Stawberry Valley Light Railway

nlc1072 · Post by **nlc1072** » Mon Jul 20, 2026 6:54 pm

Couple of new additions to the roster, a Roundhouse Russell ran lightly bought for £400.00 because it ran really poorly, only the boiler was full of limescale and derailed everywhere, on closer inspection at home the front and rear pony wheels were installed in the wrong ends - resulting in derailments at every minor track imperfection. Ten minute fix and runs like any roundhouse loco should. An overnight limescale flush is next on the agenda for that. Coaches a purchase from eBay for £25.00 each, there are two more coaches of the typical Bachmann big haulers style in the same livery included in a job lot for £100 - all going cheap because one axle was snapped, but still present and included.... 5 minutes of no more nails and it runs wonderfully.

I also have a few more bits from where I got the Russell, I'll post those later.

Tomorrow it is back to laying the track bed and Wednesday I'll go to the builders merchants and buy £20 more of bricks... (that's all I can fit in a saloon car boot).

I appreciate the lining and ballasting tips, I will source some edging to go with the track bed Wednesday.

If anybody recognises the coaches let me know i.e. where they came from or what kit they're built from or even who owned them last, I wouldn't mind some more.

gilfachphil · Post by **gilfachphil** » Tue Jul 21, 2026 7:04 am

Looks great, you got a bargain there,

Phil

Post by **ge_rik** » Tue Jul 21, 2026 8:31 am

gilfachphil wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2026 7:04 am Looks great, you got a bargain there,
Phil

My thinking on both counts.
Can't identify the coaches. Are they ply or plastic?

Rik

nlc1072 · Post by **nlc1072** » Tue Jul 21, 2026 10:16 am

ge_rik wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2026 8:31 am
gilfachphil wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2026 7:04 am Looks great, you got a bargain there,
Phil
My thinking on both counts.
Can't identify the coaches. Are they ply or plastic?

Rik

It appears to be laser cut ply. Here's some more photos.

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nlc1072 · Post by **nlc1072** » Tue Jul 21, 2026 5:20 pm

So I managed to get some more bricks today, and will pick up some more tomorrow...

I found a spot for a small station to be placed whilst I was laying the track back. I now have a siding where a station will be.

I also smoothed out some track bed that was already laid to make a smoother transition to slight inclines.

I put the bricks in where I will place a tunnel, It will be covered in clay from a small pond I am going to build. It will also have a small stream/waterfall running over it.

The paving slabs are for a shed the railway will run through in the corner of the garden.

Here is some more progress pictures.

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nlc1072 · Post by **nlc1072** » Wed Jul 22, 2026 6:54 pm

So I did a bit more work, more track bed down now. I'm going to let it sit for a while whilst I watch for subsidence and make sure I am happy with the layout before I concrete it all in.

Some track isn't quite lined up with the track bed, this is because I am awaiting a delivery of more suitable track with the correct geometry. Hopefully this gives more of an idea of where I'm going.

There is a last minute new addition new siding down behind the lavender plants, that will not have the same track bed as the concrete from the fence only a few cm below ground in this location. I will have to suffice with some sort of weed barrier, perhaps the really thick rubber ones.