Spring is coming.

The weather has warmed up nicely and is staying mostly dry so thoughts turn towards getting some more work on the line start to cross the mind.

I will be starting the mine tramway branch this weekend and the foundations of the Treacle Factory as well. This will give me some more siding space and begin phase 2 of the railway.

The station platform has not survived the winter very well and will be replaced with some slate floor tiles that a friend gave me with the original slate paving slabs along the edge of the platform. Hopefully that will be done in the next couple of weeks.

Work is still going on on the workshop with lots of projects either well in hand or waiting space on the workbench.

A new cab ride video has been added to my YouTube channel with a new one planned for the end of May when the new construction will be complete. 

Quick Update

The cold weather has left the workshop unusable so very little has been happening. A spell of warmer weather has, however, allowed me to get started on the new Hunslet Quarry loco from PDF Models.

Cane Wagon

Yet another Phillip Sharples kit is this nice, neat cane wagon. It differs in construction to the other wagons which are detailed below.

The kits component parts ready to start construction,

The chassis is made using some very neat axle boxes glued into slots in the chassis.

The floor of the wagon is a sandwich of parts with cut outs in it to clear the wheels

All major components are now complete with paint going on.

The chassis and floor are now complete and there is just the end walls to be fitted.

The wagon complete and ready for a load.

Beer Barrel wagon

This Phillip Sharples kit is much the same as the fuel barrel wagon except the barrels are for beer and not oil.

The chassis is the same as the oil barrel wagon

The main body parts (not the flat part on the right) ready for sanding sealer and painting.

The parts painted and ready to be fitted

Just the barrels to go on.

The completed wagon. Roll on the Spring so I can test out all the new stock.

Oil barrel wagon

Another Phillip Sharples kit purchased from E-Bay was this neat little oil barrel wagon, As with all these kits it is very easy to put together and gives a nice useful wagon at the end of construction,

The kit is very simple and well produced

The axle carriers are fitted

The coupling blocks are fitted

The chassis and running gear is complete

The barrels and holders are painted (excuse the open wagon photoboming!)

The wagon complete and ready for action.

Open Wagon Kit

This useful little wagon was built from a Phillip Sharples kit purchased on E-Bay.

The kit in all its glory

The axle supports are glued in place

And then the buffer blocks

Wheels and body is added

and finally the vehicle is painted to make a very nice little truck.

Christmas Train - Present Storage Chest Truck

This truck began life as a £2 wooden jewelry box from The Works and, after addition of some strapping, paint and running gear, it is now ready to join the train along with the sleigh on its flat truck.

The box as initially purchased. It has some nice, tarnished brass fittings.

The fittings were removed and the lid separated from the base to aid adding the strapping and painting them.

The strapping was made from thin card

The strapping all added. A coat of sanding sealer over everything prepared it for paint.

The paint going on. the strapping will get a coat or two of gold.

Paint done, not sure if I will paint the inside yet.

Fittings all re-fitted and we have a rather nice treasure chest

Blocks to support the buffer beam are glued in place and the coupling blocks have been shaped and drilled.

The buffer beams are fitted

Followed by the axle box support beams

On go the wheels and axle boxes followed by the coupling blocks

Completed truck almost ready for service, just a coat of matt black to the bare wooden parts and it is finished.

The complete Christmas train (so far) posed ready for service. Sam T. Claus seems happy with it.

Next truck, probably for next Christmas, will be a reindeer carrier.