Half-mile-long garden railway on Vancouver Island...

PaulRhB

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Ah Werner’s garden railway, lovely couple and the his hand built models truly superb. I had the fortune to visit back in 2011 when visiting a friend who knows Werner.

First a stunning ferry trip to Swartz Bay
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Then the railway
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His stunning scratchbuilt WP&Y Shovelnoses

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And another stunning ferry trip back to Vancouver with Killer Whales off the side
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Railways @ 1.435 mm/ 1.000 mm/ 750 mm and 45mm
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tac foley

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The only railway we've seen on Vancouver Island is either the Duncan logging centre NG line [thanks, Steve] or the line from Qualicum Beach back into Victoria.
 

tac foley

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Yes. All hand-built. Quote - 'His stunning scratchbuilt WP&Y Shovelnoses.'
 

PaulRhB

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As Tac says handbuilt. When I visited Werner said he wanted to do it like the real thing so not sculpted out of filler. Those fronts are fashioned from sheet carefully cut and curved and the joints soldered, (rather than welded), and ground. I saw the construction photos and they are amazing.
His mini Landwasser viaduct is a couple of inches lower at the cliff end as the weight of stone meant it sank slightly ;) Werner also has Elk, bears and raccoons as his garden visitors and you can imagine what that can do to the track!
I had a lovely afternoon there with Werner and the pie and custard his wife served up was the culinary equal to his modelling :)
I’m glad to see it’s still as active and I’m very grateful to my friend Keith for introducing us. Not bad when I went to Canada with a bunch of friends and skived off a touristy day at Whistler to pop over and play RhB on Keith’s line followed by lunch, a quick tour then a surprise visit to Werner’s for the afternoon.
Keith is an incredibly accomplished model builder too and this was the mornings entertainment. This was relatively early days and it’s a lot more established now. I can’t remember if Keith is on here but he did pop in in GSM days.
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Truly one of the best holidays I’ve ever been on :)
 

tac foley

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I, too, have been to Keith's line, back in 2004, though, when it was just a little line in the front yard. I haven't heard from him in years.....
 

dennishodge

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Sorry tac for my inane question >:)

Hopefully this redeems me.. check out the shovel nose WIP photos:


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dennishodge

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There's a story thread of Mr. Grundman's other brass models from several years back on White Pass Shovel Noses - myLargescale.com > Community > Forums

The formatting is bad so I reproduce it here:

"First engine I build only 1 off, about 1991 a 0-6-0. The prototype ran on the island of Wangerooge in the North Sea."
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"Next a Narrow gauge Diesel Switcher. Used for station duty on many RRs in Germany, mostly as std. gauge. I build 3 in 1992."
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"A generic woodfired 2-truck Shay. 3 foot gauge. Suspension fully sprung. I build 4 of those, about 1995."

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"The Rio Grande K-27. 5 I built 1998-1999, before this model was offered on the market."
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"#90 and #93 Diesels of the White Pass & Yukon Route. The only engines that were painted. Displayed in Skagway 2009"
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What an amazing artisan!
 
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PaulRhB

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Yes he is and a lovely bloke too. He originally replaced an LGB chassis then thought why don’t I do the whole thing! You can see the Alco’s noses are all metal, no filler, in those photos. The models above were built in batches of 2-3 selling the others to finance the next, except the shovelnoses where he only built his two. The models are on display in his house and are gems.

Keith is still active but mostly on RhB forums, the photos are his front yard railway where it is regularly tested to the limit by deer and smaller urban wildlife than Werner’s up in the hills.
 

dennishodge

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Perhaps someday I will have the opportunity to meet him! I am not too far away in Seattle.

I’ve ridden the WP&YR twice including this year. They have a new owner and have made a lot of line improvements the past year and a half.

Today I did my first run of the few years back LGB WP&YR Alco that I bought used. It is about 1:22.5 by height, but 1:27 by length and width. Werner’s is the real deal 1:20.3.
 

Gavin Sowry

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Perhaps someday I will have the opportunity to meet him! I am not too far away in Seattle.

I have met him, here in NZ. He popped around to see my Taita Gorge Railway when here for one of our Conventions. A real gentleman.
He often contributes to our local garden railway magazine, his series on the Shovelnoses was fascinating.
 

PaulRhB

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Yep, he’s posted some pics of a 66 Camaro he’s doing up with his son. He’s a bit vague about whose going to get it when it’s done though ;)
 
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Trains and More

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I am not sure I deserve all these kind words, but thanks for saying so anyways. It is a pleasure and an honor to hear my work is appreciated.
If anyone wants to see some videos I made of my layout, do go to <Trains and More> on Youtube. The latest one I just posted about a week ago. It's a cabride.
A big "Thank You" to all of you.
Werner
 

dunnyrail

DOGS, Garden Railways, Steam Trains, Jive Dancing,
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There's a story thread of Mr. Grundman's other brass models from several years back on White Pass Shovel Noses - myLargescale.com > Community > Forums

The formatting is bad so I reproduce it here:

"First engine I build only 1 off, about 1991 a 0-6-0. The prototype ran on the island of Wangerooge in the North Sea."
IMG_4321.png

IMG_4310bc.png

IMG_4319.png


"Next a Narrow gauge Diesel Switcher. Used for station duty on many RRs in Germany, mostly as std. gauge. I build 3 in 1992."
IMG_4295.png

IMG_4291.png


"A generic woodfired 2-truck Shay. 3 foot gauge. Suspension fully sprung. I build 4 of those, about 1995."

IMG_4277bt.png

IMG_4275bc.png

IMG_4256bc.png


"The Rio Grande K-27. 5 I built 1998-1999, before this model was offered on the market."
IMG_2352.png

IMG_1068ct.png

IMG_1058.png


"#90 and #93 Diesels of the White Pass & Yukon Route. The only engines that were painted. Displayed in Skagway 2009"
IMG_8177.png

IMG_8140.png

IMG_8170.png

IMG_8173.png

IMG_9992.png


What an amazing artisan!
Those Brass Models look just too good to paint. A problem with all Brass Models I believe, but if you want the Railway well.....
 

tac foley

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I am not sure I deserve all these kind words, but thanks for saying so anyways. It is a pleasure and an honor to hear my work is appreciated.
If anyone wants to see some videos I made of my layout, do go to <Trains and More> on Youtube. The latest one I just posted about a week ago. It's a cabride.
A big "Thank You" to all of you.
Werner

Our collective head covers are removed in your presence, Sir, in awe of the time and effort you've put into your remarkable railroad. You are a consummate craftsman, as show in your other 'efforts' recently shown to us.

I hope to see your layout some day on one of our frequent visits over to Canada, although' stopping off on the West Coast might be slightly problematical since we live in SE Ontario!! :) Still, we've done it before...on our first trip to your side we visited with Keith and Elizabeth, how time doth flie!