The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

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ge_rik
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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by ge_rik » Wed Jun 06, 2018 8:06 am

Are the wheels ok on the tunnel wagons? I'd imagine they'd be a bit rusty unless they're plastic.

Pity about the PP inspection car. My HGLW chassis came with a spare worm so I suspect there's an expectation they will wear, but maybe not quite so quickly. It's a pity there isn't a brass or steel replacement.

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Andrew
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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by Andrew » Wed Jun 06, 2018 12:26 pm

ge_rik wrote: Wed Jun 06, 2018 8:06 am Are the wheels ok on the tunnel wagons? I'd imagine they'd be a bit rusty unless they're plastic.

Pity about the PP inspection car. My HGLW chassis came with a spare worm so I suspect there's an expectation they will wear, but maybe not quite so quickly. It's a pity there isn't a brass or steel replacement.

Rik
Fortunately, most of the stock in the tunnel had Big Big Train plastic running gear, which has survived quite happily. The local spiders seem to have evolved a way of making strange cylindrical webs around the axles, but those were easily removed. The Mamod brake van has aluminium(?) wheels, which seem OK, but the box van's steel wheel have indeed rusted, one of the reasons for its withdrawal from service - the bodywork's also in a bad way - the door's fallen off on the other side, apart from anything else.

And yes, it is a shame about the inspection car, I rather like it. I think it was shredding the nylon from the outset - when it was running it seemed to run pretty smoothly, but maybe there's scope to can adjust it when I refit, in the hope that a better fit alleviates the problem...

Thanks for the encouragement folks,

Andrew.

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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by Soar Valley Light » Wed Jun 06, 2018 9:44 pm

Lovely pictures!

That's atmosphere that can only come naturally over time.

I look forward to seeing more of the old line. I always enjoyed your posts in the past.

ANdrew
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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by LNR » Thu Jun 07, 2018 4:36 am

Ah!! the MOTTLIT'T's. Glad to see to see they mostly survived. I rather like the look of the closed van less the obvious additions. Having the opportunity of an overgrown railway always allows you to only cut back what is necessary, often providing for a typical somewhat run down look.
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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by Andrew » Sun Jun 10, 2018 4:42 pm

Good afternoon!

After at least 18 months without any meaningful activity, this afternoon the (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland spluttered back to life. West Kent Light Railway No 3, Daisy, did the honours, raising steam in the afternoon sunshine at Clarach:
Daisy raising steam.jpg
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After a few stops to clear overhanging vegetation (still more to do there!) Daisy arrived at Trefechan, coupling on to the surviving MOTTLITTs and heading up the hill (and through the shadows) again:
Daisy leaving tunnel.jpg
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Daisy in the cutting.jpg
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In the trees.jpg
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At Clarach an attempt to shunt the guard's van to the rear ended in failure (points failure to be specific, another job on the "to do" list...) but not to worry... Here's the train about to set off again, with the strong evening sun doing its best to hide the damage to platform and buildings caused by the ravages of time...
Return trip.jpg
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Here's the train returning to Trefechan, with Margaret's driver lurking under the station canopy just as he's done for the last 18 months...
Back at Trefechan.jpg
Back at Trefechan.jpg (380.7 KiB) Viewed 5507 times
And that was pretty much it, the rest of the run being cut short when the gas ran out. Not such a bad thing really, there's something rather nice about making a single round trip with a rattling pick-up goods, just like the real thing...

More trains soon, perhaps a proper Welsh Highland goods next....

Cheers,

Andrew

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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by bazzer42 » Sun Jun 10, 2018 5:40 pm

Nice to see the line back in action. I acquired a Willi and a Konrad in the last 12 months and enjoy the regner experience.

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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Jun 10, 2018 7:10 pm

Good stuff Andrew, glad to see the line in action again.

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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by daan » Mon Jun 11, 2018 3:18 pm

Nice photo's and a superb locomotive. The thriving vegetation gives the line a lot of extra atmosphere!
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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by Dwayne » Tue Jun 12, 2018 4:10 am

:thumbright:

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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by Andrew » Mon Jun 18, 2018 9:24 am

Hello all,

With the track more-or-less clear and a couple of coal wagons needing a test run, yesterday seemed like an opportunity to run a train. The coal wagons, a bogie open and the ex-FR brake were duly assembled at Trefechan:
Wagons waiting 1.jpg
Wagons waiting 1.jpg (382.51 KiB) Viewed 5231 times
The plan was to steam Baldwin 590 and so to run a vaguely plausible WHR train (coal empties from the siding at Beddgelert perhaps), but I couldn't find that engine's transmitter anywhere, so I pottered around a little while I pondered the problem. It was quite productive pottering, erecting a shelf for stripwood and other materials in the storage space under the house, but the little train in the station just had to keep on waiting patiently for an engine - probably the Regner again, I thought, or perhaps I'd stick with the WHR theme and take Russell from its box, despite its being nominally withdrawn for overhaul...
Wagons waiting 2.jpg
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The problem was, having created the new shelves under the house, I'd displaced a whole load of firewood that I'd stored there, so I had to chop that up. And then it wouldn't fit in the wood store, so I had to rearrange that - noting the location for a future siding while I was at it, of course. While I was doing all of that, the wagons stayed sitting quietly in the platform, making Edward Thomas's Adlestrop look like Clapham Junction...
Wagons waiting 3.jpg
Wagons waiting 3.jpg (356.26 KiB) Viewed 5231 times

And then, finally... I packed everything up and went indoors. Well, there was rain in the air, and things that needed doing in the house, and the train could wait for another day - after work one day this week perhaps?

Sometimes I find I don't actually need to run a train at all, that a little rolling stock minding its own business atmospherically in a siding and catching my eye as I potter about the garden is more than enough, and a lot less troublesome. Perhaps I should sell all those expensive engines - who needs 'em anyway?!

Enough of this self-indulgence - pictures of more "proper" trains soon, I promise!

Cheers,

Andrew.

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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Mon Jun 18, 2018 9:47 am

I know what you mean Andrew not always needing to run a train.

I sometimes just like inspecting the track on my line or have a wagon parked up in a siding all day.

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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by Lonsdaler » Mon Jun 18, 2018 9:51 am

Not self indulgence Andrew, just another way to enjoy a garden railway - also one which I indulge in! :thumbup:
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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by IanC » Mon Jun 18, 2018 11:06 am

I agree. There's something theraputic about railways, even without any trains moving. I just love being on or near a railway.

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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by BorisSpencer » Mon Jun 18, 2018 11:14 am

+1 for not needing to steam-up to enjoy the railway.

I find recent the battery loco from GRS is perfect for just trundling around slowly with a its tippers in tow.
I just catch sight of it from time to time as I'm pottering, and also hear the clickity-clack as it passes over certain sections of track.

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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by Dwayne » Mon Jun 18, 2018 1:29 pm

Great set of photos. :thumbright:

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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by Andrew » 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.

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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by IanC » Mon Jun 18, 2018 3:53 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! 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.

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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by philipy » 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.
Philip

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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by ge_rik » 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
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Re: The (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Mon Jun 18, 2018 6:50 pm

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

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