Coal firing on the Moel Rhos

https://peertube.tv/videos/watch/0e3c5a56-1fda-4482-9eb2-db21803df636

New Arrival (2): Coal Fired DJB Ragleth

While live steam is already wonderful, and has its own challenges and rewards, making the steam with coal (rather than gas, as on my other locos) has always been another ambition. So when I spotted a dealer offering this second hand Accucraft Ragleth, converted by the renowned DJB Engineering, I decided I couldn’t let it pass.

Two locos just months apart? In my defence: coal fired locos are rarer and pricier. There is a more limited choice of coal fired available. The dual challenges of money and time are always an issue: while there are excellent (conversion) kits around, they’re time consuming to build (and even then the kits are not cheap) and for many of the more attractive ‘ready to run’ options, you have to supply a suitable donor loco to be fitted with the coal boiler etc. and many of the suitable locos no longer being produced… And then this Ragleth (which unconverted was one of the original locos I had shortlisted when I bought my first steamer) popped up, almost within my current budget, and it was converted and ready to run on coal straight away. What was I to do?

This was just three weeks ago, but frustratingly, of course, when it arrived I couldn’t steam it up, as I didn’t have any of the appropriate equipment – it was like my first gas fired loco all over again. But this time the friends I have made in the hobby rallied around, not only generous with their advice but in giving me coal to fire it, and lending me an electric blower (required for making the draft as you get the fire up). Paul Bailey at DJB was hugely helpful providing excellent advice and a copy of the comprehensive and detailed original manual.

So this week, after oiling the motion and topping up the water and lubricator, I half filled the firebox with meths-soaked charcoal, popped the blower on the chimney, and then popped a lit lump of charcoal on top. I tried not to be impatient and open the firebox door too much, and when (relatively quickly, though it felt an age) I had enough pressure on the dial (around 20 psi) I opened the steam blower and took the electric blower off. The fire grew quickly, I started adding coal, and soon enough I was able to start running.

I actually kept the fire in for an hour, although much of the first part of that was fiddling with it rather than running, and I only let it out because I had run out of time myself. But running light, I was pleased with the way the loco ran, and the feeling of satisfaction in managing the fire as well as running is something else. There’s even a whiff of that coal smell of the real thing. And this loco also has a DJB whistle and a pop safety valve.

So yes, this is my fifth steamer, and while it’s another manual loco just like my first, the coal power makes it a whole new experience, and one which I am itching to repeat as soon as I have a moment.

#16mmngm #GardenRailways

New Arrival (1): Roundhouse Katie

Not just one new steamer has arrived on the Moel Rhos this year, but two, the first of which is this Roundhouse Katie. I’ve wanted a Katie for the Moel Rhos for 10 years, when I was inspired by the loco Chris Bird fitted with a slomo, as I wrote back then. I wrote back then “It’s not a contender because (with R/C and slomo) it is more than 3 time my budget”. But earlier this year, spotting one (without slomo) at an attractive price on a popular auction site, I took a punt, and it joins the fleet as No 11.

It’s even the same colour as the one in the Summerlands video! It’s not a youngster (18 years old) but Roundhouse are very good at supplying parts should I need it… and I was prepared for some upgrading to be required.

However, this was the video I took on the day the postie dropped it off.

It runs well, sometimes occasionally getting stuck in one direction if it stops in a certain position. I may get a Cylinder Service Kit from Roundhouse to sort this but to be honest, it’s not stopped me having fun running it – and I have been so slow in blogging about this new arrival that it’s been almost six months. Indeed I think the issue has improved with running.

I already have three steam locos: two geared which are excellent slow runners, and a manual loco, which has its charm and its limitations. The different qualities that this loco will bring, will be direct drive (and the accompanying chuff – it has a chuff pipe fitted already) with radio control and good slow starting and stopping, for which I will need an SSP Slomo (now back in production with Wilson Locomotives, so I will be contacting them about getting hold of one).

