Broadoak

I have kindly been given permission to post some of the superb photographs of Two Sisters Farm taken by Chris Nevard for Model Rail magazine. He came up last year to take the photos which appear in the 2016 July issue of Model Rail magazine no 223. This is one of the yards on the estate the model is very loosely based on. It was some 7000 acres in size and had a narrow gauge railway with 22 miles of main line track and ten miles of sidings. It was owned by the company that supplied potatoes to Smith's Crisps. Power was mainly by Simplex locomotives but they did have an 0-6-0 steam loco that proved to be too heavy so was sold to a contractor. Peter M

The Chevrolet truck is powered by a Bachmann trolley motor, which comes on a plastic chassis which I screwed to to false chassis on the truck itself. The motor is tiny and not very powerful and not so good in my opinion as the Lima/Ringfield type motor they originally used. The lorry itself is used mainly to take the tractor drivers out to the fields to start work then collect them again in the evening. I remember as a child one of these lorryies delivering logs in the winter time. It was owned by the people who ran a fair in summer but wintered on a farm near our village every year. Peter M

When I built Two Sister's Farm I wanted vehicles that were a bit different from the usual small steam or diesels locos that are found on many narrow gauge layouts. The next two vehicles featured illustrate what I mean, both being a bit specialist. The Jeep is used by the yard foreman for getting either fuel or spares out to the tractors in the fields quickly. The fiction is like the other devices she is a diesel electric but this time powered by a Perkins 3 cylinder engine which drives a small generator. This means she can go equally well forward or backwards. She is never used for pushing or pulling heavy loads just the odd wagon if needed from time to time. I like to think the fiction is possible if not very likely. The other vehicle is a Ford based cab on a home built chassis made on the farm workshops and is a TVO ( tractor vaporising oil ) tanker used to deliver fuel out to the fields. Like the jeep she is not used for towing heavy loads so she too is powered by a Perkins three cylinder diesel which drives a small generator. The model is actually a Model Power chassis and a cab from a Russian version of a 1930's Ford lorry. It was from a Russian kit which was of very poor quality, even the cardboard box it came in fell apart. Peter M

I am making slow progress on the extension and have taken a few more photographs to illustrate the amount of work completed I am running short on many modelling materials that represent ground cover and vegetation. The little Porter, a much modified and Anglicised Bachmann ON 30 model, is seen with a few loaded wagons of wheat prior to being loaded onto a lorry for delivery to its ultimate destination. Peter M

A few more photos of a little more progress on the scenery, rocks, and ground cover and hiding the OO scale track. I am running out of my usual modelling materials so am experimenting with what is to hand at home at the present time. I am continually testing the running of models to make sure the electrical contact is good. I am a bit of an old woman when it comes to decent running. Peter M

The grey device like most of the lorry based vehicles is powered by a four cylinder Gardener diesel which drives a generator. This one is used as a mobile generator for electrical equipment out in the fields as well as towing loads of wagons. All nonsense of course but I like to have a back story for my models, I think it's all possible but probably rather unlikely. The tractor is a Fordson 27N, a favourite of mine and is used primarily for cultivation work. I remember the smell of haymaking coming home from school through the fields, a mixture of cut grass and TVO. Peter M

A few pictures to show the latest work done on the layout. The contours have been covered with a thick type of kitchen towel soaked in PVA. When this is dry I will paint it all over with Wilco filler to even out any joins. When this is dry I will paint it with thinned washes of emulsion to give it some colour. The back scene I have re-painted to look like a field of potatoes growing in Summer. The buildings are to add a bit of interest and give an impression of scale. Peter M

Peter M

This whole project was started earlier this year when we were in lock down. I am now converting an old OO test and shunting plank into a 1/32 scale yard for sorting trains that I use on Two Sister's Farm layout. (I have sold all my American locos and stock and now model British practice in OO scale) It is free standing and not connected to the farm in any way. Some photos to follow will give some idea of progress, I will however be using all the various locomotives and stock from Two Sisters and because there is more room I will be able to run longer trains. A few pictures of the work in progress. The sleeper spacing is wrong so I will have to bury the track to hide that fact. It may take a while as i'm running low on ground cover and am unable to go to the local shop. I am rationing what I do each day to make the job last longer. Regards Peter M

