TVT - Start of Steam Operation

A place for the discussion of garden railways and any garden style/scale portable and/or indoor layouts
User avatar
FWLR
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4262
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 9:45 am
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by FWLR » Mon Sep 07, 2020 9:32 am

Some brilliant photos Graeme, those side tippers do look very nice and impressive.

Worthy of a round of applause :hello1: :hello1: :hello1: :hello1: :hello1: :hello1: :hello1: :hello1: :hello1:

I know they aren't clapping, but they do look like they are.... :roll: :roll:

User avatar
ge_rik
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 6497
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:20 pm
Location: Cheshire
Contact:

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by ge_rik » Mon Sep 07, 2020 1:34 pm

For some reason, I missed the photos taken in May, so am just playing catch-up. I really like the look of that long goods train - but then goods trains are always far more interesting to my mind than passenger trains. Pleased to see you are managing to get outside and run trains again, Graeme.

Rik
------------------------
Peckforton Light Railway - Blog Facebook Youtube

User avatar
Tropic Blunder
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 188
Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2015 4:02 am
Location: Australia
Contact:

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by Tropic Blunder » Mon Sep 07, 2020 4:09 pm

Those tippers look fantastic Graeme as does that converted steam tram. Are there any books that you know of detailing the state board of works projects and their railways? I've been looking for photos of the Perrys and the Malcolm Moores pre conversion but they're very thin on the ground.

Hopefully this fine weather continues for a while longer
Jake

Image

User avatar
Old Man Aaron
Trainee Driver
Trainee Driver
Posts: 795
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 11:08 am
Location: Sunshine Coast QLD, Australia

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by Old Man Aaron » Tue Sep 08, 2020 12:48 am

The tippers and Baldwin compliment each other well. Interested to see how the latest round of mods to the loco pans out over time.
Curious to hear how you go about degreasing a loco for touchup? I'd like to weather my Fowler, but wouldn't consider a blast with automotive degreaser, followed by hot water in the laundry tub, to be adequate surface prep.
Regards,
Aaron - Scum Class Works

User avatar
GTB
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1550
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:46 pm
Location: Australia

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by GTB » Wed Sep 09, 2020 2:15 pm

Old Man Aaron wrote: โ†‘Tue Sep 08, 2020 12:48 am Curious to hear how you go about degreasing a loco for touchup? I'd like to weather my Fowler, but wouldn't consider a blast with automotive degreaser, followed by hot water in the laundry tub, to be adequate surface prep.
The loco is an Accucraft Ruby. It is already well into the zone of diminishing returns, so the running is now pretty much as good as it will get. :roll:


Anyway this is my normal paint touchup process after an overhaul/rebuild.......

First step is a good spray with car engine degreaser and then rinse off with water under the garden hose. That gets rid of most of the steam oil and associated crud. It may need to be repeated, if the loco is particularly greasy.

Then I give the areas to be touched up a going over with an old toothbrush and a liquid detergent and allow it to dry overnight.

Next day, it gets a coat of etch primer in any areas with bare metal showing, then wait an hour and touch up with the topcoat. All done with an airbrush. Then leave at least a week for the oil based enamel paint topcoat to cure hard enough to be handled and at least a month for it to become oil resistant before running it again.

Any new parts that require painting are removed and get a going over with the toothbrush, but with Ajax cream cleanser instead of detergent. Then ditto with the etch primer and paint.

I don't normally strip any paint off parts before a touchup, unless it is already flaking off. Although I use a fibreglass pencil, or a sanding stick to feather out the edges of any chips.


To do a full repaint, the model would need to be completely dismantled and individual parts cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner, or with the toothbrush and Ajax for parts too large for my ultrasonic cleaner. The really greasy parts like smokebox and cylinders might need a shot of engine degreaser first.

The problem with a loco that has been running for a while is that oil has got into every crevice at the front end. If you try and degrease and clean it while assembled, the oil will still be in all the crevices and will continue to seep out. Especially if the model is warmed to get rinse water to dry quickly, or to cure the paint faster.


Unfortunately, I think a loco that has done some running would need to be stripped down for thorough cleaning before weathering, as it would be equivalent to a repaint in this context.

Regards,
Graeme

Belluva
Cleaner
Cleaner
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:36 am

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by Belluva » Wed Sep 09, 2020 7:57 pm

Just read this thread from start to finish. Is a wonderful inspiration. Can only dream of your loco collection. The modelling of the wagons and coaches is great.

User avatar
Old Man Aaron
Trainee Driver
Trainee Driver
Posts: 795
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 11:08 am
Location: Sunshine Coast QLD, Australia

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by Old Man Aaron » Fri Sep 11, 2020 5:09 am

GTB wrote: โ†‘Wed Sep 09, 2020 2:15 pm Unfortunately, I think a loco that has done some running would need to be stripped down for thorough cleaning before weathering, as it would be equivalent to a repaint in this context.
Cheers Graeme, I was thinking much the same things, but always good to hear how others do it. Know just what you mean regarding your Ruby - at this point, I'm somewhat grateful that mine runs at all!

