The Charlwood Light Railway (CWLR)

[RobRossington]

I've been lurking here for a few years, so thought it was about time I posted some pictures of my Railway. The CWLR has occupied the right hand side of our garden since I was just 14, so for 12 years (How time flies!).
It's a short run, equaling about 1/3rd of a scale mile, but I hope I've managed to fit plenty of photogenic areas! The railway is an out and back which runs from Charlwood to Top End and back. Top End is currently being extensively rebuilt as a result of a new conservatory being built, this will be something like its 4th incarnation!

Three steam locos are available for traffic, one track powered, one battery and one live steam. Today I had the live steamer out for a short while, I hope you enjoy the photos, theres plenty more where they came from!

Not a lot going on today;



No.1 shunts the log wagon on to the front of it's train;



Coming up the bank into the now under reconstruction Top End;





Sitting on the new Level Crossing;



Through the Trees having left Top End;



On the way back;





(As you can see the station is still very much under construction!)



And on the way home;



End of the days work;

[tom_tom_go]

Welcome, it's great when a 'lurker' starts contributing to the forum.

Your line has lot's of character and reminds me of my little line.

I see you have a Silver Lady, same colour as mine I think?

Looking forward to hearing more from you.

Tom

[RobRossington]

Welcome, it's great when a 'lurker' starts contributing to the forum.

Your line has lot's of character and reminds me of my little line.

I see you have a Silver Lady, same colour as mine I think?

Looking forward to hearing more from you.

Tom

Thanks Tom!

Character was the most important thing for me when building the line. It's taken a long time to get everything to where I'm happy with it, I think I'm getting there now.

It is indeed a Silver Lady, in bog standard maroon, which I think is a lovely colour. I got it for my 21st, 5 years ago, and am just starting to pluck up the courage to change a few things on it. On the list are Vac Bags, name plates and possibly a whistle!

There will be more, I promise!

[ge_rik]

What a picturesque looking railway. Looks very much part of the landscape. Good to hear from you and good to have a relatively young member contributing. Hope to hear more.

Rik

[SimonWood]

It certainly is very photogenic! Wonderful pics.

[Lonsdaler]

A lovely railway, clearly well established. Please do post more!

[Andrew]

Hello! That's looking great, with a real sense of identity, thanks for the photos.

I started in the garden at about the same age, although things paused for a while at about the age you are now when I found myself the father of twins. Somehow used it as a good excuse to buy a RH Bertie though...

Anyway, looking forward to new developments - or just more "trains in action" shots...

Cheers,

Andrew

[Soar Valley Light]

Hello Rob,

As everyone else has said, your line looks very good. The years have clearly been well spent and the way it has settled into the landscape has paid off handsomely. It looks like it could be a railway with interesting operational opportunities too.

Like the rest, I'm looking forward to seeing more.

Andrew

[daan]

Hello Rob,

That's a great little railway. The best part of railways being "out there" for a while, is that vegetation starts to take back the tracks a bit, giving the railway a lot of extra charm. Great that you run live steam also on the out and back line, I can imagine that it's a bit more hands-on operation when you can't run in circles with a steamer. Is it radio controlled or manual?

Cheers Daan.

[RobRossington]

Thank you all for the kind comments, it's much appreciated!

Hello Rob,

That's a great little railway. The best part of railways being "out there" for a while, is that vegetation starts to take back the tracks a bit, giving the railway a lot of extra charm. Great that you run live steam also on the out and back line, I can imagine that it's a bit more hands-on operation when you can't run in circles with a steamer. Is it radio controlled or manual?

Cheers Daan.

Daan, The loco is indeed RC, don't think I could cope with a manual Live Steamer as I like to drive it as slowly as possible! I find that once it has warmed up it will perform quite happily, with the pressure sitting around the 20psi mark. The back straight has a dip in the middle too so it gets a little bit of a work out regardless of which way it runs round. I could do with visiting a nice big roundy roundy layout at some point as the loco is five years old now and I still don't think it's run in properly!

Hello Rob,

As everyone else has said, your line looks very good. The years have clearly been well spent and the way it has settled into the landscape has paid off handsomely. It looks like it could be a railway with interesting operational opportunities too.

Like the rest, I'm looking forward to seeing more.

Andrew

I've managed to pack quite a bit into a small space I think, and I keep finding ways to make it more operationally interesting. I'm not bored of it yet, even after all these years, but I do have my eye on a couple of potential extensions.....

Hello! That's looking great, with a real sense of identity, thanks for the photos.

I started in the garden at about the same age, although things paused for a while at about the age you are now when I found myself the father of twins. Somehow used it as a good excuse to buy a RH Bertie though...

Anyway, looking forward to new developments - or just more "trains in action" shots...

Cheers,

Andrew

Definitely no twins on the horizon for me, I find juggling videoing and driving to be hard enough, never mind juggling twins and driving!

Anyway, some more pictures!

No.1 Leaves Charlwood with a short mixed, you might have noticed I don't run many passenger trains. This may or may not be due to a distinct lack of suitable rolling stock. This is something I'm hoping to rectify in the not too distant future as the railway is looking to invest in a fleet from swift16, having been suitably impressed with the two wagons we have from them and the Railbus currently under construction.....




Meanwhile, on exam at the shed is the Railway's newest locomotive, No.3. You might notice that this particular loco looks quite different in many pictures, a result of my constant tinkering with it to tone down its many Americanisms!


For example the next two shots are some of my favourites of this loco, but both are pre vacuum brakes, Smaller lamp and Lamp irons being fitted!





