LNERGE

Each year that passes more and more work needs to be done to bring the line back to life. A section of the line is now completely out of use due to the condition of the timber trestle bridges over the pond. In a rare initiative funding for their replacement has been agreed with ‘The Management’ subject to various environmental concerns. (the pile of free wood is treated so untreated wood will need to be purchased) (we can’t upset the newts). The loco fleet has diminished over the years too. One loco is completely worn out. Two others have decoder issues. What is the cheapest decoder available nowadays to work with the LGB multi train system?

Note the connecting line. This had facing point locks and was for for passenger train use. This was a wartime thing and linked the Enfields with Palace Gates and Seven Sisters.

An evening spent in the signalbox with the stove going getting rid of rotten O gauge sleepers. The pins are proving troublesome to get out. The chairs are a bit fragile too. Some progress but I’ve got to find a better way of getting the pins out.

I’ve always been fascinated by coarse scale 7mm railways I’ve seen on my travels. I used to visit one in Hitchin in the very late 70’s/early 80’s but I have never found any pictures. My parents bought my a book around that time that featured 7mm course scale and the evidence is still present today which pages were revisited frequently. The situation wasn’t helped by visiting a railway in Rugby. I’m sure it was here trains were signalled with a mixture of real and homemade block instruments with bells. (this is something I can do methinks) I already model in OO, G in the garden and 12 inch to the foot at work so there was simply no chance of me scratching the coarse scale 7mm itch with the available funds. Then I was given around 150 feet of track. This was followed by other donations and the occasional frivolous eBay purchase. Last week two substantial Bassett Lowke motor bogies found their way to me. Now I have track and the means to make something move. I’m not rushing ahead yet but I want to plan ahead. Space is allocated for a railway. Things need to be acquired to enable construction to start. The first thing that springs to mind are conductor rail chairs like this one.. Does anyone still make these? My initial thought was to use ordinary chairs with a wooden packer beneath but these look far superior. The dream of a sparky non dcc railway stands a good chance of coming true.

I’ve replaced the pickups on several of my Heljan locos with 0.33 nickel silver wire. This has made a massive improvement. The biggest improvement was with a 26 with the old style wheels. I still need to clean the wheels now n then. It’s all quite realistic having watched a twelve inch to a foot class 47 disappear on a track circuit the other day. Three months of no traffic and there was enough rust to stop the track circuit being shorted out. Second pass was ok as was all subsequent passes.

What controls the signalling?

For some reason one of my decoders has decided to change its address. It works fine from the phone but switching to dcc mode it can’t be driven but I can turn on the sounds etc. It is allocated address 1. It drives on address 16 along with another loco. edit. Sorted now. The consist address had become 16. I don’t know how because I have only been controlling it via dcc. I haven’t opened the ap on the phone for ages.

It would be a shame for them to last as long as they have and not get saved.

The picture was taken at Ilford

It was at the time. No idea where it is now.

Been looking for these.. finally found them..

Didn’t the line reopen in one direction just after closing?