Firecracker

Thanks anyway! I’ve had a manic week and hadn’t looked in here. Yes, I’d regard half price as decent. Such is life… Owain

Very much appreciated. I’ll admit a rebuilt Patriot is on the list of ‘things I’m keeping an eye out for at a sensible price’ and I’ve got a spare mk1 BSK to be it’s main line support coach. I think the LS&I could host a mainline loco, in the way the NYMR had Gresley until the boiler ticket expired and it went away. Owain

Unfortunately, it was on Facebook. Sorry about that, it was a truly surreal sight. Anyway, here’s a few from this evening’s virtually full fat modelling (getting the body on the 21t hopper to go together square was a rather satisfying challenge) and the play…I mean testing and development session with the DMU and the Jinty. Owain

Correct, that’s my understanding as well. According to the online RHRP database (https://www.rhrp.org.uk/surveystatus.htm) there’s four intact, one at Beamish, two at Tanfield (one of which lost its birdcage lookout in NCB service) and one at Streetlife. There’s also the decomposing body (or what remains of the body) of one on an allotment in Shildon. So one surviving in Cumbria isn’t too outlandish. I reckon it came from the same colliery as the Chas. Robberts PO wagons… Owain

A little, wafer thin, morsel of genuine modelling! The railway has had a new scrap skip dropped off, from well known scrap metal processors Charlie Strong Metals of Small Heath… Owain

A question, for those who know far more about these wagons than me. Is there an engineering reason (I’m working on the ‘how on earth this came about’ in my layout thread) why this wouldn’t work in 12”-1’ scale? The NER brake has the extended dumb buffers that engage with the chaldrons buffers nicely (and will propel through peco points perfectly happily in 4mm-1’) and I’m assuming an NER hopper (as per the Slaters kit) will do likewise if fitted with the same. For what it’s worth, apparently Beamish have an adapted flat wagon to do a similar job, allowing any loco to shunt their chauldrons. The Janus shunter, well…it was that, a jinty or a GWR pannier. The BR standard or the class 37 just looked silly. Owain

I couldn’t resist posing this and then had to share it, because of how ridiculous it looks! These wagons are tiny! Before anyone says anything though, reality is unrealistic. If this was two mk1 coaches, a pipefit carrying an inflatable giraffe and a LMS 20t brakevan towed by a class 37 - I’ve just watched a video of that going up the bank to Goathland! With the brake van delivered, the chauldron wagons are shunted for the first time by the Janus. Owain

And now for something no one expects (and it’s not the Spanish Inquisition). As part of its latest heritage development, the L,S&I railway has taken delivery of three chauldron wagons for display on loan from the national collection, seen here in the car park at Sedbergh following their delivery by Hiab lorry. In short, when accurascale announced them, I had to have a set and decided on the Lambton ones. However, I’d like to be able to tow these about and to satisfy my inner engineer, the solution has to work in 12”-1’ as well as 4mm-1’. So, following in Beamish’s footsteps (where they use a converted flat wagon), we need a barrier or translator wagon, ideally two. The first arrives in the form of this NER birdcage brake (complete with extended dumb buffers). The second, following a rummage in the kit stash drawer… Is this NER hopper, which must have been in stock for at least 20 years. Now I know these ain’t common, but there’s at least two of the brakes preserved EDIT - there’s 4 intact (Beamish, 2 at Tanfield (one modified in NCB service) and Hull) and a derelict body on allotments in Shildon according to the RHRP database and a couple of the hoppers, so it’s not a million miles off feasible. How a preserved railway in South Lakes has got 3 NE wagons off the national collection - well the KWVR did get the Taff Vale tank on loan… Owain

Details have gone back and the first running session since early June. Much to my surprise, no electrical issues and the only damage seems to be one broken figure and two metcalfe platform seats that got stood on after they fell off one of the boards. Anyway, photos. Owain

And as an aside, if anyone’s interested, if you search on Facebook (yes, I know, not everyone uses it and I’ll cheerfully agree it’s a double edged sword at best) for ‘Fellgate Engineering’ you’ll find the venture and progress on 12”:1’ stuff. Mods, if this is classed as advertising and I shouldn’t be doing it, I’ll pull it. Owain

