Month: August 2020

Passenger stock clearance testing

Like many narrow gauge lines, Rheilffordd Moel Rhos began as a goods line (carrying a mix of freight traffic including slate, coal and hot cross buns). But with the possibility of extra revenue from passenger carrying, the line acquired a second hand coach (Newqida with steel 32mm gauge wheels). Purchased at Exeter a couple of years ago, for various reasons it only reach Moel Rhos metals this season, and today it was out for its second run testing clearances.


The flat wagon is there because the LGB style hook on the Newqida coach is too low to stay coupled to the Boulton.

I only plan for bogie stock to run on the (yet to be completed) large loop, as the small loop has a minimum radius of just over 3’ passing through two tunnels! So my main concern is that is passes through cuttings and tunnels on the line which is the only part of the large loop completed so far.

It squeaks through the tunnel with the narrowest of clearances – but an inch is as good as a mile (even if that is only an inch in scale terms). I had to remove some non-structural rocks that had been placed at the tunnel entrance for cosmetic reasons, but it’s through!

Clearance under the rosemary is less of a problem – it can be solved with secateurs!

Uh oh. Mike warned me about this last time!

Just for the hell of it, I decided to test run through the tunnels on the small loop anyway. To my surprise, it cleared the first one! Again, it’s tight, but it does clear it.

I hadn’t expected to be able to run passenger stock this far!

But – it jams solid in the northern tunnel! I may get the lump hammer and bolster out just to see if I can persuade enough rock to peel away to allow it through, having come this far…

My progress in recent weeks


Since the first of these events I have produced the train shown above. The engine is a PDF models Port class, my second kit built loco. I shall be seeking some help with getting it to run smoothly, I’m having problems with the worm and drive gears meshing properly! The green coach is an IP Engineering kit built and painted by myself and with some Brandbright extra detailing. The two red coaches are Jerry Irwin kits bought ready to run which I spent many hours getting to a satisfactory paint finish. They have Brandbright door handles because I kept breaking the originals. Passengers and crew are yet to be painted and installed.

Phil.
Sent from my iPad

New siding for the Moel Rhos

Today’s project was to be a new siding – in fact, the start of the ‘phase 3’ large loop, but a handy siding for now. At the minute, when running multiple trains, if a new train comes out onto the loop from the shed, there’s nowhere to pass the old train, but I will be able to tuck it away in this siding.

This is how things looked just after 6 o’clock. The day had got away from me – was it still worth making a start? I had a stern word with myself, and after a bit of hard negotiating, promised myself a beer if I got it finished.

Just before 7 the first train ran through the new points. The new siding itself will be a very makeshift affair for now – two lengths of recycled track on a plank. When it becomes the mainline of the large loop it will be laid properly on 18mm ecoply. For now this will do.

A little over an hour after starting, the first train runs into the new siding. These are the ‘after’ pictures taken from roughly the same spot as the ‘before’ pictures at the top of the post.

Time for that beer!

Simon (Moel Rhos)

A Steam Test for the Railbus

While the return loop at the top station of the Tramway is out of use trains have been running more or less in an end to end operational mode. A push-pull Railbus would be useful for passenger services in these circumstances, of course, and the Tramway has one, but it has been undergoing heavy alterations after failure of the steam drive. Recently it has come back from the workshops after a bench steam test and today was its first track test.

There were a couple of issues. The valve linkage caught on the rail at one of my points, showing up a slight “heave” on one branch of the point that will need attention soon. And, the reverser settings on the radio control were not right. The receiver has an old Andel Cruise Control fitted in the reverser servo lead so I don’t have to hold the transmitter stick all the time (I tried taking out the spring from the stick but it was then quite loose and wouldn’t hold it’s position). Either I’ll have to doctor the transmitter to put in a toothed control or have another go at setting up the Cruise Control adjustment.

But it was nice to see the Railbus and it’s driving trailer (which is still in the original livery) in the Bay Siding at Sling Uchaf again.

Must get the Station Staff to do some weeding there!

Mike Barton