A day at the Bodmin and Wenfordbridge Railway-April 2022.

A few days in Cornwall saw a couple of visits to Preserved railways.

Second was a day on the Bodmin Railway. First a trip from Bodmin General to Boscarne Junction then, after a lunch break, back at Bodmin General we departed to Bodmin Parkway- arriving just as the GWR service departed towards Plymouth.

Please excuse the picture heavy post which shows several detail views.

Incidentally the loco was ex-WD Bagnall 0-6-0 2766.

 

 

The block placed at Bodmin Parkway to lock the points towards General!

 

 

One of the two Class 50 loco's on site- sorry I missed the name and number.

0 gauge BR 16Ton Toad.

The transfers have arrived from Railtec and they are, as usual, superb.

https://www.railtec-models.com/index.php

 After looking at and area where S&DJR, Southern and GWR could be found (just renewed modellers licence!). I also wanted a branded Toad to accompany my Minerva BR 57XX Pannier Tank. 

Very pleased with the result, just needs Sprat and Winkles fitted and its ready for service.

Further news is that I now have sufficient 0 gauge points to construct a new 0 gauge layout. Slightly larger than Cringle Street Goods but still a manageable size.

 

00 gauge Watershoot Bay fiddle yard.

 Aligning the tracks on any layout has always called for some ingenuity.

Whilst the tracks line up satisfactorily current still needs to be transferred to the chosen track. So, this time some square brass tube has been soldered to a basethrough which a square peg can be passed through and provide current transfer.

Once cleaned up, the parts are soldered together- my 25Watt iron is slightly underpowered for this job.

Once glued and tacked to the board and sector plate it provides a secure alignment system. Just need to wire in the connecting wires.

0 gauge wagons for S&DJR.

Three wagons to add to the S&DJR fleet.

A couple of Dapol offerings, one 5 plank and a 7 plank. Although somewhat fanciful they were repaints- one poorly- which I already posessed so no need to purchase more.

The third is a Slaters Midland Van which has been re-branded.

All have spurious numbers gleaned from transfer sheets from previous builds.

All with Sprat & Winkle couplings.

 

0 Gauge 16Ton ex GWR Toad..

Slowly progressing with the PECO 16Ton BR Toad build- transfers have been ordered from Railtec.  Bits and pieces carried out so that once transfers are applied the whole can be varnished and roof fitted.

 

0 Gauge Dapol S&DJR 3F numbered.

That nice man at Railtec Transfers- also Steve- swiftly delivered the numbering transfers.

An exact match for the lettering on the loco as delivered so the loco is now complete.

The smokebox numbers are from a random transfer sheet and the lamp from Springside models.

I have fitted bars to front and back to facilitate coupling to Spratt and Winkle fitted goods stock.

 

0 gauge Midland Railway Brake Van for S&DJR.

Three of these Midland Railway Brake Vans were supplied to the Somerset and Dorset to replace ageing stock. They were absorbed back to the LMS after grouping.

This one will be branded as a S&DJR wagon to accompany the Jinty and wagons.

This kit is a Parkside by PECO offering and goes together well. However, the brake mechanism instruction is not particularly , to me, clear. However, help is at hand as the construction of this kit is covered in PECO'S Into to 0 Gauge bookazine.

 

 

Again handrails are brass wire formed to fit holes drilled where indentations are moulded.

Twelve holes each side and it is very easy to get the side handrails to bow if slightly too long!

0 gauge PECO AA3 Western Region Brake Van.

This is a Peco 0 Gauge 16Ton ex-GWR Brake Van under construction.

It is to accompany 5764 the Minerva 57XX Pannier Tank in BR early crest livery.

 There is also a small rake of wagons in BR livery but, to date, no brake van was posessed.

Until now! The kit is straight forward to construct, parts fitting together well. Instructions are sparse but sufficient if time is taken.

 

 

The time consuming part, except for waiting for adhesive to dry, is the handrails.

17 holes have to be drilled out for half a millimetre wire to be fitted- then the wire has to be shaped to size.

The start of fitting shown here- not my finest but a used feel to them.

The effect is really quite pleasing after a coat of grey primer which will also be the finish.

The buffers , draw gear and glazing are still to be fitted. These will be added once the transfers are fitted and the whole varnished.

A location must be decided upon as the name can be obtained from Railtec.

A guard is also waiting for completion.