Broadoak

The little Davenport shunting in yard a task for which she is ideally suited. You will note that the foreman's hut has had a coat of light green paint to smarten it up. The grey device is actually a mobile generator as well as a shunter and is shuffling wagons in the yard. Then pulling a small train across the open fen. More ground cover has now been added to give a neglected look to the track. The area round the loading bay and hut are still to be done though. Peter M

The Opel gas producer, not the most efficient vehicle on the farm, as it only produced about 40% of the power of petrol when running on the gas produced from wood shavings. That is why there is a largish petrol tank under the front nearside mudguard. The truck is started on petrol and then when warmed up the petrol is turned off and she runs on the gas, as most of the estate is fairly level the lack of power is not a problem. (All nonsense of course but my excuse for running an interesting vehicle.) She is seen on a weed killing train, judging by the greenery badly needed. This was done rarely in reality as the chemicals used to kill the weeds damaged the track. Peter M

When I originally had the idea of a narrow gauge railway in an agricultural setting with unusual vehicles pulling the wagons this was the vehicle I had in mind. At that time though the model was out of production so I used the Opel Blitz instead. Some time later the gun tractor became available so I bought one. The model is powered by an early Bachmann motor of the ringfield type which is much better that the can motor they later replaced it with. This vehicle, a Canadian Ford always got more comments at shows than any of the others, the most common being. “I drove one of those when I was in the Army.” Doing my National Service. Another favourite of mine is the tall Fordson Major these in reality really smelt gorgeous as they ran on paraffin. The model is a Scaledown white metal kit on scratch built chassis powered by a Tenshodo bogie. Peter M

A few more photographs to illustrate the layout with yet more more ground cover having been added. It's a fiddly job, a bit like ballasting, care needs to be taken to not get the flock on the rail head or in the flange ways. So it's a bit at a time, testing as you go to get the best result. Peter M

At this stage ground cover is still being added a little at a time then checked for clearances and smooth running by keeping the flngeways clear of flock. It takes ages to do but I find it sort of theraputic but I don't know why. The big GMC truck has proved to be more versatile than I originally thought it would be, so can be used for pulling or pushing loaded wagons around the estate. Peter M

A selection of motive power at work in the yard, the ground cover is still being worked on when these photographs were taken. Peter M

I have at last more or less finished laying on the basic green ground cover which was done using three different coloured flocks all made by different makers as well. I mixed small lots at a time varying the proportions to give a more random mix. When the photographs were taken it was still a work in progress. I find with scenic items a little at a time works best for me. One of the larger shunters with a train of V hoppers passing a Fordson Super Major having its battery topped up. Peter M

Following a trip up into the loft one evening last week I have found a few more bits and pieces from scrap military kits that I was given some time ago and have never used. The most useful was a jeep trailer, much too small to use behind a tractor but ideal for the scrap pile.This I tried in different places until I was happy with how it looked. Another small item was a jeep windscreen which I distressed until it looked more interesting and that too went on the scrap pile. I also added a lot more ground cover, testing clearances as I did so until I'm reasonably pleased with how it looks doesn't affect decent running. Original position of jeep trailer which I thought didn't look quite right. Peter M

A few shots of the left hand end of the layout before being grassed over, a work in progress at the moment. I ran out of suitable glue which held up progress, but I have now managed to get some more PVA which I like as it can be thinned with water which makes it more versatile. I have tried to represent the typical fenland landscape with a big sky. You will note I often use shunters with bogies as these are preferred by the drivers for the extra braking they give because most of the wagons used don't have brakes. Peter M

The piles of rusting junk are still growing rather slowly as I find more suitable items in my scrap box. The shunter has just arrived with some bales of hay to supplement the poor grass in a neighbouring field. The bales will be delivered to the fields where the cows are grazing by tractor and trailer. The GMC rail truck is seen passing in the background with a minimal train of tippers. I am disappointed with the way the foreman's hut has turned out so I will eventually re-build it in Plasticard, when I can replenish my stock. The model still needs more green ground cover at this stage. Peter M