It's good to know that the models have gone to a good home. If I can help in any way with advice I will be happy to do so, although I no longer model the American scene. Kind regards Peter M

Image test Peter M

Well this is a coincidence. I sold this loco at the end of last year to a dealer in Liverpool. I bought the loco new some years ago and it is a Roco, it has always run superbly. I modelled a fictitious short line called The Interstate and Western, hence I&W on the cabside. If you want to see more pictures of the loco working on my layout, look at the Benson Arkansas thread. I am glad she has gone to a good home. Regards Peter M

Many thanks John for your good wishes, I have enjoyed sharing Benson with you all over the years. Kind regards Peter M

I will not be posting any more items on this thread as Benson is no more. See "Where has everyone gone" for an explanation. Kind regards Peter M

I started modelling the American scene some thirty odd years ago mainly because at that time American locos were cheaper to buy and ran so much better than British outline models did. I also liked the idea of a short line and the operating possibilities it offered. In those far off pre computer days research was much more difficult in this country getting access to books and magazines for inspiration and information. That said I must admit I found it much more fun and rewarding than looking for information on a PC. I built with my brother in law a small switching layout called Colonel's Crossing and exhibited over a period of five or six years. I moved house and built another small switching layout called Benson using the locos and stock I had accumulated over the years. Five years later and another house move meant I was able to combine most of Colonel's Crossing with Benson to give a bigger U shaped switching layout. As I got older bending under the layout to access the operating area became more difficult and fed up with banging my head on the joining section decided to scrap Colonel's Crossing and extend Benson. I happily operated and photographed this layout for many years (see Benson Arkansas) until about a year ago when my interest began to wane. Then after a great deal of thought I decided to sell all my American stuff and buy British outline models. Which I am pleased to say run superbly and look good to my old eyes at any rate. I model the transition period because I can remember this as a young man just starting work. I have no regrets that I modelled the American scene I enjoyed it for many years, although it horrified my late father at the time. I also have no regrets about starting something new so late in life now. I still look in from time to time and will continue to do so. Kind regards Peter M

You must be very proud of your son Jacky, and rightly so. Kind regards Peter M

Can I add my thanks to all concerned, as Dave T rightly says the best Olney show I've ever done. More visitors this year I would think. All round an excellent day. Regards Peter M

Always a good little show with a pleasant relaxed atmosphere I am really looking forward to showing Two Sister's Farm this year. I will run and test all the motive power, such as it is this weekend. Regards Peter M

Peter M

With the head shunt clear the SD 45 can now pick up the RI and BN empty covered hoppers. The cars removed from the head shunt are picked up and pushed back into the siding so that loading them can continue. #8803 spots the two covered hoppers in the shorter loop and runs round its train. Once at the front it couples up to the covered hoppers and backs into the house track to pick up an empty fuel oil car. Having done a brake test the loco leaves the yard and heads out of town on its way to the SP main line. Peter M

Before it can collect the out bound loads the SD 45 has to clear two box cars being loaded in the Redwing Milling head shunt. These cars are pulled out and spotted in the main loop. Peter M

The SD45 backs the cut of pulp wood cars into the pulp wood loading siding in the east yard and uncouples the tank car from them. The tank car is then spotted in the east yard on a siding giving access for trucks to unload the contents and deliver to local customers. The loco then heads off to the west yard to collect the cars that will make up its outbound load. Peter M

A Rock Island SW1500 is waiting to leave Benson with a few empty covered hoppers. She will then make her way to the RI main line. Peter M

Peter M

I have photographed another operating session at Benson this time featuring a rather dirty SP SD 45 and a small train. She is seen doing a little switching which makes a pleasant change for the crew from just doing road jobs. She stops at the yard master’s grounded caboose and the engineer collects his train orders. Having remounted the SD 45 he runs into the main loop in the west yard and stops. Peter M