Garden Railway Forum

Delightful pictures Andrew. The mix of different types and condition of the slate waggons looks very natural.

Excellent!! Those England locos are so photogenic!

Rik

Hi Andrew,

A very suitable way to spend the time, if I may say so. That's a very nice looking train in a very nice setting. I managed to clear some vegetation from my own line this weekend but it only revealed how disappointing my track is! Yours on the other hand looks very nice, well established but keeping nature reasonably at bay. The run round picture is particularly nice (IMHO). The MYOB looks good and you seem to have it in check. I'm not sure what the shrub behind the station building is but it looks very much in scale. Thanks for another potent dose of encouragement!

SVLR Andrew

Thank you for the kind words folks, they're much appreciated.

I feel I cheated a bit with this one, using some VERY selective camera angles! My favourite spot to photograph/watch the trains is usually Penlan Bank, where the Mind Your Own Business had grown up against the low wall that supports the railway in such a way as to create a fairly convincing (and rather attractive) embankment. Alas, our new-ish cat has discovered that the springy MYOB is the perfect location to carry out Her Own Business, with disastrous results. I need to find a way to discourage that! As I mentioned, some other plants in key locations have also died back, leaving barren areas where things used to look relatively lush.

On the plus side, that's encouraged some more creative photography, aided (as Rik notes) by the England's good looks - with that lovely little tender it looks good running backwards too. At some point I'll try to line it, but in the meantime that lovely maroon's so intoxicating that it doesn't feel like it's essential...

Next up, in the coming weeks, will be the first passenger train of the year - probably with Palmerston (again!) and the Ffestiniog rake of carriages...

Cheers all,

Andrew.

Morning all,

I was away this weekend (rode a Blackpool tram in Heaton Park, Machester, very nice), but trundled a little train around the the lower half of the line yesterday pm, largely because i thought it would look nice steaming under the cherry blossom, which is just beginning to fade.

So here's the (Windmill Hill) Welsh Highland, doing an impression of an industrial tramway. It's quite convincing - maybe I should flog all my Welsh highland and Ffestiniog stuff and buy some little saddle tanks. That Cranmore Peckett is particulartly lovely...

Cheers,

Andrew.

Lovely pictures Andrew, a real pleasure to see.

Great photos - please don't sell up - I really enjoy seeing your updates ......

Rik

ge_rik wrote: ↑Tue May 03, 2022 1:57 pm please don't sell up

Mere idle musings on a possible change of direction, I do it all the time. After my ride around Heaton Park, I did spend some time yestreday looking at Playmobil RC motorblocks and wondering if I could use one to power a 45mm tram. Now that really would be a change of direction - Penlan bank would look rather nice with ornate Victorian overhead power masts dotted along the track, don't you think???

Really like that first shot. The weathering on that loco looks so typical.
Grant.

They are just brilliant Andrew. I love the tippers, they are just so brilliantly weathered, you sure are a master at weathering them and the rest of your stock.

I just wish I was half has good at weathering as you are.....

You're too kind Rod!

I'm actually not overly fond of the weathering on the tippers, I'm still getting usesd to "real rust" and think I need a little more precision (in terms odf where it ends up) and subtlety (it's a bit "all or nothing!"), but the overall effect's quite pleasing - I like how the line of rusty orange tippers stands out against the greenery of the garden...

That is a simply stunning set of photographs Andrew. The dereliction of a working railway in pleasant spring green countryside. I shall sit with a straw in my mouth alongside the track, and enjoy the day's endeavours

What lovely photos, very atmospheric and I think the rust on the tippers looks convincing

Hello again!

No trains were scheduled for today, but my aunty came for lunch and said that she'd like to see one - and who am I to decline such a request?

Not having run many trains this year, I wasn't sure of the state of batteries etc of Russell or the Baldwin, and I still don't know Palmerston well enough to guarantee a trouble-free run, so once again I raised steam with my ever-dependable Regner. A short rake of Welsh Highland stock was assembled and the little train trundled merrily up and down the line. Apologies for the guards van at the wrong end in a couple of shots - aunties may like trains, but they don't want to see shunting operations...

Cheers,

Andrew.

I'm not sure Auntie's preferences should take precedence over accepted railway working practices .....

(I'd probably have just picked it up and shoved it on the tail end .... )

Rik

ge_rik wrote: ↑Sun May 08, 2022 8:22 pm I'm not sure Auntie's preferences should take precedence over accepted railway working practices .....

(I'd probably have just picked it up and shoved it on the tail end .... )

Rik

I like my aunt very much, and was very pleased she wanted to see a train running, but to be honest, I think I'd kind of lost my audience after she'd filmed the first light engine move! The rest of the operation was more of a diverting backdrop to an afternoon of chatting and tea drinking, but that suits me just fine...

The pictures are lovely. If I had anywhere to put it, I’d copy your green and cream platform shelter too.

I really like the overgrown track work, though I hope no one lives in that grounded van! More nice shots, and I second BertieB about that station building, just love the exposed framework inside.
Grant.

Hi Andrew,

I don't care one way or the other which way they are pulled/pushed. Just to get another chance to see your rolling stock is all I need....

Brilliant photos again..

FWLR wrote: ↑Mon May 09, 2022 8:42 am Hi Andrew,

I don't care one way or the other which way they are pulled/pushed. Just to get another chance to see your rolling stock is all I need....

Brilliant photos again..

Not to sound derivative, but I'll second that!