Loco-Boxes

Just in time for Christmas my two Loco-Boxes arrived for my 'Silver Lady' and 'Billy' locomotives. Including cradles, 45mm wheel strips and end stops, my two engines are now protected when they are in storage.

Thanks to Chris of Loco-Boxes for the excellent service I received. Now on order is a bespoke box for my forthcoming 'Little John'.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all visitors and friends and family alike, a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year for 2014.

Silver Lady class delivered to HLR.

After several months in the making, a Silver Lady class engine has been delivered to HLR from Roundhouse.

In Blue, BS105, this little lady will eventually receive it's running number 16, before entering service early next year at HLR.

Equipped with a fully sprung chassis, water gauge, simulated cylinder drain cocks and a water top up system, this 0-6-0 is eager to commence operating.

Coming along quite nicely.......

The end of September and a lovely sunny autumnal day,  I thought I'd take one or two quick shots of progress, down at Brookwood station.

Slowly Florence pulls into the new station whilst cattle board the awaiting train.

Here's Big Dan finishing off some last minute welding before the weather changes.

Hikers enjoy the warm weather, whilst waiting to board the afternoon train.

The old church with it's new retaining wall, stands majestically above the station.

Brookwood War Memorial - Inscription

Thanks to a suggestion from Paul Sherwood, I went about printing the inscription with Inkjet Water-Slide Decal paper.

The inscription includes two ancestors from my family's 'Family Tree' who fell in the Great War.

Brookwood War Memorial

Here's my nearly completed war memorial  for the cemetery in Brookwood village. The figure is from Busy Bodies with the slate column from Cain Howley.

All I need to do now is a little shading to the slate-work and ascertain the best way to add an inscription to the bronze plaque.

South Tynedale Railway

Running from Alston's restored Victorian station through the South Tyne Valley to Lintley Halt this narrow gauge railway is a little gem. Both steam and diesel engines from the UK and abroad operate along this line.

Looking up the line from Alston station.

Two Henschel engines steaming outside Alston engine shed.

Henschel 'Helen Kathryn' outside Alston engine shed.

STR coaches at Lintley Halt waiting for it's engine to come round.

Lintley Halt.

STR diesel engine coming round to collect it's coaches at Lintley Halt.

L&B Corridor Coach Kit - Finished

Since completing Stage 4, I have gone ahead and completed the model.

The end steps, lamp brackets and roof vents were painted satin black and glued into place with the latter glued after the roof had been fitted. For the roof fitting I used the very useful IP Engineering Roof Assembly Jig. Before I fitted the roof, a couple of passengers and posters were added.

Brass hand rails were shaped and fitted to the roof and coach ends.

All door handles and  grabs very enameled with Humbrol Enamel No.54 Brass.

L&B Corridor Coach Kit Pt.4

Making slow progress but I'm now finding time to continue the first coach kit. 

The sole bars, 'W' irons and bearings were next glued together before a coat of primer and subsequent top coat of satin black acrylic paint were applied. Before spraying the sole bars a thin strip of masking tape was applied to the 'glue' face to assist adhesion to the underneath of the coach later.

Carefully the masking tape was removed and wood glue was applied to attach the sole bars to the coach. The wheels were fitted into one fixed sole bar before the other was fixed allowing for a slight play in the wheels.

Stone Head Pass

What's your caption?

Skeleton staff!

Last train today.

Groudle Glen Railway

Originally built in 1896 as part of the Groudle Glen pleasure grounds and attractions, this beautiful two foot gauge railway ran until the early 1960's before it fell into disrepair and eventually scrapped during the 1970's.

Rescued from total extinction in 1982 by enthusiastic volunteers, we have today this short line once again operating to the Sea Lion Rocks Tea Rooms.

Sea Lion waits patiently at Lhen  Coan Station before her first operation of the day.

Getting her steam up whilst her carriages are attached.

With plenty of steam to spare, Sea Lion was about to depart.

The remains of the Victorian attraction at Sea Lion Rocks. On the left are the remains of the sea lion pool and  on the right the polar bear enclosure. The metal stand in the middle is all that remains of the viewing platform which spanned the two attactions.