Right. We finally have some progress with added modelling content. Sedbergh is back! The last machine, in the form of the lathe was extracted from the garage. The CNC had gone across the previous week and the Warco milling machine is staying, partly as a GTi drill press. The large bench is also staying, because it’s too long for the other workshop. Loaded into my trailer… And set up on the other side of the Pennines after a service and damned good clean, where it promptly went to work earning money. A final sortout has lead to a last load of materials to go across (for the curious, that’s what roughly £100 in 2022 gets you in mild steel bar (ignoring the dexion, heavy angle or the three lengths of studding). It didn’t cost that in 2015 when I bought it.. and a floor that’s clear apart from the oil stains. So Sedbergh went back up in the space. It’s been set up slightly differently, because I want to sort the northbound (Lowgill) fiddleyard, but it’s back in one piece again. All I need now is those extra two days in the week, to get the time to work on it… Owain

Another brief update, with precisely naff all modelling content… Anyway, the small mill, compressor and most of the associated tooling have moved. And taken up residence on the other side of the Pennines. Transport has been arranged (the background may be recognised). Paying jobs have started to roll in (stub axle off a skid steer loader, being modified to take an available lip seal, rather than the unobtainable OEM seal). And in general, progress has been made. Watch this space. Owain

Right, as threatened, an update. It took two months, but Sedbergh is temporarily dismantled so the next move(s) can occur. Here’s the problem, this and this and this (along with the surface plate, vice and all the crap on it) need to move to where they can be loaded onto a vehicle to start a new life in Cumbria (ironically, not that far from the 12”:1’ version of Sedbergh). Only problem is, this (plus a lot of random junk) is in the way. So, in one of the delights of batchelor life, Sedbergh is currently in the front room (the plastic boxes are some of the rolling stock) and with a good tidy and a run to the tip, this is ready to move the machines. Definitely earned a cup of tea… Owain

Right, I thought I’d break cover with a very brief update (also the first time I’ve looked in here in about a fortnight). When I said I wasn’t holding my breath on modelling time in 2022, I wasn’t quite expecting what’s happened. Basically family, RealLife(tm) and a rather major career change have (to quote Blaster Bates) “Somewhat knackered it”. Short version, I’ve decided to have a go at going self employed, with my alleged skills in the fields of repairing old mechanical things and making big lumps of metal into far smaller lumps. This affects my antics on here because (apart from the obvious time and money) the metalworking machines (plus a very large workbench) need to emerge from the garage and cross the Pennines to a new workshop, where they will be joined by others. Hence, in the next month I’m going to find out if Sedbergh is as easily dismantled and portable as planned. This doesn’t mean anything’s being scrapped, the plan is dismantle, get all the ‘stuff’ out, then hopefully it goes back up. On the plus side, I’ll have the space for the extension I’ve had planned for the last few years. If I’ll have the time is a totally different question. Anyway, if the hiatus on here continues for a bit, don’t be alarmed, normal service will resume at some point. Owain

Having just been on Facebook and thought to see if there was any news there, it’s good to be back, thanks to Andy and the team for the hard work. Haven’t been on here much this year due to ‘Reallife(tm)’, maybe this year will improve..(Ohh look, a flying pig. Don’t usually see them this far north this time of year) Anyway, hopefully the new providers will be better. From the sound of it, they’ll struggle to be worse. Owain

How a SR van body ended up on a preserved railway in Cumbria is unknown, but there you are. Used as a paint store workshop by one of the volunteer groups. Owain

Before the service started this morning, the opportunity was taken to knock some wagons about with the Rustons. The gunpowder/tool van was fished out of the yard headshunt and the trout made ready for a spot ballasting job, to save having to work one of the sea cows up from Cowan Bridge. Owain

Just a quick one more, a shot of the Ruston on its works train, propelling back into the station. Owain

Anyway, from that fictional nonsense, to a bit of actual operation (although a flick through ‘Red Panniers’ has brought thoughts of a fictional LT depot (provisionally called ‘Lilly Bridge’) back to the surface). However, as I’ve said before, in recent months modelling time has been few and far between, so for the first time in longer than I care to admit, an operating session was held, with the two rustons (or is the plural rustii?) knocking some wagons about, the class 24 rearranged the yard (mainly to get used to the fine control on it for shunting) and the Janus acted as station pilot. Owain

You’re absolutely right, a slip of the finger there. Yes, panniers being built by North British amuses me as well and I’ve a bit of fun before now asking GW-OohAr types if they’re better than the Swindon built examples. For anyone interested in the use of panniers by LT, John Scot-Morgan and Kirk Martin’s ‘Red Panniers’ is highly recommended, excellent book. Owain

