Australia New South Wales Government Railways Wirth Brothers Circus Train Version 1.0 BBS Files are dated July 2006 =========================================== Designed by Brian Bere-Streeter Email: bbss@bigpond.net.au Chief Executive Officer The Short North Carriage and Wagon Engineering Workshops Suppliers of Bespoke NSWGR Carriages and Wagons for Microsoft Train Simulator - =========================================== 1. Model Details 2. Installation Notes 3. Historical Notes 4. Copyright, Distribution, Terms of Use =========================================== 1. Model Details Original 3D models of Wirth Brothers Circus Train - by Brian Bere-Streeter These new wagons came about, because of a need to create authentic train formations for use on the Microsoft Train Simulator route - 'Coals to Newcastle' - by Peter Newell. New models were created for: NSWGR Bogie Flat wagon type UME – 9 different loads NSWGR Bogie Flat wagon type BKO – 3 different loads NSWGR 4w Elephant wagon type CW – 2 different loads This is another venture into building new rolling stock from scratch. They may not be the most detailed or totally accurate, but in the absence of other better models, I hope you enjoy running them on your NSW routes in MSTS – at least it gives a bit more variety and authenticity to your train workings. These models are for your personal use only, and may not be sold or distributed in any way without the original creator's permissions. =========================================== 2. Installation Notes Double click on the self installing EXE file and follow the instructions. The models will be automatically installed into a folder called << AU_nswWirthsCircusTrain >> A typical Consist is supplied to use with an Activity based on NSWGR STN 035, 1960. The WB Circus train used in that STN is specified as being made up in the following order: 2x40 class diesel locomotives *, 9 UME flat wagons, 3 BKO flat wagons, 5 CW 4w wagons (special type ‘Elephant’ with raised roof), 2 BCW wagons *, FA coach (use FO coach*), FAM coach (use TAM coach*), 5 BX coaches*, EHO passenger brake van*. SPECIAL NOTE: - For this Consist to work correctly, you will need to also download the other required wagons and coaches, marked *, from the CTN website Downloads area. The Gifford Eardley book referred to below, contains an alternative Consist noted during the mid-1940s as being made up thus: 2xSMR 10 class locomotives (25 and 31), 4 ME flat wagons, 1 E flat wagon, 4 TF flat wagons, 2 BKO flat wagons, 4 CW ‘Elephant’ wagons, 2 BCW cattle wagons, 1 HG 4w brake van, 1 BKO flat wagon, 1 FA coach, 1 AM coach, 2 CX coaches, 3 BX coaches, 2 EHO passenger brake vans. You will need to create either a new consist to use these wagons, or add them to an existing consist. Consists are made, or edited, using MSTS Activity Editor or Carlos Gomes’s ConBuilder. =========================================== 3. Historical Notes There is not a lot of information readily available about Wirth’s Circus and their Circus Trains, so some information here has been assumed, and has been deduced from other sources of information. The railway wagons provided in this pack are a reasonable likeness to those actually used; however, the actual Circus wagons themselves are fictional, derived from a combination of reference sources. The article noted below about the Bertram Mills Circus in Great Britain, contained a reasonable amount of information that would probably be of a similar nature to those circus wagons used by Wirth Bros Circus. All the main elements are represented, i.e. wagons for carrying the main ‘Big Top’ canvas and poles, seating and fencing (mostly under tarpaulins), power generators, Wild Animal cages, Circus Troupe living vans, Managers caravan and Ticket Office caravan. The livery and colour scheme is hypothetical, based on something similar to the Bertram Mills livery. Bertram Mills used a number of David Brown agricultural tractors to move their circus wagons, however, photographic evidence indicates that Wirth Brothers used their Elephants to move the circus wagons – one picture clearly shows one Elephant dragging a circus wagon up ramps onto the railway flat wagons, with a second Elephant pushing at the rear of the circus wagon. The Special Traffic Notice 035, 1960, states that the train originated from Alexandria Goods Yard, so it is assumed that the Circus Headquarters must have been somewhere nearby and therefore all circus trains would probably originate at Alexandria. Trains to the Illawarra would simply run out from Alexandria onto the Down Main Illawarra through Sutherland. Trains to the Main South and the Main West would be routed from Alexandria, via Meeks Road Junction and the Metropolitan Goods lines to Enfield, where they would either turn onto the Main South via Chullora Junction and Sefton Park, or onto the Main West via Flemington Junctions and Lidcombe. Trains to the Main North would take a similar route, but through Flemington Junctions, via Homebush to North Strathfield and the Main North line. WB Circus trains would be run to most major country towns throughout the State. The following notes represent possible MSTS scenarios that could be used with the available NSWGR routes. 