Garden Railway Forum

I can assure you it does. I bought my unbuilt kit back from the UK via my mother's place in Spain in my hand luggage the whole way. Needless to say, airport security get a bit scared by a metal pressure vessel in your hand luggage...

Nice demonstration of why I prefer 5/8th to 3/8th there, Keith! I did briefly consider a Ga.1 light railway for the garden here, but I am too much of a narrow gauge man, and my pockets are a bit shallow.

Peter in Va

I know what you mean, Peter. I don't know what I would do if I ever found myself able to afford a Gauge 1 "Royal Hudson". It might turn my railway interests completely the other way, although my lack of any sensible property still makes 16mm scale the most sensible outdoor format for me. But that Hudson, Just to own such a thing!

Keith S wrote: ↑Mon Dec 10, 2018 5:45 pm I know what you mean, Peter. I don't know what I would do if I ever found myself able to afford a Gauge 1 "Royal Hudson". It might turn my railway interests completely the other way, although my lack of any sensible property still makes 16mm scale the most sensible outdoor format for me. But that Hudson, Just to own such a thing!

That's a stunning locomotive.

The Royal Hudson certainly is a beautiful machine. I hope I get to see it in steam one day but, sadly, I'm not optimistic. It's owned by the Provincial government and, aside from the cost to recommission it, I think it's also fallen victim to politics. The museum in Squamish have a fundraiser going but, as Keith says, there isn't even close to the same level of public interest here that there is in the UK. It's a great shame as a steam-hauled journey between Vancouver and Whistler really could be one of the great train journeys of the world.

It's funny. I'm not sure how much people realise the benefit that rail privatisation has had for steam in the UK. With the infrastructure owned by a common entity with a mandate to provide equal access to all operators, tour operators can run monthly excursions alongside regular commuter and freight services. Here, the tracks are owned by companies whose only interest is moving freight. Would you believe, the municipal governments here lease track time from CP to operate the "West Coast Express" commuter rail service. It's not uncommon for trains to be delayed by ~ 3 hours due to freight trains occupying the track, and the West Coast Express operator has no recourse, since the 'landlord' essentially tells them to go swivel.

I was under the impression that the CP-owned Hudson in Calgary was tied up just due to lack of funding? I thought Hunter Harrison came in as CEO and cut all non-essential expenses. Prior to that, I think it was running CP's annual holiday trains? All this is what I've heard through the rumor-mill as well mind you.

Sorry all. Keith and I have thoroughly digressed into a discussion of Canadiana now...

That Hudson is well out of my price range....But a real beauty all the same.

I've seen the real one in steam on several occasions; it's a stunning locomotive in real life or in model form. This class of locomotive is pretty much the pinnacle of Canadian locomotive-building. King George, as the story goes, was so impressed by the locomotive that he allowed the railway to name the class "Royal Hudsons" and affix the little crown on the skirts. I've only seen the model in videos. My father has a brass 1/87 scale model, it's nice but obviously not live steam. In videos that Accucraft one really looks the business. Nice exhaust sound and it really glides along. If I sold every bit of my 16mm scale rolling stock, I might be able to buy half of one!