'Merddin Emrys'

 Having returned from our travels I am back into railway mode.

'Merddin Emrys' ready to depart 'Hadarford' station, newly arrived this morning from Great Eastern Models 😊 

Keith

2022 Travels

 'Hadarford' always looks very different with rolling stock and road vehicles removed and safely stored away for travelling, and protective screening fitted in case of little fingers of visitors. 😊.

All ready for setting off tomorrow for a couple of months. 😁

Keith

Sentry Guards Van Part 2

 Managed to complete the sentry box guards van today, before we set off on our travels Saturday.

It is attached to a bug-box train, which I have built it to go with. 😊

Keith

Sentry Guards Van

 Over the last few days I have slowly been assembling this metal kit of a Ffestiniog sentry guards van, which will go with my bog-boxes.

Today I finished assembly and primed it. 😊

Now painted.

Keith

Telecomms Cabinet

 For some years now, this engineer has been sitting working at this telecoms cabinet, he must be getting very bored, so I have purchased a set of 6 cabinets, and today sprayed them green.

1 of them I will alternate with the open one that he is working on.

I have no idea what I am going to do with the other 5 cabinets!

I have repainted the original open cabinet to match.

At last the engineer has been able to got back to the exchange for a nice cup of tea. ☕️

Keith

New Brake Van Part 2

 Today I added glazing, couplings and roof to the new brake van pictured with the bug boxes it is intended to go with.

Keith

Easter Monday Steam Gala

Keith

New Brake Van

 Over the last week I have slowly been making this brake van from a kit.

I primed it Friday and today gave it some top coat.

Just needs glazing, couplings, and roof adding and painted to finish. 😊

Keith

Easter Egg Special. 🐣

Keith

Easter Saturday Toast Rack Special

 0-4-0 'Princess' heading to South Crossing with the toast rack Easter special.

Keith

Good Friday Double Day

 Good Friday is "double day" for the start of the Easter specials.

Double Fairlie 'Pandora' and double heading Baldwins 'Keith' and Alfred James' operating services for Good Friday. 😊

Keith

Weekend Away at Aintree

 The Smith family returning from their weekend away at Aintree, sadly the girls horses did not do well this year.

Keith

PW Works Completed

 Things don't always go to plan.

The works were not completed by late yesterday evening as hoped for.

An early start this morning saw them finished and both works trains set off for Alfa Central.

Everything ready for the summer season, starting next weekend with the Easter specials.

Keith

Weekend PW Works

 Early start this morning on this weekends works in preparation for the Easter weekend. 😊

Keith

Works Train

 The works train has arrived at the canal wharf, ready to start work on the track over the weekend, with

0-6-0 diesels 'Oliver' and 'Oscar' at either end.

Keith

 Following Bert Mills discussion with PW depot manager Nick Peterson, Nick is out with general manager Brian Walton, chief engineer Fred Martin, treasurer Lawrence Cooper, and PW foreman John Williamson to see what work has to be done prior to the increase in services for the summer starting this Easter.

Keith

 The mail train arriveth.

Keith

Important Discussion

Bert Mills has stopped 'Oscar' at the PW depot for a quick chat with the works manager Nick Peterson about some work to the track that needs to be done before the Easter specials.

Keith

2-6-0 tank engine 'Beryl'

 2-6-0 tank engine 'Beryl' hauling a down freight passing Hadarford lock. 😊

Keith

'Princess' Crew

 Yesterday and this morning I painted the crew for Little England loco 'Princess'

I will not glue them in place so I can swap them around for when the engine is running in reverse.

Keith

Warm Milk!

 Not a good time for station master Ralph Stevens to be chatting to Peter Smith driving 0-4-4-0 double Fairlie 'Pandora', the milk on the milk float waiting at the crossing gates will be getting warm! 😳

Keith

0-4-0 Little England 'Princess'

New loco 0-4-0 Little England 'Princess' on it's 1st turn of service on the up bug box service having just left Hadarford station and passing Hadarford lock.

This one replaces the faulty one I returned, excellent service by Hatton's, they even test ran it for me, and added extra packing.

P.S. I do have a crew for her, their primer coat of paint is drying as I type. 😁

And a video of on it's 2nd up service passing Hadarford lock. 

It hauls all 8 carriages up the 1:140 gradient comfortably

Keith

4-6-0 Baldwin 'Joanne'

 4-6-0 Baldwin 'Joanne' rounding Hadarford hill with an up passenger service.

Keith

0-4-4-0 double Fairlie 'Pandora'

 0-4-4-0 double Fairlie 'Pandora' on the morning down passenger service crossing the level crossing as it pulls into Hadarford station.

Keith

Coal & Diesel

 It has been a while whilst I have been recovering from my hernia repair operation and the subsequent infection, just getting into the railway room has been difficult.

0-6-0 saddle tank 'Beryl' bringing much needed coal and diesel supplies for Hadarford's maintenance yard.

Keith

Hadarford's Maintenance Yard

Busy scene in and around Hadarford's maintenance yard with 0-6-0 tank loco 'Alice' taking on coal, 0-6-0 diesel 'Oliver'  taking on diesel, 0-4-4-0 double Fairley 'Pandora' exiting Hadarford tunnel with the up passenger service and William Beeton's crowded pound behind his garage. 😊

Keith

Another New Minibus

 Spot the difference?

Another Arriva minibus to join the fleet, it is the leading one, slightly longer wheelbase.

Keith

Double Fairlie 'Pandora'

 0-4-4-0 double Fairlie 'Pandora' easing out of fiddleyard tunnel with the up passenger service heading towards Hadarford.

Keith

New Minibus Service

 New Arriva minibus service for Hadarford arrived today. 😊

Keith

Scrap Loco Part 3

 Over the last couple of days I gave the buffer beams 3 coats of red to the small tank engine. 

This morning I weathered it with rust paint and weathering powders. 

Now sited in the maintenance yard near the rustier and overgrown Baldwin.

Keith