Track work, Kit work and a new friend
Introducing my new friend, my Dremel! Gone are the days of
Coaling Tower
A very appropriate structure has been purchased for locoyard – a Hornby coaling tower. Unfortunately there is not enough space on the layout for now so has been set up on top of the display cabinet whilst I consider what to do with it! 56xx 6619 has been posed delivering coal trucks, whilst rebuilt West…
Review – Bachmann 8F Austerity Class
Class: Austerity 8F 2-8-0 Use: Heavy Goods Region: Various BR regions – War Department and LNER post-nationalisation & Europe and Hong Kong Era: 1943-1967 Preserved examples: 90733 Remembrance (ex-Swedish locomotive) Manufacturer: Bachmann Motor: 3 pole Loco-drive Power: Heavyweight DCC options: none on previous versions, 21 pin dcc ready versions announced 2012 Reviewed Model – Bachmann 32-250 400 Sir Guy Williams (click here to…
Bachmann Austerity DCC Fitting Guide
As promised previously, here is the DCC fitting guide for non-DCC Ready Bachmann Austerity. Note that planned future releases of this model will be fitted with a 21 pin socket for easier conversion. However, the model has been available for some time without a DCC socket and previous releases include limited editions such as my…
Locoyard Update
Just a super-quick update tonight. I’ve spent what little spare-time I’ve had during the past couple of evenings, wrestling with a soldering iron (yes, a painful experience!) and have now successfully chipped the Bachmann 8F Austerity. It is pictured above in the yard after some time running in and some sterling work hauling some mark…
Back in the KESR
A trip to see family allowed for a quick whistle-stop visit at the Kent and East Sussex Railway. I grew up with this railway on my doorstep and it was great to go back and see how the line is doing. Self-branded as “England’s finest rural light railway”, the K&ESR is a delightful railway running…
Austerity coming soon…
Just a very quick post to show you a new addition to the yard, that will be put to service very soon!
4464 Bittern – Cathedrals Express
Just a quick post today. En-route to visit family I stopped at Basingstoke to see 4464 Bittern arrive. Originally 6201 Princess Elizabeth was scheduled to take the service, but she failed yesterday. Fortunately her super-sub was more than capable of taking its spot. I had hoped to meet Simon of Brookes Castle at Eastleigh, but unfortunately…
Namespotting – Southern Names
Todays post is a reflection on the names given by Southern Railways to their top-link express locomotives. As the names are so evocative and well-thought out, I wanted to discuss some of the reasons why they work so well. I’ve illustrated the piece with locoyard fleet locomotives; both past and present. King Arthur Class Although…
News: RTR USA Dock Tank 00 scale!
Model Rail magazine announced today that they have commissioned Dapol to produce a RTR USA dock tank. This is a fantastic development for Southern modellers like myself to have a RTR version of something very unique in 00 scale. The locomotives were constructed in Pennsylvania for use during the second world war and were used throughout Europe.…
Loco Yard 