First outdoor running session this year ...

 Yesterday I cleared the weeds from the track and topped up the track ballast in a number of places.  Today I did a first running session of the year outside using a couple of RC battery locos.

Yard Crane and low loader wagon completed ...

The yard crane (after a few fix ups and a lick of paint) is now in place on the garage layout ...

The low loader wagon has been given its paint job and is now ready for service ...

Work now finished on adding more wagons to the rolling stock. I'm going to add a new small shelf for storage in the garage then make up some suitable loads for the low loader and other flat wagons.

Yard Crane and low loader wagon (WIP)

I'm currently working on two items, both from an Ebay purchase; two old IP Engineering wagon kits that had already been built but needed repair and refurbishment.

Firstly a a crane wagon, the wagon wasn't worth fixing up; which is OK as I bought it for the crane. I used part of the flat wagon body to make a base for the crane. I've repaired the crane and mounted it up on the base - it will head out to a goods yard on the garage layout when finished.

The other item was a low loader wagon, quite long wheel base. Quite a fixer-upper but worth the effort, currently waiting for a slot in the wagon works paint shop ...

Prototype couplings...

 Made up a couple of prototype couplings using the part of an LGB coupling that fits to the under frame along with some plasti-card to mount an Accucraft coupling.

Less intrusive and fine for most wagons, using the chopper part of an Accucraft coupling

more robust, using all of an Accucraft coupling

Each will suit different types of wagon and loco; when refined will allow an easy swap out of the LGB couplings on rolling stock and locos.

'Converter' Wagon...

Used up the last wagon under frame from the Ebay job lot; I made a two plank wagon top out of cardboard and set it up with LGB coupling one end and at the other an Accucraft chopper coupling. So can use to connect between rolling stock fitted with either (while I figure out the best way to change out the LGB couplings on some of my rolling stock).  

Shipped out of the wagon works with coat of PVA glue then painted in grey with black for the iron-work; followed by a couple of coats of satin varnish.

Diesel gets a new drive unit ....

 The two power chassis that I got in the recent Ebay job lot have been fully tested, the 0-6-0 chassis had a partially stripped gear so it's on its way to the bin (i may retrieve a few bits of it for spares). The 0-4-0 chassis is a really nice running unit.

 My scratch built diesel was running on a very old 0-4-0 LGB chassis which is a lumpy runner and works better in one direction than the other. I though the it could do with some new running gear ...

New on left, old on right....

The diesel body was made out of plasticard and other bits from the spares box, the underside view shows its rather 'bodgy' construction, I made a mounting plate from plasticard and glued it onto the new chassis

fits in really nicely; so stuck it in place ...

A quick test on the garage layout, super runner and good at low speeds too...

The coupling height needs adjusting as the drive wheel diameter is smaller; a little job for an evening.

Longer Wheelbase Wagon ...

 I bought a longer wheelbase wagon off Ebay a couple of months ago, I fitted Accucraft couplings - but couldn't decide on a suitable wagon load.  For simplicity I decided to give it a tarpaulin cover (using black plastic)....