Swallowdale Railway - Boxing Day 2024

[Andrew Dolan]

I posted this video on my Swallowdale Railway YouTube channel:
"Bridget" the steam tram on the Boxing Day train; just one return trip from Beckfoot to High Topps.
The short film opens with "Jacky" the battery electric quarry loco dropping down to Horseshoe Cove from her shed at Swallowdale ready for shunt-releasing and banking.
On the return journey Jacky has to be called out again, this time to double-head with Bridget on the slippery rails! Swainson incline is 1 in 16 and the load is 4kg.

[ge_rik]

Fascinating working practices. Enjoyed the token exchanges .
Interesting locos and stock. I was speculating on their origins.

Rik

[Peter Butler]

Well done Andrew, you have managed to intrigue me with a garden railway combining all of the component parts I would never do myself!
The restricted space you have has brought out the most imagination to run your beautiful stock. I love the locos, they look great and run superbly well. The carriages are really interesting and quirky too!
Even with no 'frills', your railway video kept me glued to the screen.
Wonderful job.

[Andrew Dolan]

Fascinating working practices. Enjoyed the token exchanges .
Interesting locos and stock. I was speculating on their origins.

Rik

Thanks; my locos and stock are a mixture of scratch-built (using bought-in mechanical parts) and rebuilt/modified proprietary vehicles. In this video:
* The battery electric loco was a KGR Danny rebuilt from outline diesel to real electric using an Essel Engineering chassis
* The steam tram is freelance based on the Wilkinson Patent trams in industrialised form, using a Mamod Kitson chassis/boiler unit
* The mineral wagons are scratch-built on Mamod rolling chassis
* The coaches are scratch-built using Brandbright bogies and couplings
For materials I use sheet steel recovered from local fly-tipping! :-)
More info on my very weird website here: https://www.swallowdale-railway.co.uk/

[Andrew Dolan]

Well done Andrew, you have managed to intrigue me with a garden railway combining all of the component parts I would never do myself!
The restricted space you have has brought out the most imagination to run your beautiful stock. I love the locos, they look great and run superbly well. The carriages are really interesting and quirky too!
Even with no 'frills', your railway video kept me glued to the screen.
Wonderful job.

Thanks; my locos are manual so I drive them with my right hand and video using my iPhone in left hand! Then edit on my computer.
The railway started in 2009 and has developed into a 3-point end-to-end line giving a scale length (including reversals) of approximately 3/4 mile, rising to an elevation of approx 120 feet at the summit station.
My locos and stock are a mixture of scratch-built (using bought-in mechanical parts) and rebuilt/modified Roundhouse, Mamod, Accucraft.
I use materials recovered from local fly-tipping: old bedsteads, ironing boards, planks etc for the railway and sheet steel etc for the rolling stock.

[ge_rik]

More info on my very weird website here: https://www.swallowdale-railway.co.uk/

Great website. I like the link to your railway's incredibly well stocked shop

Rik

[invicta280]

I especially like your maroon coaches with their opening doors. Are they rivetted? Very smart appearance.