Ride On Railways

2008 in Pictures

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JANUARY

	After spending a few days in my home workshop, the lever frame was finally installed in the signal box. In total 7 weeks from visiting Chingford club's lever frame.

FEBRUARY
	Finally the rear plates for the lever frame arrived. Unable to bend long pieces of sheet metal, I paid a local fabrication company to bend the rear panel form me.
	Having seen year on year growth we thought that we could be struggling in the summer. With this in mind the decision was taken to possibly look at renting premises and move in the quieter months - March/April.
	In reply to an advert in the local paper we went to visit the said premises. I bit taken back by the mess but the land lady seemed very professional and trustworthy.
MARCH
	Day of the handover and we couldn't believe that the old tennant had cleaned out all his bits and pieces
	.To the left you can see the doorway but no doors. the previous tennant, being a car mechanic had the unit open to the elements.
	So started the list of jobs - Delivery of guilotine and box pan folder Collection of stacker truck (proved invaluable for the above) Construction of benches Construction of new front entance (doors came out of a skip) Paint over the gastly red paint in the office Construction of a paint shop

APRIL
	Having more than one bench allowed me to finally finish off the quarry Hunslet which had been sitting on my sideboard for over 4 years. The picture on the left was taken at Canvey whe I took it for a test run.
	One month on and we had already started to fill the workshop up.
	Again having more than one bench allowed for continuation of more than one job. Here Clark plays with a semaphore and feathers signal destined for PNP to display at Harrogate show.
MAY
	Middleton Garden open day. Yes the lever frame was finally in action. Complete with basic interlocking the frame performed well.
	Merstham Our third year here. Unfortunately this year was a little wet. Rather than the usual spread across the front of the pitch most of it ended up under cover. Note the lever frame - another 4 lever display model which actually got us a sale.
	Big thanks for the loan of this lovely Y6. Just shows what can be done with one of our kits.
JUNE
	Yet another project. Based on Captain Howey this model was to test a few construction details - curved bonnet and raised window frames to name a couple. THis engine has since gone on to be a test bed for some UK made motors.

JULY
	Canterbury Club. Big thanks to all at the club who helped us to officially launch the Quarry Hunslet. I had managed to sell no. 2 before the event so with a borrowed slate wagon from PNP it went to the event for display. No. 1 in orange was duly put through its paces on the track along with our bearing Hercules.
	A meet up in Somerset and we had a visit to the home of No.2. A truly stunning private line complete with tunnel and pond, although we have a pond this was more of a lake.

AUGUST
	Canterbury Club steam event. Took the opportunity to drop off a Hercules which the club ordered. Took a couple of batteries down with us so it got a good test run before hand over. A fantastic event with plenty of rides to be had + loads of other road steam vehicles and a 7.25" gauge locos.
	Visiting another RoR loco. This time a Jasper in West London. A small line but with a lovely steamer running.
SEPTEMBER
	With the up and coming railway exhibitions and the portable track we decided on building some larger coaches with bigger capacity. Our set contains a prototype braked bogie which we may put in to production. Proves very useful when loading and unloading but hardly used when running as the Hercules has enough braking force.
	Here our two public running coaches are put through their paces at Canvey.
OCTOBER
	Chelmsford Railway Exhibition. With our bogger coaches, taking were up by 100%. Hard work but worth it as we handed over £300 to the local hospice


NOVEMBER
	Busy with customers work
DECEMBER
	After quite a few enquiries about a longer wheelbased 4 wheel wagon, we decided to try to re vamp the raised truck. The new hook in side skirts allowed for hook in running boards. These along with a drop on body saw the launch of the "combo" truck.

Paul