The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!

A place for the discussion of garden railways and any garden style/scale portable and/or indoor layouts
Big Jim
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2694
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 5:28 pm
Location: Near Llanelli

Re: The B.E.R - Construction begins

Post by Big Jim » Fri Nov 30, 2018 6:38 pm

It's always nice when something like this turns up.

Are they LGB conversion?
If at first you don't succeed, use a bigger hammer!

User avatar
FWLR
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4262
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 9:45 am
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK

Re: The B.E.R - Construction begins

Post by FWLR » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:50 am

Brilliant find again....Given me something to do myself also....I good clear out.

I am waiting for Accucraft Chopper Couplings to come back in stock with GRS. I have been waiting now for 2 months.

angr607
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:05 am
Location: West Sussex

Re: The B.E.R - Construction begins

Post by angr607 » Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:13 pm

Big Jim wrote: ↑Fri Nov 30, 2018 6:38 pm It's always nice when something like this turns up.

Are they LGB conversion?
Definitely good to find something like this. They're all LGB Conversions. I've left the original couplings between the coaches with Accucraft Choppers on one coach so they can connect to my engines.

Jon
Bowaters Models:- http://www.bowatersmodels.co.uk

Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'

angr607
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:05 am
Location: West Sussex

Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!

Post by angr607 » Wed Dec 19, 2018 11:52 am

Fortunately, the work in the garden is coming to the end. So time to start the rebuild! I've only really gained a extra 8ft of railway space but with some careful planning, I've been able to gain an extra 5 yards of running line!

Image

With the run round loop now moved from what would have been the centre of the railway to the end, I can now run properly end to end with the possibility of running round at each end. Very happy with the planned layout. Train lengths are still set at 2 WHR coaches but in thoery, by not using the loops, I can fit a 5 coach train on the line with ease.

Image

The LGB has also been rebuilt. Originally the loop was 6ft long but that looked a bit weird for the length of line hence it has been shortened to 5ft long instead (not photographed).

Fingers crossed, once the work in the garden has been completed, funds will be available to extend the railway properly.

Jon
Bowaters Models:- http://www.bowatersmodels.co.uk

Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'

User avatar
FWLR
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4262
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 9:45 am
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK

Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!

Post by FWLR » Thu Dec 20, 2018 7:18 am

That is a huge difference to your line. Like it a lot.... :thumbright: :thumbright:

angr607
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:05 am
Location: West Sussex

Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!

Post by angr607 » Tue Feb 19, 2019 5:08 pm

Fast forward a couple of months and we now have a relaid railway! With a 5 yard line extension and a relocated station, the completed extension down the garden is complete!!! The line is about as long as I can manage for now and I doubt I can get permission to extend around the back of the shed to run down the back of the garden but you never know! We never thought I'd have a permanent railway let alone the other things happening so I'll definitely take what I can for now.

Image
The trackbed before the track went down.

Image
First signs of life. New ballast to raise the trackbed and the first sections of LGB being laid.

Image
Track newly laid including the new mainline to the right.

Image
The newly moved station area included extended sidings.

The first light engine movement has happened and went surprisingly well. Sadly no pictures of that as it was one of my manual locos so running around after it was the priority.

Hopefully, the first steam will follow at the weekend. Sadly I have other matters to deal with before I can even think about it. That said, I'm happy with what I've managed on my own this time!

Jon
Bowaters Models:- http://www.bowatersmodels.co.uk

Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'

angr607
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:05 am
Location: West Sussex

Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!

Post by angr607 » Mon Mar 25, 2019 10:20 pm

Only one image from a recent running session. I was too busy running trains to take any images. Really need to get some of the extension in use but I'll wait until I've got a longer time period to get the camera out.

Image
Lawley and 5 LGB Coaches

Jon
Bowaters Models:- http://www.bowatersmodels.co.uk

Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'

angr607
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:05 am
Location: West Sussex

Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!

Post by angr607 » Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:09 pm

Some recent running as seen a newly repaired battery electric running instead of steam. Something I suspect will happen more as the Bowaters Models range grows but I plan to run steam at some point. Only down side of having two railways to run on and maintain (I work on the one at the Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway which is the other gauge to what I normally operate on) means some of my fleet is on 32mm and the rest on 45mm. With only Superior on 32mm at the moment, the accucraft fleet is currently mostly out of use except when running at the SKLR. As I'm there only once every couple of weeks, the fleet is seeing more use but its still a relatively low use fleet.

Although I do have a tender on order for Millie which will be here soon which will mean Millie can run for the first time in a long time. As the line is end to end and the engine getting very hot in service, I've been waiting for it before testing Millie and not burning my hand off! So not long until that can happen.

