Daylight Saving

Those living in Little Britain, remember to shift your clocks tonight by one hour. Here we have Deliberation Dave trying to work out which way to move the ancient stones.

Conspiracy Theory

Tin Hat Toby, part time shunter and full time conspiracy theorist, is mid-shunt with another tatty old wagon that’s ended up at Whimsy Pit. 

Toby’s yellow helmet is lined with lead and aluminium to help block Bluetooth radio waves from those ‘12 inch to the foot giants’ who supposedly control the Land of the Inch High. All complete nonsense of course, I mean, really?

Meanwhile Bob Geeza Cat is trying to work out who the wagon was made by, he being quite an expert on such matters, something that might surprise regular readers. 

Initial thoughts are that it was built by the Parkside Wagon Works Company, or maybe The Mainline Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Co of Hong Kong. 

However, a quick look at the underside, something that is easy for Bob, he be being only around 1/4 of an inch high, has revealed that it was made by The Frank Hornby Toy Company of Margate at least 30 years ago. ‘Hornby’ being stamped onto the underside of the wagon, making identification simple. 

And finally, given its appalling state, which is odd seeing the wagon is nearly all made from injection moulded plastic, as to why it’s covered in rust is a mystery, or in Tin Hat Toby’s world, part of a wider conspiracy. 

~~~👀~~~

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Two Bob

Sunday morning, and national treasure, minority interest TV presenter and hobbyist, Uncle Bob arrives on the veranda of a scruffy old diesel locomotives with some wagons for Whimsy Pit. 

Uncle Bob is gathering information and material for his forthcoming TV programme aimed at boys with no friends and elderly socially challenged tweed clad men of a similar ilk who still live with ‘mother’. What about the girls may you ask? They’ve yet to be invented, the only ‘females’ being ‘mother’. 

Bob Geeza Cat, who thinks there’s only room for one ‘Bob’ in the Land of the Inch High, is giving our national treasure ‘the evils’, in an attempt to warm him off. But anyone who’s ever met gung-ho Uncle Bob, knows that he won’t be bothered by a cat with ideas above his station. Or litter tray this case. 

Meanwhile, Tin Hat Toby, part time shunter and full time conspiracy theorist is clutching his trusty well-buffed shunting pole, a skill he learned from Nasal Nigel who likes to clutch a TT scale Flying Scotsman. But unlike Nigel’s, it’s too big to fit in his pocket. 

And finally, over next to the winding house, if you zoom in, you can just make out Rufus Hound who’s being offered some edible treats from upmarket canine and feline snack providers Fishgut & Kibble, for he’s such a loveable hound, unlike the narcissistic cat who’s only in it for himself 🐾

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Supersonic Saturday

Supersonic Saturday…Okay, not quite, especially given the state of the track in The Forest. 

Propelled by Hubert the conversational Latin speaking horse, who as we know is very very strong (he’s out of shot at the far end of the train), a long retired APT ‘Advanced Passenger Train’ has arrived at Fountain Colliery. 

With declining coal sales, the colliery management have decided to branch out into railway themed holidays lets, and with the International Railway Museum offloading ‘assets’, this leaky mildew ridden train has presented a perfect opportunity as well as doing the museum a huge favour. 

And whilst it’s unlikely to appeal to families, it will almost certainly appeal to single elderly railway fanatics and armchair modellers seeking that exclusive escape from ‘Mother’. 

The more wealthy will be able to hire a whole coach to themselves, and the ones who’ve spent all their pocket money on DCC sound fitted Class 37s (in BR Banger Blue of course) will be able to hire a ‘double seat’ in the carriage of their choice. Single seats are of course available, along with ones without a window for the most penniless of socially challenged recluses, of which there are likely to be many. It’s likely that windows will need to be covered over to meet the demand for this category. 

The bathroom facilities, are broken and rather lacking. But that won’t be a problem, for the ‘clientele’ are unlikely worry about such things. And anyway, they can simply scuttle off in to the forest for any ablutions, or of course simply remain seated, their heavy hessian underwear given to them by mother taking care of such things. 

The Miners Arms will take care of catering, and they have erected a marquee in the beer garden for exclusive use of the holiday makers. For it’s unlikely that the regulars will want to mix with them, apart from Nasal Nigel of course. 

And finally, Bob Geeza Cat has wisely decided to stay on one of my other layouts today. For he’s such a clever cat 🐾

~~~👀~~~

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The Spring Equinox

It’s the Spring Equinox in the Land of the Inch High. The day when the day is as long as the night, and the night as long as the day, and occasionally something in between the two. 

