Garden Railway Forum

How was Peterbourgh Doug? Your cross heads and guides, I am guessing they are the ones used on the Silver Lady version of Lady Anne. They do fit the UK look, where as the exposed valve motion on Sammie fits the USA look. I am going to be getting a Bertie soon, in the lighter shade of blue that Roun...

RE Priming / unwillingness to go before bursting into life: new loco, it will do that. My Bertie does the same. Very sprightly little engine once going. :) Make sure you aren't filling the water to the top and if you are, take out 40ml to allow steam room in the boiler. My now runin slip eccentric L...

Pretty sure 'Captain Bluebeard' enjoyed himself too...! ;) [was good to catch up down Milton Keynes way the following Monday Laurence. Cheers for the excuse for the drive out. The new alloys have transformed my car btw ;) ] It was a pretty good show everyone. I had the pleasure of meeting up with Ke...

Someone else with a new slipex from RH - awesome! Millies are great if you like the pot boiler variety :) Regarding regulator and especially after pressure reached - yep, do you mean she surges? Happens on new locos. Make sure you've filled it up then removed 35ml from the full boiler to prevent pr...

Chris -- bufferbeams blacking are being painted today. Well done Doug. As I bring my locos out of winter hibernation I'm slowly painting up those that are still in red. Chris Cairns Rear one done, that'll do for Pboro if I bring all three locos. Fennec is third choice though, unless specifically re...

That is a smart looking engine you have there, I do like the colour. I could be tempted down the route of a Bertie, but some of my other stuff would need to go first. I take it Fennec is after the little, fox creature with un-feasibly large ears? Very appropiate. The colour is the new Roundhouse 'd...

Nice work, Mike and Doug! Doug, the Bertie looks really good with red rods, and I've always liked "Bertie", someday I might get one myself, I think it's a very appealing engine. Must have been very exciting to make the trip to the factory to pick it up in person, especially after your exp...

Mike - brilliant work! I suspect you'll need to cut a hole in the lower cab front for the reverser control to get through to the linkage? Chris - RH now supply a brass rod the size of a gauge glass within the kit to help you align the turrets correctly. Must confess even using this caused me a smal...

Nicely done Dan, cheers for the photos there as I'd have had no idea what a trunk guide was.

Be aware that a lot of high end paint strippers will attack plastic bigtime. In my case I use BioStrip which eats anything in warm temperatures. I'd sprayed Halfords acrylic onto a Newqida plastic coach body and screwed up - out came the BioStrip - supposedly totally environment friendly and nontoxi...

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Tue Mar 28, 2017 7:23 pm Wonderful pictures as usual, shows what a good time was had and a birthday treat a well!
What more could you wish for?

Thanks Peter. It was a lovely if slightly grey afternoon - and a perfect way to end my birthday weekend, what with cake, family and new engine inaugurated

Hi guys, For a while, something had been bugging me about my IoM-esque loco 'Vixen'. The motion - specifically the slide bars section. On the prototype, it's double bars with an 'I' sliding back and forth between them: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/53/81/a2/5381a2538d3a1825758b7719828d2...

Nice modifications! Love the red side rods and different crosshead and guides. Definate step up from the the Mamod/MSS engines. I having loads of fun modifying my USA version of Bertie called Sammie. I went whole hog and am installing Roundhouse's Walschaerts valve motion on mine. It partially done...

After the trials in Derbyshire last autumn, and the assistance in finding the helpful little engine a new home in Meriden in the West Midlands, the new board decided that, indeed, a new engine of the same design and repute was to be purchased. Upon placing the order and choosing the livery, as well ...

So, after the successful steamtests and an inauguration down in Llechfan Garden Railway as is the tradition for three of my four locos, it was time to start tinkering and upgrading the Bertie. Less than two weeks ownership, and it was in pieces.... :lol: You can see the still uncluttered makeup of t...

Hi Doug, you would be welcome now you are independently mobile you might venture this far south-west.  When is the Llechfan Gala Day this year?  I enjoyed the visit last year and our brief meeting.  Please post details on the Forum and perhaps we can encourage more members to go? How far is this so...

In replacement of last summer's theft of the wellknown 'Swordbreaker', finally, a new little engine has been sorted. It involved a massive cash drive as some of you may have seen, a phon call - and a trip in person to Doncaster. I have to confess - sorting this little fellow out and readying it for...

Excellent photographs of some beautiful stock items there.  I'd love to see them on my line when you're passing!!! Thank you Peter, would be more than happy to steam her up when passing - where is passing to you though, and will you be at Llechfan Gala this year? Plan is to bring Vixen, her IoM rak...