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

Lift-out Bridge Repairs part 5

 Today I got a bit further with the repairs to my large lift-out bridge.

With both ends at the fiddleyard and layout completed, it was time to work on refitting the track.

Where I got to before today, one end of the bridge cut off and fixed to the layout baseboard

The other end of the bridge cut off and fixed to the fiddleyard baseboard

Adding 2 of the additional brass screws to which the rails will be soldered to keep them in place

The 2 sections of rail have been cut to length and fitted to the sleepers to ensure the screws are at the correct height to line up with the rails on the bridge

The other end of the bridge gets the same treatment

Gluing the 1st section of track in place using Evostik.

Gluing the 2nd section of track in place at the other end using Evostik.

Keith

Hay Wagon part 2

 The new hay trailer is now on Hadarford farm. 😊

Keith

Hay Wagon

 Yesterday I assembled this model of a hay wagon, and primered it 😊.

Today I painted it, I just have to decide which of the 3 types of load to have on it?  🤔

The finished model

The finished model

Sprayed with primer

Painting finished

Painting finished

Painting finished

Loaded with oblong hay bales

Loaded with round bales

Loaded with both types

Keith

Searchlight Wagon

 Last September whilst at the 009 Society 40th anniversary at Statfold Barn I saw their searchlight wagon and wondered if I could build one. 2 days ago I made the wagon, and yesterday the searchlight arrived in the post, which I modified and glued to the wagon, along with a chair and then sprayed it with primer. Today I painted it. It is almost finished, it just needs transfers, but I am struggling to find suitable ones. I have found some W↑D ones to go on the back of the light, I just have to decide which size to get, but I think the writing on the sides of the wagon is a step too far. I know it is not an exact replica, but it is pretty close 😊 

The actual searchlight wagon at Statfold Barn

Peco N gauge wagon chassis with 009 couplings fitted

Base planking added

Sides added

Sides added

Purchased searchlight

Base of searchlight removed using a razor saw

Searchlight and seat glued in place on the wagon

Searchlight and seat glued in place on the wagon

Sprayed with primer

Sprayed with primer, lens covered with Blacktac

Painted in olive drab

Taking its place in my Statfold Barn freight train

Keith