Annie

Two older B&ER models by Steve Flanders that were originally made for Trainz TS2004. Pearson singles Nos. 41 and 44. The most obvious fault with No.44 is that the driving wheel is the wrong size. Steve used No.41's driving wheel on No.44. No.41 is the better model and is the one that I chose to use more often than No.44. Neither engine would have run on the Minehead branch which is why I haven't taken them out of my digital trainset box for quite a while now.

Morning Broad Gauge Cheer Up Picture: Here's another single driver locomotive designed by Pearson and built by Rothwell & Co of Bolton in the 1850s. The photo shows this pretty little 2-2-2 well tank as it was in October 1859. She became GWR 2057 and was withdrawn in 1880. And you've guessed it, - I would love to have a model of No.58 made for the Trainz simulator.

Yes I noticed that. Walking those footboards on the 9ft single would be an an alarming experience once it was under way.

Evening GWR Cheer Up Picture; Exeter depot 1905. The alert among you will have already noticed the baulk road track on the RHS of this old photo. It's believed that the photo was taken from the top of the water tower.

I really must agree on that point Mike. They were absolutely incredible.

It was seeing a photo of one of the Pearson singles in a book in the school library when I was in my teens that was the spark that ignited my interest in the Broad Gauge. 8ft 10in Pearson 4-2-4T no. 2002 (previously no. 40) at Exeter in 1876. (Unknown Author, Public Domain image, Wikipedia)

Do you mean this 2021? Cor, - I wouldn't half mind one of those.

Thanks Mike, my daughter is just about back to being her old self again, but it could have been a lot worse. We don't bounce and shrug it off so easily as we get older and that's a concern for me with having type 1 narcolepsy. True enough even after rebuilding once they became GWR property the ex-B&ER engines still kept their own essential character. I make no secret of the fact that out of all the Broad Gauge railways it's the B&ER that I like best.

Afternoon Broad Gauge Cheer Up Picture: ex-B&ER No.2021 seen here at Chippenham in May 1892. Looking a little rough about the edges, but still with bit of a shine on her. I think I may have posted this photo before, but since it's a favourite of mine and I like it you'll just have to put up with it. I really like these B&ER engines and if I could afford it I would love to commision a digital model for Trainz. (Picture courtesy of the Broad Gauge Society) I haven't been doing anything with my projects lately. My daughter had a fall and hit her head ending up with concussion and a cut on her forehead that needed stitches. With the stress of it all I haven't ended up all that well myself. My daughter is doing better now though and she had the stitches removed yesterday. I don't think she's going to end up with much of a scar which is good.

Early Morning Broad Gauge Cheer Up Picture: Not a 'Hawthorn'. Ex-B&ER No.2019. One of 10 locomotives built 1870-1872. Withdrawn 1889, though others of her sisters made it to the end of the Broad Gauge 😭 (Picture courtesy of the Broad Gauge Society)

Better, - definitely better. nice and compact, but still functional.

Afternoon Broad Gauge Cheer Up Picture: 'Fenton' in later life as the station pilot for Newton Abbot. Notably equipped with double buffers so she could bunt those horrible coal cart gauge wagons around. 'Fenton' was one of the "Hawthorn" class, built by Stothert, Slaughter & Co of Bristol. Later members of her class were built at Swindon. Along with eight of her sisters she made it to the final days of the Broad Gauge. 😭 Edit: Possibly this photo was taken at the western end of Taunton station. (Photo courtesy of the Broad Gauge Society)

A rare thing to find with 19th century locomotives. Often one side is all you get. Afternoon Broad Gauge Cheer Up Picture: 'Crimea' circa 1878. Photo courtesy of the Broad Gauge Society.

I've been much tempted by these since it looks like the sort of kit sleepy me could successfully make. Would look good alongside my old Bonds 'O' Gauge wooden models.

I think the C&W works and loco facilities being together in the first trackplan is more logical, but I do take your point about wanting more clear space over on the rural side of things.

Midnight Broad Gauge Cheer Up Pictures: Photos courtesy of the Broad Gauge Society. Two for the price of one. 'Courier' circa 1878. 'Courier' circa 1880.

Of course, - Tilmanstone Colliery! Somehow it slipped my mind that it was in Kent. Thanks for jogging my memory into a functional condition again. https://transportsofdelight.smugmug.com/RAILWAYS/COLONEL-STEPHENS-RAILWAY-EMPIRE/A-COLONEL-STEPHENS-RAILWAY-THE-EAST-KENT-LIGHT- RAILWAY/i-dBjzbkv/A https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Coalfield

The layout's builder agrees that NCB sidings would be an unusual sight anywhere on the Southern Region, but Trainz has more resources for coal related industries than anything else so King Coal got the vote. This is a view across the sidings with the wharf across the aisle visible in the background. Those two blood & custard coaches might be a bit posh for a workman's train though. The engines and rolling stock presently on the layout were placed there by the builder for testing purposes and might not be entirely appropriate for the early BR era. In other news my copy of 'Railways of Sussex' arrived today and my first impression of it is a good one. Plenty of interesting pictures, though the minor railways are done a bit quickly for my liking. As a softcover book it's a little on the cheap and cheerful side, but still worth having on the bookshelf.

St James Park terminus now with its hat on. Been away from doing anything with Trainz these past few days due to other concerns and demands on my time.

I've been asked by a member of the creator group I belong to if I could have a look over a Trainz Model Railway layout he's built to see if I can help him with some problems he's having with it. Part of it is inspired by C.J.F's 'Minories', - only in a somewhat expanded version with industries, a harbour, NCB sidings along with a through station on the mainline and a very cunningly hidden in plain sight fiddle yard. Other bits of it are inspired by some of C.J.F's track plans as well. It fits in a room measuring 20 metres by 40 metres, but it's still very much a model railway. It's named St James Park and is set in the early BR era somewhere in the Southern Region. I'm absolutely stunned by it to tell the complete truth as it must've taken hundreds of hours to build the thing. Some snaps I took at the St James Park terminus side of the layout. It's been modelled as if the station over roof has been removed allow access to the trains in the station.

Afternoon Tilt Wagon Cheer Up Drawing:

Further details: The South Wales and Vale of Neath iron tilts had 3ft diameter wheels so there wouldn't have been any need for covers over the wheels inside the wagon. The B&ER iron tilt had 4ft diameter wheels so it would have needed covers inside the wagon. Compared with other iron tilts the B&ER tilt almost looks like a narrow coal cart gauge wagon in its general proportions with its 8 foot 10¾ inch width. If ever I figure out how to make my own wagons for Trainz a B&ER iron tilt wagon will be heading the list.

The Broad Gauge Society newsletter has arrived and it has drawings and notes for a B&ER iron tilt wagon and a South Wales Railway iron tilt wagon. The SWR tilt is a rare beast with only four having been built and all of them were sold to the South Devon Railway. While the length is the same as the B&ER tilt at 17 feet it is much wider at 10 foot 6 inches as compared to the B&ER tilt's 8 foot 10¾ inches. Apparently the SWR tilt was based on the Vale of Neath Railway's tilt design. Edit: Found the VoN tilt drawing, - and it's the same size as the SWR tilt. Only 14 out of the ex B&ER tilts were converted to the narrow coal cart gauge. Approx 200 or so were known to have been built in 1849. I have the B&ER and the GWR numbers for the lucky 14 should anybody want them. Model of a Vale of Neath tilt wagon. Mike's blog on making a GWR tilt wagon is a useful reference. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/blogs/entry/25950-an-1850s-broad-gauge-tilt-wagon/

Interesting small halte Cheer Up picture: On the former Coleford, Monmouth, Usk, and Pontypool Railway and opened in March 1954, - Cefntilla Halt. Only open for two years before BR closed the line (Boo hiss). Located near Cefntilla Court which was the seat of the Somerset family and the House of Beaufort. Its construction was first suggested by FitzRoy Somerset, 4th Baron Raglan, to British Railways in 1953 to bring needed passenger traffic to the line, which was under threat of closure. Yes I know this little halt was built during the early BR error era, but being in GWR territory that hardly counts. What I like about it is that almost any minor railway or light railway could have done the same from the 1900s onwards. (Pictures courtesy of the Disused Stations page on Faceplant. Photographer unknown)

My impression on first seeing a photo of this locomotive was that they were heavy duty side rods until I noticed that they were attached to the axle ends. It most certainly is. It makes for a very attractive looking roof. It's good that an attractive building like that one has been preserved. I wouldn't have a clue though as to what the tiles are made from.