Regards,
Aaron
Regards,
Aaron - Scum Class Works

User avatar
GTB
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1550
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:46 pm
Location: Australia

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by GTB » Sun Sep 05, 2021 5:45 am

It's been a while since I posted anything here. What with shutdowns, lousy weather and life's little vicissitudes there hasn't been a lot of train running going on around here. The last run was before Easter I think, when we were out of shutdown for a short time and the kids were able to visit.

Anyway, Spring has sprung around here and having pruned the shrubbery and blown all the dead leaves off the track, when we got a bit of sunshine, it was time for a test run......

The Motor Mule got the guernsey, as it was too windy to run a steamer, so the works train was assembled and it set off. The mule makes a good test loco, as it has narrow wheels (O gauge profile, rather than the G1 profile I prefer) that will find any track fault, but it managed to get around without any derailments. Although there are a couple of spots that need attention from the track gang, as some of the rail has walked with temperature changes and some gaps have closed, while others have opened up too far.

The first photo shows it coming off the bridge at the start of the run. The second pic shows it running along the back straight. The batteries were still charged from earlier this year and it ran happily for half an hour. It would have run longer, but that's about the length of my attention span...... :roll:

Tenth Run 1.jpg
Tenth Run 1.jpg (195.88 KiB) Viewed 5494 times

Tenth Run 2.jpg
Tenth Run 2.jpg (221.45 KiB) Viewed 5494 times

Regards,
Graeme

User avatar
GTB
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1550
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:46 pm
Location: Australia

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by GTB » Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:09 am

Spring has turned to summer, not that you'd notice hereabouts, as we are currently in a La Nina event. The Aust climate wheel of fortune has turned and we now have floods in areas that were deep in drought a couple of years ago.

Sunday was a nice day though, so the TVT was running trains for the first time in a while.

When I was a tin lid growing up in country Victoria, one of the highlights of this time of year was the annual Sunday School picnic, along with the Anniversary and the Christmas Party. Picnic Day was a public holiday in the district and at a time when many families still didn't have cars, excursion trains were organised. The following photos show the same sort of traffic on the TVT.

The first pic. shows one of the timber tram locos with their only passenger vehicle, hurrying the mill families through the sunlight towards the connection with the TVT excursion train.

Eighteenth Steam Run 1.jpg
Eighteenth Steam Run 1.jpg (296.57 KiB) Viewed 5109 times

The mill train has arrived at the sidings and is waiting for the TVT train to continue it's trip. The mill crew will then service the loco and reverse the train, before repairing to the local watering hole until the excursion returns. If you look closely you'll see a couple of Banksia men lurking on a branch waiting for any unwary passers by........ ;)

Eighteenth Steam Run 3.jpg
Eighteenth Steam Run 3.jpg (268.29 KiB) Viewed 5109 times

The excursion train has crossed the bridge and is rolling south across the river flats on it's way towards the picnic grounds, with the TVT's new passenger van bringing up the rear. Perfect picnic weather, 21degC, no wind and not a cloud in the sky...... 8)

Eighteenth Steam Run 4.jpg
Eighteenth Steam Run 4.jpg (331.46 KiB) Viewed 5109 times

It's now late in the afternoon and the train crews wait while the passengers sort themselves out for the trip home in time for tea.

Eighteenth Steam Run 5.jpg
Eighteenth Steam Run 5.jpg (295.92 KiB) Viewed 5109 times

Regards,
Graeme

User avatar
Andrew
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3247
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:33 pm
Location: Bristol, UK
Contact:

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by Andrew » Wed Dec 08, 2021 2:04 pm

Wonderful photos, thank you!

That four coach rake is quite splendid...

User avatar
ge_rik
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 6497
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:20 pm
Location: Cheshire
Contact:

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by ge_rik » Wed Dec 08, 2021 2:52 pm

Great looking models. Glad you're getting some sort of summer at last. Goodness knows what sort of winter we're in for .... :roll:

Rik
------------------------
Peckforton Light Railway - Blog Facebook Youtube

User avatar
GTB
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1550
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:46 pm
Location: Australia

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by GTB » Tue Dec 21, 2021 1:10 pm

Another day in paradise, 21degC, a light breeze and not a cloud in the sky............. :D

Lately I've been going through the TVT rolling stock and modifying the wheel sets to my free wheel arrangement. The bogie goods stock was finished some time ago, but I've now finished converting the passenger stock and the 4 wheel goods stock. The timber tram stock designs are harder to modify and generally run in short rakes, so there's not much gain from converting that. The modification means that all the TVT rolling stock now runs just as freely on curves as on straight track. https://gardenrails.org/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=12455

With the weather turning on a nice day for running a steam loco, the opportunity was taken to test run the modified 4 wheel stock. The roadside goods is heavy and needs one of the bigger locos, so Bogong, the Big Black Baldwin, was rostered for the trip.

