Garden Railway Forum

Finally got the lenses cut and glued into the spectacle frames, and a chain wheel at the base for the control wire. ./myff/1988563/New+Home+Signal+5.jpg Tonight my fingers, hands, and back are aching from hacksawing, milling, and filing the necessary pieces to fabricate the lever frame. Because McKe...

Congratulations on a great start, that tunnel will certainly look the part with some growth over the top.
Grant.

Another related, but non railway item that just adds to the whole atmosphere. With the addition of sound and movement, nice work.
Grant.

As the S&T branch had "mislaid" the blueprints, they had to get the other signal to complete new drawings, and build the new one. :lol: After a little bit of maintenance the signal was returned to its place via a flat wagon on an S&T special working requiring full line occupation f...

Post made of hardwood (not kiln dried) Andrew. Remote operation, now there's the thing. I have had a few cups of coffee sitting and looking at the siting and control of this signal, the points are some 9ft. south of the signal, and the platform frame is some 8ft. north. I'd like the lever to be lock...

Great photos Peter, it's good to see related but non railway scenes of layouts. They set the whole "era, railway type" thing in the readers mind. Do like the first two pics. nice small leaved plantings, and a winding road.
Grant.

Got the post, base, and control rod finalised today. Started painting various items yesterday.



Spectacle lenses, and some more paint to come.
Grant.

Hey! Andrew, that last shot looks like you had some easy digging for a change. I too run a circular railway as a linear one, all part of the garden railway compromise.
Grant.

I've used a straight mortar mix of cement in area's, and the blackbirds have broken it up with their beaks. What it must do to their sculls while there doing it I don't know.
Grant.

[Oops!!!!!!  Dame Edna makes them sound so sweet!] They might be, diced with some vegetables and a nice stock, simmered slowly for a couple of hours!!!! Seriously, I respect all animals, though they frustrate me at times. The blackbirds though smaller create far greater damage, then repeat it next d...

Well Rik, that patience was surely tried today. Made the finial (brass this time) and the operating lever bracket, then the lever itself. Easy!   ./myff/1985909/New+Home+Signal+4.JPG Then the horror job, Worrying (engineering term) a slot 1/16thx7/32" through a piece of 3/4" M.S. bar for t...

As Dwayne has said, and I reckon your civil engineering skills are getting a work-out on your railway. Still there is no substitute for well laid track on a garden railway, it leads to trouble free running in the future.
Grant.

Very interesting roof. The old coach builders really liked their curves and sweeps. Looking good Peter, like the livery too.
Grant.

Got the stops, lamp bracket and lamp made today. A tidy up, and it's ready for paint and spectacle glasses.



Then, a timber post, finial for the top, and the operating lever and bracket.
Grant.

A very professional looking repaint down to the last detail, superb finish.
Grant.

When I built an interlocked signal and ground-frame on the mainline of the LNR, it started me thinking about a platform mounted ground frame operating a couple of signals, and maybe a set of points. Somehow the thought of a set of levers, maybe three minimum, open to the operating side intrigued me,...

Merlin, I know there are many varieties of Box, I have the English box as mentioned, along with Korean Box (Buxus Microphylla). I find the English Box tends to grow upwards, whereas the Korean Box has a more lateral spread and can end up rather gangly if not pruned when young. The English Box also h...

Great wagon, (think I'd be cross eyed after that many rivets though.) and gun combination. Those figures look excellent Peter, I think you'll enjoy painting them.
Grant.

A true heavy weight well wagon constructed and fit for purpose Peter. I like the curves on the side frames over the bogies, as someone once said, "It is only a very minor detail, but it sets the period.".
Grant.
PS hope you allowed for the rivet heads that end up on the floor lost!

Andrew, a ninety wagon coal train all loose, I bet the last wagon wouldn't come to a stop till five minutes after the loco's. That's why some of our Z class guards vans were re-coded ZL, the "L" standing for long shank couplers, as the guards were sick of picking themselves off the floor w...