Taita Gorge Railway

[Gavin Sowry]

Today, I was 'manicuring the train garden' as SWMBO would say. One of the shrubs 'bit' me, even drew blood. In vindictive mood, I trashed the said offender.
Bonus, it opened up a photo opportunity, here's the result.



Uncropped/retouched photo. Funny thing, you spend all the formative years on your railway planting, planting, and planting to get it to 'look right'. After a while, you 'look left' and realise that you can no longer see the trains because of all the growth.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

Following on from my last post an hour ago, a lot has happened.

Paul T has been showing a lot of 7/8ths in recent times, and it struck me that a lot of his stock is of the Welsh genre, i.e. small, and , well, Welsh looking. Thought it may be worth digging out some Feildban flats to 'copy' the idea. Now, the poser, couplers. I've run out of link and pins, and really want to retain the LGB pure status of some of my stock, at least. Some inspiration gestates for a damned long time, and never eventuates to much. But this was so simple, I wonder why I'd never thought of it before. Well, we all have LGB loops in our junk boxes, and to cut a long story (mine typically are) and the shank short, the LGB loop fitted nicely into the coupler pocket of my Davenport. If anything a fraction too low, but that is an advantage.



One adapter loop, removable, in place.



Inspired by Casey, of this parish (and also the 7/8ths Forum). Really does say something about the scale range of LGB products.

Sorry for the lack of snow in my pictures, I know our Canadian brethren take it as a given (snow that is).

 

[Gavin Sowry]

Right, third time this afternoon that the memory card's been downloaded from the camera, don't know if I can stand such excitement, and I hope it is not interrupting your pleasant dreams.

Even quicker addition to the train, the highsider. Just whack off the brake platform and put the coupler back on.

 

[Chris Vernell]

Sorry for the lack of snow in my pictures, I know our Canadian brethren take it as a given (snow that is).

Hell's bells, man! It's that lack of snow that warms this Canadian heart at this time of year. If I want to see snow I can look out the window: My own tracks are under about a foot of the stuff.
Anyway, delightful photos!

 

[Gavin Sowry]

Just been tinkering about with some of my Feldbahn stock. Pretty versatile gear, this. The typical old Fiji cane cars had two stakes each end, the FB car comes with 3 each side, but has stake pockets at the ends. So, simple, put the stakes on the ends. That left 4 stakes over, that just meant removing the body off another car, and attaching the stakes..... now 3 cane cars on the 7/8ths. Whilst not true to prototype, they capture the 'essence' of the cars.

 

[David1226]

Whilst not true to prototype, they capture the 'essence' of the cars

Are you staking your reputation on on that?

David

 

[Gavin Sowry]

Are you staking your reputation on on that?

David

How thoughtful, yes, I will throw another steak on the Barbie (Note, speeling is not a strong point of mine).

 

[Gavin Sowry]

Good, steak and chips consumed, now for the photo.



With all the mix and matching, I've realised that the Feldbahn system is one that Henry F himself would approve of. At any time, I can reassemble these cars back to box original. Those highsider ends are the same molding as the ends of the (original) cane cars. Cane cars in real life don't have the wooden floor. I could take them out, they just unscrew, but I'll keep them in place so I don't lose them.
They still fit in their LGB boxes. Just waiting for the comment 'I didn't know that LGB made 7/8ths stuff).

 

[PhilP]

The 'rubber ruler' is obviously more elastic than we thought!

 

[Gavin Sowry]

Cross posting from the Running Day.

All but one had departed, and we were discussing the angle of the sun in relation to photographing the layout, when that small window of sunny side up, clear of the house shadow, halted discussion, and the camera was grabbed. For a long time, I used to avidly wait for the 'direct sunshine' for photos. At the end of the day, I actually found that snapping on an overcast day, or in full shade, actually produced less contrasty shots, especially now with the availability of photo editing.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

Good, steak and chips consumed, now for the photo.

