Garden Railway Forum

Very nice too, and you chose a nice day for it. Very warm here today (just a little further west from you) with the occasional light shower but not enough to put off what has to be done where railways are concerned!

Lovely stuff. I very rarely shunt the guards van to the back which is a bit naughty I suppose, there's no quick way of doing it without moving everything else and I quickly run out of accessible shunt limit space. I do like the weathered wood post fence on your raised section - it seems to make the break between railway and the patio (I assume) very natural.

Great pictures Andrew. The smaller radius Peco points allow you to fit much more into a space, great for those of us with small gardens.

I also like the fact that when used with the 3ft curves you can create passing loops with sufficient clearance for at least two Lady Anne's running side by side.

Peter Butler:112451 wrote:Very nice too, and you chose a nice day for it.   Very warm here today (just a little further west from you) with the occasional light shower but not enough to put off what has to be done where railways are concerned!

Yes, it was a lovely afternoon for it, warm but not swelteringly so in Bristol, and the threat of rain added a North Wales vibe! "Daisy" managed a nice plume of steam a lot of the time, but I didn't capture that on camera...

Mr. Bond of the DVLR:112452 wrote:I very rarely shunt the guards van to the back which is a bit naughty I suppose...

Sometimes I quite enjoy a bit of leisurely shunting, but not if I'm in the mood for simply watching the train go up and down, then I just want a quick "run round and go". The problem is that the train doesn't look quite right then... It doesn't look quite right with a van at each end either of course, but at least the FfR vans are old carriages and so the whole train then looks a bit like a "mixed"...

tom_tom_go:112454 wrote:Great pictures Andrew.  The smaller radius Peco points allow you to fit much more into a space, great for those of us with small gardens.

I also like the fact that when used with the 3ft curves you can create passing loops with sufficient clearance for at least two Lady Anne's running side by side.

Yes, the new points are really useful. Unsurprisingly the reverse curve that results from using two together doesn't make propelling stock through them very easy, but I've only used them at the far end of each run-round loop, where only the loco usually uses them. The "inner" ends of the loop, which are used for shunting and are where incoming trains may still be travelling relatively fast, use standard Peco points.

Cheers,

Andrew.

Hello!

I got back from a fortnight's holiday to find that the plum tree was in urgent need of harvesting - some of the fruit had begun to split or rot on the tree. Naturally a train was required but the need to fit it in between rain showers meant that this year I opted for battery power - here's Margaret setting off with a rake of empties...



Then pausing under the tree for loading:





Before trundling down to Trefechan to run round:



And heading back up the hill for unloading at Clarach:



All good fun, although not quite as efficient as last year's operation because the smaller slate wagons I used don't like being propelled when empty, necessitating lots of running round... October's apple harvest will use the larger wagons, and steam haulage is planned...

Cheers,

Andrew.

What a great excuse for building a branch to the plum and apple trees.

There is something delightful about a proper job of work being done by a tiny railway. Lovely.

Brilliant. I really like the bucolic feel of your railway and its stock. Reminds me, I must run some soft fruit wagons to Bulkeley - it's that time of year.....

Rik

Thanks for the kind comments chaps, glad you enjoyed the photos...

My plum trains were partly inspired by Brian Clarke (Saltford Models) articles in SMT over 20 years ago - lots of agricultural goings-on with grotty little trucks!

I'm enjoying your use of the word "bucolic" to describe my little line Rik, to the point where I've got my seriously under-used "Moelwyn" on charge at the moment to provide more rustic-looking motive power than the RH Little John. I think it might receive its overdue repaint and a little weathering over the coming winter...

Actually, you've got me wondering whether quaint backwater might not be a better theme for a small garden than the straggling and remote Welsh Highland. I've been there and done that with my old West Kent Light Railway, but I reckon I could do it a whole lot better if I were to re-visit the theme now... ... Perhaps when I'm fabulously wealthy and own a vast plot of land I shall do both...

Cheers,

Andrew.

Evening all...

Despite the weather I ran some trains over the BH weekend, but it wasn't all plain sailing...