You’ll have noticed that in inch high land it always looks like summer irrespective of the time of year, even though the Spring Equinox is usually in the spring. Though in 1883 it was a month earlier. Okay, I made that bit up to check that you’re still paying attention. 

Here we are around sunset with a rare photograph from when they briefly trialled an LMS Stanier 2-6-4 on the Highbridge line, as it makes easy work of the 6.05 Highbridge to Templecombe service. 

May you have an excellent equinox, whether it be spring or autumn, and for the few old hippies that read my drivel, I hope you have a lovely time chanting and dancing around your trainset, celebrating the fact that 99.8% of all model railways depict high summer. 

~~~👀~~~

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Wide Angle Wednesday

It’s Wide Angle Wednesday, and we’ve stuck the camera up on a pole up to capture a slightly elevated view of the wharf and sidings at Whimsy Pit. 

It’s fairly unremarkable day, but given what’s going on in the full sized real world, such days are rather nice, and hopefully not a thing of the past. 

Over to the left, there’s Hubert the conversational Latin speaking horse in conversation with Deliberation Dave. I’ve no idea what they’re on about, their inch high voices struggling to travel far. 

But if you put your ear close to your device speaker, you might be able to hear them, otherwise simply tap the screen and tell them to speak up. Maybe don’t do this if you’re in public, people might thing you odd, though to be fair you probably are if you’re reading the nonsense here. 

Pete on his Hunslet locomotive, is pushing a wagon around, it could be going in either direction, it’s tricky to tell from a stills photograph, though the vertical column of fake smoke would suggest it’s stationary and simply posed for this photo. 

Freddy the Flag, is also stationary, for any movement incurs the risk that he’ll sink in to the mud and get stuck. Though there is a mobile crane on standby just in case. 

Regulars will no doubt have spotted Bob Geeza Cat, who is being entertained by his ‘staff’, as they bring him some goodies to check out. The goodies are most likely contraband, have just arrived on the wheezing old steam freighter from the island Flat Holm, or maybe Steep Holm in the middle of the Bristol Channel. 

And finally, Harry the Hammer (Harry being a popular name in the Land of the Inch High) is waiting, poised ready to fix anything that breaks or malfunctions, for there’s nothing Harry can’t do with his trusty tool. 

~~~👀~~~

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Peat Bogs & Pit Props

What happens to all the old mining pit props when they’re no longer any good as a pit prop? They get collected by the ‘Never Ending Vodka Absinthe & Rum Distillery Company’ to burn and heat their moonshine stills. 

The illicit distillery have several temporary production locations around the Catcott and Burtle area of the Somerset Levels, the remote boggy landscape making it difficult for the not very long arm of the law to track them down and apprehend.

The odd time they do, they tend to get stuck and disappear in the peat bogs never to be seen again. Though they might in several thousand years time be found perfectly preserved by a future archaeological dig. 

~~~👀~~~

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It’s Titfield Thunderbolt Thursday!

 The little people have managed to put a train together much like the one in the celebrated film, quite surprising when you consider how chaotic and random the antics in the land of the inch high can be. But compared to our full sized world run by elderly narcissists, it’s positively sane. 

Barry Bullhead and Terry Tuttle-Thomas-Smythe are keen to sell their illicit booze on the small train which has a fully fitted bar, so here they are striking a deal with Colin who is a bit of a pushover. Sorted. 

Deliberation Dave is eyeing up the wonderful paint job on the coach, the fetching colours being decided by the half price sale at Brian & Quentin’s Hardware Emporium in Bridgwater, locally known as ‘B&Q’. 

Hubert the conversational Latin speaking horse is fresh back from a couple of days at The Cheltenham Festival and has been promised a ride in the brakevan. If he clenches tightly, he should just about be able to get through the door and enjoy the journey from the veranda as he mutters “Spero te mihi spatium habuisse; tenete me firmum, introeo!”

And finally, Bob Geeza Cat is away on business, no doubt striking a trade deal around tinned pilchards and illicit booze production. Of course he might just been having a nice snooze next to the stove in the brake van, after all, he is just a cat 🐾

~~~👀~~~

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Hot Box & Hot Chillies 🌶

It’s Saturday morning in Catcott Burtle goods yard, and a scruffy empty hopper wagon has just been dumped in the siding due to a hot box on the 8.09 pick up goods from Evercreech Junction. Such wagons are unusual in this part of the world, for they’re not really suited for wagonload coal deliveries in small yards like the one here at Catcott. 

