Construction of the Rolling Stock
For photographs of the rolling stock see the stock list.
All the bodies of the wagons and coaches on the railway are scratch built. The intention was to try and use similar construction methods and materials for the model stock as would have been used full size. The main construction material is wood, much being sourced from recycled old beech desktops. Large quantities of lolly sticks were also used, these were not recycled but purchased from a craft shop.
All the bodies of the wagons and coaches on the railway are scratch built. The intention was to try and use similar construction methods and materials for the model stock as would have been used full size. The main construction material is wood, much being sourced from recycled old beech desktops. Large quantities of lolly sticks were also used, these were not recycled but purchased from a craft shop.
The sprung pattern axle boxes and all the wheels are commercial products as are some cast detailing parts. Wagon pedestals type axle boxes are home made. Detailing in the main uses brass boiler band and round-headed brass rivets. The significant exceptions are the MOD style brake van, powder van, the GVT styled coach and the mobile crane. These were built after our move and whilst waiting for the new workshop, sorry garage, to be built. The crane was intended to be left outside and the rivets on the van and the beading on the coach were a challenge too far for traditional methods, Plasticard was used for the construction of these vehicles.
Magnetic couplings, made from mounted magnets sold for connecting batteries, are used. The couplings self connect and are detached with a plastic paddle dropped down between the stock. These work well but do require stock to remain facing in the correct direction. Running end to end this is not a problem unless one of the loops is negotiated in the wrong direction. (See the plan in the Operation section.)
Interestingly the prototype slate wagons have their unladen weights painted on the sole bar and my model ones came out at a pretty close scale weight, as a result they ride in a similar fashion at scale speeds. My coaches, particularly the GVT one, on the other hand were lighter than scale weight and did not ride in prototype fashion until some extra weight was added. Some of the weight comes from a pair of batteries mounted under the floor to power the oil lamps and some from lead sheet.
Many otherwise realistic model narrow gauge railways have the effect ruined by trains running at excessive speeds. In order to check the speed of my trains until I became familiar with what represented a scale 15 or 20mph I built a wagon with a bicycle speedometer mounted on it and ran this on the rear of trains.
In the short term it did not do much for the realistic appearance but I now have a much better idea of scale speeds and the wagon has gone into semi retirement. It only comes out when I have mainline express drivers visiting the railway.