DESIGN and CONSTRUCTION PAGES
Scale
Construction Information
Profiling
Boxes and tanks
Practical Tips.
Powered Rail Rolls
Constructing Points
De-rusting 'Alice's tender
Miscellanious Data
1/4 ton Side Tipping Wagons

OTHER PAGES
H.S.E. Guidance on 'Safe operation of miniature railways, traction engines and road vehicles'
Hand Signals
Miniature Steam Locomotive Management
Dad's Page
Aidan's Page
Photo Album of Miniature Steam
Chat about Chatter
The Great Dorset Steam Fair 2003 where we built a temporary 10 1/4" railway
Great Dorset '04
Gala at the Evesham Vale Light Railway 2004

LINKS PAGE

Update 24th July 2009

Jordi Gill has sent a dozen photos of his completed Pullman in 10 1/4" - take a look (towards the bottom of his page...) Jordi's Railcar and Pullman - even the upholstery is beautifully done!

A rather unusual rail vehicle born of necessity (...about 3/4 of a tonne)

Update 28th March 2009

My apologies - I'm afraid I've been ill for some time - nothing too serious - but quite enough to take the edge off things.... I hope to get back into my stride soon.
Meanwhilst, No 2's boiler should be ready - I need to make a phone call about that - but I've not been down into the workshop for months.

It looks to me that the Railway Channel as it was has folded - at least I can't find it.... A great pity - it was a gallant effort, and very enjoyable - but obviously wasn't generating any money - these things do take time and money to produce.... Good luck to Mark Found.....However - Andy Sleigh e-mailed me to say that Mark has up-loaded the films onto YouTube - and you can find them here - The Railway Channel - On YouTube so all is not lost!

There are more photos of Jordi's amazing railcar - it's an inspiration! Jordi's Railcar

The last engineering show I went to I saw more beautiful lost wax castings in stainless steel from PNP in 10 1/14" - scale 2 3/16 to the foot - extraordinary! Buffers, brake gear, couplings etc....

Station Rd Steam have produced their prototype 'bagnall'/freelance ready-to-run loco in 7 1/4" - an excellent piece of design and workmanship, priced at under £10,000 - a really useful loco....

...and just to show the quality of the beast...

OLD NEWS

Update 2nd November

I've put some pdf drawings on the site
'ALICE'
2-4-2 T Loco Kit
1/4 ton Side Tipping Wagons

And I've finally got round to ordering a boiler for 'The Priest'. Having been thoroughly impressed with Franklin & Bell (as they were) I decided not to mess about, and go straight back to Bell Boilers just outside Gloucester. 'Alice's boiler has been a really good steamer, and faultless in the build, and so I reckon I'll get the same this time round - added to which, Wayne Bell is a delight to do business with anyway. A really nice chap.

I had drawn out the rough dimensions of the boiler I wanted, and armed with that drawing I popped round to Bell Boilers unannounced.............
For the rest of us into slightly bigger stuff, Adrian from Engineers Emporium has produced two more norrow gauge type locos. I think they're both on the same chassis, which is a four wheel petrol (5hp) hydrostatic drive, which he can supply complete (just the motorised chassis, that is) for just over £1500 I believe (best you check with him.....). Adrian also had some brilliant examples of CNC work he can do as a competitive solution to producing coupling rods (for instance) machined in 3 dimensions, including boring for crank pins! I'm also going to talk to him about suitable castings for cylinders for the 'Priest' - so people have the option of cast or fabricated.......

ALSO

The Blue Castle 2-4-2 'Priest' starts taking shape (this is the third of four 2-4-2's so far being built.)

TALYLLYN/CORRIS No 3 - LOOKING STUNNING.....

UPDATE 1st August - I've only had time to do a few bits and pieces... 'No.2' - 'The Priest' page 3

At present, there are FOUR 2-4-2T versions of 'The Priest' in the early stages of construction by various people. I hope to be updated with regular pictures.

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Information on Radial Trucks (as opposed to 'Bissell' type pony trucks.) In Construction Information

BALDRY's RULE - how to work out where your pony-truck pivot should be..... (also in construction information)

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10 1/4" (and 7 1/4") Engineers Emporium Lister (Video) Adrian of the Engineers Emporium joined my brother Aidan at this years Great Dorset - and he brought his Lister along -powered by a genuine Lister D engine..... He's already had an order for one more in 10 1/4" ...(2.7MB)-

This brilliant little Lister. It has a single cylinder Lister D engine (hopper cooled), driving through a hydrostatic box. Very simple, very useful and very authentic....
It's about time someone found a good use for all those listers kicking around....., and he can sort you with tipper wagons for it to pull as well!
THE ENGINEERS EMPORIUM is producing cast brake blocks in a variety of different sizes - so I've ordered a set for 'The Priest'. I was going to make a pattern and get them cast - but why bother? Also of interest, they're producing some cylinder castings (....a few years too late....xx~#*x!) up to 4" bore and 6" stroke - either as raw castings or fully machined! . Adrian also sells Cast Cylinder Liners of many sizes - which will be very useful for builds, re-builds and problem solving. Other items..... wheels, bearings, bogies, hydrostatic transmissions, gauge glasses etc. etc. - not to mention the Lister that he's now doing (you'll have to phone him or catch him at an exhibition for that one!) He's become a primary resource....
( I have no connection at all with the Engineers Emporium other than as a customer, and I like what they're doing in our size)

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I've had an enquiry asking if there are any plans out there for 10 1/4" standard gauge locos..... are there? Please do get it touch.
Presumably there are at least Bassett Lowke 'Royal Scot' drawings somewhere.....!

Otherwise, does anyone have any proven plans that we could draw up on AutoCad perhaps?

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Great News regarding the Evesham Macmillan Ward - thanks to the intervention of Peter Luff, the MP, the ward has been saved from closure. I hope that few people will need it, but for those that do, it is absolutely indispensable

Dad on the last loco he got to drive......

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VIDEO CLIPS

Alice short video - a short test piece of 'Alice' storming up the 1 in 12 gradient at last year's Great Dorset (524KB)

Rudyard Lake Steam Railway - 'Pulborough' double heading with 'King Arthur' pull away from The Dam (2.34MB)

KING ARTHUR- Video of the beautiful new Exmoor built loco at RUDYARD LAKE (1.54MB)-

Engineers Emporium ListerVideo of the loco running at this years Great Dorset (2.7MB)-

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Diane and I share an interest in miniature railways- particularly 10 1/4" gauge. We are members of the South Downs Light Railway, which operates at the Wyvale Garden Centre at Pulborough, West Sussex, where our Bagnall, 'Alice', and various other bits of stock are resident. The South Downs Light Railway has the biggest collection of scale standard gauge locos in the country, and is now boasting a growing collection of narrow gauge stuff as well! We have in the region of ten locos in residence.
The railway is open to the public from March through to September at weekends and is always on the look out for committed members to work as Drivers, Guards, Station Masters etc.. So if you fancy working with the bigger stuff, please come along...... SOUTH DOWNS LIGHT RAILWAY

We also have a 100 foot of 'test track', dual gauge 10 1/4" and 7 1/4" at home, almost reaching the pavement, which adds a certain character to our street, we feel.
'Alice', our Bagnall occasionally visits, to the amusement of our neighbours, and 'Cutie', our 7 1/4" Maxitrack 0-4-2 is also resident.

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