Broadoak

The Fordson Major rail tractor was built in the farm workshop and is loosely based on a device made by Muir Hill that used a Fordson Standard tractor for power. The chain drive was open on that one but on the farm they fitted a guard. With only three forward speeds and one reverse gear she is restricted to shuffling wagons around the yard. Photo by Chris Nevard Peter M

The wooden bodied shunter was made in the farm workshops on an old lorry chassis. It too is powered by Gardner diesel engine driving a generator to power the front bogie traction motor. Both doors open and the driver has his son with him for company, so it’s either a Saturday morning or a school holiday. Photo by Chris Nevard Peter M

The herd of Friesian cows being driven in for afternoon milking. The cows are actually re-painted Jerseys made by Britains. The cow pat is a blob of solder painted greenish brown. Photo by Chris Nevard Peter M

The Fordson E1A Power Major being checked over outside the workshop before leaving for a day’s work in the fields. Photo by Chris Nevard Peter M

Two more examples of the unusual forms of motive power used on the farm. In the foreground is the yard foreman’s jeep which he uses to take urgently needed spares or tools out to the fields that are being cultivated. The yellow rail truck is based on a GMC six wheel truck, in my imagination it is powered by a Gardener four cylinder diesel that drives a small generator to power the traction motors. The four wheel bogies are useful as the wagons themselves don’t have brakes. It has an electric winch at the back which is useful for pulling tractors or implements out if the get stuck in the heavy clay. Peter M

A general view of the yard showing a Fordson E1A tractor being serviced in the foreground with a Fordson Standard behind it. Coming into the yard is an Opel rail truck, it is gas powered made from either wood or coal. She is started on petrol but changed over to gas once the engine is warm. A useful method of getting rid of rubbish on the farm. Photo by Chris Nevard. Peter M

Although most of the items of motive power on the farm are powered by i/c engines this little Porter is the exception that proves the rule. She is used only rarely during harvest time when things are really busy on the farm. The photo is by Chris Nevard. Peter M

Most farmers never seem to throw anything away, consequently most farm yards end up with lots old junk laying about all over the place. Two Sisters is no exception as this old horse drawn implement shows hidden under a tarpaulin. The idea being I suppose you never know when it may come in useful. Photo by Chris Nevard. Peter M

When I built Two Sisters, which was an entry in a competition to build a layout in less than four square feet. I wanted something a bit different to the normal narrow gauge layout. I chose 1/32 scale as my eyesight is not what it once was and I had a couple of tractors made from kits in that scale. I had read about a couple of large farms in the Lincolnshire fens that used two feet gauge track to transport potatoes from the farm to a standard gauge connection. I wanted some different forms of motive power as well so I built a selection of i/c powered vehicles. This is another Chris Nevard photo and shows an ex Army gun tractor modified in the farm work shop to run on rails. Peter M

This time something really different a photo taken by Chris Nevard of my small exhibition layout Two Sister’s Farm. This shot shows the narrow gauge Davenport with a small train leaving the yard with a wagon of seed potatoes. Peter M

A Rock Island U33b known in the States as a U boat is rolling over the grade crossing at the Flour Mill track head shunt at Benson. Peter M

Wearing the most attractive livery the Rock Island ever used an EMD BL2 is seen switching cars in the east yard at Benson Arkansas. Peter M

A Mopac EMD SW1500 rolls past the depot at Colonel’s Crossing with a short train. Peter M

http://i.imgur.com/y8sdZYOl.jpg Regards Peter M

By way of a change would it be acceptable to post some photographs of a couple of American layouts that I built some years ago that no longer exist? Regards Peter M

It is up and working now you will find. Regards Peter M

I must admit I have rather given up on the Western and use her only on parcels trains, which involves a trip from the bay platform to the fiddle yard. Later in the operating session another loco, usually a Hymek or a 37 picks up the parcels train and returns it to the bay. Later the Western then returns light engine and couples onto the parcel train in the bay and the sequence is repeated. I am relieved to know that I am not the only one with problems with Dapol wagons. I certainly won’t be buying any more Dapol OO scale products. Regards Peter M

That's a bit odd Keith as my example has all six axles powered. Perhaps mine is a later version, it's about 18 months old. The problem seems to be the very fine flanges lifting off of the track. Regards Peter M

Another Dapol product I am a little disappointed with is the Western class diesel. It looks very good and runs quietly and smoothly except over some of my points. The secret seems to be to run the loco at very slow speeds, this is not a problem as the model is a shunting layout. The track is all code 100 Peco and over thirty years old but gives no trouble with my other six axle loco. I attach a few photos to give a flavour of the layout. Regards Peter M

Is it just me or do others have problems with OO scale Dapol wagons? I modelled the American scene for twenty five years, including an exhibition layout for some five years and used the excellent KD couplings with no problems at all. I have been modelling the British scene now for a couple of years and use the awful Triang type coupling which are OK with most makes of wagon except Dapol. They don’t couple very well, they un couple for no apparent reason. When shunting in the yard if there are derailments or wagons becoming un coupled the culprit is always a Dapol product. In fact the early versions with the large loop seem less trouble than the latest versions. Compared to Bachmann or Hornby wagons they are a very poor thing indeed. I certainly would never buy any more. I now know why they are cheaper than Bachmann or Hornby wagons they really are rather poor. Regards Peter M

There is an excellent book by Brian Sibley called "The Thomas the Tank Engine Man". It is well illustrated and a most interesting read. It brought back many happy memories of my own childhood. Regards Peter M

This is the last selection of photos until I get a chance to take some more once all the ground cover is finished. The yard foreman is seen out in his jeep with a minimal load of a couple of empty wagons on his way back to Two Sister's Farm yard. We see a couple of wagons with items for repair left to be collected later then taken to the farm workshop. Some of the items seem to have ended up on the scrap pile. This brings things up to date and is as far as I've got at the present time. There is still work to be done but as it stands it can be run in a realistic way for the time being. The next job to do is re- roofing the hut, adding more vegetation and finding some more suitable figures to populate the layout. In the meantime I still have much work to do on my OO scale Ex Great Western layout, but that's another story. Peter M

The little Porter, a much modified Bachmann model, on its way to the stone quarry on one of its rare excursions out on the main line. She is often used during the potato harvest when she can stand in for a diesel that is otherwise engaged, or being serviced. I think she is an attractive little locomotive when seen shuffling along with a small train of wagons in tow. Peter M

Having delivered various tractor drivers to the fields the Canadian Ford rumbles past with a train of empty side tippers. Rush hour on the fens. Peter M

A few shots of the wooden wonder built in the estate's own workshops at Grundy Fen. The scratch built body is made of plasticard and has opening doors. The whole device is mounted on an HO scale Con-Cor chassis with a five pole motor and two flywheels, she runs very well, slowly and quietly. She is used mainly for the longer runs to the standard gauge interchange. It is obviously the school holidays as the driver has his son with him for company. Peter M