Blauturm bufferbeam...

Well Alex has arrived and our world is upside down but amazing. I've been managing to find a few moments to sit down between changing nappies, giving cuddles or tidying/washing stuff!

So I've been putting together some of the chassis details and buffer beams. They're looking really neat!

Promotional poster...

James
Producer - Wideopenmag.co.uk

Sent from my iPhone

Blauturm bogies...

How do eat an elephant?

Piece by piece...
And so the same with the Blauturm kit. With nothing but exploded views I've been apprehensive about starting but once you do it becomes even more apparent what a well designed and laid out kit this is! The styrene cuts, glues and cleans up well, Rene has grouped parts together, and the fit is perfect every time! I've spent a very pleasant half hour putting the first pair of bogies together, the only deviation from the kit, Rene suggests a paper clip wrapped in tape to represent the turn buckle, I ended up using 0.9mm brass rod and some Evergreen styrene tube I had in my bits box.

Looking good so far and now the seal is broken...

Cold cure platform...

Well a trip to B&Q late afternoon and an hours efforts with a trowel and old brick and the line has a new, weather resistant platform. Hopefully this one will last longer than the last one, it looks ok, but a bit black but I expect it to weather and mature nicely this summer...

The Rugens is running round now on a short freight before I pack up and head back home later...

Windy afternoon on the line...

It's glorious weather today, bright blue sky, cooling breeze, if anything too cooling! It is quite gusty. With that in mind I've only dug a few items out to run today. First up was the Schoema and modern image stock, then it was so gusty I was worried about the coach and van being blown over... So out came the railbus, which was ok but it's nice to see the cranks of a steam engine going round and round... I went inside and got out the Rugens, which hasn't had a run for a while. A bit of a hotch potch train but a train never the less!

Platform banana...

Unfortunately this mild damp spring followed by the baking heat of the last few days has put pay to the platform! The cheap B&Q decking plank has not so much banana'd but has developed a twist along it's length which is not so great for platform clearances....

Therefore i've lifted it and infilled with sand topped with ballast material for now. Now wondering about a plastic platform or using a cold cure Tarmac?

Blauturm Faur box unpacked...

Well I've not had much time to digest and work out the contents or assembly yet but here are what you get in the box...

A set of detailing and smaller parts. Rene has assembled the side frames and bent the cab roof sections.

The motor bogies, initially we thought these might be USA trains, but on closer inspection I wonder if Rene handcrafts them?

Then a big set of flat styrene. This is cleanly cut from a variety of thicknesses.

Finally a set of exploded drawings with notes on them in German. I'll use Google translate to understand these before work starts.

I plan to use mainly polystyrene cement for construction, and superglue for the metal parts. I think I'll begin with the chassis, probably at the weekend.

Generally though very pleased at this stage with the quality of parts and service from www.blauturm.de so if you're after a kit of something a little different then give Rene a try!

Blauturm Faur L45H kit arrives...

Some teaser photos as the box from Rene at Blauturm.de in Germany arrived today. I've unpacked it but I'll share more photos later to show you what £600 gets you...

First impressions are good!

More later...

Factory finish...

Last night, after initial disappointment that the first coat of satin varnish had not completely covered the gloss where the transfers are, I mixed up very thoroughly the Humbrol satin cote and applied another, second liberal coat with the airbrush.

Waiting for it to dry I was nervous about ghosting of the Matt in the varnish but it dried to a perfect, smooth, satin finish. So much so that it looks as good as a factory finish.

So the brown looks good, just the right among of lustre. After this experience I'm pondering sourcing a fourth coach and having a go at the OBB Jaffa livery, as these never come up cheap anywhere!

Coupled up...

A few weeks ago I ordered some screw couplings from www.williamsmodels.co.uk. These are G3, so the right size for the roll-wagen load, standard gauge wagon.

They come as a kit of parts, but in my excitement I cleaned up the castings with a file and broach and had them assembled before I thought to take a photograph.

So they will be painted black and then fitted to the buffer beams of the standard gauge wagon.

Modern coach on home straight...

I applied the custom transfers to the gloss panels I airbrushed yesterday. These were helped adhere with just a touch of Micro-set. The smooth sides and high gloss made it unnecessary to use Micro-sol.

