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.