On Saturday I took the WD Baldwin out for the first time in a year - the lack of use was partly because the track needed fettling to suit its rather sensitive pony truck and partly because I'd lost the charger - oops... It was a lovely run - the Baldwin took the three WHR carriages for the first time and coped admirably, slipping obligingly realistically on the later runs as the track got a little greasy... No pictures of that because I'd decided to keep things simple and just enjoy the run- which I did.

On Sunday a little (WH)WHR history was made with the first running of two independent steam trains - I'd previously run a double-header and had brief periods where a battery-powered train has supplemented a steam one, but this was a first. Surely such an auspicious occasion was brilliantly-planned and executed, and was carefully recorded for posterity?? Alas, no - it was fun, but also complete chaos, and the only record is through some pictures a friend took on his phone in failing light...

The evening went something like this... Our dinner guests both fancied having a go at driving a train, so I decided to steam two locos. The idea was that I'd manage the locos, provide the odd word of advice and otherwise stand back to enjoy the spectacle, camera at the ready - and they'd run the trains... It didn't turn out quite like that... It seems that the run-round procedure, the concept of passing loops, and realistic light railway speeds  can be difficult for novice, non-enthusiast drivers to grasp - and that two locos (one I wasn't very familiar with, the other experiencing R/C problems) was one too many... The result was something like an Ealing Comedy...

The two trains did run together briefly, and did look great leaving the loop at Penlan in opposite directions, but it didn't last long! I'd forgotten that the Baldwin has a very limited boiler capacity, so it ran out of water after a couple of round trips and was relegated to a siding:



By then "Russell" had succumbed to radio problems (dodgy connections I think), leaving Thunderbird "Margaret" - driven by none other than Captain Haddock - to keep the show vaguely on the road:



"Russell"'s electrical gubbins was coaxed back into life and further two train running ensued:



Finally for Sunday, here's a shot of yours truly (I'm the big one with his head in a bush) and son Jonah desparately trying to undertake all the coupling, uncoupling, point-changing and re-railing required to keep two rookie drivers up and running:



Poor Jonah had only come out to have a bounce on the trampoline (hence the bare feet!) but was quickly pressed into service as a shunter instead...

On Monday I thought I'd enjoy the calm and have another, more relaxing, run with the Baldwin - this time with proper photos. So, here she is about to set off from Trefechan:



And here she is again, still sitting there 20 minutes later, with nothing on the clock, because - having raised steam - I realised that in the previous day's excitement I'd forgotten to turn the electrics off and had drained the batteries. Oh well...



What would the Fat Controller say?!!

Andrew.

What wood did you use for the pedestrian level crossing, it looks great.

Andrew:111172 wrote:Hello again,

I've been cracking on with scenic work at Clarach, the upper terminus of the (WH)WHR.

The barrow crossing has been completed, the track ballasted, and a "platform" surface applied:



The platform is supposed to look like the ones on the McAlpine-constructed (ie non-NWNGR) bits of the Welsh Highland, a simple gravel surface separated from the track by a simple plank or strip of wood. It's 4mm scale ballast (blooming expensive!) mixed with sieved earth, with added earth at the back and ends where the graveled bit is being reclaimed by Mother Nature. Both ballast and platform surface are held in place with SBR which seems to be working well, although there's some cracking on the bits that are just earth which will need a little more work, as does the bit at the back.

It's all a little tidy and perhaps a bit bland at the moment, but some more detail and natural weathering should help sort that out. At some point I'll disguise some of the rear fence with some slate too...

Cheers,

Andrew.

Hello,

Glad you like the crossing, I was pleased with how it turned out. The crossing timbers are some wooden sleepers I was given years ago, quite possibly so old that the creosote's the real thing. You might be able to get some secondhand somewhere - or drop me a pm and I could stick some spare ones in a jiffy bag, I think I've got quite a lot left.

Andrew.

Loving the crossing as well Andrew, looks great.

Good evening!

Further two train running has been taking place on the (WH)WHR, this time on Monday with our first visiting steamer, John Rogers' lovely "Wild Rose", Hereward the Wake. John's little Hunslet pottered up and down merrily with various slate wagons and its very own Zecar Momentum Van, while my Russell and Baldwin powered the passenger service.

Once again I failed to take any photos (I'd temporarily mislaid the camera!), but John got some on his phone. Here's Hereward... pootling through Penlan...



And shunting in a vague approximation of a quarry scene...



The little loco performed very well on the steep gradients, but proved once again that the (WH)WHR isn't ideal for manual locos! All in all, a lovely morning - it's so nice to see the line working as designed, with trains waiting for each other in the loops before steaming off in opposite directions. Further visitors would be most welcome.

Having got all the rolling stock out, and found the camera, and remembered just what a lovely loco the Baldwin is, I played a little more in the afternoon...

Here's 590 trundling downhill with the goods...





Running round at Trefechan:




And, having ditched the wagons in Penlan loop, running a passenger service:











She's beginning to look quite at home, don't you think? I'm going to crack on with "590"-ifying her now... She's a very docile loco to run, but pleasingly challenging too - like the real thing, she's not as powerful as Russell , and, also like the real thing, she's prone to slipping on greasy rails or with heavy trains. I had some spectacular runs up the bank, only just making it on some runs, but I think I need to either revisit the idea of a rail-cleaning wagon or reduce her load in slippery conditions, I don't want to wear her out...

Guess that's all for now,

Andrew.

Lovely pictures, hope for some brakes in the rain this weekend to have a running myself.

Morning all,

A day off work yesterday coinciding with some lovely bright autumn sunshine seemed like a great opportunity for a steam-up. In the event we went for a (very pleasant) walk instead and the day was drawing to a close by the time I got out into the garden, so these photos aren't great, but they're a record of a pleasant half-hour...

Here's Daisy and train awaiting the off at Trefechan:



Storming Penlan Bank (well, trundling up it as only a geared loco can... ) - with an impressive plume of steam:



Non-stop through Penlan on the way up the line;



and pausing, rather impatiently, on the way back down:



And arriving back at Trefechan - having collected the apple harvest on the way:




The apple tree's still only a little one and is supposed to be a Cox's Orange Pippin, but I don't think it is - the apples are bright red, huge and very sour. I'd read somewhere - wrongly it seems - that they ought to be harvested at the end of October, so by the time I got round to it only this one was left on the tree, although we salvaged some of the windfalls... Whatever variety it is it's popular with woodlice - every apple had a small colony living inside which had to be encouraged to leave before being turned into apple crumble...

More trains next weekend I hope...

Cheers,

Andrew.

That steam up must have been cream on the cake (or is it custard on apple crumble) for the day. We also have very large apples on our small tree but we have managed to pick most. We also had visiting woodlice in some.

Afternoon all,

Who'd have thought being a father of four would keep you so busy?! No time for the Exeter show yesterday, and I didn't manage to get out into the garden in time to enjoy the moody mistiness or the lovely autumn light this morning, but I did have a run this afternoon...

Like the old WHR for most of its existence, passenger trains on the (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland are seasonal, to suit the little plastic tourists who wish to view the scenic splendour of my back garden. Today saw the last passenger trains of the year, consisting of a couple of closed carriages hauled by the Baldwin. Here she is awaiting the off at an Autumnal looking Trefechan:



I had go at making another film too but the results are really too awful to do anything with - a useful tool for improving my ability to achieve realistic running though I hope... On top of my erratic running (which had mostly looked fine until I watched it back!) the transmitter started bleeping wildly to tell me that its batteries were running low, and the camera picked that up on the soundtrack, not terribly realistic. I suppose the transmitter thought my model plane was about to crash into a primary school playground or something, but in fact it managed to operate my little loco quite happily for the whole run - apart from the maddening bleeping of course...

Oh well, now that the high pressure (!!!) of the passenger season is over I can trundle leisurely goods trains around until Easter. And improve the passenger facilities for next year's travellers in the meantime...

Cheers,

Andrew.