I then picked out the door handles with silver, and the electrical plug on each end in yellow.

It needs a coat of satin varnish but I couldn't resist re-assembly to show how it's shaping up!

Glossy coat...

The LGB Austrian outline bogie coach has had some gloss varnish applied to the bodywork where the transfers will go, after I mocked them up as shown above. This makes a massive difference to transfer adherence.

The gloss has added a lustre to the finish that I hope is matched by the all over satin varnish I'll be giving the coach when the transfers are all applied.

Slow but steady...

The modern image EJ&KLR coach is progressing slowly on the workbench at present, now resplendent in it's second and final coat of Humbrol Matt 160. I'll apply some gloss varnish to the panels where transfers are applied tomorrow, once it's all labelled up I'll be giving the whole finish a dose of satin varnish to add some lustre to the brown paint.

Steyrtalbahn winter 1978...

An absolutely wonderful video from winter 1978 showing the Steyrtalbahn, mainly a freight hauled by the Heresfeldbahn Franco-belge KDL11 0-8-0T, 699.103. A real gem, showing an every day winter working, and some of the stock, buildings and scenery that have been such a big inspiration for the EJ&KLR.

Another book, a distraction?

I picked up a copy of 'Forestry Railways in Hungary', published by Locomotives International (www.locomotivesinternational.co.uk) from Mainline and Maritime (www.mainlineandmaritime.co.uk) book shop.

It's not likely to prove a distraction in G, but might provide some focus for an 009 project. In the meantime the book is a well written and illustrated history of the 12 forestry railways still operational circa 1999. Each line gets a potted history, photos, route map and a locomotive register. There are also more general sections on the locomotives and the other previously closed lines throughout the country.

A short read, but for the modest cover price a book that any fan of European Narrow gauge should not be without!

Old news but in print again...

A little but old news but those who din't regularly take Garden Rail (www.atlanticpublishers.com/magazines/garden-rail) may not have seen my spread in 213 about the Frank S bash. Expect a few more articles from me this year, it looks as though my wagon article has made 214!

Grab your attention...

Cheesy blog title but all I've done is slice off the moulded handrails and end door handles and replace them with 0.9mm brass rod. I've applied a coat of paint to mean they should be ok with just the body topcoat.

First anniversary...

The EJ&KLR is one year old, can you believe it? My very own slice of Austria in the garden has matured nicely into a very relaxing, easily maintained and always entertaining little line. Yes there are plans afoot for more rolling stock and more structures this year, but what is there already provides a lovely backdrop to my mix of off the peg LGB Austrian outline models, and my own custom repaints. Here are just a selection of my favourite shots, the full albums are at the bottom.

So what in the next 12 months? Well we know for certain that the EJ&KLR has secured a Faur L45H from Poland, that should be arriving in a few weeks (along with my second child, a coincidence) and a LGB Wangerooge starter set (with HF130C diesel, tanker wagon, van and bogie flat car) is also on the cards. In terms of scenics, I want to improve the signal signage boards, add some chimneys/stacks to the existing buildings, add a deck to the bridge, do some more fence posts and also construct another small(ish) office/mess for the yard area based on a more Eastern European architecture that should blend in nicely with the existing buildings, but give a bit more of a homely feel when the Faur is running...

The railway has proven that laying direct to a sharp sand base, with loose gravel ballast, at ground level, is maintainable in this size format - it's far from maintenance free, but it has lasted really well and survived all mother nature has thrown at it. It has also proven to be a relaxing way to spend a day, as well as giving me something to focus on when I've felt low. All in all, an excellent project, that despite looking quite mature and 'finished' has plenty of scope for another 12 months work :)

EJ&KLR 1st Anniversary - Landscape

EJ&KLR 1st Anniversary - 2095 and rollwagen

EJ&KLR 1st Anniversary - 798 and rollwagen

EJ&KLR 1st Anniversary - 798 on freight

EJ&KLR 1st Anniversary - VL10 on freight

EJ&KLR 1st Anniversary - 2095 mixed

EJ&KLR 1st Anniversary - Number 2

EJ&KLR 1st Anniversary - 798 mixed again

EJ&KLR 1st Anniversary - VL12 and rollwagen

EJ&KLR 1st Anniversary - railbus