Captain Kernow
Western Thunderer
North Somerset Hymek:
Captain Kernow's layouts
- Thread starter Captain Kernow
- Start date
Joe's Garage
Western Thunderer
I wasn't dreaming then Tim when I heard a diesel rumbling across the "level" the other evening then......!
Lovely shot.
Cheers Julian
Lovely shot.
Cheers Julian
Captain Kernow
Western Thunderer
The lane over the railway at Bethesda goods yard:
Joe's Garage
Western Thunderer
That's rather nice Tim
All the best
Julian
All the best
Julian
Captain Kernow
Western Thunderer
I've spent the last few weeks working on a model of ex-Cardiff Railway 0-6-2T No.155 for John Farmer. John built the body and I then (after a false start) did the chassis, finished detailing the body and weathered it.
More on the build is on my RMWeb Workbench thread here - https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topi...y-155-and-other-items/page/5/#comment-5858651
Here is a photo of the (almost) finished loco:
More on the build is on my RMWeb Workbench thread here - https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topi...y-155-and-other-items/page/5/#comment-5858651
Here is a photo of the (almost) finished loco:
Captain Kernow
Western Thunderer
Bethesda Sidings has been put up for testing again today, in readiness for the Exeter show in about 10 days time.
I took the opportunity to test the layout using its newest item of motive power, an Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST, 'Llanddewi No.1'.
This is a Hattons original AB, which has been expertly re-liveried and weathered by James Mower (was originally a bright red 'Katie').
The name comes from Llanddewi Army depot at the top of the light railway. To recap, although Bethesda Sidings is a BR goods yard, it is also visited by trains from the nearby Vale of Radnor Light Railway, which have been given running powers since the closure of the Exchange Sidings nearby. This is one of my outrageously improbable light railways, belonging to the equally improbable Association of Independent Light Railways (which also includes the South Polden in Somerset as a member).
Llanddewi No.1 is ostensibly owned by the military, although their locos seem to share all duties on the light railway, along with the light railway's own ancient motive power.
There is a 'Llanddewi No.2'. This is a steam Sentinel, a Model Rail product weathered by myself:
I took the opportunity to test the layout using its newest item of motive power, an Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST, 'Llanddewi No.1'.
This is a Hattons original AB, which has been expertly re-liveried and weathered by James Mower (was originally a bright red 'Katie').
The name comes from Llanddewi Army depot at the top of the light railway. To recap, although Bethesda Sidings is a BR goods yard, it is also visited by trains from the nearby Vale of Radnor Light Railway, which have been given running powers since the closure of the Exchange Sidings nearby. This is one of my outrageously improbable light railways, belonging to the equally improbable Association of Independent Light Railways (which also includes the South Polden in Somerset as a member).
Llanddewi No.1 is ostensibly owned by the military, although their locos seem to share all duties on the light railway, along with the light railway's own ancient motive power.
There is a 'Llanddewi No.2'. This is a steam Sentinel, a Model Rail product weathered by myself:
Captain Kernow
Western Thunderer
Captain Kernow
Western Thunderer
9434 has just arrived at Capel Bethesda yard, light engine from Leominster, to await the arrival of transfer traffic from the light railway:
Captain Kernow
Western Thunderer
Some 10 years prior to the previous photo, 2156 pauses in the headshunt in Capel Bethesda yard, prior to resuming it's slow journey to Rhayadar and Moat Lane Jct with the morning pick-up goods:
Captain Kernow
Western Thunderer
Bit of a bruiser, Yorkshire Engine Co. diesel waiting for BR traffic:
Captain Kernow
Western Thunderer
Osgood
Western Thunderer
Well - they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
And in the same vein,
Captain Kernow
Western Thunderer
Well, it's mother loved it...
Captain Kernow
Western Thunderer
Bethesda had a good show at Exeter over the weekend just gone and my thanks to those who helped me at various times.
7418 opens the operation on Sunday morning:
From about lunchtime on the Sunday, I switched to diesel operation. The black 350HP diesel shunter was first, followed by the class 24:
The final BR loco was the class 22:
Diesel motive power was also used on the light railway at the same time.
7418 opens the operation on Sunday morning:
From about lunchtime on the Sunday, I switched to diesel operation. The black 350HP diesel shunter was first, followed by the class 24:
The final BR loco was the class 22:
Diesel motive power was also used on the light railway at the same time.
Captain Kernow
Western Thunderer
Callow Lane is normally set in the late 1950s to 1960s period, but here we see a scene from early 1953, where a train of coal empties is returning to South Wales from Westerleigh Yard. What is unusual about this is that the booked 56XX had failed on Ebbw Jct shed earlier that morning and the only other available loco - a 67XX pannier - was deemed insufficiently powerful to haul the train up the bank from Callow Lane to Coalpit Heath West Jct and, of course, through the Severn Tunnel.
Eventually Control found a replacement 0-6-2T at one of the other Cardiff sheds. No.155 was one of a small class of Kitson locos built for the Cardiff Railway and the only example to be rebuilt by the GW following the Grouping. 155 had a 'heavy general' in 1949 and emerged from Swindon resplendent in BR black livery, albeit without any crest of other markings on the tank sides. It ran like this until it's eventual withdrawal in May 1953.
Here we see the loco passing over the level crossing and our excited photographer followed the train as it slowed for the Up Starter, which was a danger, due to a down ballast train in the section from Coalpit Heath:
The down train consisting of a 56XX and a rake of herring ballast hoppers from the Forest of Dean draws onto the Down Main from the single line:
As described elsewhere, there are no kits available in 4mm scale for 155. The body was built by John Farmer (aka Charon), using a Bachmann 56XX cab and bunker, a 22XX boiler and scratchbuilt side tanks.
I sorted out the chassis, eventually using a Bachmann 57XX chassis converted to P4 with Gibson wheels. The wheelbase is a little off but there is no RTR chassis option with the exact wheel spacings and I considered this preferable to a full scratchbuild. I then painted and weathered the loco.
Eventually Control found a replacement 0-6-2T at one of the other Cardiff sheds. No.155 was one of a small class of Kitson locos built for the Cardiff Railway and the only example to be rebuilt by the GW following the Grouping. 155 had a 'heavy general' in 1949 and emerged from Swindon resplendent in BR black livery, albeit without any crest of other markings on the tank sides. It ran like this until it's eventual withdrawal in May 1953.
Here we see the loco passing over the level crossing and our excited photographer followed the train as it slowed for the Up Starter, which was a danger, due to a down ballast train in the section from Coalpit Heath:
The down train consisting of a 56XX and a rake of herring ballast hoppers from the Forest of Dean draws onto the Down Main from the single line:
As described elsewhere, there are no kits available in 4mm scale for 155. The body was built by John Farmer (aka Charon), using a Bachmann 56XX cab and bunker, a 22XX boiler and scratchbuilt side tanks.
I sorted out the chassis, eventually using a Bachmann 57XX chassis converted to P4 with Gibson wheels. The wheelbase is a little off but there is no RTR chassis option with the exact wheel spacings and I considered this preferable to a full scratchbuild. I then painted and weathered the loco.