Here we go. The first steam locomotive to arrive on the L.S&I., pannier tank 7739, aka L98. From Lune Line News, spring 1970. (Note - Queenie (after the distillery she was used at) was the name the Ruston was known as before being renamed in 2016 after overhaul) “A red letter day and a red(ish) engine, by Tom Truslow” Well, with the rumble of a Diesel engine and clouds of blue smoke, the big day dawned last week! It was at an unreasonably early hour that Queenie was persuaded into life, to emerge from the goods shed into the grey light of dawn. Accustomed to being the star of the show, she was to find herself abandoned in the yard as the rumble of a Gardiner engine heralded the arrival of her new stablemate. Hauled by one of Robson’s Scammell tractors all the way from Neasden Works, Pannier tank 7793, in the red fading to brown of her estwhile employers, London Transport, was manovered into the yard and unloaded by a usurped Queenie, before being escorted into the sanctuary of the goods shed, there to be attended by her admirers. 7793 was purchased by LT in 1962 and was used until recently to haul nocturnal works trains on the electrified rails more commonly traveled by the capital’s commuters. Following her replacement with a battery locomotive, the breakers yard beckoned until several of our members stepped in with the purchase price. A Glasgow born lady, she spent her working life in South Wales, until the bright lights beckoned. In her next chapter, it’s hoped she’ll have a long retirement in Sedbergh, hopefully it won’t be too long before we can hear the bark of her exhaust echo through the valley. Yesterday Neasden, tomorrow Lowgill and Barbon!” The summer issue contains several photos of her in steam in the yard, plus a clipping from the Westmorland gazette (Headline ‘A Cockney in Cumbria’), at the time of her delivery the only track laid consisted of the road through the goods shed and the second road into the yard (now the station car park). Track would be laid on the actual track bed the following year following completion of the purchase of the station house and surviving platform and by the summer of 1972 brakevan rides were being run to Waterside. Owain

I’ll have a dig. The first locomotive was the little Open cabbed Ruston, arrived from Charlie Strong ‘s (founder of CS Metals&Recycling) scrapyard in Small Heath. The first steam loco was the ex. LT pannier and I’m sure I’ve seen an old article on that. Think it’s called ‘Red letters and Red(ish) engines’ Owain

You’ll remember Bob’s antics with easy start and that (redacted) Wickham trolley then? Owain

They didn’t do too badly. Apparently it was a mix of BRB residuary money in return for the railway taking liability for the structure, Lottery cash (apparently the first large grant given in South Lakes to a heritage organisation), PRISM, Rural development via MAFF (as it was then), some local authority cash and about 400k raised through conventional channels (including John Pratt’s infamous ‘Guide to the line’ sales) plus match funding in labour, material and professional services. What Mr. Davies glosses over in his article is the time period, reopening the Lowgill section took just under a decade, from the first work at Waterside, to the first train into Lowgill station. Pat Harper was to retire as GM two years into the project, it would be seen to completion under Harry Pryce, his successor. Also, when one of your leading supporters is the MD of Cumbria’s largest plant hire company, doors tend to open, sometimes with the aid of a 360… Owain

Part 2. Rick Davies continues… ”So, of course, it was said we’d built the extension without telling anyone. That’s not true, it happened when the amount of work the wrought iron span at Waterside required was discovered. That was being done by Cleveland Bridge and Harrisplant, so whilst that was going on, we hatched a plan to keep the volunteers busy. We managed to get a couple of loads of rails over the viaduct before the contractors took possession, and with a sleeper dump at Sedbergh North, we could put in a temporary access at Firbank, where the track bed is right next to the road and get sleepers there using a tractor and trailer. So, we started laying north from there. However, this also lead to a change for me as well. That summer, it was announced we’d got the grant to repair Lowgill viaduct, it was to be another contract job and we needed a project engineer who’d be there to oversee the entire job. I was still working for Monkey Harris at this point, so he put my name forward and that took care of the next two years paychecks. So that’s how the Lowgill extension came about. The station site at Lowgill, well, you’ve got the northern rail network lot and Ian McKenzie to thank for that. Originally it was to be a single platform and loop, however with the West coast resignalling and the capacity increases, they decided to put the two avoiding loops in there. It’s at that point the idea of a connection came up and well, that was that. McKenzie Railway Engineering paid for the connection and took over Middleton Yard, NRN paid for the platforms and we laid our rails into them. In the next issue, Richard discusses the Barbon Deviation, moving out of Sedbergh and Middleton yards, Cowan bridge level crossing and how the PWay department came to be his.” Owain ”