Dorkingian Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 Virgin territory Just after the turn of the Millennium, Virgin Voyager Class 220 units revolutionised Cross Country services with their useful connections, elongated routes centred on Birmingham New Street and regular interval timings. Not rocket science, but it made an impact, as did the comfortable and good-looking units themselves. This is the Bachmann version: Here's a Brighton to Manchester service (or is it the other way round?) on the North Downs Line near Dorking: 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted July 27, 2019 Author Share Posted July 27, 2019 Magical mystery tour Roll up for the Hogwarts Express, fittingly hauled by Hogwarts Castle (Anyone seen a Ford Anglia flying around?): Isn't this a wizard loco! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted August 4, 2019 Author Share Posted August 4, 2019 With a little help from my friends While getting the railway ready for today's running session, the guardian robin popped up to see what was happening: Shortly afterwards, a less common visitor turned up: and eventually the trains started to run: 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted August 5, 2019 Author Share Posted August 5, 2019 As the Black 5 headed off with its train of vans... ...leaving Throstlebeck Sidings with extra wagons in tow: Before crossing Foxdale Bank: ...and, having dropped off some wagons, rounding Sycamore Curve: 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted August 6, 2019 Author Share Posted August 6, 2019 The country used to run on coal So scenes like this Standard Class 4 with a rake of mostly mineral wagons were common. First, passing Throstlebeck Sidings: Then on Sycamore Curve: And finally passing Foxdale Carr Hall: 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted August 6, 2019 Author Share Posted August 6, 2019 Here's another coal train on Foxdale Bank in the charge of a Black 5: 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted August 9, 2019 Author Share Posted August 9, 2019 More visiting engines Yesterday afternoon David P. came round with a great selection of engines needing to stretch their legs in the fresh air. First a BR Standard 2-6-2T: The uniquely rebuilt Duke looked in fine form: ...while somehow the Class 66 and the S15 managed to avoid the photographer. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted August 10, 2019 Author Share Posted August 10, 2019 David's rebuilt Battle of Britain class "603 Squadron" looked at home on Foxdale Bank (although the p.w. men don't seem to have spotted a failed jumper joint): 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 Size isn't everything But it's a nuisance if we have to shrink photos first in order to stay within the daily 10MB quota, whereas some websites reduce uploaded files automatically. So for anything more than a couple of pictures (including in this case a real Little Barford, a GW Pannier and Stephenson's Rocket), it's much easier to put them somewhere more convenient and then just provide a link: https://www.oogardenrailway.co.uk/index.php?/topic/354-the-dorking-garden-railway/&do=findComment&comment=19556 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted September 2, 2019 Author Share Posted September 2, 2019 It would be churlish not to share even one photo here, so here's the Little Barford at the exchange sidings (with a bigger b****rd waiting nearby): Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted September 22, 2019 Author Share Posted September 22, 2019 Yesterday I had an enjoyable morning at the annual American flavoured exhibition of the Seaboard Southern group who are based in Crawley. Ian Lampkin's excellent Fort Myres layout is a very effective depiction of railroads in Florida, as in this photo with two local residents thinking about lunch. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted September 30, 2019 Author Share Posted September 30, 2019 Black 5 on a stopping train The new platelayers' hut needs a bit more weathering. And the platelayers need to deal with all that vegetation in the four-foot -- this isn't Network Rail! It won't be long before Sycamore Curve is knee-deep in leaves... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted October 4, 2019 Author Share Posted October 4, 2019 A touch of Jubilation Jubilee "Hong Kong" tackling Foxdale Bank with a mixed rake of pre- and post-nationalisation coaches: And at the end of the day, heading home along Bamboo Curtain Straight: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pteremy Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 Looks like great fun. I have always thought of garden railways as the preserve of larger scales - but you prove otherwise. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted October 11, 2019 Author Share Posted October 11, 2019 (edited) Cornish Pastures (Thanks to Julian for bringing lots of superb GW assets to visit recently, including signals and now captions) Large Prairie 51xx 2-6-2 tank No.5158 of St Blazey shed stands in the yard before working a short train of china clay empties up to Bugle. The year is 1947 and the cleanliness of ex-GW locomotives has yet to return to pre-War standards. Edited October 11, 2019 by Dorkingian photo selection Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted October 12, 2019 Author Share Posted October 12, 2019 Cornish Pastures (2) Following an overhaul at Swindon works c. 1961, 45xx ‘Small Prairie’ tank class No. 4570 stopped off at St Blazey shed (83E) for servicing whilst working its way back to it home depôt, Penzance (83G). Not wishing to look a gift horse in the mouth, St Blazey used the locomotive for several runs up the former Cornwall Minerals Railway route towards Newquay on a succession of china clay workings. It is seen on a short train of empties en route for the Wheal Rose branch, firstly, climbing up the Luxulyan Valley towards the Treffry Viaduct and also on the approach to Bugle, where the train will be left. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted October 13, 2019 Author Share Posted October 13, 2019 (edited) A third helping Having eventually arrived back at its home shed, Penzance (83G), No. 4570 was returned to its more usual haunts on the St Erth to St Ives branch for the rest of 1961. The first photograph shows No. 4570, with the usual ubiquitous B set, crossing the viaduct after leaving Carbis Bay, the penultimate stop before reaching St Ives. The train is starting to head due north on its way to round Porthminster Point below the erstwhile GWR Tregenna Castle Hotel. The other image shows No. 4570 and its two-coach train down by the waterside, shortly after leaving Lelant, the first station after St. Erth. Edited October 13, 2019 by Dorkingian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted October 15, 2019 Author Share Posted October 15, 2019 Furthermore... After working an express down to Plymouth, Castle Class No. 5043 ‘Earl of Mount Edgcumbe’ of Old Oak Common (81A) retired to Laira shed (83D) for servicing and repairs to a damaged smoke-box dart. A smart turn-round on these tasks provided the Laira shed master with the opportunity to allocate this locomotive to a special duty, taking a large party from various local Sunday Schools back to Newquay after an outing. The first photograph shows No. 5043 easing down towards Laira Junction, where it will turn on the triangle. The next image shows No.5043 passing through the north end of the yards at St Blazey, before making an assault on the long climb up to Luxulyan, some of it at 1 in 37. In the yard an unknown 45xx (but possibly visiting No.4570) is shunting china clay empties. The last photograph shows No.5043 and its train approaching Luxulyan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted October 16, 2019 Author Share Posted October 16, 2019 Ultimate Cornish To finish this photographic account of that foray into Cornwall, 68xx Grange class 4-6-0, No.6869 ‘Resolven Grange’, of Penzance shed (83G) brings an empty stock working down from Newquay into St Blazey. The first vehicle is a Siphon G. Meanwhile, a 45xx (again probably No.4570), is still busy in the yard marshalling china clay empties. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted January 4, 2020 Author Share Posted January 4, 2020 Catching up As I've not managed to post any new photos here for a while, here are some older ones (well, 2018 anyway) which haven't been shown before, of the Black 5 in sunny weather. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 Seeing the year out It had been a long wait for a day of good weather that was also convenient for a running session, but the penultimate day of December was a good opportunity to test run the Caledonian Single locomotive and coaches acquired a couple of months ago. I knew I should have tested the Single indoors first! In fact she wouldn't turn a wheel that day, so these photos were just posed. Will have to try some indoor TLC. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Later that same day After the uncooperative Caley loco, it was on with the trusty BR Standard 4MT which is always reliable. Here, it is passing Throstlebeck signalbox with a few vans. Coming off Foxdale Bank, with Sycamore Cottage in the background and, with a couple more vans added on, bowling along Bamboo Curtain Straight Despite the previous night's frost, everywhere was still very wet from the recent rain, and fortunately this trespasser was spotted and ejected before any damage was done: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted February 22, 2020 Author Share Posted February 22, 2020 Just to keep things ticking over... while not much has happened in the garden recently, here are a couple of photos from 2017. Looks like I had black and white film in the camera that day! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted March 24, 2020 Author Share Posted March 24, 2020 First train of the year About time too, some may say. Well, up till now the weather hasn't been great, and there's always real life which conspires to get in the way of running trains. But with this recent spell of fine weather - and no social obligations intervening - I was able to make the most of yesterday. It was a Southern day in honour of the sunshine, and the first train past was a coal train hauled by an N Class 2-6-0: 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkingian Posted March 25, 2020 Author Share Posted March 25, 2020 Then, a West Country appeared with a passenger train, seen here running past the goods train at Northdown Sidings: Running across the Northern Viaduct and past Foxdale Carr Hall: and heading past the new footbridge on towards Foxdale Bank: 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now