Today on the WGLR

Nice work Mel.

Certainly looks much more British with the new smoke box door and the buffer beam additions....
 
Wonderful, I had mind to do something similar, but decided against moving away from an Austrian theme for fear of losing focus! :) What a transformation, she looks like a £500 model - credit to both Bachmann's tooling and your subtle yet very effective modifications. The smokebox door and deep buffer beam shout 'British' - just like the real life WGLR would have anglicised their own import! :)
 
Thanks guys. James, I know I've said it before, but when you consider that this model is available for around £160 it's outstanding value for money. I can see No.5 working very hard when the weather improves. :bigsmile:

The only job that still needs doing is to add a crew. I was going to fit a Bachmann Scenecraft crew, but they seem a little thin on the ground at the mo. Has anyone seen a crew in their local model shop recently? .... or can suggest a good alternative?
 
No I've not seen a crew. I've got a fireman I think, whom I have no need for... if you can track down a driver elsewhere drop me a PM.
 
Mel,you will have to tell the Tale of how such an exotic locomotive came to be on the W.G.L.R.:bigsmile:
 
garrymartin said:
Mel,you will have to tell the Tale of how such an exotic locomotive came to be on the W.G.L.R.:bigsmile:
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Hope you're sitting comfortably Garry. :bigsmile:

The WGLR's first 3 locos were all 0-4-0's (No.1 was soon rebuilt as an 0-4-2) and were perfectly adequate early in the line's history (from 1900). Then some Croatians shot the Archduke Ferdinand and WW1 broke out. The abandoned castle grounds at Wetton were requisitioned by the War Dept. and became an army training depot. After the war the castle was never handed back (nobody else wanted it) and in the mid 20's it was handed over to the newly formed RAF becoming No. 41 Maintenance Unit (MU), Ffynon Garew. This would be a major storage unit and a group of large warehouses were built, the War Dept. coming to an agreement that the WGLR would supply transport into and out of the MU to the national rail system via the standard gauge interchange at Gooey. Part of this agreement was that the War Dept. would supply 2 locos, one for shunting RAF Ffynon Garew and one for the service trains (together with some suitable rolling stock).

The original WGLR locos wouldn't have been able to cope and were showing signs of having had a hard life (especially during the war years) and a French built 0-6-0 Corpet (No.4) had been bought to ease their burden, so it was ironic that the War Dept. came up with a pair of American locos that they had found in storage "somewhere in Europe". After WW2 the US locos were sold to the WGLR for £1 each and became No's 5 & 6.

There's a bit more to it, but a certain Mr Gorton has got first dibs on the full story. ;);)
 
Ahh, I see .;);)
My railway makes liberal use of ex U.S.A.T.C. stock too.
 
Mel - congratulations on a wonderful article in this month's Garden Rail (just arrived on my e-subscription for the iPad). A great little read :)
 
Liked the history, Mel. Wish I could get hold of a Lyn for £1 :) Seriously - a great conversion. She looks just like a B.R. Baldwin would.
 
yb281 said:
The only job that still needs doing is to add a crew. I was going to fit a Bachmann Scenecraft crew, but they seem a little thin on the ground at the mo. Has anyone seen a crew in their local model shop recently? .... or can suggest a good alternative?
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Was some in my local Model Shop earlier this week, but when I called in today, I was told that the last ones were sent off by mail order only yesterday!:thumbdown:

Otherwise, I would have given you a shout....
 
Gizzy said:
yb281 said:
The only job that still needs doing is to add a crew. I was going to fit a Bachmann Scenecraft crew, but they seem a little thin on the ground at the mo. Has anyone seen a crew in their local model shop recently? .... or can suggest a good alternative?
Click to expand...
Was some in my local Model Shop earlier this week, but when I called in today, I was told that the last ones were sent off by mail order only yesterday!:thumbdown:

Otherwise, I would have given you a shout....
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Cheers Giz, never mind - I had a fertle through my figures and have spent the afternoon converting and re-painting a Bachmann porter and an LGB workman to make a suitable crew. Just waiting for the paint to dry.

Yes James, 242 (Hank) was the shunter that the WD supplied and would become No.6.
 
CoggesRailway said:
That little story makes me want to renew my subscription.
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The RAF MU in the old castle grounds is planned to be modelled this year Ian. Plus Hank needs some detailing to bring it up to the standard of the Baldwin ............. and then there's the re-build of the interchange sidings. ;);)
 
Very nice article Mel. Paper copy arrived today.
 
My Garden Rail arrived today and I've got to agree the article looks very good - saving it up to read tonight at work (remember that? )
 
Excellent stuff Mel :thumbup:
I picked the magazine up from my "pre-order" drawer in Smiffs today ~ habitual bedtime reading!
 
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