Mike Buttell

Turning the Peel time machine back even further, this time to 1917. Caledonia runs in with a train of empty H wagons from Knockaloe, Military and Police on hand to check no one has stowed away in the wagons. We’re used to seeing Caledonia in gleaming fully lined out MNR livery, but here she is in utility dark green and looking rather grubby and overworked (with 16 return trips a day up to the camp it’s no wonder)

Fresh from the works, This little beauty has been in the slow burner for a while, but short of adding some lead strip to the inside of the tanks and the tyre edges blacked she’s just about there now. IMR No4 Loch in 1930’s condition. It’s a Branchlines chassis with an Oxford Diecast body. chimney dome, re railing Jack and smoke box lubricators from Branchlines and Peco couplers. I’m very pleased with this conversion, and am looking forward to doing a couple of sisters to run the 1930’s timetable with her. “Kissack” will be one, the other as yet to be decided.

Little video of the line in action. The steam loco is one of the Oxford Diecast/IOM Transport models, built on a motorised Branchlines Chassis. The brake coach is Branchlines the comp is a Gem kit. Railcars by Anbrico, running on custom made power bogies (without the rods unfortunately)

Thanks Chris, I’m running a variety of timetables from the 1910’s through to the 1960’s tell me which period you are in and I’ll give you the time :-)

Thanks Dave, it’s been simmering away for a long time :-) No5 Mona passes the famous Kipper Factory

And No16 Mannin, an original GEM white metal kit, still with its triang motor

The Donegal Railcars

And another, this time Ailsa era with No 11 Maitland waiting to take the trip up the hill to St. John’s

Latest project, up and running after a delay of about seven years. No12 Hutchinson with a winter service early 1960’s

Watching with interest Chris

Many thanks for the info, I’ll get a copy ordered from eBay

Can anyone remember which month/year this was please. I have an overwhelming desire to read it again! It’s the one where the writer has supposedly built his underground line under the house floorboards Many thanks

Several musical gaffes The radio announced the assassination of Robert Kennedy but the soundtrack had “Can’t you hear me knocking” by the Stones, which was recorded a couple of years after that, as was the U Roy version of “Stop that Train”.

14B794AA-DD23-49A5-91AD-3FD9CFC58CF1 by mike buttell, on Flickr

I have not posted anything here for ages, but for those interested here is a link to my google album on the layout https://goo.gl/photos/qkfbVUvyYG19tBGT8

Yes indeed. And the Fourdees Joan lurking alongside

This is the latest video, with the Fourdees Peckett side tank taking 5 carriages. I have added weight to this one by filling the back bunker with liquid gravity ( the side tanks come pre filled by the manufacturer) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4kIlo49qMaQ I have 5 of the Fourdees locos, two side tanks, one saddle tank, Joan and Triumph, they are all good runners and have fantastic detail. My YouTube channel has a few other videos of them all in action

Thanks David, I should have taken more notice really!

Another two views

As promised

For information, there is a new version of this model available to buy exclusively from IOM Railways. It should be for sale online shortly, but is in the Railways two shops now. The model is of number 13 Kissack, and comes in the dark green livery, lined white black white that the loco currently carries. I will post up some pictures later. There is also a new Manx Electric tram, although I have not looked closely enough to say which one

Think that's a gull on the workshop roof!

Updated video now online, things have moved on a bit since January https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=krhZGnWa1sM

A video shot just before Christmas giving a look over the layout but omitting the terminus, which is still to be wired up. The 1/76 scale drone is brought into play to good effect https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0JYOcWul2Cw

An pleasant afternoon with some weak sunshine brought on a visit to the bottom of the garden, the shed has been unvisited since several Christmas presents were deposited there on Boxing Day. These remain in their boxes for now, but the power was switched on and a couple of trains run, pics attached.