Little Didcot

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

What do you mean it's been over a month? Time for a little more Prairie Procrastination then!

 

Oh, well I have been a little busy so sorry about that everyone! A friend of mine came over today and we did some work on one of his wagon kits but in between times I weathered and reassembled little No.4144. It still needs cab windows, crew, coal load and one or two other odds and ends but it's nearly there now! The impression I was going for was lightly work stained so I hope this is what comes across. So many of the large prairies I saw in photos had the oil leak from under the cover on the smokebox I thought it would be nice to include it.

 

 

I will TRY to not make it so long until the next update...

 

Thanks for looking in!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[James Hilton]

 

 

Mark (46444) tipped me off to this thread - I'm not on here much anymore.

Thanks for these photos - especially the cab interior - they will be very useful as I'm building a PX48 in 009 (http://paxton-road.blogspot.com/2013/11/a-px48-in-009.html).

[Castle]

Hi James,

 

Sounds like a great project - please post the results on RMWEB!

 

I have a number of shots and film of this engine so if you are short a detail or two then let me know and I will see if I captured it.

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[EddieB]

So what's Polish prototype doing in here "Kitbuilding and Scratchbuilding", were you trying to hide it from me?

 

Interesting stuff.  I was at a Continental Railway Circle meeting last night, with a last minute change to show slides of Polish steam between 1968 and 1973.  Some really amazing views, including the unique TKr55 2-8-0T (a rebuild from an S160, which sadly didn't survive into preservation) and some oddities from PKP narrow gauge and industrial sugar systems.

 

My first visit was in 1976 as a teenager on a package holiday to Zakopane with my parents.  We left the supervision of our cadre courier and travelled independently around the country (without the luxury of a Polrailpass we bought tickets as we went) including a couple of overnights in packed compartments.  The highlight was intended to be Torun, which had intensive steam workings in those days - alas, all apart from a few minutes there were spent in the railway police interrogation room.

 

 

I've got a really great book of B & W pics (Polish) that my Polish friend gave me. He collected me from Wolsztyn and then drove us back to Krakow via Wroslaw!

 

I'd be interested to know the title of this book, and what period it covers.  It's always good to see Poland documenting their railway history - even if they sometimes call upon "western" enthusiasts for photographs!

 

Nice castle. Thanks. This is not the Depot I thought. I've never been down there but the GWR Prairie did. The other 'Museum' is about and hour and a bit drive east of Krakow I think and almost in the Carpathians. I believe that steam loco's for the Krakow steam special 'circuit' come from there. In the summer the railway operate steam specials that go around (literally) the outskirts of Krakow just for fun. 

P

That sounds like Chabowka, which is a way south of Krakow and fairly near to Zakopane.  When I first visited the depot had an allocation of Ty2s, with TKt48s working in from Nowy Sacz.  The line to Zakopane had been electrified earlier in the year, which meant that the magnificent OKz32 2-10-2Ts had all finished - I've learnt subsequently that at least one was probably stored in the shed at Chabowka (the one now preserved there), but as that wasn't one where permits could be arranged, a visit was definitely out of the question.

 

Hi All,

Wolsztyn Experiences Part 4

Narrow Gauge Safari

The final driving turn we had in Poland was certainly the most esoteric and charming - a trip on the narrow gauge line at Gniezno. This is one of many 750mm gauge lines that once criss - crossed Poland serving both farms, passengers and industry for many years. The surviving lines have mainly turned to tourist traffic these days and at no longer part of the national network but a number have been kept going by either local authorities or private individuals. The line is about 20 miles long although we would only be doing about 15 of them.


Before we went to the narrow gauge line however, we took a look at the old steam works beside the station. Imagine this: when Swindon, Doncaster or any of the other great railway workshops of is country closed, the doors were closed, the scrap locos were left where they were and they walked away. The whole of the steam infrastructure including massive roundhouses (with turntables intact)...

I last visited Gniezno in 1997, when I was amazed to find that the narrow gauge line was still being operated with Px48s (as was the Sroda line).  Real steam and proper freight working, with standard gauge wagons on transporters, none of this tourism stuff.  The loco depot was still servicing steam locomotives - it may be to this day.  Likewise I think the works at Pila still has the capability to carry out major overhauls.

 

Back in 1976, and chastened by my experience earlier in the day at Torun, I discovered that the gents' loo on the station afforded an excellent view of the roundhouse and turntable, in those days full of Ty43 2-10-0s (big kriegsloks).

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

Broadly speaking, this is quite exciting! It will have wide appeal...

 

Well, there I was just meandering my way around the shed earlier in the week and what did I find but some great big thing with even greater and bigger wheels!

 

 

Iron Duke has finally landed - after what seems like an age tramping around the English countryside and then living at an ex-power station... The plan is to do the cosmetic restoration in the near future where it is in the carriage shed and then move him down to meet Firefly later next year sometime. The first time that two 7 1/4" gauge locos will have been together since the 1890s. History will be made soon! In the medium to long term, a return to steam is mooted so it will be exciting times ahead for the old school GWR fans.

 

Enjoy!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[Castle]

Hi Eddie,

 

Not hiding it, I felt it was just part of my Didcot 12"/1' experience and as the mods kindly allow me a little latitude with Little Didcot to include the prototype stuff as well it just kind of fitted in! It is really great to hear from someone that saw it all in full swing rather than the preservation age it now sits in. Do you have a thread with pictures of all this on at all? If not, I am not the only one who would like to see it I am sure! It is difficult to say what my favourite bit was of the trip. The power of the main line was such a fantastic juxtapose to the quaint 'Titfield Thunderboltyness' of the narrow gauge...