Hopefully it will only be here temporarily whilst they await the arrival of Harry the Hammer, who I’m sure will be able to sort out the offending wagon with his trusty tool. 

Standing next to his red Triumph Roadster, we’ve not seen shifty local business man Terry Tuttle Thomas Smythe for a while. However there he is with his signature ‘look no hands’ pose, a skill he learned during his time in the Far East when he regularly physically handled hot chillies for a spice export business he was running, for holding one’s private part when going to the loo could be quite painful if not careful. 

‘TTTS’, as he’s usually known, a nickname he picked up his posh public boarding school, has heard about Bob Geeza Cat’s nefarious activities, and is looking at possibly going into business with Bob as a distributor. TTTS’ time spent at public school means that he has many super wealthy friends in high places, some no doubt with suspicious connections who’d love some mind altering tincture. 

To the right, that’s national treasure Uncle Bob who has just been given a few samples from the latest moonshine batch in the hope that his celebrity status within hobby circles could elevate the product. However, Uncle Bob has more of a liking for a nice chilled Gewürztraminer or Riesling. However the illicit spirit will be ideal for cleaning the track on a model railway he’s building for a minority interest television series he’s working on. 

And finally, over in the distance, could that be Red Rachel from The Ministry of U-turns disguised in striking new blue attire? 

~~~👀~~~

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Final Train on the S&DJR 6/3/1966

 60 years ago today on Sunday the 6th of March 1966, the former Somerset & Dorset Joint Rly network closed forever.

Here we are at Combwich, an unremarkable small town on the upper reaches of the river Parrett. It was hoped that it might become another Bristol of maybe even Minehead with the arrival of the railway, but alas not. It simply remaining a backwater serving Bridgwater, a slightly larger backwater. 

On this final day, there are several rail tours, but only this one has come to Combwich, and even it is hauled by a lowly goods train locomotive in the form of Bath shed’s 48560, one of a few Stanier 2-8-0s allocated to the Western Region of British Railways. 

However many of the regulars have come out to ride or to simply witness the sad sight as the locomotive reverses before running around its train of mostly lonely elderly musty tweed clad men and school boy trainspotters. 

And finally, those looking for the omnipresent Bob Geeza Cat, he’s away on more pressing business, for last trains are of little interest to him, they having no place in his world unless they’ve a cargo of tinned tuna, pilchards or more often than not, contraband. 

~~~👀~~~

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Whimsy Pit Might be on Television

Here we are back at Whimsy Pit, and Andrew and his Barclay locomotive have just deposited a scruffy 21 ton mineral wagon to collect some ‘stuff’ which has just been wheeled along from the pithead on the 18 inch-ish gauge tramway. 

Minority interest TV presenter, historian and national treasure, Uncle Bob is visiting today, that’s him standing there over to the right next to the mine tubs keenly watching activities. Bob is quite gung-ho and never shies away from getting right in to the action as you’ll no doubt have noticed. No hard hat of high vis for Uncle Bob.

Rumour has it that the LBBC (Little British Broadcasting Corporation) want to make a documentary about Whimsy Pit for a new railway series they’re working on called ‘Railway Carousel’, hence Uncle Bob visiting today. 

The series of programmes, aimed at lonely schoolboys and raincoat clad single late middle aged men with no friends, will be travelling the land of the inch high seeking out unusual little known railways and interviewing those who work on them. 

Whilst this will be wonderful rivet-counting television I’m sure, Whimsy Pit as a hub of nefarious activities might struggle hiding things from the all seeing film camera lens. 

