May Day Sunday at Llechfan
- dougrail
- Driver
- Posts: 1532
- Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 5:11 pm
- Location: Salopia; on the edge of Arcadia
May Day Sunday at Llechfan
As part of the continuing tour and running-in of the newly-rebuilt Swordbreaker, I headed west to Wales and had a rather lovely Sunday afternoon running on Llechfan.
It was a momentous occasion, as it was when Swordbreaker "finally came home" after the lengthy rebuild and overhaul received over the winter which had started after the Elsecar Show at the end of last September. So with a new coat of paint, new lining [done by yours truly], a hundred-and-one little niggles finally rectified [for example: new red fibre washers sealing the regulator's globe valve replacing a long-suffering (2years?) white plastic ring] and an increase in power through adding weight, porting the cylinders and of course, altering the chassis immensly, it was time to put the now revitalised 'Old Gent' through the paces of the tight-cornered, gradiented Llechfan Railway.
Off the lowloader and making steam in the yard...
Phurcombe Hall holding the flag for all things Glyn Valley - had I taken my TR rake instead, I would have loaned it my own GVT for a rake.
The War Department was in full exhibition that day...
And a little diesel bringing supplies...
Far-out scene...
IP Engineering Jack Diesel[?] speeding by.
and this is why the War Department was in full swing - Llechfan have heard about Crimea and thought we'd best be equipped should Putin feel like annexing us, introducing the rouble and making us swear allegience to Rossiya - does beg the question though, what loco would Mr Putin choose to start out in 16mm with?
Baldwin at work
Quite an industrial little scene here...
And closeup
Swordbreaker with the Chickens - the first time they had ran here in finished condition in my ownership [Mar 11-present]. They had ran here last three years ago - quite an astonishing length of time when they were still equipped with the dainty whitemetal coupling hooks and were held together by the last of their old glue. Can fish some photos out from the Archive - April 2011, when our No.2 Dolgoch was rushedly being prepared for her celebrations in May and I was still very ill as such.
Now, fully quipped, rebuilt by yours truly and reglazed, plus prettified [though retaining their plastic wheels] they have run at Llechfan in full formation.
Guard of honour?
Behind the houses...
Venturing forth on old metals - with new spirit
Two Trains in the Valley
We also had a number of battery diesels come out to play too.
"Diesel Junction"
Couple of scenic approaches...
Went for the "Britt Allcroft" approach shot. Had to.
~~
Next up saw some runs from Starstrider. This loco was on final testing and certification runs after showing signs of improvement.
VIDEO, FORWARD GEAR
There is also a cracking run in reverse, but as it's too large for my photo account I'll have to omit it. However,. the above video shows that finally, I have overcome this little engine which threatened to steal Second Chance's crown for most troublesome...!
More of the diesels - we had quite a selection out this fair day:
Sourdust
Away again with another passenger train...
~
'Thing', a strange loco based on a PPS Janet but with a saddletank, a Roundhouse gas system and cabsheets, plus a one-off boiler came out then.
Little Huddy on tipper train...
Old friends reunited - Sir Compton and Swordbreaker
And finally, an evening lineup of all three very different, very customised locomotives that belonged to each of us
Lastly, a little running of Swordbreaker - Llechfan was another railway visited on the new grand tour
[CLICK FOR VIDEO]
In conclusion, it was a marvellous day. I had a good run with Swordbreaker; Starstrider has now earnt its spurs - a repaint of the tanks into yellow is being considered in view that the paintwork is getting a little ratty and as per the original order - but it is now in full working order and it was great to see the adopted family again
It was part of what was actually a pretty Perfect Day
It was a momentous occasion, as it was when Swordbreaker "finally came home" after the lengthy rebuild and overhaul received over the winter which had started after the Elsecar Show at the end of last September. So with a new coat of paint, new lining [done by yours truly], a hundred-and-one little niggles finally rectified [for example: new red fibre washers sealing the regulator's globe valve replacing a long-suffering (2years?) white plastic ring] and an increase in power through adding weight, porting the cylinders and of course, altering the chassis immensly, it was time to put the now revitalised 'Old Gent' through the paces of the tight-cornered, gradiented Llechfan Railway.
Off the lowloader and making steam in the yard...
Phurcombe Hall holding the flag for all things Glyn Valley - had I taken my TR rake instead, I would have loaned it my own GVT for a rake.
The War Department was in full exhibition that day...
And a little diesel bringing supplies...
Far-out scene...
IP Engineering Jack Diesel[?] speeding by.
and this is why the War Department was in full swing - Llechfan have heard about Crimea and thought we'd best be equipped should Putin feel like annexing us, introducing the rouble and making us swear allegience to Rossiya - does beg the question though, what loco would Mr Putin choose to start out in 16mm with?
Baldwin at work
Quite an industrial little scene here...
And closeup
Swordbreaker with the Chickens - the first time they had ran here in finished condition in my ownership [Mar 11-present]. They had ran here last three years ago - quite an astonishing length of time when they were still equipped with the dainty whitemetal coupling hooks and were held together by the last of their old glue. Can fish some photos out from the Archive - April 2011, when our No.2 Dolgoch was rushedly being prepared for her celebrations in May and I was still very ill as such.
Now, fully quipped, rebuilt by yours truly and reglazed, plus prettified [though retaining their plastic wheels] they have run at Llechfan in full formation.
Guard of honour?
Behind the houses...
