Garden Railway Forum

...the last ever MHLRfest. EVER! Here's a few pics, nothing that special but the rest I did get on video inbetween hosting etc. A few forum members, RSLR (Reece), anythingSDR (Alistair) and LLR (Mike). I'll let the pics do the talking.


Early in the day coaling up and oiling round...




...while the railcar did her morning rounds.


A few small diesels turned up.


An IP Ezee Rapier collection.


anythingSDR's Mamod and uncompleted bogie coach...


...then on his train of skips.


RSLR's Dotti being chased by a Pearse Uylesses (that we found couldn't make the complete circuit due to it's enormous size.


Sam's scratch built Bagnall from card and photo paper!


A modded Konrad.


RSLR high on butane gas/meths/glue.


Can you tell what's behind there.


anythingSDR's R/C Big Big Ruston.




Linda on newbe driver training!


RSLR's Dotti.






anythingSDR's Ruston now with uncompleted Railcar unit.


Finescale Hunslet.






And the Wheldon wagon! Just in time to be honest too!


I did take up the whole bottom plank

Lovely photos.

What will become of the track bed? Housing, Tescos?

Sir haydn:57590 wrote:Lovely photos.

What will become of the track bed? Housing, Tescos?

Nah. Marijuana plantation.

Great pics Pete, lucky you having a Finescale hunslet visit, what a way to send off the MHLR

A great send off indeed & whilst it's always sad to see a line go I'm sure you will enjoy building the new one (plus you can always run here until that happens).

Excellent pictures! Sad to see it go though.

I was interesting to see the Rapiers with VERTICAL battery boxes: I had always assumed the cab was the width it was to take the battery box lying down!

MDLR:57600 wrote:I was interesting to see the Rapiers with VERTICAL battery boxes: I had always assumed the cab was the width it was to take the battery box lying down!

Yeah I think it is Brian, far too fiddly though I thought. A trip to maplins & a very neat AAA holder sourced & wired in when I did the on/off & F & R switch replacment..



You can just see it between the wheels..  ;) Of course only works with one axle drive rapiers!
Very easy to change batterys now & have a fully detailed cab interior.. Now just need gears that last longer than butter in hot sun.

They all copied me from my video tutorials! I put it there for 2 reasons.

1. On mine, the battery box would NOT fit flat on the cab floor.
2. Gives easy access to the inbuilt on/off switch.

Its velcroed inplace so to change the batterys you can just slide it out with your finger and it'll come out of the cab as long as you have excess wiring. On the otherside all 3 have detailed control desks.

Some lovely photos here, lovely indeed. Thanks for sharing them - good to see a Mamod [beefed up!] get a share of the limelight. Big fan of the Linda too...


Love the BigBig Ruston too, the buffer mods are very smart. Seeing it on those coaches reminds me of the last time I ran mine, Demona with a rake of three Bachmann G coaches at Llechfan - she struggled a bit but by God she did it to everyone's amusement

However the next day I sold her and added the cash to towards a much bigger and better diesel - the then-future Highlander.

...but what IS it with everyone and their dog owning a Rapier diesel these days? Am I the only one who's gone from a BigBig to an IP Jess?:D

dougrail:57603 wrote:...but what IS it with everyone and their dog owning a Rapier diesel these days? Am I the only one who's gone from a BigBig to an IP Jess?:D

Cheap and fun to make. Can do whatever you want with them. I made mine simple with a couple of modifications so I could prove to some younger enthusiasts I know it isn't difficult to make a kit successfully and easily.

dougrail:57603 wrote:...but what IS it with everyone and their dog owning a Rapier diesel these days? Am I the only one who's gone from a BigBig to an IP Jess?:D

LOL,
I've got an IP Rapier, Jessie & Jack.......Wish I hadn't but hey nevermind...
Then again all my locos get worked quite a bit...

MHLR -aha, I see now. They do look good as well, which definitely puts one in my 'Want - maybe' book. Sorry to hear about the railway closure mind chap :/

PP - whyever not? I know the Jack's being awkward, but surely the Jessie is alright? Mine's been fantastic ever since I snagged her off B2B6 aside from the one weak wiring - fixed within days mind! but are there any inherant design flaws I should be aware of?

Well I found building my IP Rapier kit fun! I even put a working radiator fan in my loco

Great gala Pete! cheers for a great day

That Wheldon wagon is a clever idea. I see it's been to Oakville, where I was born, as well as Oahu, which is where I wouldn't mind dying. (eaten by a shark while surfing, dead drunk)

Keith S:57688 wrote:as well as Oahu, which is where I wouldn't mind dying. (eaten by a shark while surfing, dead drunk)

& I thought that was just me thinking like that!