CVR Indoors MKII

I've now got power in my garage, this provides an opportunity to put a layout of some form there; so I've decided to move my CVR 'Indoors' G scale mini-layout to the garage and enlarge it to provide somewhere to run and test trains if the weather isn't suitable.

So far I am in the middle of building the 'baseboard' tables for it.

The opportunity for the future is to join the layout in the garage to the one in the garden - mind you thats a fair way off !

Car Transporter completed

Another little project completed, my car transporter wagon - it took some time to find a suitable load which wasn't too heavy (as some diecast cars are).

A little lite running ...

Took the opportunity of the nice weather today to have a nice running session. Some picture below.

Tidy Time

With all the rain we've been having recently the little weeds have been getting rather large - so today I've beeing pulling them all up and putting down weed killer where needed. In the farm area of the layout I left some of the ground cover weeds in place - they look ok with the cows and horses ....

Beamish Town, the weeds had grown in between the floor tiles I use for roads, now they are removed it looks so much better ...

Control Box finished

Having layed all the wires in place and connected up to the track, next was the job of putting in the switches and power connector for the controller. Fiddly but worthwhile; all tested and working OK - nice to have train waiting in the loop and one running by.

Control Box and Wiring up ...

I eventually found a suitable sized control box - a weather proof metal letter box. Nice opening door, the controller I use sits inside quite nicely. Piccies below show it in place and the conduit for the switch and power wire layed out ready, lots of annoying work to take up of paving slabs to keeps the conduit out of sight.

In the station area the conduit will sit under the ballast. The track has to be taken up to attach the switch and power wires, so a bit of work to do - I wish I'd done it when I layed the track orginally.

Crane and Tool Van - revisited

Crane and tool van now completed. I've added lettering and some slight weathering.

New House for Beamish Town

1) The raw materials: a green chopping board (Sainsbury's £3.99), a children's toy play house (local 'car boot' £1).

2) Fix the house to the chopping board with a 1" screw thorugh each corner of the house base. Apply some dark grey enamel paint (I used some Humbrol paint) to the roof. Thats it ready to go outside. Rear view of house ..

3) In position in Beamish Town, next door is one I did last year but didn't paint the roof.

New loco gets a run ..

A nice sunny day and I gave my Aristocraft 0-4-0T a run round outside, here it is paused for short break in the station.

New Arrival - 0-4-0T

My latest addition to my loco stud, an Aristocraft 0-4-0T, simmers after doing some shunting on my 'CVR indoors' layout. I bought it secondhand at a local toy&train fair for a good price. Looking forward to running it round the outdoor layout.

Spring Running

A smidge early to call it spring but close enought for me. Nice to get out in the sun and run a few trains.

The track inspection boys go out first ...

Mmy new little shunter loco moves a couple of small wagons past the signal tower .

A stop for the passenger service ...

New Arrivals ....

Firstly and LGB track cleaning loco (secondhand), needs some new cleaning wheels fitted; otherwise a good runner.

Secondly my little mini shunter (converted Postman Pat loco toy body on old LGB motion), seen here on the CVR indoor branch.

Level Crossing Completed

I took advantage of the sunny weather today to complete my level crossing project. The side approaches are from the Playmobil crossing, the track inserts and centre piece are cut from dark grey ceramic floor tile.

New Signal Tower

Positioned by the entrance to the good yard and the station, the signalman will be well able to keep a watch on all the train movements ..

In order to make space for the signal tower I had to move a windmill, I put it next to the farm, it seems to fit in quite well ..

Snowbound ....

After the snow had fallen I thought the graden railway looked quite picturesque. I only had time to take some photos when I got home; however the darkness and the camera flash show up the snow quite well.

An overall shot of the town and railway (where is that snowplough ?)

The town looks well snowed in ...

A view of the station and top end of the town ...

The main station building, some very brave passengers are waiting for the next train (they must be cold) ....

I don't think the windmill will be working for a while ....