Spring has sprung...

With a splash of sunshine the EJ&KLR runs again! After an indoor performance at the Macclesfield Model Railway exhibition last month I brought the trains back over to Chester and gave the line a much needed tidy up. Mum had been weeding and pruning trees but the track needed cleaning and the ballast needed tidying up.

We ran a few trains and Alex was absolutely transfixed by them! What a lovely relaxing way to spend an afternoon...

Little diesel in big print...

For those that would like to read more about how I created VL2, my small O&K diesel shunter there is an article in this months Continental Modeller (April 2014).

Last day running of 2013...

Well it's been a year of reduced garden railwaying in 2013 but we've put it to rights today - Elly and I cleaned up the track and ran a few short passenger trains with her Stainz, the Schoema and my Frank S tank. Alex came out and joined us and way fascinated by the trains, a very excited little boy! Can't wait to show him them again in the new year when it's a bit warmer and dryer!

James

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Not forgotten...

Te EJ&KLR lies dormant and has seen little use this year unfortunately. However the line has stood up well and looks to only need minor civil works and some weeding before being back in working order again this holiday. The weather today was too poor to run trains, hoping to have better luck when I visit again next week - no new trains this Christmas but plenty of old friends to dig out for a run!

James

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LGB 2095 detail painting...

When I acquired an LGB 2095 OBB diesel in 2011 I always promised myself I'd keep it un-molested...

Well that resolve lasted two years but I've been itching to lift the finish like I have done with my steam locomotives for some time. The most exciting thing to report is the weathered exhaust port on the roof. This started by adding straight matt black to the inset grooves. I then added some dark brown to the black to soften the colour a little, and then airbrushed carefully, building up over a few minutes, the exhaust staining to the roof.

Next I have repainted the cranks in satin red, and covered the screws and crank pins in paint as well. Less obvious is the fact the wheel rims have been painted satin black. This greatly lifts the appearance of LGB models in my opinion and I've slowly been doing it to all my LGB steam engines.

Finally I painted the vacuum hoses on each end, the pipe out of the body is red, then gunmetal on the hose and satin black on the pin that links to the buffer beam.

And an overview shot - there are a few more things I'd like to add in the coming weeks - these include a cable to the socket on the left of each end and paint the hooks and horns on the roof in cream. I can't wait to get the engine back out on the line this autumn...

New book: Czech industrial railways...

I got another book for my birthday, this time a comprehensive review of the industrial lines in the former Czechoslovakia. The book covers forestry lines as well as mines and other works, and there are a wife variety of images, drawings and information. Plenty of ideas and inspiration despite my complete lack of reading the words, at least with Austrian/German books I can make a little sense of them from my school days.

Garden line in Continental Modeller...

I was very excited to receive my copy of the August 2013 Continental modeller. My article about the EJ&KLR features over 8 pages with some lovely, although quite dated now, photos of te railway. Well worth getting a copy as it's a good issue as well... I get my own copy electronically on the iPad and the Exact Editions app and e-sub.

More sunny running today...

Well what a lovely weekend, we managed to run another whole range of stock today, the lounge was FULL of rolling stock, it makes you realise just how much you own when you have a good running session...

EJ&KLR in July: Rugen tank passenger.

EJ&KLR in July: U tank

EJ&KLR in July: VL10 freight

EJ&KLR in July: Shay on timber

More outdoor running and the Shay...

This morning we've taken advantage of the lovely weather and I've been running trains again...

We've had the Rugens and U-tank, the EJ&KLR VL10 and my Dad's Shay too!

EJ&KLR running day...

Well lots of trains have run today, as the Kof diesel was delivered, the OBB 2095, Elly's Stainz and the Frank S tank engine conversion...

EJ&KLR in July: Delivery of VL2

EJ&KLR in July: Stainz

EJ&KLR in July: EJ&KLR diesels

EJ&KLR in July: VL2 on freight

EJ&KLR in July: 2095 passenger

EJ&KLR in July: Frank S tank

Kof in service...

The EJ&KLR management wasted no time in getting VL2 out in service. Despite being the lines oldest diesel she was pressed into a late evening service with a solitary roll-wagen load.

New delivery to the EJ&KLR...

The OBB delivered the recently refurbished EJ&KLR no. 2 to Alisendorf for unloading. The shunter was loaded on a flat wagon for transport due to it's low maximum speed, which would have been an obstruction out on the mainline...

Two axle coach transfers...

This evening I managed to get the custom EJ&KLR transfers applied to my pair of LGB 2 axle coaches. These will be sealed with satin varnish but I couldn't help mocking them up to see what they would look like assembled.

2-axle coach repaints...

With the Kof conversion completed my attention turned to the pair of 2-axle coaches I have been reworking a second time. There were in a red promotional livery originally with flat roofs and yellow window frames. They are now olive green, oak window frames and now ended roofs. They'll be finished in an austere 1950s era EJ&KLR livery with small markings. They look great already behind Elly's Stainz...

Kof boxed off...

Well apart from a few detail parts and a touch of weathering around the exhaust at some point the LGB Liliput Kof / Dieselok V3 bash is finished. The body is attached to the chassis (I cheated and glued it) and the box is modified so that it fits snugly for transport.