This selection of photographs shows the re-motored, well actually re-chassied GMC truck being tested pulling a short train of V tippers. These are Bachmann ON 30 items really but I think they look acceptable on a 1/32 model. Ground cover is still being worked on at this stage. Peter M

A busy scene at the sidings, the loco in the foreground a scratch built fictitious beast is about to leave with a loaded train of grain in sacks. A three crop rotation system is used on the estate, potatoes, wheat, and sugar beet. This keeps the field disease free. The scratch built wooden bodied Simplex in the background has just arrived with a short train of empty wagons to be loaded later. Note; Ground cover, a little at a time was being added at the time this photograph was taken. Peter M

The Opel Blitz truck has always been a favourite because it was the first motorised lorry I built when I first had the idea of the potato railway. To be honest I would have preferred a British Bedford version as I had seen photographs of some working in the New Zealand logging industry. Ten years ago when I had the idea of the railway the Opel was the nearest thing I could get. It did however prove that it was possible to motorise the lorry with an Athearn switcher chassis that gave excellent running qualities. At the time these photographs were taken I was adding more green vegetation testing clearances and free running as I did so a bit at a time. Peter M

A couple of photos to show the balsa hut under construction. It is made with an opening door which opens inwards, the reasoning for this being that the high winds blowing across the Fens might cause problems with door blowing back and forth. The door on the model opens and closes using a short length of paper clip glued into the balsa at the top and bottom as hinges. Fixed in a pre drilled hole with super glue to try to help harden the surrounding balsa. The hut has now been repositioned to a more useful site giving the loaders room to work. This is still only temporary to see how it actually works in practice. Peter M

I made a card mock up of the foreman's hut to see what it would look like in the small amount of space I have available for it. The loading platform I made with soft balsa, I much prefer the hard variety but I couldn't get it anywhere. The hut looked OK next to the loading platform so I went ahead and made the actual hut of balsa wood. I thought at first of a corrugated iron roof but settled in the end for asphalt covering. The photos show the original placing of the loading platform and the foreman's hut. Peter M

I have been able to get some balsa at last. Unfortunately it is the soft kind and I much prefer the hard sort, but never mind. I have managed to make the loading dock but need to make a structure for the foreman to do his load checking and paperwork under cover. I will take some photographs when it gets more interesting. I have made a rough mock up using card of what I think it will look like when built. I also have added a few more items on the scrap piles, rather in the way it would happen in reality. In the meantime a few photos of an operating session which I had recently testing various types of motive power for decent running. Apart from the tractor that is static. Peter M

I've done a bit more work on the scenic side ground cover mostly. In its former OO state there was a small brick lined recess for the base of the water tower. This I have now filled in with card formers and a lattice work of thin card covered with thick kitchen towel soaked in PVA. I've just given it a thin coat of filler which I will seal with paint then cover with a ground cover material. The area was too small to do much else with really. I want to make a wooden hut and loading platform in the space at the front when I can get some balsa wood, which I think is the best material for the job. The tractor based device is loosely based on one made by Muir Hill although theirs used a Fordson Standard as the power source. Mine is powered by a Forson 27N which has the same engine as the Standard but is taller. It was given to me by an 009 modeller who thought I could use it in my scrap pile. It was much too good to do that with so I used to power the rail truck. I reality the Fordson 27N had a three speed gearbox but could be fitted with a Darlington Overdrive gearbox which doubled the gears available. Presumably by changing the size of the sprockets on the final drive system could be made to give a higher top speed than the 7 mph you got with the standard three speed box on the road. The Tilly is used purely for maintenance work as it is too light to push loads of potatoes about, A small wagon with a few tolls is about all it can manage. Peter M

This scratch built shunter is loosely based on a photograph in Stewart E Squires excellent book “The Lincolnshire Potato Railways. “ It shows a Simplex with a home made wooden cab to protect the driver, she is pulling a few flat wagons loaded with sacks of potatoes. Mine is made from plasticard and the body is lower than the real one to clear the entrance to the fiddle yard on Two Sister's Farm model. It is powered by a Model Power chassis, which after much fiddling runs quite well. I've decided to stick with the two piles of scrap as it is easy to add to it if I find anymore suitable items. Peter M