It has to have a whistle of course, but with Regner whistles fitted between the frames on my other locos, this time I intend to fit a DJB whistle which is mounted on the cab front in the correct place for a real whistle, with the sound coming out of the correct place. Some clever engineering apparently results in the sound resonating down to the correct frequency.

So far, however, I have done very little except take it to several meet-ups and enjoyed running it at home. The only thing I’ve done is remove the vinyl lining – I am very taken with the Roundhouse blue (and many friends have commented on the colour) so I think I will be adopting this as the Moel Rhos loco livery. It is still running with nameplates (unfortunately rather firmly fixed on) as “Lady Enya” but I have a new name in mind for this loco when I manage to prise them off…

News of the second new arrival will follow shortly…

#16mmngm #GardenRailways

A Roundhouse Katie for the Moel Rhos

https://peertube.tv/videos/watch/76d9aa19-22fb-4327-b25a-166b230e1ac6

Morgan the Organ on Tour

https://peertube.tv/videos/watch/d2bf34fc-6cee-455e-86dc-b7e8979fd1a2

Renewing the Trackbed

I mentioned recently much of the line had been lifted for new trackbed, and I’ve now finished and relaid. The original trackbed design was motivated by the ‘overgrown’ aesthetic and in particular wanting moss to grow.

The moss got rampant enough to derail trains, but the key problem was the sub-base/rowlands mix around and underneath the track was porous enough for dirt to percolate down and quickly nourish the weeds trying to grown in and around the sleepers. Couch grass, brambles, ground elder and much more quickly established itself and if you weren’t quick, pulling it out would pull an entire track panel with it.

So I dug the sub-base out (not easy – but it went to a new home under a new path elsewhere) and following a more conventional design laid in breeze blocks, mortaring the gaps. This has provided a much more solid, level trackbed that has improved running, and so far is easy to keep clear.

I haven’t yet ballasted and that will be the next task. I want ballast for the appearance, but it needs to be held solid so I can brush it vigorously, to keep it clean of the kind of dirt that the weeds like to take hold in. I’m going to test horticultural grit held down with SBR, maybe with sharp sand in the mix. I may also give chicken grit a try…

#16mmngm #GardenRailways

The 3D model “Multi Height Couplings For HGLW LB1”, was just updated!

#16mmngm #GardenRailways

October ’24 Meeting at the Brockhampton and Umbridge Railway

This last of the ‘catch-up’ posts from our 2024 meetings is about our October gathering at the Brockhampton and Umbridge. The weather held out for us and we benefited from the low autumn light meeting this late in the year. When the clouds looked threatening, we were able to retreat to the cosy garden accommodation to eat a wonderful lunch spread. And we ran lots of trains around the extensive model village at the heart of this line.

There are also a lot more of Simon’s photos in his web album of the meet-up.

#16mmngm #BrockhamptonUmbridgeRailway #GardenRailways

September ’24 Meeting at the Hoffnant Valley Railway

Another ‘catch-up’ post from last September, when the group returned to the Hoffnant Valley railway. Despite an iffy forecast and a few drops of rain, the weather held up and we ran a great many trains (as well as drinking a great deal of tea and coffee and and eating a great deal of food). The line has two independent loops and there is a pond in the middle for scenic – and wildlife – interest.

Video from this meeting… has yet to be edited! We’ll do a future update (hopefully before too long) to post this when it’s ready.

There are also a lot more of Simon’s photos in his web album of the meet-up.

#16mmngm #GardenRailways #HoffnantValleyRailway

September ’24 Meeting at the Derwen Fawr Railway

Another ‘catch-up’ post, from last September when the group made its first visit to the Derwen Fawr railway. As well as a raised running loop, this links to a portable Inglenook shunting puzzle. This caused a fair amount of head scratching with members trying to arrange the wagons to the order determined by counters drawn at random, within the constraints imposed by the length of the sidings… Meanwhile on the loop plenty of trains ran – both live steam and electric.

There are also a lot more of Simon’s photos in his web album of the meet-up.

#16mmngm #DerwenFawrRailway #GardenRailways