Garden Railway Forum

Loads of room!

A good start that, I hope the noble citizens of the locale appreciate your efforts to get their railway running again.
There are various assorted Dai's here in West Wales who might be interested in a working holiday after the mothballing of the PMR.

Ferret and the lads were out today laying track in the station area. They are a bit non-plussed about getting ballast to the site, as the Cork area management is insisting on rehabilitating the line from the wrong end. Misery Mahon's understudy 'Porter' Pete Scanlon came down for the day looking for suggestions on how to expedite the job. Misery is sulking in his tent because Area would not take his suggestion of converting the line to Broad Gauge seriously. No-one really cares as Pete is a convivial sort, and much easier to deal with than his boss. It took Pete awhile to explain to Ferret what expedite means, but the light bulb went on eventually and he said 'Ah! So you want us to hurry the fecking job up, then?' At this point Ferret suddenly became quite animated, explaining what needed to be done and what did not. It seems Cork does not know much about what has happened on the S&CT&LR since 1925 - mainly because Ferret and his Dad were prone to just doing jobs out of materials on hand, which included raiding the stash of P.W. materials at Castleknox in the dead of night when the opportunity presented itself.

The animated debate continued later on when everyone, including Porter Pete, adjourned to Maggie's to consume their daily quota of the black stuff. When he is out of the reach of Nora (Mrs. Scanlon), Pete is given to making a night of it, so each of his usual three pints was followed by two fingers of Paddy. Apparently, Area is quite worried about making the traffic from Munster Mining pay, and are wondering how to reduce transhipment costs. Finnbar the Spanner explained to Pete about transporter wagons, and even wrote it down on the back of a beer mat with Chippy's carpenter's pencil, so that he can remember it when he sobers up in the morning. the evening ended with everyone struggling with, if it takes two men so long to empty a wagon, how much can they shift in a day? Complicated by at 9/- a day what does it cost? The conclusion was that they should have paid more attention to algebra in maths class. Seems that the Cavan and Leitrim section considered them - transporter wagons not algebra classes - back in independent days for the Arigna coal traffic.

Given the amount of skullduggery that goes on there, perhaps I should make a model of Maggie's next.

Cheers,
Peter in VA

Finnbar the Spanner spent his Tuesday playing with the little black diesel. Said locomotive did indeed have a wheel set that was wide to gauge, so the B2B measurement was brought down to the proper 40mm by insetting the brass bushes, rubbing a few thou off the insulators on the wheels, and using the wheel press (vice) to shove 'em in a bit. So far it has not derailed when travelling unpowered axle first over any of the point work, so it looks like surgery a success.

Peter in Va.

Good News Peter.
I am glad that Finbarr was able to read, mark and inwardly adjust the wheel sets.

Big Jim wrote: ↑Wed Oct 18, 2017 6:51 pm Good News Peter.
I am glad that Finbarr was able to read, mark and inwardly adjust the wheel sets.

Very good, Jim!

Peter in Va

If I can get the Missus in a cooperative mood, it is time to take a trip to the Hardware barn and buy some more plywood and framing timber to push the Skebawn and Castleknox on a bit. The non-cooperative weather is pushing me in the direction of working on the S&CT and faffing about intermittently with rolling stock projects for the outdoor line when I need a change of pace. One relatively painless job I could get on with is changing out the couplings on the S&C stock (to round head Norwegian couplings) and then put the existing square heads to one side for the outside line. RIP track needs emptying too. The missus also found some lampposts in the clearance basket which are a bit short, but if I mount them on a wall no-one should be any the wiser.

Cheers,
Peter in Va

I have been totally stopped on railway projects since February thanks to finding myself in the middle of a Church Planting effort which has absorbed a vast amount of my energy over the spring and summer. Anyway, the situation seems to be stabilizing a bit now, so I might be able to get on with both the S&CLR&T, and the outdoor line - except now the annual vacation is looming. <sigh>

Peter in Va.

IrishPeter wrote: ↑Sat Jul 28, 2018 5:11 pm I have been totally stopped on railway projects since February thanks to finding myself in the middle of a Church Planting effort which has absorbed a vast amount of my energy over the spring and summer. Anyway, the situation seems to be stabilizing a bit now, so I might be able to get on with both the S&CLR&T, and the outdoor line - except now the annual vacation is looming. <sigh>

Peter in Va.

It is funny how that real life manages to get in the way of model railways.
I know the feeling Peter, I have been suffering with parish related issues for the last few months. It was only last week I got into the shed for the first time since January.

Good to hear from you again Peter....know what you mean about holidays....it's an unusually hot summer here, I'd be happy to get hot in this country (near a railway) but Mrs B feels the need to fly somewhere warm. To be resolved!

Big Jim wrote: ↑Sun Jul 29, 2018 9:57 pm

IrishPeter wrote: ↑Sat Jul 28, 2018 5:11 pm I have been totally stopped on railway projects since February thanks to finding myself in the middle of a Church Planting effort which has absorbed a vast amount of my energy over the spring and summer. Anyway, the situation seems to be stabilizing a bit now, so I might be able to get on with both the S&CLR&T, and the outdoor line - except now the annual vacation is looming. <sigh>

Peter in Va.

It is funny how that real life manages to get in the way of model railways.
I know the feeling Peter, I have been suffering with parish related issues for the last few months. It was only last week I got into the shed for the first time since January.

