Easing back into things...

It's only been seven and a half years since the last blog post, but I have been quite busy...
Here's a video of a recent steam-up to ease back into things...!

Spring is around the corner...

So time for a steam up!!! Newly fitted gas filler valve all working nicely :-)

New Gas Filler Valves

Ordered some new gas filler valves for the Accucraft, as she's been venting when filling... Hoping for a steam up this weekend if the weather's OK...

Video: Moors Valley Railway

Here's a video of a recent trip to the 71/4" gauge Moors Valley Railway, near Ringwood, Hampshire - well worth a visit if your in that part of the world...

Video: Spring 2010 on the W & L Lt.Rly.

New video of recent running on the Worthies & Littleton Light Railway...

Early Influences - Bekonscot

Family outing to Bekonscot Model Village today. I went there aged 5 on my first school outing, and thought the place was magical. Not much has changed (either at Bekonscot, or my reaction to the place!). Although neither the buildings or the trains are finescale or overly detailled, both ooze charm, wonderfully evocative of 30's - 50's home counties. The automated railway control system they have built is very impressive (although I'd love to see a few Aster live steam main-line locos doing the business there!)

Lovely to see my son have a similar reaction to mine on his first visit. I wonder how much my first visit might have in some small way lead to the railway I now have in my garden?!

Stoneleigh 2010

A cracking day out at the 16mm Association show at Stoneleigh today! The highlight for me was seeing Edward Sholto 'in the metal'. Loads of traders (all seemingly doing good business?), not so many layouts, but a few favourites, including Indian Hill, Nant Mawr, and of course all of the Hunslets on Jack Lane :-)



I managed to keep spending vaguely under control; some nameplates from John Lythgoe for the MMS (after my youngest), some replacement silicone tubing for water fill valves (badly needed), and a bargain 'end of line' 4 wheel coach from I.P.



Shot a bit of video, will post once edited!

Spring!

Well, spring is here and I've been trying to find time to tackle the jungle that is our garden (two loads of clippings to the tip). Had a few steam ups in between the rain, and been thinking about how the line might be extended right around the garden... Will have to see if there's time to tackle that this summer!

Looking forward to the Stoneleigh show this weekend...

Steam in the Snow Vol 2

Some problems here as YouTube & Quicktime seems to have different interpretations of H.264 video frame rate (and hence the video is playing back at half speed compared to the audio & takes twie as long). Anyway, hope it is vaguely enjoyable nonetheless...

More steam in the snow!

Well, after you've built a snowman & thrown snowballs at small children, what else are you going to do?! Video to follow...

Upcoming Model Railway Exhibitions

Here are some dates for upcoming model railway exhibitions in and around North Hampshire... Something to do whilst it's so damn cold in the garden!!!

SOUTHAMPTON MODEL RAILWAY EXHIBITION 2010

SATURDAY 30th & 31st JANUARY

Alton Model Railway Group FebEx2010

Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 February 2010

NARROW GAUGE SOUTH WEST 2010

Saturday 20th February 2010

Eastleigh Model Railway Show, incorporating Eurotrack 2010

27th & 28th of February 2010

Romsey and District Railway Modellers Society Anual Exhibition

6th and 7th March 2010

Basingstoke & North Hants Model Railway Society Exhibition

13th and 14th March 2010

It's Christmas!

Had a lovely day with the family (after a busy few days of preparation). A couple of particularly nice presents: a footplate experience at the Kew Bridge Steam Museum waterworks railway (thanks love!), and a copy of 'The Engine Driver's Manual' by Brian Topping, which looks an excellent read!

I hope to get some stock kit(s?) built up over the holiday, watch this space...

Hunslets @ Stoneleigh

Looks like next years' 16mm association National Show at Stoneleigh (April 10th) will be a 'must-visit'!

"The Association is proud to announce a very special visitor at the 2010 show - a full sized quarry Hunslet! The locomotive's identity will be revealed in due course and will be the centrepiece of a display celebrating the fascinating history of this historic locomotive builder. We want to make this history come alive by running as many 16mm scale Hunslets as we can throughout the day on the 'Jack Lane' layout, which will be located near the full size Hunslet. Our target is to see 100 16mm scale Hunslets throughout the day to make a grand total of 101. The significance of 101 will become clearer soon"

Hmmmmm - Hunslets! :-)

Braving the elements at Eastleigh

Fed up with being stuck inside yesterday, decided to brave the elements & visit Eastleigh Lakeside Railway with the lad. Fortunately it stopped raining for about 20 minutes, and they have some enclosed passenger stock, so we made a circuit without getting drenched or too windswept. We were hauled by their Coronation Scot, which was giving plenty of amospheric steam effects in the cold!

Whilst there, I picked up the latest edition of Miniature Railway magazine, which has a nice feature on the regularly visited Luscombe Valley (see previous posts!)

Kew Live Steam Model Railway Show 2009 - The Video

Here's a video of my favourite stuff at the Kew Live Steam Model Railway Show 2009:

Kew 2009

Made it up to the Kew Bridge Steam Museum Live Steam Model Railway Show today, and very enjoyable it was too. Whilst there weren't quite as many exhibitors and I recall in previous years (marquee seemed a bit empty?), all those present were excellent. Brian Caton's Isle of Man layout was fantastic, and nice varied 16mm running on layouts from Kew, Guildford & Bedfordshire. I bought a laser cut matchboard brake/3rd 4 wheel coach kit from Brandbright; the detail / price ratio was irresistable! Should be a nice project for winter evenings when the missus is out!
The only downside seemd to be I missed most of the Kew rotatative engines running; only saw the Easton & Amos, & Dancer's End in steam. Sadly the Hathorn Davey Triple wasn't running at all - I always love the sound & rhythm of that one running!
Nice to see the new 'Wren' loco Thomas Wickstead in steam; I could watch that Hackworth valve gear all day! (and I can neither confirm or deny any runors that I put my name down for a Wrightscale Wren, although with a 2 year waiting list I figure I have some time to develop a 'funding model'). Video to follow...

Exeter 2009

Got a pass out to got to the Exeter Garden Railway Show yesterday. The show was very enjoyable, with a good set of layouts. Traders seemed a litte thiner on the ground though?

Here's a video of my favourite exhibits at the show:

MSS upgrades

Not much garden railway action lately, what with new arrivals, typically mixed British summer weather, and a resurgence in my other hobby, playing the drums!

Anyway, decided to finally get the MSS sorted out, and ordered a steel wheel set from Dream Steam, as the quartering on the old ones was very sloppy. I fitted them today, and it seems to have sorted things out, with a good steam, first on blocks and then running light on the circuit.



Not really sure I should call it an MSS anymore, as it has had an uprated safety valve, meths burner, lubricator, regulator, centre-buffer buffer beams, hand rails & now wheels (which all in all must have cost about as much as the loco did in the first place; not uncommon to get a reliably running one!). Anyway, she seems in good fettle now, and I expect she will improve with some more running - here's hoping for some good bank holiday weather...

A New Addition

Well, not much garden railway news of late, as we had a new baby just over two weeks ago! Of course, in the longer term, this may result in an additional loco (to be named after the baby, naturally!).

Making the way permanent

Finally got the track for the front half of the circuit properly fixed down today. The track is screwed down at 12"- 18" intervals into wooden dowels hammered into holes drilled in the blocks.

Test running with battery electric & live steam locos this afternoon went very well, running seemed more steady, even though the alignment of the blocks could be better! I plan to complete the rest of the line as time allows...

Receieved my joining pack from the 16mm association today; all looks very good! SMT seemes to have improved since I was last a member; both quality & quantity...