First operating session of 2012

I have 3 models that have not been run on the railway, my Dad's old Triang Princess, the Prototype Deltic and the Bachmann Class 24.

I decided to give them all a tryout so it was out with the track rubber and the old control box and they all got a good session.

The Class 24 was first. It is a brand new model purchased at the 2011 Warley Exhibition and it ran perfectly even on my half cleaned track. The lights all work nicely and it is a smooth as silk.

Next came the Deltic, a Dapol kit on a Lima Deltic chassis, and it was very reluctant to run. After a few circuits it started to run cleaner until once it had done 10 or so it was running well.

Last to run was the Princess which now has a motor from an even older Princess model, and it ran smoothly away as the controller was turned up. That was until it got to the diamond crossing where it immediately stopped. I thought it was simply a pick up problem until further investigation showed it was the front wheel set on the bogie which was out of gauge. A bit of a tweek and it was back on its way and running fine.

I then got a few coaches out and ran the Princess and Class 24 in front of them for a while.

All was recorded on video and I hope to put a new film on YouTube soon.

First curve section built

It has been a lovely sunny day and I have been out in the garden building the branch line although it has taken me far longer to build 1 simple piece than it did to build the larger baseboards used on the mainline!

This was mostly down to the fact that I have tried to make nice neat curves and also because the posts filled with concrete proved difficult to drill without the concrete cracking. In the end, as the picture below shows, I used a wooden block with a hole drilled in it to grip the post. The baseboard is then screwed onto this block.

The baseboard is made in the normal way with extra framing underneath to stop any sagging between the supports. A nice generous coat of Cuprinol clear has been applied with brown fence preserver to go on top of that tomorrow.

The wooden 'collar' used to fix down the baseboard.

The first baseboard having been coated with preservative is drying in the sun.

Supports in for first curve

Work on the branch line is well under way as the following pictures show,

The area for the first curve to be built in

rack is used to place stakes in the correct places

The support towers are then cemented in place

I now have a couple of days off so I hope to get the baseboards built and fitted and maybe even some track laid whilst the weather is good. More pics tomorrow.

The Branch Line

The next phase of the layout has begun with 4 supports in and a plan for the next few already in place. The trackwork will be made up of Hornby set track curves and flexible for the straight(ish) sections.

Hopefully I will get the baseboards started next week as I have a couple of days off so I may even get a bit of track down as well.

I have started a new website dedicated to Miniature Railways that I hope to add to as time goes by. Please visit and support your local miniature railway, they really do need it.

Building shelves and buying locos

In the last few days as well as tidying up the garden and taking rubbish down the dump I have also ordered a Beyer Garratt 2-6-0 0-6-2 no. 47992 from Hattons and built some more underbench shelving for the workshop. One will make me £200 poorer come Christmas and the other has freed up some work bench space.


I have also cleared out my other shed and removed all the railway bits which are now safely in my workshop and I also found out my old racing track set and some mecano both of which need new storage boxes.


I have also found out a large cardboard box which will be used as a spray booth until I get round to building a proper one.

The workshop is go!

The workshop is now in use, Kestrel being the first model to be worked on.

As promised the pictures are here. 

The first one shows the inside of the shed before starting. The place is a bit of a mess and it was proving impossible to get at anything plus there was a lot of junk that could easily be thrown out.

This is what it looks like now, much neater with shelves at the end for all the bits and pieces that a garden needs to keep it in shape. The wok bench is on the left with the airbrush ready for use once I build a spray booth.

 Kestrel is getting some work done on her as the first model to enter the workshop. Hopefully I will get the railway running this week so I can try her out.