Improvements line-side on the garage layout...

Recently made a couple of improvements to the line-side of my garage layout...

I rescued a small chapel from the garden layout, really a bit small for outside but it works nicely in the corner of the garage layout.

I used to have a grounded American caboose body by the station, this was out of character with the look of my railway layout so I've replaced it with a small re-purposed Sylvanian families building....

New Position for the Signal Box...

 I've moved the signal box to a much better position overlooking the point-work by the station

Another van for goods trains ...

 Managed to win an Accucraft van Ebay; was in GW livery - I painted out the white GW and did a colour matched was of sorts on the rest of the van body followed by a light spray of satin varnish. A nice addition to my rolling stock....

Cable Reel Wagon Load....

 I had three small cable reels that were used for goods yard clutter, I thought they would be useful as an optional wagon load.

The base for the cable reel load, cut to size of the inside of an open wagon (can be taken out to have an empty); the base scribed to give effect of planks

Stuck some card to the cable reel so I could then stick them to the base 

Adding timber chocks ....

Glue set and the base given a quick coat of light grey ....

in a wagon, gives some variety to loads for a little goods train ...

Truck tlc ...

On inspection a truck which I had line-side was looking rather tired and in bad condition - it had been sitting on the garage layout in various places for the last few years (gathering dust) and had been outside in the garden before that. A little tlc would help to rejuvenate it ...

The truck is actually an old PlayMobil toy (with a 1989 date on the underside),  I got it from a friend about 15 years ago with a load of G scale items.

I gave it a quick clean and then dis-assembled it, the accumulated 'yuk' in the cab ...

all apart and cleaned ....

I decided on keeping the same colour scheme, a fresh coat of paint and a change for the roof to dark grey and the steering wheel to a woody look.

the truck bed was given a sand down and painted a faded brown with the sides to match the cab. Here it is finished, back on the layout ....

Tidy, clean and time to run a couple of trains ....

 After clearing all the rubbish out of my garage and having a good clean around I could get at my garage layout. An overall dust off and removal of a few cobwebs then ready for running again.

Before getting started with running trains, spent a little time cleaning the rolling stock... brushing off dust and cleaning roofs.

Then to stop squeaky wheels, a little bit of silicon lube in the axle boxes....

Before running anything, out with the LGB track cleaning loco and track cleaning block

Track cleaned, time to run something, first up my permanent way trolley

Then the track cleaning loco in normal running mode with some tipper wagons ...

Nice to get the garage layout back in operation and the rolling stock ready for future running sessions.😀

Face On ...

Tinkered with a screen captured image to make up a face for my Tram Loco - somewhat Toby'ish

just a plain print out and stuck on card, fixed in place using blue-tack.  Works quite well - maybe do some more for my other engines

New rolling stock additions .....

Prior to my birthday I usually select a couple of 'present to myself' items. This year it was to add some more rolling stock for the garden railway... a couple of Accucraft UK items.

An Isle of Man G Van unvented....

which gives me enough for a small van train

An IoM E Van in Maroon and Cream to match my coaches...

I made a bit of space on my shelving where I keep my locos to put my new additions on display ....

Tram loco - tinkering and test run movie clip

A bit of work done on the tram loco today.  I was getting intermittent stop/start while using the remote control.  Figured out the cause,  I had put the aerial inside a plastic tube guide - but not much of it was unobstructed...

The top of the aerial just poking above the tube...

 tube cut flush with the roof top

 a reasonable amount of the top of the aerial no showing

Had a test run session, can now be a good distance away from the loco before I lose control contact, far enough for a sit down and watch the train running session  - result 😁


A clip of the tram loco on its test run...

https://youtu.be/tRRwx1-4skA 

[Note: post amended from link to google drive MP4 file to link to Youtube - 28/5/2020]

Track ballast work ....

Today, spent a nice time out in the garden, making sure the track ballast was adequate ... had a to steal a bit from another gravelled area in the garden complete work on all the track...

work in progress by the station ...

Running session - oddment goods

Today, spent a little time outside running a short oddment goods train ....

Tram Engine (10) - finishing touches and first outside running in session...

The loco body has been painted up and varnished, glazing using some clear plastic fitted to the windows and the roof fitted.

Loco body and chassis were assembled and taken outside for a running session.

A quick sweep of debris from the track plus adjusting the ballast in a few places and I then spent a enjoyable time watching it trundle around with a wagon..

Tram Engine - WIP(9) - some sort of internal detail.......

Added the rest of the rudimentary internal detail, it doesn't have to super exact as once it is painted and the roof is on it will be sufficient for a quick gander from the outside..

 smokebox end...

 firebox end ...

now onto the painting .....

Tram Engine - WIP(8) - RC aerial positioning....

The positioning of the RC aerial in the interior of the loco body needed a bit of work....

The aerial position on the chassis...

 I had a hole cut in the base of the loco body for the aerial to go through, but needed a good location for it as I added in the interior detail. I used part of the inner tube from a toilet roll for the boiler top and fitted the casing of an old biro to hold the aerial....

 Another hole was made in the roof for the aerial casing to go through - the idea is that it could represent a whistle or safety valve ....

now I can finish off the rudimentary internal details....

Tram Engine - WIP(7) - couplings added ....

A fiddly job, but managed to get some chopper coupling onto the tram loco at the right height ...

then spent a little time on the garage layout giving it a trial run round...  😀

Tram Engine - WIP(6) - window frames and hand rails

Adding some of the smaller details - hand rails (using florist wire), window frames and some extra uprights in the cow-catchers

Tram Engine - WIP(5) - roof ...

Adding the roof, decided on a simple scheme using a base plate of cardboard with roof supports ..

 I found a old plastic folder which I cut the roof surface from, adding rain strips from cardboard, funnel from a small pice of plastic tube ...

 looking more like a loco now, (will keep the roof separate for now, while I finish off the detailing)

Tram Engine - WIP(4) - loco superstructure sides and ends....

Making the sides of the loco superstructure...

 sides fitted to footplate assembly and work started on the ends ...

 ends fitted, starting to look like a loco now

a few things left to do
- internal detail
- windows (sides and ends)
- roof assembly
- couplings and other oddment details