The EJ&KLR: Austrian narrow gauge in Cheshire

[jameshilton]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

Finally some detail photos showing the IOM and Norwegian locomotives together and the Bagnall on shed...
Tim is wearing old clothes as he's been working on his old Triumph Vitesse this morning - lovely old car, but that's another story...

 

[persistent_bodger]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

I had a really nice afternoon running things today, Love the last few photos of the two engines together, I'll have to get a few copies. I uploaded mine today but can't resize them for some reason.

I solved a few issues with the green engine, the lack of weight was due to the fact I had none. I'd left the boiler barrel lead and firebox weights in the garage. It now weighs a little more than the red engine, with all weight over the wheels. This will now have the same power and should pull everything with ease. The front pony truck had a small defect on the inside wheels edge, this has been removed and now turns freely. I think a few laps with a little grease and I'll have another faultless performer.

The Peckett 4-4-0 had the buffer beams removed and altered. A few other alterations are planned but for now its being run in each direction to bed everything in. By the looks of this chassis its never been used so I suppose it could be a little stiff.

I should by the end of the evening have the 3 locomotives ready for another test run where I expect them all to run perfectly, only other thing now will be to sort out some decent couplings.

Thanks again for a great afternoon

Tim

 

[trammayo]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

The two pics in post 385 add an almost historical dimension to your line James. And the shots of Tims creations couldn't have had a better location (I really like oddities ) - very photogenic all round.

 

[jameshilton]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

Tim, thanks, the photos are on my blog too hosted on Picasa at a higher resolution. Try downloading from there, or pop round another time with a memory stick.

Great to hear your getting there with the running, these models are lovely, and as you fettle them they're becoming even more desirable.

Mick, yes I guess they do have a historic feel to them, which is why I don't usually play with them as it can look a bit cliched in my opinion but as these two would have been deleted otherwise and it was quick and easy to do in iPhoto, it seemed worthwhile.mmaybe I'll do more in the future.

 

[persistent_bodger]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

Excellent I'll give that a try. I've just noticed in the last photo I'd put the front pony truck upside down after modifying it, no wonder it stuck.

I've also dug the LGB Corpet out, quite some doing but after seeing your green and red Stainz I couldn't resist a walk down memory lane. Now the big question, do I paint the horrible gold lamps and crude toy like cab interior? or leave it as the model we always remember

Tim

 

[jameshilton]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

The gold frames on the lamps just pop off! Shame you didn't dig it out yesterday, mind you I've a feeling we'd have ended up plotting a bucolic French metre gauge back water!

 

[jameshilton]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

Well day 3 and another day of trains on the EJ&KLR.

Morning kicked off with trains on the indoor carpet layout Elly and I put together when we arrived incase it rained Elly ran her Stainz and a long train...

We spent the day at Chirk Castle but didn't get to see any of the GVT. However a fine, dry, sunny evening encouraged me to drop Tim a text about the Corpet and get some stuff out...

I decided on the Rugens and a 1950s era train, in my head, the last mixed train of the day as it brings a new tractor destined for one of the forests on the line where it will see use in hauling timber, the main traffic on the line these days. Passengers have to put up with a vintage pre-war carriage - as we've yet to see much investment in the line in the austere post-war period...

Finally - true nostalgia. Tim and I were childhood friends. We spent a whole summer back in the late 1980s playing trains in the garden after he got an LGB starter set one Christmas. His Dad got him a lot of extra track... and then by chance a Corpet.

We loved that train - and despite only having a pair of starter set coaches we used it so much...

But then we went to high school and it went in it's box, at the back of a cupboard... Fast forward 20 years and we're sat talking last night about it - Tim gets home and digs it out... and here it is...

How did it run? Like a sewing machine - absolutely incredible and a real testament to LGB engineering.

So yes - after seeing Mel's he's going to tone down the finish. I'm now looking for one and we kind of talked about both getting a few 'French' items - as I feared a slippery slope...


More tomorrow Frank S perhaps?

 

[garrymartin]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

Gorgeous pictures James, 599.01 looks superb at the head of that train , whilst Corpets cannot fail to look good, what ever livery they wear

 

[jameshilton]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

Anyone bored yet?

We've had a miserable day, weather wise, but I've spent an hour or so in the garden this evening with a cold Wytchcraft and my iPad, oh and a camera.

I managed to capture the last train of the day again, but not only on it's outward, but return journey later...
Outward...

Homeward...

and when it arrived back late at Alisendorf, before being shunted and the engine sent to the shed for the evening.

 

[stockers]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

Great pictures James - Thanks. Love the Corpet. Looks grand in green.
and those scratch builds are magic.

 

[CoggesRailway]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

thoruoghly enjoyed this James. The railway, Tim's models and the time capsule corpet. Brilliant you guys played with it twenty years ago! That story really brings home the length of time these locos have been around. I have a dodgy old u class that I am sure is from the 1970s - crazy to think of the time that has passed in it's life. Thanks for sharing

 

[jameshilton]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

Thanks chaps - I'll keep posting then! The railway will only evolve and embed now, but the stock keeps changing doesn't it

Well I'm 32 today - no presents (yet), the wife is away, but a generous cheque from Mum
Alex was up at 6am, so despite heading out for the day shortly, I got one last run on the line in before packing for home

It seemed fitting that last year's 'birthday' present to myself was the star of the show, plus it only needed two coaches out so that helped!

Then, as a finale, we ran Alex's Stainz...

Until next time

 

[Gizzy]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

Happy Birthday James!

Only 32 eh....

 

[JRinTawa]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

What a good way to celebrate a birthday.

 

[jameshilton]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

Some un-forecast good weather this weekend saw the station fencing fitted, some tree pruning and obviously some 'testing'. As well as the Lxd2 I ran a branchline train for an hour or two today, very relaxing, whilst chatting to Mum in the sunshine and feeding Alex, whilst the wife got on with her university coursework.

A few posts worth of photos coming...

 

[jameshilton]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

 

[jameshilton]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

 

[Rhinochugger]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

Yes James, very dismal, very nice

Can't wait to see the finished job running

 

[jameshilton]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

Thanks Ian! - yes the Faur is going to look ace when it's finished

I've got a fair few other projects on the go too - the railbus, brake van, second roll-wagen, a pair of 2-axle coaches and the Liliput/Bachmann Davenport O&K bash.

SO although the line doesn't evolve a great deal, the stock will

 

[playmofire]

Re:The EJ&KLR project

A belated "Happy birthday!" and many thanks for the photos - they just get better and better!