I've been really busy at work so haven't done half the things I'd like to have done on the railway front but I have sneaked a few hours, here and there.
I've done quite a bit of 'testing' and found that a fair proportion of my rolling stock doesn't run very well so I've been modifying it to improve matters which isn't very visual but quite satisfying.
Also in using the fiddle yard I've found that a couple of changes would make life easier and I've made one of the changes which has added a second short, kickback siding. This will be useful for trams and rail lorries etc.
Before
After
The other changes needed are to make section breaks in the two long sidings so that I can fit more trains with locos attached.
These two rail lorries are the full and half truckles used to transport cheese.
Previously the full truckle would not negotiate my curves but now all is well.
Peggy is my ROCO HF bash and after a clean and a run in is working fine
The bogie brake van never ran well on its PECO bogies as the wheels touched the floor, now it has KATO coach bogies it runs very freely.
My train of varied cattle wagons never ran anywhere as the clearances were too tight and they were poorly built but clearances are not and issue now and the chassis have been sorted out.
My little Jelly Models Badoni diesel
Even with the new improved clearances the steam tram was too tall so I moved the headlamp down and put the bell on the side of the roof and after a bit of repairing the roof all is well. I really like the tram and I'm glad that I can now run it and that the O&K tram coach makes a happy trailer for it.
I've finished the modifications to my second Bachmann Baldwin. It started life as a 778 and is now called Marina. Apart from name plates over the painted numbers it has lost its headlights and gained some coal 'greedy rails'. These are made my usual way from the etched brass slatted seats from Langley Models L&B coaches. A very hand etch is available with the seats and a pile of coach door handles. Crew from Preiser and an RT models jack finish off the mods. After that it was just some nasty weathering so it sits well with Clarice my Hummy rename.
I have a new indoors work bench. It is a bed tray from LIDL. I bought it with building a small layout on it in mind but it is just too small for what I wanted but sits happily over my lap on the sofa.
The first project to be completed on the new tray is a Meridian/Narrow Planet TR coach kit. I've used the Patented Prof Insley bog roll roof technique, which is still unpainted here.
Here the roof is painted but still unattached as glazing and passengers are needed to complete it.