Image

Image

Image

Current projects include releveling the end of the track and building up the Isle of Man set. Currently at 3 coaches long, I plan to have a fleet of 5-6 Accucrafts blostered by some ones designed by myself in due course.
Bowaters Models:- http://www.bowatersmodels.co.uk

Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'

angr607
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:05 am
Location: West Sussex

Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!

Post by angr607 » Wed Sep 25, 2019 2:50 pm

Got to love it when your imagehost shuts down and our thread gets destroyed...... I’ll rebuild it later assuming I can remember what images go where!

In the mean time, couple of images of recent running Including my IOM set and a visiting diesel!

Image

Image

Image

Image

Although my first running day was a bust due to the weather, it has shown me a Roundhouse Criccieth is really the perfect engine for my line. Fortunately you can still get the chassis for it AND my 3D printer is now operational! I’m getting ideas......
Bowaters Models:- http://www.bowatersmodels.co.uk

Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'

jim@NAL
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1115
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2012 11:01 am
Location: haverhill suffok

Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!

Post by jim@NAL » Wed Sep 25, 2019 8:41 pm

Looking good

angr607
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:05 am
Location: West Sussex

Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!

Post by angr607 » Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:37 pm

Time for a mega update which has happened over the year so far!

At first, a second run round loop was installed at the gate end of the line (downhill end) with extra sidings going in at the shed end (uphill end). The sidings were later reduced to a single siding with the 45mm gaining a extra 45mm run round loop instead. This was the status quo until recently as in June the line was finally extended around the back of the shed to give a permanent curve around the back of the line. Due to space limits, its a 38 inch radius curve which is as tight as I'd want to go as well as being the radius of all the point work on the line. But onto the pictures!

Image
Uphill loop before the sidings were installed.

Image
Uphill loop with the new sidings installed.

Image
Uphill loop with the newly moved engine shed

Image
The downhill loop allowing for loco hauled trains to have a engine at each end of the train (except when the push pull set is running). The standard train length being 2 SR&RL coaches/2 FR coaches/2 IoM Pairs plus a 4w coach. Naturally longer trains do run and run a lot although these mostly end up running in push/pull mode.

Image
The bank with the 'tunnel' shown.

Image
The downhill LGB loop with siding. All points being sprung loaded so they auto reset after the engine/train has run over them.

Image
The uphill LGB loop. Unlike the 32mm gauge loops, these are smaller being only two WHR shortie coaches long.

Image
The new extension with the point work into the engine shed/shunt release.

Image
The newly relocated engine shed.

Image
The Shunt release with the curve back to the mainline.

Image
The newly redesigned loop. The configuration being that the 45mm gauge can be lifted so during running sessions with area groups means access can be made easily along the run round loop.

Image
The shunt release under test. Its long enough for a FR Planet (Uproar or Conway) but I want to see if other engines can fit in use.

Image
Just to prove that large engines can fit around it, the SAR Class 91 going around 38 inch curves.

Plenty of changes in the year so far and hopefully the last track wise. Buildings need looking at as I'd like some more to finish the layout off properly!
Last edited by angr607 on Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bowaters Models:- http://www.bowatersmodels.co.uk

Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'

angr607
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:05 am
Location: West Sussex

Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!

Post by angr607 » Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:49 pm

And onto the trains!

Image
Blanche with a set of 4 FR coaches aka her maximum load.

Image
Blanche climbing the bank pre grad easing.

Image
The Class 91 climbing the bank with the old LGB bottom loop.

Image
The class 91 on its final loaded test run of 7 FR coaches.

Image
The Lawley and the IoM set sat in the bottom loop showing the normal running arrangement for longer trains.

Image
Blanche sat about the leave the bottom loop with another FR train

Image
After a shunt release at the other end, a rare image of a train about to depart the top loop with the engine leading.

Image
Blanche running downhill.........

Image
....... and arriving in the bottom loop.

Image
Conway castle on a Maine two foot test run with 3 of the coaches each one being 2 and a half feet long!

Image
Superior getting ready to depart with the welshpool set in the bottom loop. Blanche being sat in the loop following more test running.

Image
Premier on one of her loaded test runs with the then full IoM set.

Image
Premier with a shortened IoM set showing the maximum train length the loops can hold.

Image
A recent rolling stock project, fitting vacumn pipes and extending my SAR passenger set to having 3 L5s.

Image
The SAR passenger set with the class 91 about to depart up the back on another test run.
Bowaters Models:- http://www.bowatersmodels.co.uk

Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'

User avatar
FWLR
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4262
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 9:45 am
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK

Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!

Post by FWLR » Wed Jul 15, 2020 9:46 am

Some great photos and some very nice rolling stock too. :thumbright:

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests