Garden Railway Forum

Short and noisy video features finished proto-Thumper power car and coaches trundling round, at last. It’s taught me a bit about keeping the track in decent order… Part 2 will follow ‘in due course’.

(I’ll post this in the appropriate ‘Rolling Stock’ thread too. Hope that’s allowed)

I'm not a fan of sound systems as a rule and often find steam/pistons out of sync with wheel rotation, however, this works for me.... sounds good!

Nice! It's bringing back happy memories of family holidays in Kent, reached by Thumper to Appledore, where we'd detrain and head on to Tenterden, riding the bicycles which had been stowed in the guards van. There was a good bakery in Appledore - I think I had my first ever Eccles Cake on a Thumper travelling to Rye as part of one of those holidays. Quite why I should remember that, I don't know...

Anyway, thanks for the memories - and for the footage of your lovely models.

Andrew

Thank you both.

I still haven’t been able to go and see one again — to delight in their glorious sound, along with the romantic seat moquettes, evocative luggage racks, maps, light-fittings, inspirational ‘The Dorset Coast - Go by Train’ posters, stained wood and general 1950s ambience… The Mid-Hants one is under protracted overhaul — but the Spa Valley have now published timetabled dates for July and August, so I’ll be able to make the pilgrimage.

Enjoy it!

The Mid Hants railway have announced a 2 EPB as a guest at the their diesel gala, complete with a Motor Luggage Van to power it, and I'm really quite tempted... I'd miss the whine of the motors, but I want to hear all those doors slam in quick succession (ideally accompanied by the fast clickety-clack of the indicator board) to transport me back to Charing Cross in the 80s. I don't really know how to get off a train these days - surely you have to glide elegantly along the length of the platform on the running board, clutching the door handle in one hand and your bowler in the other, hopping down nimbly as soon as the train has slowed to walking pace?

A station master at the Nene Valley Railway got very cross when I did that, aged about 11. I expect it was because I wasn't wearing a bowler.

Ah! A joy to see. One of my favourite garden railways, and all the better for being a bit different. I love all the SR nostalgia.