H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Thanks Martin. :)
Thanks Gerry, it might not steam as much as the others but it's such a fun loco to drive - hope yours is too ;)

Right onto day three of Queen's Birthday weekend and our newest steamie, Ngahere, which is still to get some form of "colonial" treatment, got it's turn.
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Coming off the Truss Bridge....
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about too....
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Church cutting.
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Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

About to burst (slowly if I had Ngahere under control) out of the Top Tunnel into Punga Cliffs station.
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Into Punga Cliffs station yard.
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Drifting downgrade over the level crossing leading to the Church.
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Problem is now, I'm due back a work tomorrow but H&M have the day off school. Now it I finish early so the don't have to spend the day a work, and it's fine should I..... ???
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

That tunnel entrance has something of the I.K. Brunel engineering instinct to it :o
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

In some ways the tunnel mouths are not typical NZ, they were cast from a mould provided by the Auckland G Scale Society via Mike (KiwiMike). Perhaps Brunel snuck into Auckland - they do things differently up there ???

Meanwhile yesterday Ngahere got a second run testing out some minor tweaks to get the burner to settle at a lower intensity. It worked and a fine run was had but getting a bit dark for photos. So today, sneaking the 5th day of trains running in a row, the Bush Jigger came out to make the most of the fading light, heading up into the bush to pick up the workers...
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It was pretty gloomy at the log loading area as work finished for the day (and I had to go and pick H&M up from dance class ;) )
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Question is, will I get 6 days in a row :D
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Looking good as the light fades .... sun coming up on our side of the world .... ;)
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Bridge in #690 looks good. - You can not buy 'ageing' like that!
:D :D ;D ;D
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Fluffy Bridge, hmm a new name, I like it, thanks Paul ;D
Found time to run a train again today. Feels like I'm getting more running in during winter than summer, still any running is good running. Only a couple of photos before the camera batteries went flat, and well to be honest I was enjoying myself so much I couldn't be bothered going inside for the spare set. It was one of those days for day dreams. ::)
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We like daydreams on the H&MGR. And with Manawanui running really well at the moment I was able to get a genuine 45 minute run time, so there was plenty of time to dream ;D And yes I did time it otherwise I won't have believed it either ??? Trick was regassing when 40PSI was reached after lighting up and of course using the water top up system fitted.
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Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

>:( ... and today is group running day. Ideal day, yet again...... but we have scheduled an indoor meet. :o
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Sunday and one day on from the shortest day and a little free time aligned with suitable train running weather. :)
So while steam pressure was raised the Bush Jigger set out to check the track was all clear....
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Which was actually pretty lucky because not long after leaving here some pesky bird had been busy flicking leaves and bark around. :( (I had cleared the line manually but birds will be birds :o )
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Full service was quickly gained though.
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Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Kaitaki was the steamie of choice today....
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...filling the winter air with the pleasant fragrance of steam and steam oil :D
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The sound pounding up the grade was great too. :D
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Steam on a winter Sunday, bliss. ;D
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Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Stainzmeister said:
Bush Jigger does the fluffy bridge..... :D :D
Click to expand...

Not sure if your on the right forum Paul? ;D
but great pics again John. Love the low down views of your bridges - the trestle look ace.
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Excellent pics yet again- ;D
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Beautiful John. I like the idea of steam plumes on a brisk winter morning.

I don't think I'd need a burner to raise steam here today. It's so hot, I think I'm melting.

Kaitaki's a lovely engine.
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Superb in all departments :)
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Hello, Gidday, Kiwi Mike here; he’s been rumbled into saying something.
Describing the tunnel portals as having I.K. Brunel engineering instinct to it must be taken as a complement. They were designed and the mould made least twenty years ago when 1.22.5 LGB had then proberly 90% of the G Scale market. The Lgb loading gauge was used to make this fits all tunnel portals; that is if the track is laid at the tunnel base level an electric locomotive with pantographs can be used. If the track was raised an inch there was still enough room for the cupola of a LGB caboose to safely pass though.
I contemplated that proberly people would put the tunnels in corners and wouldn’t be happy if their expensive coaches were scratched by the concrete, so the long LGB Rhatische Bahn coaches would just past through on the R3 radius so it is a fits all tunnel portal.
John to me seems to run mainly 16mm and 1/24th trains so the tunnels do look I.K. Brunel engineering large, but and a big but we do get visitors with 1.20.5 Bachmann K27s and they will just fit thought the portal. Myself I am a man of many scales and my 7/8ths cabed port class Hunslet also just fits through.
I remember at a meeting many years ago at Tom’s who modeled 1/24th New Zealand Government Railways built his tunnels to his 1/24th loading gauge. Don had brought along his brand new 1.20.5 Bachmann Shay and the tunnel took off his funnel; he wasn’t impressed.
I have been fortunate to have visited John layout quite a few times. It does have that well seasoned look we all leave with envy.
Michael
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Hi Kiwi Mike
Are you still making tunnel portals and if so how can I get a couple more.
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

lovely pics, John
those ground level shots really make them look like the real 1:1
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Hi The Tinker
I have a pair left for $50.00 and they are in Auckland.
They will need a lot of packing if they couried
Michael
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Mikes tunnel portals are great. ;) And yes they where installed near the start of this adventure before I'd really decided to fully adopt 1:24 scale. But it is worth having the tunnels nice and generous as I do like being able to accommodate visiting stock :) That said I have add two big visiting Bachmann 1:19 loco being over gauge that were restricted to just Kakariki yard - they didn't fit under the Fluffy Bridge either!
 
Re: H&MGR, a family railway in NZ

Kiwi Mike:
I have 'googled' for loading gauge for LGB, and have not had any success..
Would it be possible for you to provide the dimensions of the tunnel mouth please?
Many thanks,
Phil Partridge.
 
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