Watercress Line

As I was looking after the kids yesterday afternoon, we went up to the Watercress Line at Ropley (our local preserved line) to see some steam engines! West Country 34007 "Wadebridge" & 5MT 73096 were both on passenger duties and made a fine sight in the afternoon sun!

Progress (or lack of!)

Well, August has been a quiet month on the W & L Lt Rly. Between holidays away, pretty rubbish weather, being very busy at work and only having 2 out of 5 locos in service, there hasn't been a great deal of running - just the odd hour here or there with the Baguley-Drewery. Any free time has been spent trying to get those locos back in service:

• A new metal worm gear has been fitted to Toby, but the electric motor has failed & I need to get a replacement - hopefully just a trip to the local model shop.
• The steam regulator & replacement cylinders for the MSS have been fitted, but on an initial firing steam pressure wasn't being raised, so there's a leak somewhere that needs to be sorted out.
• Cackler still needs a new filler valve, and in the longer term the steam regulator needs replacing.

Hopefully there'll be more activity in the Autumn!

End of the reverse-curve

Having got thoroughly fed up with Cackler leaving the track several times during a morning steam up, I decided to finally do what I'd been thinking about for a while, and re-lay the rear of the loop to get rid of the reverse curve. Originally layed to keep the line as close as possible to the fence, but still clear the fence post, it has though caused running problems, slowing trains excessively, and with the tracks joins coming apart after running steam locos in particular.

The relayed section uses fewer pieces of track at the rear (fewer joins to come loose or have to check) and gently curves to avoid the post, transitioning nicely to the set-track curves. The change in geometry means the right side of the front of the loop is brought forward slightly.
Extensive test running this afternoon with the Baguley-Drewery, then Cackler & Mortimer gave much improved running, with more consistent speed and power round the loop.

Unfortunately it looks like Cackler's filler valve failed at the end of her run, as she was blowing hot water back out of it - not a good sign.

The W & L Lt Rly - in Brio

OK - Just a bit of fun whilst we were waiting for the kid's bath to run... Here is the track plan of The Worthies & Littleton Light Railway, faithfully rendered in Brio! Has an almost 'Beck-ian' feel about it, with those nice straight lines and 45 degree bends (no prizes for guessing what's coming next ;-)

Steaming Cackler

A busy day in the garden today, and despite the weather threatening to rain it stayed mostly dry. We found time to steam Cackler for the first time in a while. Ended up having a good session with over an hour's run - certainly the most gentle & consistent run I've managed with this loco for a while - very pleasing!

Bankside Miniature Railway

We spent a very enjoyable hour or so this afternoon at the Bankside Miniature Railway in nearby Brambridge. The line is 8 1/4" gauge (is this unique?), and we were hauled by 2-6-2 Carolyn, built in 1924.




The line is an out-and-back, the station throat being a turntable, used to turn around the entire train between runs. They are open weekends, 10-30 'til 5, with trains running every 15 minutes or so, and are definitely worth a visit (with a pretty decent garden centre on site too).

No-Wheel Drive Toby!

Despite doing stirling service with an audience of several kids at our barbecue last weekend, a bit of a dull moment today as Toby's plastic worm drive stripped :-( Just wondering whether I'm better off getting a brass replacement from Cambrian models (answer: yes , if it's a drop in replacement...!)
Otherwise slow but steady progress; the lines' first coach is shaping up nicely (an old project started a few years back but never completed); just a final coat of paint and some detailing to finish.
Got a steam up of Mortimer Tuesday evening, and he was running very nicely too in the gentle evening sun.