New garden layout

Hi Guys, postman just delivered these two Swiss coaches I got on ebay . Was really pleased to get these because they very rarely come up on auction. Sun still shinin today so hopin to push things on a bit in the garden today.  Cheers  DAVY 

Hi Guys, just took delivery of these euro coaches .1st picture left to right shows all DB Deutsche Bundesbahn (German) 1st class cream and red coach, 2nd class blue /white coach and 1st class blue white coach. 2nd picture left to right, grey FS(ferrovie Dello Stato) Italian 1st clas coach and a French restauant car in red.

Thanks for the advice Davy, I might just take a look at the EBay sites. Not that I need more trains, my wife laughs when the delivery truck arrives at the house dropping off trains. Any updates on your outdoor 2 rail layout. I  live in New England and the weather is  turning colder I'm sure it's the same in Scotland.

Hi George,

          no,absolutely nothing been done on the layout for a few weeks now. It will definately be the spring now before much more gets done. I've had too many other things on my plate ,work/making a living etc.,etc., bad weather, might get the odd few days at it but it's goin to be next year I think before I get all the way round now.Still,I'm quite happy with what I got done. I'm still gathering european continental O gauge and now have  most of the rolling stock I want.

  I also joined a miniature railway group in the nearby small town of Strathaven a few months back and have been working on that and driving trains on the railway some weekends. They have petrol and battery powered locos and steam. I'm now qualified to drive the petrol machine and the electric loco,but the steam is far more complex,though I have had a couple of turns at it. I spent a fair wee bit of time refurbishing the turntable. It used to be turned by push-of-foot but it wasn't very satisfactory so I got handles made for it.I've attached a short video of my grandaughters Rebecca and Caitlin trying out the new handles. The turntable doesn't get used much normally but it does at the annual open weekend when many steam enthusiasts from other areas bring their locos to run on the railway,so the off roads round the table are used a lot then . Its this weekend coming. I'll hopefully get some photos and post them.  Cheers  DAVY 

Is that you lad, off to the left of the turntable? Been wondering what you've been up to? Seems like you've found yourself a new scale to play with. I was starting to think having an outdoors layout with your climate...

We've had a great run of nice sunny weather this summer and into fall. You mentioned you've been busy earning a living; is it a grind or are you enjoying yourself?

Nice seeing ya here, again.

Take care,

Rick

Hi Rick,

          Aye thats yours truly to the left. The turntable was half fitted with new walkboards when the video was taken the other side has now been done.As for making a living, no its no a grind Rick just a bit time consuming lately. As for the weather , been beautifull the last few days but cold frosty mornins and the leaves are coming off the trees big-time now.

   I'm lookin forward to this weekend at the miniature railway ,two days of mucho steam activity.Dual track 7 inch and 5 inch gauge. Its not a huge railway but its popular with families. Run trains every starurday and sunday from springtime till September. This weekend coming is just for rail-nuts then closed till the spring. However the club has an excellent engineering workshop where locos and rolling stock are built and maintained and thats on the go all year round. Anyway I'll try and get some video and/or pics posted after the weekend. Catch you later Rick.  DAVY    

Greetings me son,

I walked through a few leaves meself, during my early morning walk with my critter; first bit of mist/fog lying about, too. Still fairly dark out, at the time. Soon it will be time to break out my captains coat(P jacket). The days are definitely getting shorter, too. Yesterday, was thanksgiving. We had our thanksgiving feast the night before. Had baroque music playing in the background; that type of music really adds to the celebration.

So you've been riding the rails a wee bit, and operating, too. Sounds like fun.

When you mentioned the workshop - I pictured an old, warn(in a good way) brick building with a little chimney smoking away, poking out of it's roof; with older style industrial lighting and wood framed windows. I also envisioned a beat up kettle steaming away, ready to make the next round of tea.

Inside, I picture all kinds of wonderful tools from another era, deliberately placed with a purpose in mind; machines, gears... an ironsmith's paradise.

I definitely would like to see some pictures of the workshop... inside and out.

Cheers,

Rick

Hi Rick,you aren't far out in your estimation of the wee engineering shop. Lathes ,drills,milling machines, all sorts of metal working things. Unfortunately the guys that have the skills to work them are a dying breed due to the decline in heavy industry in these parts. Anyway fingers crossed that the wee railway will manage to keep goin. I will certainly get you some pictures and post them.Oh well,off to gig in Edinburgh tonight. Need to scoot. Cheers  DAVY 

Lad,

Re: the knowledge and talent dying off... are you going to try to pick up some of that knowledge, and some of those skills? I've got the feeling I know where your going to be... over the fall and winter months.

BTW, I can't remember if we already discussed this, on this thread... is there a lot of old Victorian era architecture, in the Glasgow area?

Have a good one, in Edinburgh.

Cheers,

Rick

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&...mPWFOn2w&cad=rja

Davy, I stayed at this Leicester City hotel, back in 1972. I was a young lad, then... 18 years old. I never gave much thought to the hotels architecture, back then, it was just a modest older joint, to me and my Canadian buddy.

Recently, that same Canadian friend, who was visiting Leicester(a few weeks ago) sent me a picture he'd taken, outside the Park hotel. I was struck by how ornate and interesting looking... my former digs is. A nice little Victorian era building.

