2007 in Pictures
2007 in Pictures |
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JANUARY
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The year started with a visit to Ickenham club |
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This club boast a 3.5" and 5" ground level track in a fairly small site. While it may be small it is cram pack with features that make it a very interesting kine to drive. |
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When you come in off the main loops you
end in an off loading platform. from there you drive on
to a large turntable where you turn the whole train. Had a lovely day - big thanks to the club for their hospitality. |
FEBRUARY |
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Taking advantage of a rather wet spell and a low order period, we set about putting cables in for signalling on our railway. The ground was easily parted using a spade allowing us to put cable between 4 - 6" down. |
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Although initially the cables were for treadle
switches, most were used when we swapped over to track
circuiting. By mid march the ground was too hard to put any more cables in. |
MARCH |
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During open days we had noticed that the curve near the house was a bit of a strain for live steam trains. The decision was taken to lift the track and path by up to 4". |
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Not only was the track lifted we also put in a station at the house end. If you look carefully you can see the original rail still in place - before it was lifted. The line was left in place to help make sure we kept the original alignment of the track. |
APRIL |
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Jasper showing off how easy it is to unplug and walk off with a signal. The track to the right is our portable track. It is now stored in a garage as we used to turn up at shows and leave dead snails and leaf sludge behind. |
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Start of the signal box. With all the drawings sorted out, work commenced on the base for the new signal box. |
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As my own workshop is a little small, we paid a joinery company to construct the roof trusses. This made life a lot easier when it came to constructing the roof. |
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With the roof on we took a little break before completing the box. |
MAY |
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Merstham Our second year here. Actually camped for the weeken. Depending on which way the wind blows depends which motorway produces the most noise. Great show and we were luck to be loaned Alan Broadway's industrial loco for display. |
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With the second stage of the signalling complete we put a rack up in the signal box to hold the new signals. Red steel piece poking down from the rack is the old token which is not required now we are running in one direction. |
JUNE |
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The 3 seater kiddy coach gets a test run on our railway. Clark and Jasper being my demponstraters in the picture. |
JUNE |
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A visit to a good friends railway. A very interesting line with hill climbs that the Hercules seemed to take in its stride. Video is on Youtube of this visit. |
JULY |
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| Busy building stuff for customers | |
AUGUST |
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| Still busy building stuff for customers | |
SEPTEMBER |
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Open day. Ran really well and we were honoured with a live steam loco running. |
OCTOBER |
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October always ends up being busy with local railway exhibitions, so it was noce to pick up a few items of bespoke work. Left is a crossing constructed entirely from laser cut steel parts. |
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Commissioned by a gentleman who used to work on
shunters, I managed to modify the front and sides of a
Hercules chassis to look similar to the engines this
customer used to drive. I did a second one incase I messed up parts (which I didn't), which became the next number in the class - sold to another local customer. |
NOVEMBER |
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After months of messing about, I finally managed to get the prototype raised truck finished. |
DECEMBER |
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Trip to Chingford Club to measure up their lever frame. Having realised a 2/3rd scale frame will be too much work for a signal man I have decided to see if I can build a Westinghouse clone frame. |
Paul
