Earl & Countess on the CMR

[Chris Bird]

Here is a short video of a Pearse Earl and an Accucraft Countess running on the Cathedral Mountain Railway. The railway, built by Ralph Pitcher, has just under 700 ft of Aristocraft stainless track and incorporated 400+ tonnes of clay and 60 tonnes of stone relaimed from the local Cathedral restoration.
In this, the first of a number of films we made yesterday, Steve Jackson supplied the locos and heavily weighted train of Accucraft stock. He was driving with two 2.4 ghs controllers.
You can see it here: http://www.summerlands-chuffer.co.uk/#/chuffer-news/4535137012 < Link To http://www.summerlands-ch...huffer-news/4535137012
and on my usual Summerlandsteam Youtube channel.
Cheers
Chris

 

[corgi]

Some fantastic bridges and viaducts there.

 

[Sea Lion]

Looks like Ralph has been gardening with the JCB again!

All looks jolly superb, I'm sure Steve must have been having fun let loose on a railway like that.

I guess it just needs a good dose of weathering now...

Happy steamings,

John

 

[Chris Bird]

Funny you should say that John - but Ralph does have his own JCB! He used it for the initial mounding of the clay and to lift the steel bridges (which he fabricated himself) into position. The sixty tonnes of rock he manhandled into position!
I have attached a photo taken from up a full sized signal post next to the railway

.
Cheers
Chris

 

[Sea Lion]

Sitting at that seat, taking it all in, how long before the eyes wander to the adjacent fields to start planning an extension?

What's that noise, was it the JCB starting up again

Nice looking trees from stepping back, wonder how he does them?

Happy steamings,

John

 

[400Parker]

The board lying against the bench is a track plan that Ralph provided so that we could get an idea of the railway's layout. It took quite a bit of studying and in the end we just asked Ralph to switch the points and tell us where the trains would appear. It was just too much, trying to work it out for ourselves!
Also the line has some fearsome gradients. The double header managed to get the train up it with both locos close to blowing off, but Chris's Argyll couldn't manage it on its own. Look out for some excellent banking video coming soon.
Steve

 

[trammayo]

Very nice video Chris. Truly impressive railway infrastucture. Nice performance from the locos. I think I, at least, would like to see more of this line!

Mick

 

[Chris Bird]

Thanks Mick - there is more to come later this week, when you will see Steve on essential banking duties for my Argyll.
Cheers
Chris

 

[KeithT]

What a wonderful railway and how nice to hear the sound of real steam working hard. Usualy so difficult to achieve in G Scale.
It my be my imagination but judging by the steam at the chimney the pilot loco did not seem to be doing much work in the final shots.