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[EddieB]

No thread as such - perhaps I should start one?  There are some of my early scans (the quality of which I'm not proud of!) covering a limited range of subjects on a Polish friend's website (follow link from here http://tomi.holdys.pl/index2.php) which also has a listing of preserved steam locos (although the LCGB lists are more comprehensive).

[stewartingram]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but remember this?

 

 

 

Stewart

[Castle]

Hi Stewart,

 

Hijack away if this is what your hijacking with! Great pictures. I don't remember this but I did cab Iron Duke in steam at York during the engine's boiler certificate.

 

Thanks for sharing the above!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[Jaz]

Lucky devil. Have you got any pictures of it there?

[Castle]

Hi Jaz,

 

Sadly not - I wish I did! It was a LONG time ago now and I was still at school at the time.

 

All the best,

 

Drew

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, etc...

 

Well, it's that time of year again I'm a freight.

 

 

I'm not POLLEN your leg.

 

 

You will have to CORAL all the presents under the tree like you did last year.

 

 

You may feel as though you are working like a Trojan.

 

 

But at the end of the day...

 

 

...when Santa has gone from Pole...

 

 

...to Pole...

 

 

...following that North Star

 

 

I hope the gifts give you a lift...

 

 

...make you feel chuffed,...

 

 

...really chuffed...

 

 

...and make you feel like a King or a Mogul.

 

 

Don't eat too much or you will feel like a real BLOATER.

 

 

Don't Duck out of any of the fun -

 

 

-in fact, be OPEN to the fun...

 

 

...that your visitors bring to your home.

 

 

Tanks for reading this Christmas message.

 

 

Oh, and please drive Caerphilly.

 

 

I know these are not great Christmas messages but diesel have to do.

 

 

Happy Christmas from me and everyone at 81E to everybody on RMWEB!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

Edited December 22, 2013 by Castle

[Gruffalo]

Thanks Castle, and to you and those around you.

[Mikkel]

A very nice tale from Didcot   Happy christmas to you too Castle!  

[N15class]

Very good castle, beat wishes to you too.

[Jaz]

Very clever, you have a great Xmas.

[alderson.eric.j]

Nice tale from Didcot, and what a wonderful "sens de l'humour", as we say here in my little town... of Liège (nope, sorry, I'm not from Bethlehem ).

 

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you too, with lots of fun and trains, both miniature and 1/1 scale !

 

Eric.

[Kev_Lewis]

You my good sir, are a right fruit and nut case!

 

 

Seasons greetings to all at Little (and Big) Didcot

[southern42]

Hi Castle.  A return greeting by way of

 

A Carol for Didcot

 

We the crew of Railmotors are

 

Bearing gifts

 

 

We traverse afar

 

Steam formation

 

Bridge and station

 

Driving the wonder star.***

 

 

Christmas greetings to followers of Little Didcot, all at big Didcot and support team at Llangollen.

 

Polly and Ray

 

 

***Edit : I think I prefer the alternative line:
Driving the wand'ring car.

Edited December 23, 2013 by southern42

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

I may have learnt the craft of storytelling on RMWEB from Mikkel but it seems that I will never be as good at it as Polly!

 

I will definitely be sharing that one with the guys on shed!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[southern42]

Thanks Castle. 

That's very kind of you.

I'm honoured.

 

Your story had me captivated and laughing so don't underrate your fabulous gift.

 

Polly

[69843]

Castle, where's the not punny button?

 

(Merry Christmas, and very well done!)

[Mr Brunel]

A wonderful tale Castle - Merry Christmas to you, and thanks mightily for all the interesting posts you've made this year! However, may I remind you to mind your Manors around visitors?

 

[steve fay]

Glad tidings we bring to you and your King,

Not much chance of snow more chance of thunder and,

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

Prairie Procrastination (part 1 of 3)

 

Chapter 4: All done!

 

Well, there we are - I did have a new year's resolution type thingy of getting stuff finished and while it didn't go so well last time I said that, this time it's going well! I've been finishing off on or two things and No. 4144 was high on the list. Once windowed with coal added and a dash of crew and we have got this one finished.

 

 

At last - after what seems to be far too long!

 

 

Well there we are! As a small aside, I was asked by a friend to have a crack at one of his models and he said he would send me an 0-6-2. Ahhhhh! 56XX Class thought I! Nice safe territory... Might even be one of those LNER things at the outside I suppose.

 

NOPE!

 

It is a little German thingy that doesn't even fit on 16.5mm track! For the uninitiated (like me) it's called a U Class and was a fairly numerous type on German narrow gauge lines with a reasonable few in preservation. I will leave it to more informed types to give the full history but it's always nice to do something a bit different so this is what I did.

 

 

These models are a bit of an eye opener as it comes with a range of different chimneys, turbogenerators, hoses and a range of other odds and ends which you can sprinkle on your engine to taste. I had a quick google and threw on a front number plate, two rear hoses and a turbogenerator alongside the chimney.

 

 

I am making moves towards a project that has been bugging me as unfinished for a fair while now - Autocoach No. 231. Coming soon to a Little Didcot near you...

 

All the best,

 

Castle