Either times have changed since Rev Denny's time or you two are doing something wrong! He managed to build a garden line AND an indoor one, and still earn his daily bread. Mind you, Rev Awdry must have had a fair bit of time on his hands, and Rev Boston's flock must have had to pretty mych fend for themselves while he looked after his locos and traction engines... Guess they weren't running three parishes and the local food bank back then...

Hope you both get some modelling done soon!

All the best,

Andrew.

Andrew wrote: ↑Mon Jul 30, 2018 10:43 pm

Big Jim wrote: ↑Sun Jul 29, 2018 9:57 pm

IrishPeter wrote: ↑Sat Jul 28, 2018 5:11 pm I have been totally stopped on railway projects since February thanks to finding myself in the middle of a Church Planting effort which has absorbed a vast amount of my energy over the spring and summer. Anyway, the situation seems to be stabilizing a bit now, so I might be able to get on with both the S&CLR&T, and the outdoor line - except now the annual vacation is looming. <sigh>

Peter in Va.

It is funny how that real life manages to get in the way of model railways.
I know the feeling Peter, I have been suffering with parish related issues for the last few months. It was only last week I got into the shed for the first time since January.

Either times have changed since Rev Denny's time or you two are doing something wrong! He managed to build a garden line AND an indoor one, and still earn his daily bread. Mind you, Rev Awdry must have had a fair bit of time on his hands, and Rev Boston's flock must have had to pretty mych fend for themselves while he looked after his locos and traction engines... Guess they weren't running three parishes and the local food bank back then...

Hope you both get some modelling done soon!

All the best,

Andrew.

Very different now.

Yes, thought it must be - keep up the good work!

Andrew.

bazzer42 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 30, 2018 10:08 pm Good to hear from you again Peter....know what you mean about holidays....it's an unusually hot summer here, I'd be happy to get hot in this country (near a railway) but Mrs B feels the need to fly somewhere warm. To be resolved!

I usually quite look forward to the end of summer holiday, but this year things are more than a little nuts. Firstly, I have taught three courses back to back at the Theological Institute, and that has eaten time like nobody's business. Secondly, the missus has had some health issues of the more annoying than serious variety, which has meant plenty of time at the Quack Shop. Thirdly, we have had to have some work done on the house - additional electrical outlets, and a repair to the aged central heating system. All of which stress seems to drive my ocular migraine into overdrive with the result that my GP is packing me off to a neurologist. The latest circus is that the vet where I usually board the dog is moving while we are supposed to be away, except now they are not - maybe - so that means Plans B & C have to be reformulated.


I could really use some railway time, but every time I think I have a clear evening I have something comes up...


Very frustrating!


Peter in Va

The temperatures have dropped, and the weather has dried up enough that I can get to work on S&CT, which has been more-or-less neglected since last winter due to fact the basement has been unusually damp this summer, and I am not keen on being down there listen to the blasted dehumidifier rumbling. The next stage will have to be some serious benchwork building, so I can get the continuous run established down in the basement. In the mean time I am messing around with some HGLW kits making a couple of small open wagons (original tramway stock that survived) for the S&CT, and also contemplating a locomotive for my other line. The wagons are getting tweaked a bit, larger wheels, and I will probably alter the strapping on the ends to be more reflective of mid-1880s practice. These wagons will get low running numbers.

In all events - progress at last.

Cheers,
Peter in Va

Good news

Glad to hear things are moving again on the S&CT.
Grant.

Great news Peter. Hope your health is improving too.
Please show us some photos of your projects when you get to them.

Hello Peter,

I'm glad you're able to get modelling again, I always look forward to updates from your line(s) - a continuous run in the basement will be fantastic, a great way to test stock or just to run trains when you want to play but the weather doesn't. I really like those little HGLW opens, I'll be interested to see what you do with yours...

All the best,

Andrew.

FWLR wrote: ↑Thu Nov 08, 2018 8:44 am Great news Peter. Hope your health is improving too.
Please show us some photos of your projects when you get to them.

The only health issue I have to contend with is a text book case of complex migrane, which really isn't that bad once you stop being frightened by the symptoms. The visual disturbances, the tingling in tongue and both hands, followed by speech disturbance can be very disconcerting, especially the first few times they strike. My main worry these days is having a bad one in public, and someone having me carted off thinking that I have had a stroke. They cannot do anything about the migraine itself, but they can at least do something about the migraine "hangover" which used to make the next day rather unproductive.

The missus has a lot of minor things going on which she finds very discouraging, mainly because they don't seem to be readily identifiable/treatable. Given her ancestry - Scandinavian and Sephardic - she never has the textbook version of anything, which our GP regards as a bit of a challenge! Big improvement on the last GP who thought it was all in her head.

I will put a photo of the tweaked HGLW kit in a day or two. Need to finish tweaking it first. One minor concern is will the Accucraft choppers I use on the S&CT fit with the end strapping. Guess that is what I need to establish if I get some modelling time later today. After these two opens I will have to convert to building closed wagons, as I will have five opens, and Irish NG railways, especially in the southwest, tended to have way more closed wagons than 'flats.' The usual ration is three closed to every flat. The characteristic Irish closed wagon with its open centre covered by a tarp would be something different to model, but compared to the standard box quite complicated.

The CLR is stirring too, but more of that anon.

Cheers,
Peter in Va