Garden Railway Forum

Ahhh, so I'm not the only one who doesn't always need to raise steam to enjoy the railway! I'm glad you approve...

Expect plenty more pictures of slightly run-down rolling stock in slightly run-down sidings...

Cheers,

Andrew.

Andrew wrote: ↑Mon Jun 18, 2018 1:46 pm Ahhh, so I'm not the only one who doesn't always need to raise steam to enjoy the railway! I'm glad you approve...

Expect plenty more pictures of slightly run-down rolling stock in slightly run-down sidings...

Cheers,

Andrew.

Bring 'em on.

Run down or otherwise.

Ian

Andrew wrote: ↑Mon Jun 18, 2018 1:46 pm Ahhh, so I'm not the only one who doesn't always need to raise steam to enjoy the railway!

Certainly not, I get 95% of my pleasre frm building 'em, not running 'em.

philipy wrote: ↑Mon Jun 18, 2018 4:29 pm

Andrew wrote: ↑Mon Jun 18, 2018 1:46 pm Ahhh, so I'm not the only one who doesn't always need to raise steam to enjoy the railway!

Certainly not, I get 95% of my pleasre frm building 'em, not running 'em.

Now that's interesting. I'd say I get equal amounts of pleasure from both. I really enjoy fettling bits of this and that into something vaguely resembling a loco or piece of rolling stock, and then get a different sort of pleasure from seeing them in action - especially solving the various shunting and operational puzzles and problems thrown up as a train wends its way through the scenery. But then, that's what's so captivating about this hobby, there's something in it for everyone.

It's great to get up in the morning and decide whether it's going to be a making day, a running day, a maintenance day - or maybe a doing something with the family day..........

Sorry, I'll put my philosopher's hat back in its box

Rik

Oh to be retired Rik and wake up with those choices!

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Mon Jun 18, 2018 6:50 pm Oh to be retired Rik and wake up with those choices!

Don't wish your life away, Tom. With retirement comes old age, and things don't seem to work quite as well as they once did. And before you jump to any conclusions, in my case, it's knees and back.

Rik

It's all about the atmosphere! The railway just needs to be there to enjoy it. Lovely pics.

ge_rik wrote: ↑Mon Jun 18, 2018 6:13 pm

philipy wrote: ↑Mon Jun 18, 2018 4:29 pm

Andrew wrote: ↑Mon Jun 18, 2018 1:46 pm Ahhh, so I'm not the only one who doesn't always need to raise steam to enjoy the railway!

Certainly not, I get 95% of my pleasre frm building 'em, not running 'em.

Now that's interesting. I'd say I get equal amounts of pleasure from both. I really enjoy fettling bits of this and that into something vaguely resembling a loco or piece of rolling stock, and then get a different sort of pleasure from seeing them in action - especially solving the various shunting and operational puzzles and problems thrown up as a train wends its way through the scenery. But then, that's what's so captivating about this hobby, there's something in it for everyone.

It's great to get up in the morning and decide whether it's going to be a making day, a running day, a maintenance day - or maybe a doing something with the family day..........

Sorry, I'll put my philosopher's hat back in its box

Rik

I think I fall more into Philip's camp, although a different ratio - maybe 80% build and 20% running

I do find it fascinating to hear that - but then, I suppose we each have our own motivations. As I explained in the Great Debate on live steam a while back, the operation of my railway along the lines of prototypical practice was always the primary rationale for the construction of my layout and so the stock and scenery are merely an adjunct to that.

That doesn't mean that, from time to time, I don't just run a train or two round and round while relaxing or working in the garden, but I see these as slightly guilty pleasures, particularly when it means a loco is running the wrong way round on some stretches of track and especially through some stations.

Sorry, Andrew et al, a bit of thread drift here........

Rik

ge_rik wrote: ↑Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:22 pm Sorry, Andrew et al, a bit of thread drift here........

That's not thread-drift Rik - for large parts of the time the (WH)WHR exists as a kind of thought experiment anyway, either because I'm not at home, or because i'm doing other things. 99% of the services that operate over the line do so only in my head, which works rather nicely because there they always run perfectly, the garden's always at its lush best, and the buildings are complete and looking their best. In my head I can run more than one train at once with ease, and even stage the odd gala, although loop and siding capacity becomes an issue because I seem strangely unable (unwilling maybe?) to dream up any more than I've actually got. In these imaginary operating sessions trains don't necessarily need to consist of locos and rolling stock that I actually own of course, although again, oddly enough they usually do. That said, recent imaginings have often featured a RH Lilla... And a modern FR/WHR style of observation car, deep chocolate brown with a curved end, brought up the rear of a passenger train that flitted through my head this morning.

