Garden Railway Forum

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

For a while now I've tried to get out in the garden on New Year's Day - start as you mean to go on and all that... I was hoping that yesterday's thick frost and bright sunshine would continue, but by the time I got into the garden a light drizzle was falling - oh well...

The loco choice was obvious - for simple operation AND great steam effects you can't beat the Regner, and thanks to advice received here and some grub screws kindly donated by Steve (thank you!) re-attaching the loose flywheel that curtailed its last run was the work of about thirty seconds. The morning's duties were very simple - a light engine run up to Penlan to collect the tippers, a couple of round trips of the lower half of the line, and a light engine trundle back down the hill again:




Have a good day!

Andrew

Lovely, Andrew. I've said it before and you disagree but, I always envy your line!

philipy wrote: ↑Fri Jan 01, 2021 2:39 pm Lovely, Andrew. I've said it before and you disagree but, I always envy your line!

I absolutely agree with Philip. Your railway has settled into the landscape very well Andrew. The shots of the train look exactly like a loco and wagons going about their business, with some reason and to some purpose. I'm not sure what exactly it is that give s this impression but I'm getting it loud and clear. I love it.

CFLR Andrew

Fantastic photos Andrew. I absolutely love your loco in steam, those photos remind why I love and started my garden railway. I especially love the overhead shot by the tunnel...Brilliant.

Happy New Year.....

Thanks chaps! Glad you like the overhead shot Rod, I was looking for ways to capture the impressive plume of steam to best effect!

Funny you should mention that the photos give the impression of real work being done Andrew - one of my aims for 2021 is to enable some sort of realistic goods operation, inspired by Rik's but using Old School technology, probably involving coin flipping and dice! I'm currently working on some removable wagon loads as part of that project. Other aims for '21 include finishing the other five Big Big Train tippers, and finally getting round to repainting the Regner, so I guess it was quite an appropriate train to see in the New Year with.

If all goes according to plan ( ie I can raise enough cash!) next year's NYD train will be hauled by a brand new RH Small England...

Cheers all,

Andrew.

For me, I love the encroaching foliage just begining to meet between the rails, and also the guard taking in the fresh air on the verandah of his van. Fantastic atmosphere!

It's photos like these that make me envious of you live steam guys. All it needs is a bit of sunlight backlighting the plume.
Sunlight ..... Remember that?

Rik

Stunning as always, Andrew.

Afternoon!

A cheerful little train started the season on the (WH)WHR today - "Margaret" hauled a WHR open and FR slate wagon that jus happened to be knocking about, the recently-completed coal wagon which had yet to be test run, and a brake van.

The ensemble simply tootled up the line to Clarach where the loco ran around, transferred the van to the back, and trundled back down the line again. It's still sitting in the garden in case I fancy doing it again this afternoon...

Cheers all,

Andrew.

That is a lovely scene Andrew, but if I tried a similar thing here today it would all be blown over the hedge.

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Tue Apr 06, 2021 3:39 pm That is a lovely scene Andrew, but if I tried a similar thing here today it would all be blown over the hedge.

I'm glad you like it! I often wish for a larger garden, but I guess one of the advantages of our little plot is that it's relatively sheltered - still bloomin' chilly today though!

Andrew.

Andrew wrote: ↑Tue Apr 06, 2021 4:13 pm

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Tue Apr 06, 2021 3:39 pm That is a lovely scene Andrew, but if I tried a similar thing here today it would all be blown over the hedge.

I'm glad you like it! I often wish for a larger garden, but I guess one of the advantages of our little plot is that it's relatively sheltered - still bloomin' chilly today though!

Andrew.

We had a steam up last week on the first permitted day in England on a friends line. It could only go ahead because his garden was suitably sheltered - using mine would have been more appropriate for a runway!

"Margaret" and her little goods train were keeping me company this afternoon while I weeded the patio, when it started to hail. In best "Thomas" fashion, they scurried off to shelter in the tunnel, leaving me to face the elements alone!

Two brilliant photos has usual...

Your line may be small, but it's full of character.
Great photos.....

Rik

Thanks chaps!

The line's actually looking rather bare at the moment - the Mind Your Own Business that covers much of Penlan Bank has suffered from die-back over winter (it'll return!), and we lost some other plants over the winter too. Lighter evenings always make me feel like gettig out in the garden though, so I'll get to the garden centre soon...

Andrew.

Something's (finally!) stirring in South Bristol...

After a long period when, once again, Nature was threatening to reclaim the metals of the (WH)WHR, today trains ran for the for time in nearly two months.

First up was a test train to check clearances after some heavy-duty gardening...


Followed by a short goods, caught here shunting at Clarach...


Over the coming weeks I'll clean up and re-position the buildings, test one of the steamers, and then passenger trains will return for the first time this year...

Andrew.

I'm in the same position, although the absence of trains on my line has been considerably longer. Looking forward to seeing more from you.

Work continues on bringing the line back from winter hibernation. Last night I cleared the track again (everything's growing so fast at the moment!), the night before I fiddled about with Russell (test run tomorrow?), and this evening I've been cleaning the buildings that have been stored all winter and spring. When I took Penlan station building out to clean this truly horrific sight awaited me:


Perhaps the management have landed a lucrative filming contract for an Arachnophobia re-make?!

Maybe she's a psychic and that's ectoplasm? The dog is clearly sensing something that we mere humans cannot see........


Rik