Venturing forth on old metals - with new spirit
Two Trains in the Valley
We also had a number of battery diesels come out to play too.
"Diesel Junction"
Couple of scenic approaches...
Went for the "Britt Allcroft" approach shot. Had to.
~~
Next up saw some runs from Starstrider. This loco was on final testing and certification runs after showing signs of improvement.
VIDEO, FORWARD GEAR
There is also a cracking run in reverse, but as it's too large for my photo account I'll have to omit it. However,. the above video shows that finally, I have overcome this little engine which threatened to steal Second Chance's crown for most troublesome...!
More of the diesels - we had quite a selection out this fair day:
Sourdust
Away again with another passenger train...
~
'Thing', a strange loco based on a PPS Janet but with a saddletank, a Roundhouse gas system and cabsheets, plus a one-off boiler came out then.
Little Huddy on tipper train...
Old friends reunited - Sir Compton and Swordbreaker
And finally, an evening lineup of all three very different, very customised locomotives that belonged to each of us
Lastly, a little running of Swordbreaker - Llechfan was another railway visited on the new grand tour
[CLICK FOR VIDEO]
In conclusion, it was a marvellous day. I had a good run with Swordbreaker; Starstrider has now earnt its spurs - a repaint of the tanks into yellow is being considered in view that the paintwork is getting a little ratty and as per the original order - but it is now in full working order and it was great to see the adopted family again
It was part of what was actually a pretty Perfect Day
Lovely set of photos Doug
Dan,
James: "Dan, can you use your hearing and tell me if that trains coming ?"
DLR
www.freewebs.com/dlrail
James: "Dan, can you use your hearing and tell me if that trains coming ?"
DLR
www.freewebs.com/dlrail
- dougrail
- Driver
- Posts: 1532
- Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 5:11 pm
- Location: Salopia; on the edge of Arcadia
Thanks Dan and Steamie - I like to chronicle these pleasant days out. I think now, Swordbreaker has toured most of if not all the 'usual haunts' so it may be time to bring Cadno out from its rest. However a trip to Fairbourne requires economy packing so I suspect at least one more pre-booked trip of Swordbreaker with the Chickens rake.
- Chris Cairns
- Driver
- Posts: 2366
- Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:25 pm
- Location: Glasgow, Scotland
- dougrail
- Driver
- Posts: 1532
- Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 5:11 pm
- Location: Salopia; on the edge of Arcadia
You're welcome chap - I will endeavour to try and get a video-trip around the line next time I go downkandnwlr:100510 wrote:Thanks for the fantastic set of photos. It´s a great line as well, and I´d love to see a photographic trip around it, if anyone gets a chance.
Hi Tony,Tony Bird:100528 wrote:Hi Douglas,
Excellent photographs, good to see your locomotive running so well! We hope to get to their next GR 'Do' there was something mentioned about beer!
Regards Tony.
thanks for the well wishes - if you mean Swordbreaker, I can only apologize for the no-show at Pboro - I believe I've documented elsewhere what went wrong and that it was, believe it or not, the literal horseshoe that felled the horse that lost the war. I shall have to bring Swordbreaker down to Cardiff some point to demonstrate how well it runs now that i have managed to sort out the rolling chassis and made the loco easier-running without back pressure now.
If you mean Starstrider, I must give immense thanks to you Tony, for your wonderful help on the Merlin gas burner I brought down to you - that cleanout, tweak and the addition of the nichrome mesh has turned it into a fire worthy of a Roundhouse locomotive! [by the way. You mentioned a petrol-based cleaner for inside the gas tank. What was that again please?]
with regards to the TR and Llechfan, I believe the next big do is the Garden Rail Gala on 5th and 6th July [although evening running on 4th too!] so if you are headed that way, would be great to see you there - maybe you could bring a modified Mamod too to add to the fun?
You're welcome Brian Llechfan is quite expansive actually, with a mainline and a branchline loop, with a gradient linking the two systems. It makes for quite a variety of power able to be run on busy days.MDLR:100531 wrote:Thanks for those pictures (and the video) I'm at long last getting some idea of what some of Llechfan looks like!
Thanks Will - you're welcome. Cheers for the compliment on Swordbreaker too. It runs fantastically too.williamfj:100541 wrote:Thanks for the comprehensive report Doug, Swordbreaker as an 0-6-0 looks rather good! 8)
Chris, you're welcome. You should come down someday and bring a few of your custom Mamods - the Llechfan group would love to see them, and we could line them all up too I see I will have to get the camera out somepoint for a trip!Chris Cairns:100553 wrote:Doug,
Like others have posted it is great to finally see around Llechfan so Thank You for sharing those photos.
Chris Cairns
~
I must say, to give credit, that in my absence I did indeed overhaul and rebuild Swordbreaker. Ace was the man when it came to painting - the black coat was proper 2pk car paint.
Now the chassis and wheel spokes were made with much help from Superbiker - some of you may have seen his Ruth Ann and Irene. I was permitted to alter the frameplates design, and design my own way of accommodating the increase in overall length with the Mamod top body - my main change was to make it reversible should the conversion not have worked for me. However it did and so now I just need to consider finishes [like new overlays] and whether to go tender loco or not plus nameplates.
EDIT - the fat dome is 'Roundhouse' style and has a hole in it which leads to water topup - no more burning ones hands off. It was made by DLRDan, and a set of cabsteps is imminent
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