Rebirth of the Larton Grange & Bebington railway
- Thread starter flyingsignalman
- Start date
Madman
Registered
flyingsignalman said:I had an hour or so in the garden this afternoon so I took the opportunity to run a train.
This time it was the turn of my Stainz to have a gentle run around.
I also indulged in a little shunting.
First the train arrives to pick up a van and drop off 2 bolsters and a runner wagon
The train is split and the front portion draws forward to enter the loop
The van is picked up and then shunted onto the rear portion
The train is split again and the three wagons to be dropped off are put in the loop
After coupling up again the train is ready to depart
The train made a few more circuits of the track (without too many incidents)
By this time the sun had dropped behind the nearby houses and it was starting to get distinctly chilly so it was time to pack up
Keith, I like the little green box car. Did you build it?
flyingsignalman
Narrow Gauge railways, Garden railways, Signalling
I built the van, based on a Glyn Valley Tramway prototype, out of plasticard on a Hartland chassis. The body length is just about right for G scale but I had to widen the ends by about 10mm as the prototype was fairly narrow. It still needs brake gear fitting.Madman said:
One end is fitted with a LGB style coupling the other end has an Accucraft chopper coupling to let me run trains of mixed stock.
Post 59 has some more pics of it with a LGB van and an Accucraft van.
beavercreek
Travel, Art, Theatre, Music, Photography, Trains
just seen your thread for first time Keith. A really nice railway that 'snuggles' into your garden.
playmofire
Registered
Just read your thread through from start to finsish, Keith. A very interesting and enjoyable thread - nice to see the process and the end product of a great railway.
jameshilton
Registered
It's beginning to become full of character with your small trains and small stock. The tram and coaches are screaming out for a more austere paint scheme - perhaps an olive green tram and maroon coaches? How is the track settling in? Plans to ballast?
flyingsignalman
Narrow Gauge railways, Garden railways, Signalling
I've not fully decided how the look of the line will develop yet James but I suspect its likely to become more UK in style (I'm building a shelter based on Sylfaen at the moment) so I'll leave livery decisions until then.
The ballasting is on the pending list (near the bottom, but it's there
).
The ballasting is on the pending list (near the bottom, but it's there
).
flyingsignalman
Narrow Gauge railways, Garden railways, Signalling
First the bad news: - I'm back!
Second, the good news: - I ran an engine today!
It was battery though; we had had some weather (only the wet stuff, not the half-house bricks that other parts seemed to suffer from)
One of the snags building a railway on a previously neglected garden, is that there are an awful lot of weeds and perennial plants that you fondly imagine you've dealt with that come back in the spring. As they grew higher so my spirits sank lower (and I don't mean those that come in bottles, though they did take a hammering too!) and I really did wonder if I was being too ambitious in a garden that was maybe a bit too big for me.
After a weeks holiday in Exmouth and with the weather just about obliging, I was able to clear the line of weeds and other invasive plants and today was able to run my battery loco.
I hope to get the track cleaned up so I can hook the juice up shortly. I'm hoping that No1 grandson, Josh, will be able to use it during the summer holidays (weather permitting!)
When the holidays are over, I plan to lift the line and relay it to a slightly different design but with a proper foundation (something that's been lacking up til now).
Second, the good news: - I ran an engine today!
It was battery though; we had had some weather (only the wet stuff, not the half-house bricks that other parts seemed to suffer from)
One of the snags building a railway on a previously neglected garden, is that there are an awful lot of weeds and perennial plants that you fondly imagine you've dealt with that come back in the spring. As they grew higher so my spirits sank lower (and I don't mean those that come in bottles, though they did take a hammering too!) and I really did wonder if I was being too ambitious in a garden that was maybe a bit too big for me.
After a weeks holiday in Exmouth and with the weather just about obliging, I was able to clear the line of weeds and other invasive plants and today was able to run my battery loco.
I hope to get the track cleaned up so I can hook the juice up shortly. I'm hoping that No1 grandson, Josh, will be able to use it during the summer holidays (weather permitting!)
When the holidays are over, I plan to lift the line and relay it to a slightly different design but with a proper foundation (something that's been lacking up til now).
flyingsignalman
Narrow Gauge railways, Garden railways, Signalling
Thanks for the kind comments guys! there were times when I wondered if I would get back outside but the warmer weather made it inevitable that I would
Today after a morning pointing a patio I had laid last year I did a little more to the railway. The flags forming the station area had sunk over the winter (most probably not helped by my walking on them! ) so this afternoon I levelled them up and throwing caution to the wind I also ballasted station area!!!
A couple of pics to prove it
I also did some more weed/plant clearance and was able to get this view once more
Today after a morning pointing a patio I had laid last year I did a little more to the railway. The flags forming the station area had sunk over the winter (most probably not helped by my walking on them! ) so this afternoon I levelled them up and throwing caution to the wind I also ballasted station area!!!
A couple of pics to prove it
I also did some more weed/plant clearance and was able to get this view once more
flyingsignalman
Narrow Gauge railways, Garden railways, Signalling
This one?jublybug said:Whats this little loco? is it a kit on a lgb chassie? if so what is it and where can i get one like it?flyingsignalman said:
Jim
OK so the pic dident work its from page 2 little red saddle tank loco?
It is a GRS "kit" based on the Fr's Prince; they made about 3 or 4 variations.
It has a plasticard cab and footplate with a solid resin boiler/saddle tank and runs on a Playmobil chassis.
It came with a bag of bits containing the cylinders and valve gear but no instructions.
I bought it at the Llanfair show about 1994.
I made a smokebox dart and handrails but a house move meant the railway went in to store for about 12 years and it never got finished. I am debating whether to build a GVT loco on the chassis so I've done nothing to it. The parts I made went into the bits bag.
GRS still make loco kits but not as far as I know to this design.