Macaw B

On the 8th of March during a visit to Statfold Barn, they were running a freight train which had this Macaw B in it, and I thought it would make an interesting model to make.

 I came across this photo with a loco on it which got me thinking.

I purchased a pair of bogies, fitted some couplings, and a set of redundant brake levers then fitted the wheels.

Having put it aside for a month whilst I thought of a solution for mounting the bogies to the constructed wagon, I came up with the idea of using a pair of cup washers to act a bearings for the bogies.

I sprayed the wagon and bogies with primer paint.

I then painted it.

However, I realised after painting the bogies black that this was wrong, so repainted them in the grey.

Then I added some transfers.

It is seen here amidst the other Statfold Barn wagons.

At the end of April I purchased this Fourdees model of 'Dot' to build as a load for the Macaw B. It comes with a static chassis, but can be fitted with a Bachmann 'N' gauge 'Percy'.

I assembled it and sprayed it with primer.

Then I sprayed the body in British Railways crimson and the chassis I started to spray in satin black, but the spray can ran out, so I had to hand paint it in gloss black instead.

The assembled model looks quite promising, with couplings fitted.

The buffer beams were painted red, the footplate black, the smokebox and chimney were given a splash of matt black and pipes and fittings a coat of copper and brass paint. Real coal was added to the coal bunkers on each side.

Finally lining was applied and a set of nameplates giving it the name 'Melba'. It goes rather well with my Skarloey. 

Keith

Good Friday 'Steam Gala', Easter Monday 'Diesel Dawdle Day'

 Following Good Friday's 'Steam Gala' at Hadarford.

Easter Monday is 'Diesel Dawdle Day'.

Keith

Lift-out Bridge Repairs part 7

 April 16th last year was the last day I worked on rebuilding the large lift-out bridge on my model railway. 

  Following that my back has been constantly in pain for months so I was unable to continue with the work. 

However today I managed to reattach the tensioning chains underneath, which close up the gaps between the rail ends and the bridge itself. I still need to do some refinement regarding the length of the rails which are longer than the bridge, but it is an important big step forward after months of frustration at not being able to continue the work. I also need to repair the paper brickwork and fix the tunnel entrance at the fiddleyard end, and the scenery around both ends. 😊

End with the majority of the chain fixed

End with the tensioner which hooks onto the chain from the other end

Chain underneath the whole bridge

Keith

Happy New Year 2025

 

Merry Christmas 2024

 

Skarloey leaving Hadarford Station

 0-4-2 'Skarloey' leaving Hadarford station with the down passenger service, her livery goes rather well ahead of the crimson/cream coaches and I have weathered her to dull down the brightness of the almost pink livery. 😊

Keith

Female Engine Crew

 These three female engine crew arrived yesterday, in the afternoon I painted them. Two of them will crew the model of 'Talyllyn' which I have ordered and waiting or delivery. The third I will keep for another day.

Keith

Skarloey

 A new addition to Hadarford's loco stock, 0-4-2 'Skarloey' leaving Hadarford station with a small mixed freight train.

As purchased, the Thomas the Tank Engine face had been removed and a proper smokebox door fitted. 2 of the buffers were missing so I have removed the 2 remaining ones and repainted the buffer beams signal red as opposed to the original body colour. I painted the smokebox and chimney in matt black rather than the original gloss black I will weather it to tone-down the brightness of the red livery. 😊

Keith

This Years Christmas Special

  This years Christmas special passing Hadarford Wood on its way to the station with this years Christmas wagon, the one behind the open wagon. 🎅⛄

Keith

Working Brazier

 Yesterday this working brazier arrived in the post, this afternoon I fitted it.

The brazier as delivered

Hole cut through the baseboard and surrounding gravel removed

Fortunately sited very close to the control board for the arc welder in the engine shed, so picked up 12v DC from there

Fitted in place, new gravel glued around the base and power turned on

Keith

BBC NEWS

 This evening Hadarford appeared on BBC News, Midlands Today.

Click on the photo to see the report

Searchlight Wagon part 2

 Today I fitted the custom transfers from Endon Valley Custom Decals to the searchlight wagon I built, this now completes my Statfold Barn freight train.

Many thanks to Thomas for producing them 😊

Keith

Lift-out Bridge Repairs part 6

 Good progress today with the large lift-out bridge repairs, all rails now fitted and soldered in place. I cannot find the original chain and turnbuckle which I use to reduce the gaps, so I have ordered some replacements. When they arrive I can then adjust the length of the rails to suit. 😊

Rails soldered to the screws at the Fiddleyard end

Only the outside of the rails is soldered to the screws

Similar treatment at the layout end with short temporary rails on the bridge to align the rails

Similar treatment at the layout end

New screws on the bridge at the layout end

Full length rails fitted to the bridge and soldered to the screws.

The final solder joints across the fishplates part way along the bridge

Keith