The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!
Re: The B.E.R - Construction begins
That is some runβ¦have you a video yetβ¦
ROD
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Re: The B.E.R - Construction begins
Sadly I bring bad news to the forum. The southern end of the line is due to be lifted soon due to work going on in the garden. This sadly means I can only run on the short section beside the patio. Not a major issue as it can go back in time once the work is done and be extended but all that hard work is about to be undone. Fortunately, It'll be back hopefully April next year!
Jon
Jon
Bowaters Models:- http://www.bowatersmodels.co.uk
Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'
Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'
Re: The B.E.R - Construction begins
It's always sad to be taking a backward step. Hopefully it will all be back soon and better than before.
Ian
Re: The B.E.R - Construction begins
At least you havenβt had to take it all up Jon. You will still be able to run and enjoy your locos and it will be spring soon before you know itβ¦β¦Hopefully
ROD
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Re: The B.E.R - Construction begins
While work in the Garden continues (the major work should be done by January after which its reinstatement of the railway and extension down the garden), I did find something of interest while sorting out my room. This is a job that hasn't been done for literal years and now means I can find things again! Including this set I thought I lost a long time ago! Excuse the mess, the image was taken mid sort out.
My Welshpool and Llanfair Coach set. All regauged a while ago to 32mm using Accucraft wheelsets along with plasticard inserts in the axle boxes to stop them coming out, I'm pleased to have found them again. There's 5 in total with the lead coach having an Accucraft Chopper Coupling fitted to allow them to run with my stock. I've serviced all 5 and hopefully will get them into the garden at some point for a run probably with Excelsior. The current line might be shorter but I can still run on it (I hope!).
Jon
My Welshpool and Llanfair Coach set. All regauged a while ago to 32mm using Accucraft wheelsets along with plasticard inserts in the axle boxes to stop them coming out, I'm pleased to have found them again. There's 5 in total with the lead coach having an Accucraft Chopper Coupling fitted to allow them to run with my stock. I've serviced all 5 and hopefully will get them into the garden at some point for a run probably with Excelsior. The current line might be shorter but I can still run on it (I hope!).
Jon
Bowaters Models:- http://www.bowatersmodels.co.uk
Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'
Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'
Re: The B.E.R - Construction begins
It's always nice when something like this turns up.
Are they LGB conversion?
Are they LGB conversion?
If at first you don't succeed, use a bigger hammer!
Re: The B.E.R - Construction begins
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.
I am waiting for Accucraft Chopper Couplings to come back in stock with GRS. I have been waiting now for 2 months.
ROD
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Re: The B.E.R - Construction begins
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'
Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'
Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!
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!
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.
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
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.
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'
Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'
Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!
That is a huge difference to your line. Like it a lot....
ROD
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!
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.
The trackbed before the track went down.
First signs of life. New ballast to raise the trackbed and the first sections of LGB being laid.
Track newly laid including the new mainline to the right.
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
The trackbed before the track went down.
First signs of life. New ballast to raise the trackbed and the first sections of LGB being laid.
Track newly laid including the new mainline to the right.
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'
Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'
Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!
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.
Lawley and 5 LGB Coaches
Jon
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'
Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'
Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!
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.
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.
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.
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'
Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'
Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!
Got to love it when your imagehost shuts down and our thread gets destroyed...... Iβll 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!
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! Iβm getting ideas......
In the mean time, couple of images of recent running Including my IOM set and a visiting diesel!
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! Iβm getting ideas......
Bowaters Models:- http://www.bowatersmodels.co.uk
Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'
Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'
Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!
Looking good
Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!
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!
Uphill loop before the sidings were installed.
Uphill loop with the new sidings installed.
Uphill loop with the newly moved engine shed
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.
The bank with the 'tunnel' shown.
The downhill LGB loop with siding. All points being sprung loaded so they auto reset after the engine/train has run over them.
The uphill LGB loop. Unlike the 32mm gauge loops, these are smaller being only two WHR shortie coaches long.
The new extension with the point work into the engine shed/shunt release.
The newly relocated engine shed.
The Shunt release with the curve back to the mainline.
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.
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.
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!
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!
Uphill loop before the sidings were installed.
Uphill loop with the new sidings installed.
Uphill loop with the newly moved engine shed
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.
The bank with the 'tunnel' shown.
The downhill LGB loop with siding. All points being sprung loaded so they auto reset after the engine/train has run over them.
The uphill LGB loop. Unlike the 32mm gauge loops, these are smaller being only two WHR shortie coaches long.
The new extension with the point work into the engine shed/shunt release.
The newly relocated engine shed.
The Shunt release with the curve back to the mainline.
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.
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.
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'
Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'
Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!
And onto the trains!
Blanche with a set of 4 FR coaches aka her maximum load.
Blanche climbing the bank pre grad easing.
The Class 91 climbing the bank with the old LGB bottom loop.
The class 91 on its final loaded test run of 7 FR coaches.
The Lawley and the IoM set sat in the bottom loop showing the normal running arrangement for longer trains.
Blanche sat about the leave the bottom loop with another FR train
After a shunt release at the other end, a rare image of a train about to depart the top loop with the engine leading.
Blanche running downhill.........
....... and arriving in the bottom loop.
Conway castle on a Maine two foot test run with 3 of the coaches each one being 2 and a half feet long!
Superior getting ready to depart with the welshpool set in the bottom loop. Blanche being sat in the loop following more test running.
Premier on one of her loaded test runs with the then full IoM set.
Premier with a shortened IoM set showing the maximum train length the loops can hold.
A recent rolling stock project, fitting vacumn pipes and extending my SAR passenger set to having 3 L5s.
The SAR passenger set with the class 91 about to depart up the back on another test run.
Blanche with a set of 4 FR coaches aka her maximum load.
Blanche climbing the bank pre grad easing.
The Class 91 climbing the bank with the old LGB bottom loop.
The class 91 on its final loaded test run of 7 FR coaches.
The Lawley and the IoM set sat in the bottom loop showing the normal running arrangement for longer trains.
Blanche sat about the leave the bottom loop with another FR train
After a shunt release at the other end, a rare image of a train about to depart the top loop with the engine leading.
Blanche running downhill.........
....... and arriving in the bottom loop.
Conway castle on a Maine two foot test run with 3 of the coaches each one being 2 and a half feet long!
Superior getting ready to depart with the welshpool set in the bottom loop. Blanche being sat in the loop following more test running.
Premier on one of her loaded test runs with the then full IoM set.
Premier with a shortened IoM set showing the maximum train length the loops can hold.
A recent rolling stock project, fitting vacumn pipes and extending my SAR passenger set to having 3 L5s.
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'
Current Projects:-
Rebuilding the Railway!
Turning a Second hand 'Superior' into Bowaters 'Superior'
Re: The B.E.R - The Rebuild Begins!
Some great photos and some very nice rolling stock too.
ROD
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
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