Name plates are currently on order for both locomotives, No.1 will be 'Lady May' after my Grandma. No.3 will be named Cruachan, after the mountain (the power station within was a project my Grandad worked on).

More when I find them!

[IanC]

Hello Rob,

What a wonderful railway and great photography. Your Silver Lady looks superb, but I'm biased having a similar Lady Anne in the same colour. Don't worry about your Silver Lady not being run in. Roundhouse run in all their classic loco's on air before despatch. If you haven't already, join the 16mm association and contact your local group. There's bound to be someone with a long roundy roundy run if you feel your Silver Lady needs to stretch it's legs.

I too am planning on getting some Swift Sixteen coaches. After much due deliberation IMHO I think they will be a good match for the Lady Anne and Silver Lady in size and appearance.

[FWLR]

Hi Rob,

Just some brilliant photos and you should be very proud to have a collection of very fine locos. I love your line, it’s simple, yet brilliantly thought out as well. Love the way you wind the locos around the tree.

Could you put a camera on a tripod, or even put it packed up on some thing soft like a cushion and take a short video from both ends. Just a thought.

[bazzer42]

Just back from holiday and catching up! A lovely set of pictures, I really like behind the shed with the baby's tears and the tree....super!

[RobRossington]

Again, thank you all for the kind comments

Hi Rob,

Just some brilliant photos and you should be very proud to have a collection of very fine locos. I love your line, it’s simple, yet brilliantly thought out as well. Love the way you wind the locos around the tree.

Could you put a camera on a tripod, or even put it packed up on some thing soft like a cushion and take a short video from both ends. Just a thought.

Thank you The whole area under the acer with the engine shed etc is my favourite bit of the whole line, although the new Top End station is coming close, just need to finish it!

I've got a few video clips taken on my phone, and I try to make a new cab ride video using my GoPro every year so that I can see what has changed! I've got tripods galore of various different sizes so it's never difficult to find something to put the camera on!

Just back from holiday and catching up! A lovely set of pictures, I really like behind the shed with the baby's tears and the tree....super!

That's my favourite bit too!

Hello Rob,

What a wonderful railway and great photography. Your Silver Lady looks superb, but I'm biased having a similar Lady Anne in the same colour. Don't worry about your Silver Lady not being run in. Roundhouse run in all their classic loco's on air before despatch. If you haven't already, join the 16mm association and contact your local group. There's bound to be someone with a long roundy roundy run if you feel your Silver Lady needs to stretch it's legs.

I too am planning on getting some Swift Sixteen coaches. After much due deliberation IMHO I think they will be a good match for the Lady Anne and Silver Lady in size and appearance.

Thanks! Photography is my other passion, so I like to make sure that I have little vignettes that I can go back to get decent pictures.

I guess I'm not worried about it not being 'run in' as such, more that I wonder if I'm getting the best performance out of it! The more I use it the better it seems to get, whether that's my skills improving or the loco I'm not sure, I'm enjoying it though!


I really do love the swift 16 stuff, its easy to build (mostly!) and looks the part, the resin they make stuff out of is superb too!


Some more for you


No.1 is prepared for its next trip in the headshunt at Charlwood;



It's later seen upon arrival at Top End. A works train sits in the loop. On my list for the Llanfair show is a new station building and some gas lamps to finish this area off. Oh, and a goods shed for the siding!



No.3 lurks by the shed;



Hope you enjoy!

[RobRossington]

I've dug out a little bit of video that was hiding on my iPhone, these were all shot earlier in the year prior to the start of the great Top-End rebuild!







Enjoy!

[IanC]

I've just noticed on your pictures that you appear to be using scotches. Does your line slope?

Quite a few forum members are going to Llanfair. Some might even be wearing the Garden Railway Forum logo as badges to aid identification. Which reminds me, I must make mine as I'm planning on being there on Sunday. Only a small shopping list though.

[tom_tom_go]

Lovely...

If that loco is running on DCC (I believe you run track powered?) it would be easy to get a sound card fitted

[RobRossington]

I've just noticed on your pictures that you appear to be using scotches. Does your line slope?

Quite a few forum members are going to Llanfair. Some might even be wearing the Garden Railway Forum logo as badges to aid identification. Which reminds me, I must make mine as I'm planning on being there on Sunday. Only a small shopping list though.

Hi Ian,

Yes it does have a slight slope. I’m also quite interested in operating ‘properly’ and since I don’t have the space for catch points I use scotches instead

Lovely...

If that loco is running on DCC (I believe you run track powered?) it would be easy to get a sound card fitted

Thanks Tom,

That Loco is actually battery RC, I’ve been thinking about a sound card for it for a while now. I have a few other things I need to invest in first though

[RobRossington]

The management and board of the CWLR are pleased to announce the arrival of a new diesel locomotive. It requires a repaint and some modification to CWLR standards, but should be able to go out on trials at least later today.

Pictures to follow....


(It’s an LGB 2095 ‘whizzy cranks’ loco. Probably a bit of overkill on my small line, but you always need something big and heavy to recover out-of-gas steamers, right?)

[daan]

@Rob, to mimic a long stretch of track to proprly run in your engines you can also use a rolling road. That way you can also keep an eye on things and add a bit of extra oil on the rods if it needs some.
Since you also use LGB track on a brick wall, I also had some ditches and high spots, which I sorted by shaving away some height of the sleepers, wich is easy to do with LGB. It's an easy way to get your track level and thus your engines running smoothly.

thanks for the video's and photo's your railway looks great and the video gives a better overview of how it's all connected. Another tip: Youtube also has a stitching tool to combine several short clips to a bigger one.

cheers, Daan.