The latest from the South Buckinghamshire Light Railway

[Martino]

Been moving on with new things on the SBLR, held up slightly by the unusual wet summer we've been having. Something like 14" of rain in the first half of July. It doesn't rain all the time, just in mid afternoon tropical downpours, but when it comes, it comes! Still, it's warm rain and makes everything grow.

Hedgerley Hill Halt is nearly complete - needs another lamppost, some signs and the running-in board erected. East Burnham is pretty much done for the moment, although it will get a farm siding in the fall. The Running-in board for East Burnham may get put up tomorrow too. After that it's a concerted effort to get Farnham Common , the main station in a nearly complete state - again, it will wait till things cool in the fall.

Here's some dusk photos.....

Hedgerley Hill Halt

East Burnham Signal Box

East Burnham

East Burnham

I wondered what was moving the ground frame at Hedgerley Hill every day and this morning found it was our local (wild) Box Turtle.

 

[Martino]

Far too hot and humid to be working outside on the railway this weekend. The heat index was 100F (38C?) and humidity around 70%. Should have been at the beach, but decided to fill the Wind Event (Hurricane!) Petrol cans, test the generator and the portable aircon unit. This involved air conditioning the workshop for the weekend ;-)

So spent the time doing some detailing that I've been promising myself.

Added some Brandbright vac pipes to a couple of vans, the milk churn van and the egg van. They look good to me and actually connect, which means I'll have to work on them for all the fitted stock.

Also fitted some Brandbright chopper couplings to the coaches. Still need some adjustment but they do give a better close coupled effect (as opposed to the Accuraft choppers. I'll try and post a link to a video later, if I can get my iPhone and YouTube in sync!

You know how people turn up and say "show us the trains" or "can little Johnny have a go?"? You've either only got your prized stock out or you need 45 mins to clean the track and get everything working? Well, I decided to create a 'Visitor's' battery cheapo train, by painting up a Christmas Chinese train. I can throw it on the track and let everyone have a go, with no worries. It's US outline so it's easily explainable to the locals ("No that's not a caboose, it's a brake van!" - Now it IS a caboose!).

Finally did get to run a train or two (just for testing purposes of course). First 'Betty' propelled the weedkiller around a couple of times. This is a Swift Sixteen tank wagon with an LGB track cleaning pad thing underneath. It reminds me of the tank wagon that used to be on the Slough Estates Railway all during the 60's. They used it for weed killing, although their's was black and in reasonable condition unlike that of the South Bucks which is badly corroded (or should that be corroded badly?). The prototype is now at Didcot with the GWS.

Lastly, we've had part of the track turned into a maternity ward this week. One of the resident Box Turtles decided to lay eggs right near the main line. I don't object and didn't disturb her, but I wish she'd clean up afterwards! Everything is back to normal and the nest is intact and protected.

 

[playmofire]

An interesting weekend and some great photos as a result. Thanks for sharing them.

 

[Martino]

Video of the second train of the day. A mixed, showing the closer coupled coaches and the two fitted vans on the rear. Shaking video caused by being attacked my two mosquitos while holding camera in one hand and controller in the other.....

http://youtu.be/yBFdS7q7Z3w

 

[Madman]

Nice sounding loco. Congratulations on the soon to be New Box Turtle Brood. We had one lay eggs a few years ago. But she didn't dig a hole for them. I placed the eggs in an old aquarium, put a light in it for heat and covered it with a piece of glass. Unfortunately the eggs never hatched. I was very careful not to turn the eggs when I picked them up. It seems that reptiles don't turn their eggs, while birds do. If I had left the eggs exposed where she laid them they would have been eaten by ants or some other critter. I had asked a veterinarian about the eggs being deposited on the surface. His only thought was that the turtle was very young and inexperienced at the egg laying procedure. Who knows? I thought all of that knowledge was instinct with them. I mean they've only been at it for millions of years.

We still have two box turtles. Footloose has been here for over twenty years. Her girlfriend, Fancy Free, a bit less than that. Each year they dig themselves into the ground and hibernate until Spring.

 

[Martino]

Love it Dan! Very few of the broods hatch. Some are in fact decoys. We have two Box Turtles. This one and a slightly smaller one. We've also had a few really small ones. Plus a huge snapping turtle that comes and goes.

More worrying is the black racer I disturbed the other day laying across the line. I think that will probably get these eggs. I think it was getting fat on the frogs we have at the moment. The skinks and crawfish snakes are probably keeping healthy too!

It's like Animal Planet out there!

 

[Martino]

Today we've been doing some resin casting (thanks Trev!) - see Trev's masterclass thread for details, painting of the GRS Gresford station building, and moving on with the Swift Sixteen sheeted open wagon.

The open wagon still need transfers, vac pipes, safety chains and the body actually fixing onto the chassis, before weathering, but it's coming along.

More details on the Facebook site.

Mold on the right, originals are grey, copies are tan.

 

[trammayo]

Nice work. I especially like tarp on the wagon

 

[Martino]

No idea Paul. I'm not sure if the model is based on a prototype, or just a representation!

 

[Martino]

So, the Bachmann Davenport has arrived, as has the Backwoods Miniatures detailing kit. Today stripped the Davenport down to start the detailing and repainting. When all put back together it will be a Hudswell Clarke. Also awaiting the DCC and sound board from Train-Li-USA.

Now two major projects on the go (this and the station building) plus all the other things I haven't finished. I really must stop doing that.

 

[Martino]

Late summer afternoon on the South Bucks. A train of farm produce, eggs, milk and cattle, head off up the branch hauled by Peckett 25, 'Betty'.