Of course the boiler came up to pressure before the train was fully marshalled in the yard and in the confusion I forgot to have the camera to hand. So the first photo shows the train well into the run, leaving the northern end of the black forest for the second time and coming around the curve into the wye junction.

Nineteenth Steam Run 1.jpg
Nineteenth Steam Run 1.jpg (286.75 KiB) Viewed 4891 times

The next photo was taken a little later as the train was passing around the southern curve.

Nineteenth Steam Run 2.jpg
Nineteenth Steam Run 2.jpg (262.35 KiB) Viewed 4891 times

A bit later the train was photographed coming off the bridge heading south again. The air was a bit warm today for much in the way of steam effects, but there was a little exhaust steam to be seen.

Nineteenth Steam Run 3.jpg
Nineteenth Steam Run 3.jpg (255.67 KiB) Viewed 4891 times

This loco usually obligingly stops in an easily accessible part of the track at the end of a run. Today it decided not to co-operate, so it had to be towed ignominiously back into the yard by the Motor Mule. :roll:

Nineteenth Steam Run 4.jpg
Nineteenth Steam Run 4.jpg (236.18 KiB) Viewed 4891 times

Regards,
Graeme

User avatar
ge_rik
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 6497
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:20 pm
Location: Cheshire
Contact:

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by ge_rik » Tue Dec 21, 2021 2:40 pm

That's an impressive looking goods train, Graeme.....
A balmy 4.5C here today at its peak..... :shock:

Rik
------------------------
Peckforton Light Railway - Blog Facebook Youtube

invicta280
Trainee Driver
Trainee Driver
Posts: 664
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:24 pm
Location: kent england

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by invicta280 » Wed Dec 22, 2021 11:15 pm

Looks like a fun session, with the Mule earning its keep.

User avatar
Lonsdaler
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1226
Joined: Tue May 20, 2014 9:50 am
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by Lonsdaler » Wed Dec 29, 2021 10:49 am

So nice to be reminded of what good weather is - feels like it's been murk and drizzle or rain here in NW England since October :dontknow: Your line looks suitably low maintenance and backache free 8)
Phil

Sporadic Garden Railer who's inconsistencies know no bounds

My Line - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11077

User avatar
Andrew
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3247
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:33 pm
Location: Bristol, UK
Contact:

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by Andrew » Wed Dec 29, 2021 11:08 am

invicta280 wrote: โ†‘Wed Dec 22, 2021 11:15 pm Looks like a fun session, with the Mule earning its keep.
It really is, isn't it?! It seems remarkably powerful...

Lovely goods train, thanks for the pictures!

User avatar
GTB
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1550
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:46 pm
Location: Australia

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by GTB » Mon Jun 12, 2023 3:13 pm

It's winter hereabouts, but the long weekend has been a clear run between the cold fronts, so the backyard has dried out a little and a short test run was organised.

I recently finished a short rake of unloaded log bogies to use up some surplus parts and the photo below shows them on a test run behind the Kerr-Stuart Skylark. The wheels are some old Andel castings that I've found are a bit brittle for regular use, but they will be OK for bogies that will mostly be used as static models when running the timber tram.

As always a battery powered loco is a more convenient way of running a train for a short test. The backyard is mostly in shadow during the day at this time of year, but late in the afternoon the sun shines through a gap in the trees long enough for a short run.

logbogie-n.jpg
logbogie-n.jpg (132.1 KiB) Viewed 2979 times

Graeme

User avatar
LNR
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1533
Joined: Sat Feb 27, 2016 5:26 am
Location: Australia

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by LNR » Tue Jun 13, 2023 12:03 pm

The weekend was good for running wasn't it. Managed to run three of mine, and gave all a good sudsy wash after to prepare for more running this winter.
Grant.

User avatar
GTB
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1550
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:46 pm
Location: Australia

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by GTB » Tue Oct 31, 2023 9:51 am

I haven't run a train since early July and I've just spent three days clearing the jungle that had grown up around the track since then.


The works foreman was sent out in the gang motor on an inspection trip to check for any damage from a recent storm and ensure the track was clear for the branch line mixed the next day.


The first photo shows the gang motor putt-putting along on the branch towards the interchange yard with the Mt. Delusion timber tram.

Eleventh Run 1.jpg
Eleventh Run 1.jpg (226.45 KiB) Viewed 1929 times


The manager of the Mt. Delusion mill was of the same mind and had been out checking the timber tram. The two drinking mates met up for a fag and a chinwag before returning home. Most likely via the nearest sly grog establishment........

Eleventh Run 2.jpg
Eleventh Run 2.jpg (229.51 KiB) Viewed 1929 times


Regards,
Graeme

User avatar
philipy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5031
Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:00 pm
Location: South Northants

Re: TVT - Start of Steam Operation

Post by philipy » Tue Oct 31, 2023 10:45 am

Very nice, Sir!
Philip

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests