A Quick Class 26 Update

An update to the Heljan Class 26 which I am reworking, it has now been numbered as Haymarket Depot's 26037, Circa 1981-4, the buffer beam area detailed and the body modernised with plated over windows and tablet catchers. I am now awaiting further details from PH Design including etched cab steps and fan grills, and from Precision decals data panels and depot stickers etc before I can begin on weathering.

The start of spring = large scale models outdoors

Spring is in the air, and that means the chance to get outdoors to have fun with the larger scales. The plan for this Spring is to complete an outer loop of G-scale track outside the existing O-Gauge inner loop. I've placed an order for 24 metres of Accucraft flexitrack from the excellent Kent Garden Railways, to suppliment the 8 metres I've been using as a test track.

Hopefully that should arrive in the next week or so and the Class 66 Malcolm and I picked up for a bargain £140 in the Autumn can finally stretch its legs.

Newly arrived today is one of the Bachmann / Aristocraft twin intermodal wagon sets, which makes for an impressive model. Another three or so will make up a very nice rake. The Epping Larger Scale Modellers have also acquired a few second hand wagons to convert into beer wagons. These will be insprired by the ones I saw at a Brno pub last summer. Called Vytopna this friendly pub and restaurant was a rail enthusiasts paradise, but also seemed to attract a surprisingly broad mix of people.

GEWR - Garden Railway Starts Running

GEWR - Major Civil Engineering Ends!

The first of these pictures was taken on the 4th April 2008; the last on the 11th July 2010. Between these two dates some 3,200 bricks, 4 tonnes of sand, half a tonne of concrete and 24 bags of cement had been used to build the structure for the GEWR (Great Epping Wall Railway).

I had originally planned only to use walls for the curves, with all the straights simply on decking planks set onto posts; but shortly after the first two curves were built we made the decision to built it on wall in its entirety. Now it is up and running I'm glad we made that decision, as other than treating the top wooden deck that the track is laid on, it requires no treatment or maintenance and should easily last twenty years plus.