1. MSTS ‘Coals to Newcastle’ route - the trains would run from the Enfield Down Main line over the Short North to Newcastle and beyond. It is doubtful that circus performances would be held at other intermediate Short North locations such as Gosford and Wyong, as sufficient siding accommodation would not be available. However, there is the remote possibility that Gosford Racecourse could have been used for circus performances, and the train run over the ‘racecourse’ branch. The STN 035 clearly shows that performances in Newcastle itself, were based out of Honeysuckle goods yard. Other information available indicates that other local Hunter Region circus performances were also shown at Maitland (probably after the Newcastle performances at Honeysuckle, with the train accommodated in Maitland goods yard), and locally at Weston and Cessnock on the SMR lines. The performance at Weston was usually for one night only and the train was accommodated on the Down platform road (other trains working temporarily via bi-directional working over the Up platform line), and for two nights at Cessnock, with the train accommodated in the goods yard. The Weston/Cessnock performances were usually just before or after the Maitland performance, and authorisation was given for 2 SMR 10 class locomotives to work the train from Maitland Goods Yard onto the SMR lines proper, to and from Weston and Cessnock. When the local performances were concluded, the SMR worked the train back to Maitland Goods Yard for onward forwarding by NSWGR locomotives. At other times the circus train could be seen travelling west and north through Maitland to the Main North line via Farley and the Main North Coast line via Telarah. 2. MSTS ‘ Blue Mountains’ route – I have no confirmation that circus performances were held at Penrith, but as this represents the western extremities of the Sydney Metropolitan area, it is possible that performances were held here, before the train ran over the Blue Mountains line to ‘points west’. It is also likely that performances were held in Lithgow, and there is sufficient siding accommodation here for the circus train. 3. MSTS “Tumulla Bank’ route – the circus trains would be seen travelling in both directions over this section of line, however, the communities represented in this route would be too small to warrant local performances. 4. MSTS “Central West’ route – it is very likely that circus performances would be held in Orange and Dubbo, with Wellington as an unconfirmed possibility. As Molong is probably too close to Orange, it is unlikely that performances were held here, however, the circus train would be seen travelling through Molong to and from the Parkes/Broken Hill line, and also the ‘Loop’ line from Dubbo. 5. MSTS “Southern Illawarra’ route – I have no confirmation that circus performances would be seen at Nowra (Bomaderry), but as it is at the southern extremity of the Illawarra line, it is highly possible - and this would serve all the local coastal communities towards the Victorian border - and there would be sufficient siding accommodation for this to occur – however as siding accommodation at Kiama is very limited, it is assumed there would be no performances here. Prototype information for these models has been researched from the following sources: “The Railways of the South Maitland Coalfields”, G.Eardley, ARHS, 1969 – pages 145-146 – “The Operation of Wirth Bros. Circus Special Trains”. NSWGR – Special Traffic Notice – 035, 1960 – Wirth Bros Circus, Alexandria to Honeysuckle "Day of the Goods Train”, Preston, Eveleigh Press, 2002 “Railway Freight Wagons of New South Wales”, Beckhaus, SCR Publications, 1970 Various Internet websites regarding the History of Wirth Bros Circus “Model Rail”, November 2002 – Pages 36-39 – “The Quality Show – Bertram Mills Circus Train in Miniature” =========================================== 4. Copyright, Distribution and Terms of Use -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These train models are released as Freeware. Copyright (C) Brian Bere-Streeter As freeware you are permitted to distribute this archive subject to the following conditions: - These models are intended for private, non-commercial use only; - These models and any of their associated files may not be retro-engineered or used for any purpose other than its original intended use without the prior written consent of the author; - Persons wishing to repaint this model may do so by requesting copies of the original texture files from the author; all such repainted or modified versions must acknowledge the author of the original work; - This archive must be distributed without modification to the contents of the archive. Redistributing this archive with any original files added, removed or modified is prohibited without the permission of the author; in particular, this text in its entirety must not be removed or altered; - This model may not be distributed on CD without the prior written consent of the authors; - The inclusion of any individual file from this archive in another archive without the prior permission of the authors is prohibited; - No charge may be made for this archive other than that to cover the cost of its distribution. If a fee is charged it must be made clear to the purchaser that the archive is freeware and that the fee is to cover the distributor's costs of providing the archive; - This train is provided AS IS, I assume no responsibility or liablity for any MSTS or system hardware/software problems you may encounter after installing this train; - By downloading and/or using this model, you have agreed with these terms and conditions of use; - The authors' rights and wishes concerning this archive must be respected; - Copyrights: * MS Train Simulator, MS Windows: Copyright Microsoft Corp 2002 * 3D Model: Copyright Brian Bere-Streeter 2006 * Textures: Copyright Brian Bere-Streeter 2006 All other copyrights & trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. =========================================================================