77philg

Hi idris Really impressed with your efforts I did mine every second weekend ,its easier on the back and it gave me time to change the odd thing when I needed to phil

Ive patched up with builders PVA glue mixed with the ballast on the old layout. But the moss seemed to thrive on that ,think this time might just leave it loose. Definitely raise the line if you can it gets harder to bend as the years go by PHIL

Had a blocked gas jet so had to change it this is a 2 burner boiler and when 1 gas jet goes down it seriously affects the performance . All 4 cylinders work so it tends to require a lot of steam. So the gas can be topped up regularly and so can the water. On one full gas tank I can get 20 min of run time, but the water will need to be topped up regularly on the run . Got her running ok today eventually , I'm servicing my steam fleet for the summer , This is a roundhouse Darjeeling Garratt http://roundhouse-eng.com/ phil

Bob don't know if you know of this site mainly geared for narrow guage .There would be a few that are not on here interested in your empire . Give it a look im on here too http://ngrm-online.com/forums/ phil

Hi Bob great work, how did you stick that artificial grass down? Is that workman's coach a scratch build? and I do like your faithful companion phil

IMG_0809 by phil, on Flickr IMG_0810 by phil, on Flickr I use peco track 45mm which has been down 16 + years some second hand is even older . I fix the 1 yard lengths down with rawlplugs and brass roundhead screws 3 per length alternately ,on the outside .The rail joints are all gapped for expansion. I normally dump my track outside before laying for a couple of days to acclimatise .The points are left loose ,not fixed down for replacement/repair if necessary. All curves are made using a rail bender ,nothing is bent by hand ,don't want any kinks on the curves . IMG_0814 by phil, on Flickr The only problem I've found is with peco points , they don't use stainless steel screws on the blades and the solder isn't too good either . Every point I've had requires the blades sorting out over time Phil

Hi Bob Im from the midlands where they make the men I think you need to come on my training course ,all aprons burned or surgically removed, swmbos trained to make a cuppa on hearing the bell.

Bob wouldn't it be better to put a shed down the bottom of the garden and move swmbo into it

Hi bob Ive no use for it at mo but thanks for the offer , My mate used to have a US fire station on his 16mm layout complete with 4 fire engines with sound he would have loved it . phil

Looking at it has it got the sounds too?? phil

36 feet and the narrowest part at the bottom 10 ft 6 inches ,narrowest part between the loops 6feet phil

Hi bob yes I agree[as you posted on my thread ] you should post a track plan and include any immediate enlargements in progress. It gives an idea of what you are trying to achieve phil

These 2 wouldn't happen to be yours perchance? missed them didn't realise accucraft were making them till too late phil

Looked through all pics and all I've got left is the track layed .Once the hard core was flat compacted and level we layed on paving slabs as you would lay a patio . obviously cutting paving slab on the curves with a big angle grinder with a stone cutting disc. I didn't fill in the joints to ensure rainwater drained quickly away , then track laying commenced . IMG_0800 by phil, on Flickr IMG_0801 by phil, on Flickr IMG_0802 by phil, on Flickr img024 by phil, on Flickr This is the actual track plan at the moment .There will be a few changes need more siding space and another passing loop on the rear track. I designed this as a running track ,I like to watch the trains pass by rather than shunting or a set place to go etc . At the moment its a blank canvas requiring ballast buildings etc ,but havn't decided what I want yet .that's what is so great about the garden rail you can literally watch it grow over the years while playing trains, and you can invite your friends round to participate . phil

I do like wheeler dealin, lookin forward to your next efforts .Yeah rainin ere too ,but it always rains in lancs .had to go to wickes and topps for tiles for the kitchen swimbo couldn't make mind up again so its thinkin time . And my swmbo to do jobs are getting longer phil

Bob I own a Katie and have 2 chassis to build so if you need to measure etc contact me will arrange a visit!! very nice work by the way Phil

I've got to strip mine, on testing for the season She wouldn't light properly and the gas was lighting in the smoke box. Stripped her down replaced the gas jet ,cleaned the burner and flue. Steamed her up and she will not move forward or backwards .Steam whistle is working and forward /reverse on the motion ,so I can only assume its the servo on the speed control. Its not hydraulic lock on the cylinders either .So I may as well strip down and clean and polish . When I took delivery of the loco first time out motion fell apart and . I hit a lift out section that someone had not put back properly, Found her upside down steaming merrily with some damage to the paint work and a small dent. Couple of weeks later on another garden visit hit a low bridge which took off both whistles, so it can be a bit of a trial sometimes but we are out to enjoy ourselves . phil

I think it was a G scale rebuild by Mel Jones who sadly has passed away. He had a huge railway at Rochdale sorry no pics of that line .

I thought that was what swmbos dressing table was for ? ,The kitchen worktops as assembly and storage areas????

Hi bob great work as usual do you use acrylic or enamel paint? phil

While looking of through some pics came across a couple of pics of the now defunct FLR .Had a few hours of running here . John moved down south ,and never really got back into the hobby . img027 by phil, on Flickr img028 by phil, on Flickr I think it was serialized in garden rail magazine a few years ago ,sadly missed this line really enjoyed the running experience . phil

Cant go wrong with a Katie or billy kit . I have 2 Katie chassis kits to build somat on not decided yet . Thought about a 4-4-0 . I regularly burn my fingers , seems to be an occupational hazard in this scale .We will have to compare war wounds We always want a bit more for our empire ,nowt wrong wi that Phil

Yep the tolhurst countess are rare beasts and coal fired working sanders too . I liked their VOR 262ts too ,but never had the cash

Hi bob some locos are big in 16mm ,you build the line to what suits you Be it industrial ,rural or mineral .Its your empire .I've been to a few garden empires where I struggled to get a roundhouse Katie round and the pierce countess impossible .But I came to see the line so it never bothers me if I cannot run my loco on it , I always support the enterprise and endeavour that goes into producing the end product . I found that with my original 3' 6" curves they were adequate at the time .Now I want 5'radius for bigger locos ,but that was my choice I knew when I bought the ngg11 id have to rebuild . Phil

Its a peter angus SAR ngg11 coal fired . Yep the NGG16 are about 4'6" R