View attachment 280484

With all the mix and matching, I've realised that the Feldbahn system is one that Henry F himself would approve of. At any time, I can reassemble these cars back to box original. Those highsider ends are the same molding as the ends of the (original) cane cars. Cane cars in real life don't have the wooden floor. I could take them out, they just unscrew, but I'll keep them in place so I don't lose them.
They still fit in their LGB boxes. Just waiting for the comment 'I didn't know that LGB made 7/8ths stuff).

Wow, a whole year has passed since I did any bragging on this thread....
Today, the Courier delivered another one of them brown Highsiders, good trade at the right price.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

This afternoon's 7/8ths offering.... complete now with the extra highsider that arrived yesterday.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

The Outback is no more, but it's still there....

One of the hallmarks of 7/8ths layouts, is the apparent wide spacing of the loops, so I've incorporated that in the redesign.



Well. it wasn't getting that much use, so I thought that a separate small 7/8ths job could substitute. So, up came the track, and relaid roundy roundy like all good 7/8ths railways. Still R1 though. Physically lifted, and moved, the old dog fence back, which now gives access to the other side, as seen with this shot.



Well, that's a start.

Next job is to rip it all out again.... and lower the track level by another 2-3 inches. When I did the Outback, I had to have the existing level to match the track coming out of the shed. Downside was ballast spilling over the edges. Then I will attack the scenery, and add a few appropriate buildings, perhaps a little loco shed on an extension to that embyro backshunt in the top photo, a station shelter, a level platform between the tracks, and perhaps a loading facility on the back siding that is just visible in the lower shot.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

The Outback is no more, but it's still there....

One of the hallmarks of 7/8ths layouts, is the apparent wide spacing of the loops, so I've incorporated that in the redesign.

View attachment 296842

Well. it wasn't getting that much use, so I thought that a separate small 7/8ths job could substitute. So, up came the track, and relaid roundy roundy like all good 7/8ths railways. Still R1 though. Physically lifted, and moved, the old dog fence back, which now gives access to the other side, as seen with this shot.

View attachment 296843

Well, that's a start.

Next job is to rip it all out again.... and lower the track level by another 2-3 inches. When I did the Outback, I had to have the existing level to match the track coming out of the shed. Downside was ballast spilling over the edges. Then I will attack the scenery, and add a few appropriate buildings, perhaps a little loco shed on an extension to that embyro backshunt in the top photo, a station shelter, a level platform between the tracks, and perhaps a loading facility on the back siding that is just visible in the lower shot.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

We have some progress. Last of the concrete posts have been removed, and the new northside viewing area raked over and levelled.
The rear retaining plank was out of line, and level, so that got taken care of, sort of. Turns out the plank wasn't cut square when I installed it, and the gap won't close up proper, even with my 12lb hammer.
So she's coming of and the job will be done proper like.

 

[Chris Vernell]

... even with my 12lb hammer.

Remind me not to run into Mr. S in a dark alley

 

[Technocrat]

Re:Taita Gorge Railway..... 10 years old.

Every now and then, some plant in the garden just gets too big, or unmanageable... so out went the ground creeping 10 year old Cypress, and now the settlement of Taita Gorge has a more puposeful look.

Mums new 55 Chev filling at the 4 Square, and John Milner is inside getting a Milkshake as the local passenger train glides through.

Thanks for the American Grafitti reference. George Lucas would be flattered.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

Remind me not to run into Mr. S in a dark alley

Don't run into Mr. S in a dark alley!

 

[Gavin Sowry]

Open for business. Trackwork finally tickled, and semi permanent power installed.


Coming around the top bend.



Heading up the Station Straight.
SWMBO is pleased with all this, as it cleaned up a previous junk pile in the yard.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

Welcome to the visitors from Narrow Gauge Online, who have been (mis)directed here as the result of a query on 45mm track. Don't get lose, hear.