I have had a bit of a mixed relationship with the Roundhouse over the years. In the early 1970s I would grab it eagerly to get the colourful inserts advertising steam tours, only to find that most have been run the previous weekend.
In the late 1970s the Roundhouse hit its heyday, with a series of detailed and well-polished articles by Robert Booth and others, which ultimately became the Byways of Steam publication.
More recently, I stopped reading the Roundhouse when it became little more than an advertorial for a very misguided organisation, ignoring its failures and over-blowing its few successes. More recently it seems to be taking a more thoughtful approach, and is certainly worth the $10 it costs.
When I saw the current edition's cover, I reasonably concluded it was all about a big green steam engine.
But no! Its really all about the painting of another big green steam engine, 3144T!
Tucked down the back of the magazine is a ripping little article from Percy Suckling, retired Dubbo driver who turns out to be the Michelangelo of the West.
Percy's great article explains how the painting of 3144T and 3028T into green and blue respectively, all came about. I am not going to regurgitate the article, which has some great insights about how it all went down.
The information in the article gives me my first opportunity to use the 'table' function in the latest version of blogger so here goes...
| Locomotive | Arrived in Dubbo | Repainted | Left Dubbo |
| 3028T | 1966 | 29 Jan 1968 - 3 Feb 1968 | 10 April 1970 |
| 3144T | 1964 | 19 - 23 January 1968 | 14 January 1969 |
So, a great read. The magazine also has a good article on the 44 class fleet by John Casey and a terrific bit of news about J & A Brown's Mersey Tank No. 5 (The Major) by Bruce Saunders.
On the modelling side, things are inching towards an operating layout. The shed containing the layout was hooked up the grid this week, many of the boards have arrived in town, the Dubbo station kit has been finished as far as is possible, Talbragar Bridge is under construction and the facade of Dubbo's distinctive Railway Refreshment Room has been constructed. So progress!
Cheers, until there is more progress or news
Don
