Clarendon Homes puts model train on display at The Bowral

The railway will go on display at The Bowral on Tuesday, June 6.

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Clarendon Homes' senior manager Martin Campbell said he hoped the unique display would inspire people to "look outside the box" when viewing The Bowral display home.

"One of the things that I really wanted to do was to show that the room in which the railway is displayed can be used for things other than just a home theatre," Mr Campbell said.

"It could be used as an art studio or maybe a music studio. It could be anything."

The project was inspired by the site of the display home, which is built on the former site of the All Aboard Model Railway, one of Australia's largest model railway shops.

"There was already some railway connection there," Mr Campbell said.

"And one of our former directors, Roger Porter, is an avid model train builder and one of Australia's best."

Mr Porter designed the XPT train nose before joining Clarendon Homes in the 1970s.

"We had him giving us some ideas," Mr Campbell said.

Mr Porter mentored many of Clarendon's second generation of designers, draftsmen and builders including The Bowral project manager David Sylvester.

The 1:87 scale rail model includes Mittagong Station, Mittagong Maltings and the Picton viaduct. Each landmark is recreated as they were in the 1950s.

A war memorial was also included as a homage to Robert 'Percy' Percival Sykes who was a steam locomotive driver in the Highlands before his death on the Western Front during World War l. He was the great uncle of Clarendon founder Peter Campbell.

"There's a few little stories intertwined," Mr Campbell said. "But the main takeaway is this room can be whatever you want it to be.

Normally we would put a few lounge suites and a big screen TV and just leave it at that, but this room could be so much more," he said.

The model was "expertly" brought to life by a team of four from the Guildford Motel Railway Group [GMRG] who spent 20 months designing and constructing the dual-track.

Two trains run simultaneously through the built landscape, which includes notable local landmarks of the mid-20^th century.

The GMRG team are experienced model makers and this was their sixth exhibition piece.

The team visited key sites in the region to collect information including current and historical photographs and plans. Mr Martin said they took great care to maintain a sense of historical accuracy.

Using a variety of modelling and construction techniques ranging from 3D printing to hand carving they then replicated the buildings featured in the model.

The locomotives and train cars were ready-to-run models aged with air brushes and paints for an authentic feel. Even the figurines in the sprawling landscape were modelled with historically accurate clothing.

The Bowral display home was designed by Peter Campbell and holds a special place in the Clarendon collection.

Mr Campbell described it as "luxe country" and perfect for acreage lots. It features an expansive layout with versatile and light-filled loft space that can be used as an office, studio, hobby space - or even a working model railway.

The model makers added a surprise element to the railway, which was kept secret until installation day. Standing before the memorial are miniature figures of Martin Campbell and his wife Melanie with their 1055 vintage MG.

To celebrate the opening of the model railway a grand unveiling "befitting of a bygone era" will be held at 11am on Tuesday, June 6 at The Bowral on the Old Hume Highway, Braemar.

The event will be attended by the Berrima Historical Society, the Guildford Motel Railway Group, Clarendon Homes' Peter and Martin Campbell, local school children, residents and community representatives.

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