April 19, 2010
Running in
Services recommenced on the R&R this weekend. Initial running problems were resolved by a) regluing the gear on to the driving axle of the loco to stop it slipping and b) fettling the curve under the cutting, which appears to have been undermined and pushed up by soil creep from the embankment, creating an apparently insurmountable gradient. Once this was done, we managed a non-stop service of several circuits.
Not much has changed since last year. As you may be able to see here, we managed to move the dirty great compost bin during winter, while the contents were frozen solid, and have replaced it with some ornamental edging and decorative cat poo. The grass needs mowing, as it is starting to incur on the ballast. The ballast itself has been infilled in several places where gaps appeared. It's a terrible thing when nafarious people with trucks drive up to a remote stretch of line when no one's looking and begin loading up with raw materials from the railway before driving it all away; in my case, the perpetrators are under five and both live with me so it's unlikely much that will be effective can be done.
Hint, hint
Dear wife,
In lieu of a comfy armchair that we haven't got room for and he'd never get chance to sit in, this Plate Frame Simplex would, I'm sure, be much appreciated by someone coming to terms with turning forty. And if there was any money left in the budget, a proper coach (or even better, this one in green/red) would be great too. (Both in 32mm gauge.)
Love,
Me
April 12, 2010
The track is back
A quick line inspection and some basic maintenance over the weekend has confirmed that the Rhach track lives to serve another "operating" season, having sustained no lasting harm over winter (and from some over-enthusiastic leaf-raking). As a plus, we have some lovely primroses growing out of the ballast. Rust was evident on a number of the mending plates again, so I've coated them with Jenolite jelly and metal primer, and I'm currently trialling two of the plastic-coated type as well. I've recharged the loco batteries and started thinking that I really, really should get round to finishing that station building (which only lacks for a coat of clear varnish) and the last wagon kit...