And finally Bob Geeza Cat, is staring at his namesake thinking ‘there’s only room for one Bob in the land of the inch high, you might be a national treasure, but I’m watching you’.

~~~👀~~~

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Creating the Effect of Ash Ballast

Note the fine dull ballast on the track in the foreground and yard to the right.
This is very much a feature of railways from the steam era. Click photo to enlarge.

*I originally created this post way back in 2011, here is an updated post to reflect more recent materials.

Why cinders?

We’re not taking about the turn midnight, frogs and glass slippers here, but the days when steam reigned supreme! Before central heating but when we toasted crumpets in front of an open coal fire, coal was the backbone fuel of Britain as well as the major mineral handled by the railways. As a result of its extensive usage for powering and manufacturing things, the bi-product was ash and cinders – literally millions of tons of the stuff. Rather than waste it, one of the uses of this dusty plentiful product was to ballast sidings and little used railway lines. In some northern areas it was even used for ballasting mainlines where they had an even more plentiful supply due to the extensive coal fired industry.

Many steam era railway modellers ignore following the real world and tend to ballast their sidings with granite chippings as seen on main running lines. Some even include a ballast shoulder in railway yards which looks and is totally wrong. Frequently this error can be observed on layouts that utilise the finest scale and most accurately gauged track. I have a hunch this is due to people copying other model railways rather than observing pictures of the real thing, my other thought is that modellers simply do not know how to generate the effect?

The use of granite in sidings is only a feature modern times and as a rough rule of thumb should only used to create the appearance of track that has been laid or re-ballasted after the end of steam.

Technique

At first the above appears simple to replicate, simply use some fine dust like granular substance which isn’t illegal and spread it onto the track and dribble diluted PVA over. Those who have tried this will know that all that happens is that we end up with a mess as the glue forms dusty balls that refuse to sink in however much or expensive the washing up liquid is used to help break the surface tension.

Another technique which is likely also to remove any outstanding cranial hair is the use of plaster. Plaster can be used for big wide flat areas, but as soon as it goes anywhere near rails, sleepers and chairs, it will cling like molten ice cream does to a clean shirt better than barnacles do to a sunken wreck off the Needles. 

Do not despair; Das Modelling Clay is our savour, with its Plasticine like quality being ideal for packing down between sleepers to create that distinctive smooth effect which is so removed from that of granite.

DAS is are available from many model or craft shops, and is supplied in brick sized in air tight packs. Once opened it will dry out and spoil, so it’s a good idea to reseal it in some kitchen film after use. The most common colours are white and terracotta, neither of which is right unless one is using it for ballast the railway in a china clay works in which case choose white. We address the colour later so do not worry at this stage.

Application is simple but does take a little time – ‘good things come to those who wait’ as they say in that advert for a well known stout. The same can be said for this.....

Firstly paint your sleepers and rail sides then ballast to just under sleeper height using your usual favoured paint and ballast; I favour sieved sand because it’s nice and fine. Then drench in the time honoured way using diluted PVA white glue and allow it to properly set. 

 

Next comes the fun bit (OK, just a little better than swimming in the freezing sea in January); scoop or break off a tea spoon sized lump of clay and using fingers and thumbs press down and spread it over the existing ballast and between the sleepers and tracks working on 2 or 3 inches a time.

Once it’s fairly even, with a stiff brush (a 1 inch decorators’ one will do or one of those cheap kiddies’ brushes) pack it into place between the sleepers much like a dentist does when packing a new filling, taking care to avoid getting clay onto the sides of the rail and chairs. Repeat until your whole area is covered, I suggest doing this is dribs and drabs to get a break and to appraise the progress. When working on wider areas like between tracks or in a yard, it is a good idea to paste on a thin layer of PVA to help the clay adhere to the surface. As the clay dries it may lift or crack a little, if so push it back into place with a thumbnail or back of a spoon.

Once fully set, any outstanding cracks can be dealt with smearing in some fresh clay or wetting the surface and smudging over with a thumb.Once you’re satisfied with the result you’ll want to colour what you’ve done. For this you can use your favoured medium of matt enamel, matt acrylic, or my favourite – matt interior emulsion. I like matt emulsion because it’s easy to get hold of from D-I-Y superstores with the loss of so many model shops. No need to buy big tins, use the little match pots, there are all sorts of dull earthy colours that are far more suited to our uses than painting walls. I guess this is one positive bi-product of all these faddy TV programmes where they transform bright cheery rooms into dull and often gaudy caverns.

Click photo to enlarge.

Adding a little static grass is a good touch. 
Click photo to enlarge.

What colours you choose is up to you; I prefer to use paler grey and beige tones, using the darker shades around the track, blending to lighten the open areas. good touch once you’re happy with the colouring of the clay and sleepers is to dry brush on some rust (not too red though) to highlight the rails and chairs. The use of pale shades not only helps the sunny dusty effect often seen in summer, but also has the bonus of making a layout look bigger – and that is never a bad thing.

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Moonshine at Mass

Padre Patrick, deposed priest (due to swapping Altar wine for 180% proof moonshine at Mass), and now artisan fish-paste maker, is on unofficial shunting duties today helping Andrew and his Barclay locomotive around the colliery sidings. 

Though curiously when Patrick was in charge of Sunday evening Mass it was hugely popular, so much so that they’d often queue for miles to get in to the church. Well, from The Miners Arms anyway. 

Lack of maintenance, means that throwing a point (switch for my ‘Merican viewers) is always a bit of a lottery, so Patrick always says a little prayer to help it on its way. 

This is usually followed by quite unsuitable language, of the type that I can’t reproduce here, for as regulars will know, this is a family page, with some of you being as young as 73 and still living with Mother. 

