Sunday 4 May 2014

Argyle Flour Mill

All,

Food and modelling are two words that are not normally associated with one another in this modern "thin" world...but when the weekend weather did everything but snow, these were certainly my main activities for the last two days,  interspersed with copious cups of tea...I was in nirvana.

With the tunnels and portals now approaching completion, it was time to focus activities in the other direction towards the Fish River station area.  The first industry that is visible on the approach to this location is the flour mill and so the logical choice for the next project within a project.  The exact location of the flour mill is directly beyond the bridge and on the "down" side of the main line, the mill being reached by a siding leaving the main line through trailing points ( facing down trains ) located just before the station platform.  This siding is long enough to also act as a down refuge for a short freight or also a stabling point for rail motors etc. that have terminated at Fish River.  The mill building and associated siding are also on a slightly elevated location with the siding climbing from the main to the mill which adds to the appearance.

The actual mill building started life as a Walthers kit, around 3 years ago, and has been in a stop start building and conversion process throughout that time.  I have over 100 photos of small to medium flour mills located all throughout NSW and had originally purchased two of these kits to bash into one large mill. In the end the decision was made to restrict the size of the mill and I ended up only using one of the original kits.  There is certainly much more to do before it will be finally finished.  I may fabricate and fit a louvered "ventilation chamber" to the roof as some mills displayed this design. Gutters and downpipes need to be fabricated and fitted as well there is also the need to populate the dock (which incidently wraps around three sides of the building) with pallets of bagged flour, a medium size workforce and the general day to day activities that go hand in hand with this type of industry.  Once fitted in situ I will then make the decision regarding other buildings such as the grain elevator building, boiler house and stack.

For now, I am just happy that the initial structure is progressing and think I am achieving the "flavour" I was after.


          

10 comments:

  1. Nice work so far, you have weathered it well. I have a similar kit nowhere as advanced as this.

    Bob

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bob,

    Thanks for your comments...As stated this project has taken a longer gestation period than 10 elephants...I am fairly certain that this kit is no longer available from Walthers which is a great pity to Aussie modellers. It has formed the basis for many conversions by local modellers I would feel certain...

    Look forward to yours coming to fruition...

    Regards,

    Rod

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rod

    Now that looks very nice, better than mine which was also based on another Walthers Cornerstone building before the sugar mill/factory model came out which I assume yours is built from.

    One possible addition that you could look at is that a number of mills had a brick wall across the width that extended up through the roof at say the second wall pillar from the rear. This wall was an anti fire/explosion wall as the flour like a lot of fines can be explosive. I would say that a person with a laser cutter could knock one up pretty quick.

    Ray P

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ray,

    Now trust you to add to the task list...retirement is certainly agreeing with your observational skills...

    I will not be adding a blast wall to this little "time eater". Certainly a few with and a few without and I am going with the "express version" where the blast wall does not protrude through the roof line...As stated in the post...it is a shame that Walthers saw fit to delete the "Greatland Sugar Refining" building from the range. It filled quite a few niche requirements especially for us ddddddownunder!!!

    Thanks for your input...I think!

    Rod

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rod

    You're a man after my own heart, if you don't have to model it then don't. I have a couple of photos of mills similar to yours without the blast wall protruding through the roof, I just thought you could knock one up easily with the laser. Sorry, didn't mean to be pushy ;-)

    Ray

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ray,

    The brilliant thing about our hobby is the curiosity that it uncovers along the way. During the prolonged building of this structure...I became very interested in these mills and wanted to know more. Of course we have at least two medium size mills in Goulburn and one other smaller mill building...but not much exists in greater detail of just what went on "behind the blast wall" so to speak. The main one in town actually housed a ten pin bowling alley, roller skating rink...and very early on...a public baths, which I am sure I have covered in earlier posts...Anyway I am always on the lookout for a detail publication that explains how the early mills operated and a listing of machinery with diagrams etc.

    Now stop being pushy and do some blogging will you....

    Regards,
    Rod

    ReplyDelete
  7. Rod,
    Great job on the mill, I too have one in process ( not much progress at present). I am using Pardy's mill at Temora for inspiration but not attempting to actually model it. I have some roof vents from Grandt Line and Walthers to add next. Can I ask what was the base colour for the bricks as you have really nailed that aspect?
    Phil Collins

    ReplyDelete
  8. Phil,

    Thanks for your comments...There was actually no secret to the colours of the building. The original colour as per the Walthers kit has been maintained but I utilise the Tamiya range to highlight and weather most structures that I build and in this case it was the same. I did paint all window frames white, the roof and veranda structure is all laser cut and weathered basswood ( which luckily we can do in house ) and the corrugated is just AMRI corrugated card...As much as I am happy with the project, I think I have overdone the weathering a touch where the veranda roof meets the brickwork...but that is me as I usually tend to over weather than under weather. Some people frown upon the use of the Tamiya range...but I find it very easy to apply...very fast drying and an acceptable finish. If you would like I will gather all the colours and list them...no probs there...

    Regards,
    Rod

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rod,

      I like your name. Very apt for someone living in Goulburn and modelling railways.

      Regards,

      John.

      Delete
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