Simon Wood – Page 3 – Garden Railway Virtual Meet Up

3 April, 2021 18:49

R&B Tramway. Cheddar Iver to Swift sixteen Tram. First steps.

The Ruston returned to service today. A small consignment of slates needed to be taken down the Tramway and so the Ruston was used for this trip. All went well, although the chain tensioner would benefit from some adjustment! The video shows the engine working at both speeds – shunting and main line.

Mike Barton

An experiment

I had my O gauge test track out in the garden yesterday afternoon for the first time for a year and just had to try some of my sm32 stock out, knowing that it should not run. The loco got through all of the pointwork with only slight hesitation but the coaches derailed. At least I was able to get the loco some exercise and was very pleased with how well it runs now.

Best wishes,

Phil

Ruston Rebuild

My IP Engineering Ruston is 10 years old now. Last year it fell off the track onto rocks and the chassis came apart, so I’ve been making a new chassis for it. This one has a beefier motor plus chain drive to both axles. I have incorporated 4 AAA rechargeable batteries into it with a switch to change from 3 cells to 4. This gives a slower speed for shunting and more speed / extra power for main line work. The body was relatively unscathed in the accident but has been re-painted and is now in the final stages of weathering, which will hopefully be finished tomorrow ready to go back into service on the line. Photos show the chain drive (which needed a little sprung chain tensioner as the axle spacing was frustratingly wrong for the chain I used) and and a test drive using dry cells.

Mike Barton

Hot Cross Bun Train

It’s Good Friday! So the traditional* hot cross bun train is in service on the Moel Rhos.

Simon

* if you do it twice it’s a tradition, right?

Winner of the 7/8ths micro layout challenge

Hi allJust had news today that my micro layout won!! It was the 7/8ths micro layout competition, it had to be no larger than 4 square feet. Very happy at that. Did not manage to finish it when I left UK back in January, i am back 10th may and have ordered some more kits to build!! Lokking forward to get back into concrete maki v and into the garden. Hope everyone is doing ok.

Run round loop

Trackbed for the run-around loop now in place for the new station (although I’ve further supports to add when I replenish my supplies of drainpipe). There will be an island platform in the middle. The loop should be long enough to allow two trains of 3 coaches of up to 2’ to pass comfortably.