All of which begs the question as to whether I really need to actually build the stuff at all, although I suspect that comes down to a deep human desire to make stuff, or possibly even to leave something tangible behind... OK, maybe that is thread drift...

Anyway, I think I'm with you Rik - it's neither one thing nor the other that floats my boat, just whatever I'm in the mood for or have time for...

Cheers,

Andrew.

Andrew wrote: ↑Wed Jun 20, 2018 2:09 pm

ge_rik wrote: ↑Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:22 pm Sorry, Andrew et al, a bit of thread drift here........

That's not thread-drift Rik - for large parts of the time the (WH)WHR exists as a kind of thought experiment anyway, either because I'm not at home, or because i'm doing other things. 99% of the services that operate over the line do so only in my head, which works rather nicely because there they always run perfectly, the garden's always at its lush best, and the buildings are complete and looking their best. In my head I can run more than one train at once with ease, and even stage the odd gala, although loop and siding capacity becomes an issue because I seem strangely unable (unwilling maybe?) to dream up any more than I've actually got. In these imaginary operating sessions trains don't necessarily need to consist of locos and rolling stock that I actually own of course, although again, oddly enough they usually do. That said, recent imaginings have often featured a RH Lilla... And a modern FR/WHR style of observation car, deep chocolate brown with a curved end, brought up the rear of a passenger train that flitted through my head this morning.

All of which begs the question as to whether I really need to actually build the stuff at all, although I suspect that comes down to a deep human desire to make stuff, or possibly even to leave something tangible behind... OK, maybe that is thread drift...

Anyway, I think I'm with you Rik - it's neither one thing nor the other that floats my boat, just whatever I'm in the mood for or have time for...

Cheers,

Andrew.

Rest assured, you are not alone in your madness.

Afternoon all,

Like Tom, I was tempted out into the garden with some trains on the longest day. The sun's disappeared over the house by the afternoon, but other than that everything was just right for a steam up.

The wagons that didn't get to go anywhere at the weekend were retrieved from the shelf and joined by Russell to complete a full Welsh Highland goods train. Russell isn't in top form at the moment (I may post for a little advice on that score later on...) and - as predicted - the track's not really up to fancy engines with pony trucks right now, but I had fun anyway. In the light of recent discussions here about why we do what we do, and what atmosphere might be, I was interested to be reminded that sometimes it all comes together and just makes sense. Despite technical difficulties, last night my engine wasn't just a Russell, it was the Russell, and the walls, fences, garden furniture and overscale shrubs disappeared from my mind's eye to allow my little patch of South West England become North Wales...

Here is Russell, emerging from the cutting and heading up Penlan Bank:
And a shot of the whole train:

But hang on a moment! Who's that watching the train go by??? Let's take a closer look...

Yes, it's a trainspotting frog:

I'd stopped the train to pose it for photos by then (cheating, but sometimes less stressful than trying to run at the same time as taking photos...) so the frog hopped up for a closer look.

Surprisingly, it turned out that the frog could talk. More surprising still, he considered himself something of an expert on the Welsh Highland. Clearing his throat and wagging a webbed finger in my direction he croaked haughtily

"I think you'll find, that by the time the Welsh Highland had purchased War Department "D" Wagons, Russell had been cut down to fit the Ffestiniog loading gauge. And that, despite JIC Boyd's claim that in early Welsh Highland days passenger stock was painted vermilion, in fact brake van 3 should be a much more sober shade of maroon. And there's no photographic evidence that it was used on goods trains anyway..."

And so it continued... Bloomin' ribbit counters...

Sorry, couldn't help myself...

Cheers all,

Andrew.

Ha ha ribbit counters, we have a new name for them!

Hopefully we will that Russell with a Slomo, proper job

Lovely pictures, very evocative.

Great photos. Love the term "ribbit counters".

Andrew wrote: ↑Fri Jun 22, 2018 1:47 pm ... Bloomin' ribbit counters...

Nice one !!!

Rik

The ribbit counter ( ) is in for a Darwin award having such a big mouth on that spot of the railway..

Toadally!

How lovely, Mrs B found one in the garden Wednesday...I assume the neighbours heard the scream as it hopped across her foot. It had disappeared by the time I got there so those lovely pictures are nice compensation.

My other half talks to them! She goes out in the evening with a torch to look for them. She found 27 a few weeks ago. If the back door is left open on a rainy evening we sometimes find them hopping around indoors!