Home Signal

A 'Home' signal manufactured from hardwood and metal was required for the station, so GRS were called in to provide the necessary.

As kit DG965 is not supplied with a mounting plate, a cutoff piece of composite decking was utilised. This turned out to be ideal. A hole was cut into the top section of the board for the wooden post to pass through, with a small screw screwed through the lower section and into the foot of the post.

To create a plinth as a cosmetic mounting plate, a square piece of Foamex was added.

From the instructions only a couple of minor changes were made.

The stated measurements from the raised platform to the pivot plate and lamp bracket were each reduced by 10mm.

The raised platform was 270mm from the decking board.

The link wire was bent and adjusted to provide a suitable working mechanism.

The signal post, steps, platform and lantern were all primed and coated with Humbrol acrylic Gloss black and white. 

The signal and finial were painted with Tamiya acrylic Red.

A top coat of Humbrol Gloss varnish was applied to all.

Company Lettering

Most of my latest wagons and box cars are from the Accucraft W&L data only range as I wanted to add my own company markings. So after scouring the internet and in particular ebay, I found the perfect solution.

Pre-cut self adhesive 15mm vinyl letters.

I had a choice of font and colour and chose Arial Black Bold in White.

Down the line

In the garden I am always looking for ways of adding realism to my line without cluttering the garden with items that can easily break, fade, rot or disappear (magpies!) and do not spoil my overall garden landscape.

I recently read an article in Garden Railways, a beginners project of how to make telephone (telegraph) poles for your garden railway. I immediately thought, "I can do that" and consequently took about making my own.

Nowadays you don't tend to see so many telephone poles but they are synonymous with railway lines of the past and akin to heritage railways. But as it's my railway, loosely based in the past, it's allowed!

For the making of the poles and cross arms I used light hardwood dowelling (15mm) and beading (8mm).

Each pole measured 400mm in length allowing for approx 100mm-150mm below ground.

The cross arms measured 100mm.

Each pole top was cut at an angle with an 8mm slot cut 30-38mm from the top.

The poles and arms were then submerged in creosote and left for twelve hours to soak.

From the local craft store I obtained a pack of white 8mm beads and a pack of white painted upholstery nails.

The beads are a good enough likeness of insulators with the nails providing the perfect insulator covers.

With the cross arms held in a vice to stop the wood from splitting, the beads were nailed into place with the upholstery nails.

Depending on your requirements, you could have up to four insulators on each cross arm.

With the cross arms nailed and glued in place, here are six finished telephone poles complete with insulators.

You could of course add wires between the poles when in situ but I think that would make garden maintenance a little difficult.

Station fencing

I've looked around for fencing, in particular 'picket fencing' but until recently I hadn't been able to find any. And then whilst sat in the my local coffee shop, the mist began to rise....................

Wooden stirrers and chopsticks.

Chopsticks for the fencing posts and cross members.

I used an electronic pencil sharpener at the blunt end of each cross member to form the male end for the joints.

Evo-stik weatherproof Wood adhesive (exterior) is strong enough for the glue.

Stirrers for the uprights spaced evenly (the width of a stirrer) and glued to the cross members.

Uprights were also glue onto each post.

For painting I used Valspar spray cans, white primer with white satin top coat.

A rough sketch of the measurements I used and found to be most suitable.

The posts were glued onto the rear of the platform edging using a generous blob of Evo-stik Evo-Grip.

Brookwood Station.

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'.

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.

KOF first to roll out with new logo plates.

After being recalled to the HLR Bodyshop, KOF 3005 proudly presents her new logo plates.

The decal was applied over a pre-painted patch of Johnson Klear, before another thicker coat was painted over the decal. The initial coat was to provide a suitable surface for the decal to be applied and the second coat was to provide protection.

HLR Logo

Thanks to Roger from The Cottage Group for the artwork and  to John from Precision Labels for the decals, I now have ready for application, the logo plates for HLR. During the following weeks locomotives and rolling stock will be re-called to the HLR Bodyshop for their logo plates to be fitted.

Loads of Coal

With a growing collection of wagons, I needed to decide on the type of freight that should be carried. I knew I wanted to use 'removable loads' but I wasn't sure of what. However with the recent addition of a couple of Accucraft UK-BMS R19-3B open wagons, I knew they should be transporting coal.

To achieve this I cut a 20mm thick polystyrene sheet to the internal dimensions of the wagon.

This was then painted with an acrylic black (semi-gloss or flat) paint.

Once dry, wood adhesive was spread over the painted surface.

Synthetic 'Loco Coal' was mixed with more adhesive and again spread over the surface.

The 'Loco Coal', obtained from Garden Railway Specialists, was mixed with wood adhesive in a small mixing bowl.

Initially whilst drying, the adhesive will have a milky colour to it. This will eventually dry transparent.

The finished removable coal load.

Locomotive Lamps - 2

After priming with white primer, the lamps were given two coats of white gloss enamel paint, applied by brush and a steady hand. Once dry, the handles and lenses were painted with black and red enamel respectively.

Here they are, hanging on the rear of Billy's cab.

Locomotive Lamps - 1

A couple of lamps were needed to put on the brackets at the rear of Billy's cab. Roundhouse make and sell these in a two part kit made from white metal (Product code: CLL).

A little epoxy resin was mixed and applied to the two parts of each kit. They were then left to set for 24 hours before being primed with white metal primer.

Next stage, painting.