Garden Railway Forum

Some effort indeed and thanks for the comments. The work most awkward was the vents in the portholes and I did this without seeing the real ones, but they are close. My latest batch of bug boxes have opening doors which I think is an improvement.

I know of the 3d version. I'm building them with removable sides and ends as the prototype and a lot cheaper too. The wagons run on slaters Hudson wheels with replicated Hudson axleboxes. I will endeavour to post a clearer pic. The handwheel I owe thanks to the genius of Mr Colin Binnie. ./myff/1787...

I have a pit in the shed. I hope one day to have a hydraulic platform that I can lower myself into it rather than jumping in and out at the moment. Pit is 3' deep and measures 5' x 3' is fully lined with membrane and breeze blocked.

Modelled on Garnedd Tunnel on the FR is this tunnel portal still some work to finish. Almost there!

Work in progress on this scratchbuilt bug box

Some finalising but progress so far

A latest scratchbuild from Mr Meths one of four so far.

Beading all done with cut and file method and a template. Using a template ensures consistency.

I measure the stock myself and draw up accordingly.

And I thought it was for a cat to chase the rat!

All scratch built !

Ffestiniog coach 19 is seeing its interior finalised with a touch of varnish

Well we are nearly there at last, just need to build the chassis and balcony and fit bogies and then done

Yet another scratchbuild an early type of FR quarrymans for the garden railway. Now moving on to the next type. The four door.  The four door is of the same dimensions as the Mk2 and was the first to be fully enclosed. It is the Mk2a that it is believed the hearse van was constructed from. ./myff/16...

According to Boyd the sign LAST VEHICLE white lettering on red background was used on these earlier vans is that true.

I don't think the ends would have been red as the guard was permanently housed in the sentry box and on the balcony. Unlike the replica where a door into the van from the balcony is in progress for comfort. The van would of not matched the bug boxes for reason it wasn't a passenger carrying vehicle....

Fortunately I was given tins full of these chairs from a dismantled O gauge garden railway. They were produced by Mills Brothers of Sheffield. Now a rarity to find. Slaters and Cliff Barker produce them nowadays.

Yes the replica is going to be purple brown unlike the original which may have been bauxite/ red oxice along with other timber stock. This will match the beer wagon.
My builds have been in red oxide but the latest model is going with purple brown. The customers choice not mine.

The track is custom built using white metal chairs and semi flat bottom rail of peco variety pinned to treated ramin sleepers. The road surface is a bitumen paint with pva mix and slate dust and reinforced.

I think they put a bag over the horses head. They make out they had a food bag round their neck to eat from. If they said otherwise in the literature it would upset the animal cruelty folks