I won't comment on the present quality of the hotel; from what I read(comments posted by previous hotel guests) it's...

Besides that... I love the look of the old joint. That's why I asked you... if there are many/any Victorian buildings in your patch of the world.

Rick

Hi Rick,

         aye for sure I will be trying to pick up some engineering knowledge from the older guys. Most of them are well into their 70s now but there are a few younger ones with some good know how, I'll learn what I can.  

 As for Glasgow architecture,well, apparently Glasgow is quite well known for its architecture ,and aye much of it is Victorian methinks. Don't know if you've heard of Charles Rennie MacIntosh ?, think he harks back to the 1920s. His stuff is big in Glasgow architecture and art etc., however I'm no expert.

  Apart from other things I've also been putting together a web-page on my favourite American 4-6-2 pacific class locos the B&O P7s. I'm intending to do info and pictures on every member of the class for the benefit of fellow modellers like myself.I'm about halfway. See what you think...

http://davieloco.wordpress.com/       Cheers  DAVY (ps Edinburgh gig was fine,just home)

I tips me hat to ya, lad; brilliant! You've done well for yerself, me son; with your Pacific presentation... Very, very nicely done!

Re: Chuck(Charles) never heard of the lad; but, I have now!

Re: The Park Hotel - that building is a treasure. BTW, apparently, Leicester City is one of the oldest cities in England; and, the Romans hung out there, for a wee bit...

My ancestral home patch, Edinburgh; apparently, packs a decent punch... when it comes to architecture; and, I'm glad to hear yours(Glasgow), does too.

Re: The Wee Iron shop, THE IRON HOUSE - for me, one of the coolest things we've discussed, on this thread. It sounds so tactile... I can feel it from, here!

Tis nice to be visiting with ya, again, me brother.

Me best,

Rick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e542qVvGY8I

I found this this morning; while looking for Iron Works sites/pictures... in Scotland.

Rick

Hi Rick, I remember that place when it was in NCB (National Coal Board) ownership.

There were 0-6-0 and 0-4-0 steam switchers. Ayrshire had abundant coal mines as had Lanarkshire (where I live). Steam dissapeared from the national mainlines in the late 60s but worked on till the early 80s in industrial operations,mainly on NCB property. All completely gone now. If you look on you tube there are a few old colour movies "industrial steam in Scotland 1974". Look for Bedlay Colliery,Polkemmet Colliery,Francis Colliery,Barony Colliery etc.,etc.,          DAVY  

Bonjour Mr. Mac,

Nice little vid, that one. Some good closeups, too... lots of details... for that era/type of modeler; and, I liked the soundtrack.

There appears to be a number of abandoned places videos, filmed in Scotland; made by the same outfit that made the video... I identified.

BTW Lad, if ya know of any sites that showcase old Scottish/British steam shovels... I wouldn't mind you putting them up, here. I likes me steam shovels.

Cheers to ya lad,

Rick

Yes, nice movies.  It is amazing how ancient the film looks from 1974.  Wasn't that just yesterday?

Hi Guys,well was up at the miniature railway today and there was steam a plenty ,plus some other outline. Heres some pics I took. Rick if you're reading this I took  some pics of  a "Britannia" class pacific named "Capercailie" and numbered 70055. There never was a number 70055 ,the class in real life stopped at 70054,so this was done tongue in cheek. However I thought of you because the loco was carrying the headboard "Heart of Midlothian",which was a real train which I think ran between Edinburgh and Glasgow at one time. Enjoy.... DAVY 

Looks like everyone's enjoying themselves.

Nice engine... the Heart of Midlothian.

So some of these, are real steam engines?

BTW, why is the track raised... is it easier to keep clean?

Rick

Hi Rick, these following pictures will clarify things. "7.25 and 5" dual gauge track is at ground level except the stone built servicing bays outside the shed which are accessed by means of a siding up a ramp onto a traversing table. There is a seperate circuit of track which the guys call the "race track" for 5" and 3" gauge ,this is raised on posts. As for being real steam engines check the first picture I'm attaching here ,the fire is getting raked,you can see the hot clinker falling between the driving wheels. In the second picture is Kenny Elder, that loco he's sittin on he built from scratch,his father was  steam loco driver at Carstairs Junction Locomotive shed back in the days of steam.Kenny has built 9 engines, that one in the pic  is named after his mam. He's a very clever engineer. He's currently building another 4-6-0 "Black Five".

 He built the "black five" in the third picture.He's 4 years younger than me so he'd be about 10 years old when steam finished on the national railway system ,but his dad being a loco driver on the railway took him on the footplate as far back as he can remember and he spent much of his childhood in and around the steam engines in Carstairs loco depot,so he has steam in his veins. He still lives in Carstairs village to this day. The last two pictures show the raised "race track", that black engine is a model of a South African railways 15D type,and the last picture shows the raised servicing bays and the traverser for the ground level tracks.     DAVY

Coal fueled, not bad.

So, am I correct in assuming you fit in rather well, with these lads?

Seems like a great place, to enjoy your passion...

I WOULD STILL LIKE TO SEE THE IRON WORKS!

Cheers,

Rick