Sea Lion makes another arrival at Sea Lion Rocks.

A replica of Sea Lion's original sister locomotive in the making - Polar Bear.

Brookwood - The Foundations (Stage 1b)

With all the blocks laid and track purchased for this year, things are beginning to take shape down at Brookwood Station.

Looking northbound you can see the beginnings of the station platform (on the right) and the Ash and Repair Pit in the foreground.

The first three switches entering Brookwood will be motorised and operated via an MTS Switch Decoder LGB 55025, to be located in the signal box at the end of the platform.

If you zoom in, you can just about see the switch cabling already in situ.

Another view looking northwards.

Looking southwards with the station platform on the left you can see the fourth switch which will remain manual and sprung in favour of the returning locomotive.

Brookwood Signal Box - Part 1

Modeltown Kit 13 - High Level Signal Box

Made from  a resin cast kit and to be painted with acrylic paint, this building will be the signal box for Brookwood Station.

Before fixing the cabin to the base and fitting the roof, interior painting and detail needs to be applied plus a warm coloured light and window glazing.

Below the floor I intend to locate LGB 55025 MTS Switch Decoder for the operation of   four  switches located at Brookwood Station.

Part 2

Part 3

Ffestiniog Railway - Steam 150

Bank Holiday weekend, 3rd to 6th May 2013, saw the 150th anniversary of steam powered locomotives working on the Ffestiniog Railway. Here are just a few shots taken during this special event.

Palmeston No.4, approaching Minffordd Cemetery - east bound.

Taliesin - departing eastbound, Minffordd.

Beyer Peacock, Garratt NG143 - approaching Porthmadog.

G.England, Welsh Pony, No.5 being pushed by Lyd (Southern 190) - Boston Lodge.

Merddin Emrys, No.10 - Penrhyn Crossing.

G.England line-up - Welsh Pony No.5, Princess No.1, Prince No.2 and Palmerston No.4 - Porthmadog.

Stainz - DR Steam Loco, 99 4605

This alternative Stainz steam  locomotive is perfect for delivering freight loads to local industries and passenger consists to local stations.

Model: Complete with smoke generator, sound and directional lights. Decoder 55021 fitted. 

Length: 245mm Weight: 1700g

Brookwood - The Foundations (Stage 1a)

With two and a half rows of blocks laid, the station foundations are almost complete. At the bottom of the photograph another three blocks will be laid at the end of row two for the line to continue to the Ash Pit, Repair Pit and the Maintenance Shed.

The five dwarf conifers will be relocated once the foundations for the Maintenance Shed have been laid. It will be at this point that the building work for the foundations will stop and recommence most probably during Spring 2014 when the foundations for the line to the Engine Shed will be laid.

Looking along the line from where the platform will be, towards Brookwood Bridge which can be seen in the distance.

Cattle Van

Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway type cattle van.

Model: Mainly constructed from injection moulded plastic, with 45mm wheel sets fitted.
Length: 285mm Accucraft UK-BMS: R19-22B
Scale: 16mm to 1 foot (1:19)

HLR Stock: 1

Brookwood - The Foundations (Stage 1)

As the weather continued to be kind I set about laying the first foundation stones for the line into Brookwood Station.

Unlike the rest of the line I decided to use 100mm grey solid dense blocks for the foundations to give a flat and wide area for gradually developing the station and it's sidings, block by block. The initial block was laid at the point where the line ended last summer.

Each block was laid on a mixture of soil and 6mm limestone after the ground had been thoroughly tampered down with a small concrete brick to help prevent movement in the future. Between each block a 12mm gap was left and a 4:1 mortar mix applied. 

Each block was carefully checked for level and after each was laid, the overall level was checked. Any surplus mortar was pointed alongside each stone at the foundations.

Bit by bit the the blocks were laid for the station platform line, all the way to where the buffer stop will be.

The initial blocks were left overnight before the track was loosely laid and engine tested. Now I think I'll leave it a week to settle before adding the next lot of adjacent blocks.