The CWLR (Charlwood Light Railway)

[Rob]

With the new trackwork at Charlwood complete, Easter weekend saw the first CLR operating sessions of the year.

It was a busy and most enjoyable weekend, and many photos were taken, I hope you enjoy them!

No.3 is prepared for service outside the engine shed;

Shortly after No.3’s departure, No.4 is seen peeking out of the engine shed;

No.3 is seen running round after completing its shunting duties;

No.9 is in the siding, as No.1 runs round;

No.3 is seen passing the engine shed as it heads out with its goods train;

Between trains, No.9 is seen shunting a single log wagon;

Slightly later in the day, and No.3 has returned. It has been left simmering whilst it’s crew nip into the engine shed for their tea break;

No. 3 arrives with a van train, as No.9 prepares to leave;

And then later on, the two trains cross at Top End;

No.9 is seen as it rattles through the pointwork at Charlwood, making full use of the increased line speed allowed by the larger radius points;

With its duties complete, No.3 has retired to the disposal road. No.1 is now being prepared for the evening shift;

Unfortunately No.1 failed on shed with an RC problem, so No.9 was sent out to deputise;

Somewhere between Charlwood and Top End;

Company was provided by this little one, who was only about 3 months old the last time a train ran. She’s now 9 months old, and was slightly puzzled by the big noisy green thing that had invaded her garden!

Thanks for looking!

 

[playmofire]

Thanks for an excellent set of photos of your day and the running commentary, and you clearly had excellent company.too.

 

[dunnyrail]

We like hounds on here, what a little cutie.

 

[Rob]

Thanks Guys, we’ve been really lucky with the Pup. She’s a really good girl!
She also seems to be learning to stay off the railway now, I’ve only lost two gas lamps, a few telegraph poles and several plants!

Anyway, A few years ago the village suffered a terrible giant Mouse attack. This caused damage to the roof of the middle terraced house, the unpainted hidden side of one of the shops and the shop front itself. Hungry little bugger.

The whole area has been given a good clean, and I’ve made a start on making a pavement. The area is intended to be a courtyard, so there’s no vehicle access. There was originally room for a small road entering bottom left, but I’ve since extended the headshunt. The cut out bit allows the shed door to open fully.

After this was done it was time to run a couple of trains;

‘Eilean Donan’ arrives at Top End with a short engineers train;

And then shunts into the yard to pick another wagon up;

After arriving back at Charlwood, it added another two open wagons to the train;

Before handing the now much heavier train over to LOTI;

With LOTI off on its way, Eileen Donan shuffles off to the shed to drag No.3 out so it can be steamed;

No.3 is seen arriving later on with a very short passenger train (I really need more carriages!);

A bit of shunting to add a van to the train;

After an inspection to try and find the cause of its frequent derailments, one of the bogie opens is dropped off at Top End by No.9, one of the last moves of the day;

 

[duncan1_9_8_4]

Looks really good!

 

[Rob]

Looks really good!

Thank you!

 

[Rhinochugger]

That is rather delightful

 

[Rob]

Thanks!

Some YouTube videos for you;

 

[Rob]

I’ve just discovered some vintage footage of the CLR, believed to have been recorded in the 1930s by a local photographer....

In reality I stuck my iPhone through the cab doors of No.3 ‘Cruachan’...

 

[dunnyrail]

I’ve just discovered some vintage footage of the CLR, believed to have been recorded in the 1930s by a local photographer....

In reality I stuck my iPhone through the cab doors of No.3 ‘Cruachan’...

Great stuff, one has to say they the iPhone has made a remarkable job of a tricky subject with so many changes in Depth of Field Values. The 30’s must have been a very scary period in time with those giant 4 legged beasts roaming the countryside.

 

[Rob]

Great stuff, one has to say they the iPhone has made a remarkable job of a tricky subject with so many changes in Depth of Field Values. The 30’s must have been a very scary period in time with those giant 4 legged beasts roaming the countryside.

Thanks! I was quite impressed with how well it managed. It would help if you could lock the focus so it doesn’t keep changing but hey ho.
The only time I had to intervene was when it clouted a tree (around where you see Wilma) and focused on the loco instead.
Talking of Wilma (the giant four legged beast! ), the locals are quite used to her these days. She’s quite timid, although she does like to steal the odd plant.
They’re more worried about the giant Mouse that occasionally turns up. It likes to eat buildings! The joys of living across the road from a wood!

 

[PhilP]

They’re more worried about the giant Mouse that occasionally turns up. It likes to eat buildings!

Perhaps, you should have got a cat?

 

[Rob]

The weather is good, so what else is there to do whilst under lockdown and self isolating?

No.9 rumbles down platform 2 at Charlwood with a lineside clearance train;

No.3 Takes water whilst shunting Top-End Wharf;

And later on, No.3 at the head of a short mixed;

I’ve finally managed to finish off the sidings at Top-End which I’ve decided are on a quay side. I’ve also made a substantial start on my new 009 layout in the loft, Turtle Bay. My productivity has gone through the roof!

 

[casey jones snr]

A very nice thread with excellent pictures. It’s nice to see the railway continues to flourish.

 

[dunnyrail]

I must get out in the Garden and runs some trains, we have been having such good weather it would be a shame not to and I now have an excuse a line-side clearance train. To be honest I have done this sort of thing in the past but that was a decade or two ago, need to implement Sunday Engineering Works. Though the way that Network Rail closes the Railway at the drop of a hat these days any day is fair game for Engineering Works!

 

[Rob]

Thanks Guys!

A number of years ago the railway acquired some coaches built for an antipodean railway by a British builder, that were never delivered. The railway bought them at a bargain price, however the locals didn’t particularly like them and the loco crews complained they were too heavy. The directors did like the livery though and adopted it as the railways standard coach livery for all future builds.
Despite the complaints, the carriages have seen many years service;

In reality I wanted some decent bogie coaches, but a lot of those available as kits don’t like R1 curves, and with me take a while to build. I picked these Bachmann Jackson Sharps up relatively cheaply and have given them a quick repaint. They’ll be bashed around further over the years, but for now they make a decent passenger train until I can get some others in service. I’ll post more details of them later.

 

[dunnyrail]

There is English precedence for using them, the Weston Clevendon and Portishead Light Railway had something very similar. So do not worry and tell all the staff and passengers that they are just what is needed.