Progress at last!

I have actually been able to get into the garden to remove some of the rubbish that had accumulated over the winter. This is actually a step in building the railway as it gives me space to sort out my metal shed which contains all the tools I need but am unable to reach.
This in turn will give me space to put the gardening tools into the metal shed from my brick shed which contains my workshop. Once the workshop is usable again I can get on with producing some more stock for the line as well as buildings and bridges.

Tomorrow I am hoping to replace the reed screening at the bottom of the garden with some bamboo screening and I also hope to perhaps start removing the OO line.

Pictures and progress reports will follow

Getting ready for summer

I have got my locvo and coaches out to give tyhem a quick oil as they havnt run since 2007. The loco still had its batteries in, a pair of cheap pound shop ones, and they still had charge in them plus they had not leaked.
New batteries have been put in and the loco runs nice. I hope to run it at a garden railway open day soon.

I have decided not to keep the original driver as a new ready painted one from Busybodies look great and are not too expensive.

The coaches have had a quick squirt of WD40 as they ran a bit erratically, hopefully this will help.

The weather forecast doesn't look good for Easter but I am still hoping to get out and get started in the garden. Pictures of my progress will follow if it happens.

More Snow

As I type this the snow is laying all around the house for yet another time this year. So far Spring has failed to spring and no progress whatsoever has been made on the railway.

I had hoped to attend a garden railway open day today but that was snowed off as I cannot get the car out of the garage, hopefully the next one, due for the second weekend in April, will be luckier with the weather.

I have a few days off coming up although I do have to work over the Easter weekend, hopefully the snow will be gone and the many tasks in the garden can be tackled as well as sorting out my shed and workshop to allow some modelling to begin.

Initial sketch plan

I have had a quick think about the new line and this is it. It will be constructed in stages with the station and the left hand loop first, the right hand loop second, the border branch and woodyard branch next and finally the triangle line and second station. The position and sizes of loops etc will probably change as the railway is built.

I am hoping to get started in the next few weeks depending on the weather.

Rolling Stock Found

I had a good look in my shed and uncovered my locomotive, coaches and trucks all safely packed in plastic boxes. The stock is described in words and pictures on its own separate page and will be added to as new items are purchased and built.

I have also added a page detailing the real history of the railway.

Wasted weekend

It looks like the British weather will be preventing me from starting the lift of the OO tracks as it is currently snowing!

Oh well, will spend the morning looking around the shops for materials and inspiration.

I have a plan to build a rake of trucks using margarine tubs, i remember seeing an article about this at one time. Will see how much suitable wood section is from the DIY shops and perhaps get started.

I am currently writing the ficticious history of the line, hopefully it will be on the site this weekend. Depends on what tasks the wife has for me.

Reading Matter

Got my copy of 16mm Today from the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers was delivered today. It will be read from cover to cover at least 4 times in the next few weeks.

One advert in it did catch my eye for a book entitled Planting your Garden Railway. One of the things I am terrible at is choosing the correct plants for a given situation. I have a small list gleamed from various garden railway websites but this book should give me a much larger selection.

The plan for the railway is progressing although only in my head, I will hopefully get a few sketches done this week and introduce you to the new Merrytwit Light Railway very soon.