DSMEE 2024 News

Old Friends and New Faces

(posted 04/05/2024)

Our recently rebuilt 201 class "Victor", renamed after the loco's original builder, today took our new wheelchair carriage out on her maiden voyage.
The wheelchair carriage is a brand new piece of rolling stock, capable of accommodating even a motorised wheelchair, with stable ramps for boarding, vacuum brakes, padded seats and a robust suspension and construction to ensure a comfortable ride.
While designed for wheelchair users in mind, it can also accommodate other passengers that may not be able to be use our other passenger carriages.
It marks an important milestone in our mission of making Model Engineering enjoyable and accusable for all, and we hope to make good use of it on our upcoming ground track rebuild.

Construction Updates

(posted 29-04-2024)

Phase one of the railway expansion project - the construction of our new, all purpose station - is progressing steadily. However, while the structure is nearing completion - the footers, posts, spars and trusses for the station are all in place - work has not progessed swiftly enough to accomodate public train rides by our previously posted starting date, a situation which is beyond our control. A new starting date for our 2024 running season will be decided and posted here. The society apologises for any inconvenience caused.

Changes to the Railway

(posted 19-03-2024)

Visitors to Marlay Park may have noticed that much of the station on the miniature railway has disappeared. This is not a bad omen for the future of the railway, but is necessary maintenance to accommodate new and exciting changes to the railway, such as a much longer and interesting track layout, and the lifting of the current restriction whereby only children can travel on the railway. No more disappointed parents! We will also be adding a special coach capable of carrying wheelchair users on the railway. Station construction is expected to commence shortly.

In the workshop, locomotives are being overhauled to ensure that they can cope with the demands of the new line. Photos of ongoing work will be posted in the Gallery page.

As work progresses, further news, updates and photos will be posted here.