron and Crafty Cummings got their mate Muhling the Master tradesman to move the buildings one by one to their new place of rest.

Because new industry was being sourced for the local town, the local council headed by Mining Magnate and Mayor Mackie, contracted business partners Gail Pullen and Keith Muhling (the master tradesman) to purchase and reactivate the previously bankrupt and dilapidated Jeffrey’s Udometric Nephoscope Kits business – which had become a shelf company. This company was to become a new source of industry for Wherarwe and a railway siding has subsequently been built.

A descendant of farmer Jim Hoskins, Jim Hoskins Jnr, the local fettler, has recently put a splash of paint on the fettler’s shed to the east of the station run by Station Master Stan Pullen. This has been done much to the disgust of local railway heavyweight Commissioner Bruce Harper known for running extremely long and heavy trains, at very tight headways. Commissioner Harper wishes that the time and the money were spent improving track standards so he could run bigger and heavier trains.

Despite this, quite a bit of RMCQ money has been spent by the railways lately to allow longer and faster trains to run. First of all Baty Electronics won a contract from Westinghouse Brake and Signal to provide electronic equipment. An example of this was the equipment to power all the point motors in the newly built local control panels. Actual installation in the control panels was undertaken by Crafty Cummings with assistance from Muhling the master tradesman. Fencing contractor Josephson won another contract let by Commissioner Harper to install barbed wire fencing along the entire length of the railway property to keep railway enthusiasts out.

In an effort to provide something for the Wherarwe locals to do on the weekend, Mayor Mackie is staging a model railway exhibition in the local community hall. Three clubs have turned up with their layouts. Through the windows in the hall can be seen the local people being enthralled by the detail and skill of those dedicated modellers who built the layouts. Rumour has it that a Buy and Sell is also planned for 21st May and 5th November in the hall.

In a joint venture between Mayor Mackie and Commissioner Harper, Hutchinson the builder has been contracted to rebuild the road overbridge at the end of Station Street. Due to a couple of trips overseas, lots of public holidays, and writing articles for reputable magazines in his spare time, progress on the bridge has been slow. It is hoped that within a month or two this bridge will be completed and local traffic will resume to flow, without having to take the long way round.

Crafty Cummings with his partner Rampaging Ron were also recently contracted by Commissioner Harper to install a passing loop on the old right of way, at Wherarwe Flats, due to a number of new freight contracts being recently won. Apparently new business ventures in the pipeline from silent partners Young, Canning and Kingston are the main reasons for the extension.

Station Master Stan Pullen, related to business woman Gail Pullen, can usually be seen on most of his days off camping on the banks of McKinley Bay next to his favourite log along with his trusty fishing rod. McKinley Bay is also the site used by local canoeists that spend most of their weekend paddling around the bay. Most notable of these canoeists are Fearless Fawke and Vernon the Vegetarian who enjoy shooting the rapids farther upstream.


On top of that, for the youngsters, we have our "U-Drive" layout that is taken to exhibitions, which has an N scale and HO scale track that the kids can control.


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