the blacksmith |
This year I wanted to take a diorama to the Narrow Gauge convention in Melbourne. I have wanted to include a model of a farm on my layout and so decided to build the collection of buildings that make up the farm yard. All the four buildings are models of actual structures that still exist (some only just). The era I model, the late 1940's was a time of transition when the horse was being replaced with tractors and cars.
When I was growing up in the 1970's most farms still had stables, blacksmith/workshops and milking sheds. Today most of them are gone, victims of progress and termites. I built this diorama as a tribute to my grandparents who farmed back then and worked very hard to give my parents and I opportunities they never had.
When the area I live was first settled it was made up of very large stations covering tens of thousands of acres. Before wire fencing was invented these properties were cut into few but very large paddocks. Long Hollow was the name of a paddock that covers much of our farm, so I thought that was a fitting name for the farm on my layout.
It has taken most of my modelling time this year to get this built. I didn't win any prizes in Melbourne, but I think entering competitions are more about pushing yourself to try new things and to be a better modeller. If nothing else a deadline guarantees I will get something finished
the diorama with the blacksmith and stables at the front |
the cat and cow are waiting at the milking shed. The gate is a Sunshine brand once seen on most farms but rare today, scratch built from brass wire |
the kids have arrived home from school and are keen to see what their father is up to. It looks like he has the seed drill hooked up to do a spot of sowing |