I have done a little more ground cover work on the layout using the materials I have to hand. I've added a couple of piles of scrap, they are just placed at the moment not glued as I am not sure whether to make one large pile. I have noticed over the years farmers seem reluctant to throw anything away so usually have piles of items no longer used. As it stands I can add more items from my scrap box as I find them. I think on whole I prefer two piles of scrap as it takes up more space and looks more authentic. The shunter is a scratch built freelance device, assumed to have been built in the farm workshops. It is powered by an Athearn chassis which is driven from one end only, omitting the drive components gives more room for the cab. Peter M

The GMC truck was originally powered by a Brill trolley chassis and motor made by Bachmann and was not very expensive, I can't remember the price. The original motor died having run for a few years, it had always been a creature moods, by now the replacements had gone up in price considerably to around £50 which is a lot given the size of the motor. Also over time the false chassis had fractured so it meant I would have to start from scratch really. Luckily I had in my spares box an Athearn GP7 chassis that I thought would do the job, although making the rail truck slightly longer. The extra length was disguised by making tool store behind the cab. Getting the Athearn chassis to fit in the GMC body meant removing quite a bit of material from inside the body which took a long time and a fair bit of patience. It also meant fitting in the cab a slightly smaller driver figure. The vehicle is used mainly for carrying tools and equipment mostly as it is a little too long to use for yard shunting. It is also fitted with a powerful winch which can be used to wagons or tractors out of the heavy Lincolnshire clay if they get stuck. If when out in the fields on a repair it can be used to push or pull a few wagons back to the main yard as well if really needed. The Athearn chassis which powers the GMC truck. These chassis/motor combinations run superbly and can be found under the body of many of the Bo-Bo shunters and trucks used on the model. Originally the metal clip seen the foreground is used for current collection but it is better to hard wire the bogies and motor for more reliable running. Note the flywheel on the right hand side is painted black so it can't be seen through the holes in the cab floor. Peter M

More work is needed to hide the standard gauge track but I'm running out of materials. Things are pretty tight in the yard as can be seen and this means using only one of the wider rail trucks at a time. It's not really a problem it just means a little more thought and planning is needed for operating sessions. The width between track is not a problem at the other end, there's bags of room down there. I must say it is very pleasant to sit at my PC and run a few trains at the same time. I find it's very relaxing watching a small loco and a few wagons slowly trundle by. Peter M

A couple of pictures featuring both tractors and a main line shunter. I say main line, the model is very loosely based on the one at Nocton. This had 22 miles of track going round the perimeter of the estate and between the fields and points were put in next to the fields and a spur ran into the field at harvesting time I hope that the simple painted back scene captures the flatness of the fields dominated by the big sky in the fens. Peter M

The little Ruston was scratch built in plasticard by using photographs and a side view drawing but without showing the body so it is far from accurate but has the right feel I think. It is powered by Bachmann bogie at the moment, but a Tenshodo would do as well when the Bachmann wears out. The Ruston is in the loop behind the Canadian Ford gun tractor, now modified to run on rails. She is used to transport tractor drivers out to the fields and is fitted with a powerful winch to pull tractors or implements out if the get stuck in the heavy clay. The model has the original Lima type motor which I think is superior to the small can they fitted later. The tractor in the foreground is a Fordson Standard N type. I remember these being used for haymaking with the driver standing up as the clutch and brake are operated with the right foot at the back of the tractor. They also run on TVO to give that wonderful smell. Peter M

Sorry Simon I was wrong about Mini Art. It is Thunder Models who make a plastic kit in 1/35 scale of the Scammell pioneer six wheel recovery tractor. #35204 for about £45 It looks a nice model but too expensive to cut about. Regards Peter M

It's certainly a thought. I think Mini Art do a 1/35 scale six wheel recovery Scammell. ( I will have to check ) When I worked there in 1960, one of those were often used to collect the wages if I remember correctly. After the small exhibition layout it is nice to be able to run longer trains. Kind regards Peter M