~~~👀~~~

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Moonshine Express

It’s Sunday morning, and it’s the launch of the new ‘Moonshine Express’ as the crew line up for inspection and final briefing before the whistle blows for departure. 

Even the engine runs on moonshine, for whilst it looks like a fireless locomotive, steam is created by burning moonshine, which is so much cleaner than coal, and of course in the land of the inch high hugely abundant. 

Onboard in addition to bottomless moonshine on tap, there is rather average entertainment in form of a ukulele duo performed by Chris & Chris, that’s them on the platform in matching attire. It should have been a solo act, but an error in the 3D printing ordering system created 2 rather average and somewhat irritating performers, when to be honest  just one ukulele player and crooner is more than enough for anyone. 

Those who’ve suffered a ‘uketroupe’ performance, usually the last act at a village summer fete (to make people want to go home), will know there’s limit to how many times you can put up with Bad Moon Rising and Folsom Prison Blues in the key of C played at 257 beats for minute. 

Any ukulele players here will know that everything in the ukulele world is in the key of C, that being the law ever since George Formby gave up leaning on a lamp post because dogs kept wanting to use him as toilet. 

As finally, Benny and Rufus Hound are covering for Bob Geeza Cat, adding compositional balance and interest to the right side of the frame. Benny wearing his waterproof trousers just in case Rufus wants to use him as a lamp post. 

~~~👀~~~

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Cat Litter Train

 

Sometime in the mid noughties, Class 60, no 60026 is caught ready to depart Cement Quay with freshly quarried cat litter for the not very well known ‘Kitty Fresh’ factory near Catford in Southeast London. Being lightweight, high sided wagons can be used like the ones here. 

Former film and television critics Barry & Norman, are now employed by EWS to pose in photographs due to the location being popular with Class 60 trainspotters and photographers. 

Bob Geeza Cat, taught them everything they need to know, including always standing next to each other for greater compositional impact. It’s rumoured that Bachmann based their high vis orange clad little people on Barry & Norman, but in toy train land there are many rumours, so it’s probably complete nonsense much like this post. 

However, Class 60s are almost as popular as Class 37s, with many hobbyists collecting as many as they possibly can in miniature to place on their overcrowded TMD layouts. 

Enthusiasts love the Class 60, because like the Class 37, it’s a proper British built locomotive, unlike those pesky Canadian Class 66 interlopers which make silly ‘ying ying’ noises all the time.

This is a scene on Cement Quay which I built back in 2006, it depicting a little bit of what was then the current railway scene. I no longer have the layout, for it now lives with a pal somewhere north of the Pennines where there be wild Haggis and where you can buy ready mixed tartan paint over the counter.

Uncle Bob

Wednesday morning at Brew Street, and railway historian and minority interest TV presenter Uncle Bob, Hard Hat Hartley, Bob Geeza Cat and Harry Hunslet pose for a photo in front of an old wagon that’s somehow managed to avoid a repaint since the 1920s.

Want your very own Uncle Bob?

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Milky Monday

Milky Monday

 

It’s a lovely sunny morning at Ankle Bend level crossing just outside Combwich, as the morning goods arrives from Highbridge. Little Eddie, part time ’Teddy Boy’ and weekend hell raiser is at the helm of one of Templecombe shed’s ex GWR pannier tank locomotives. 

 

Milky Malcolm patiently waits at the crossing for the gates to open. He’s performing his daily round delivering cheese, cream and of course milk to whoever requires such. He also sells moonshine in special opaque white milk bottles to disguise the clear boozy contents. The moonshine bottles have a green crimped foil top to differentiate them from the more familiar gold and silver topped milk bottles.

Malcolm occasionally gets the milk and moonshine mixed up, for he is colour blind and unable to differentiate between green and gold. This isn’t helped if the customer isn’t paying attention, also colour blind or simply drunk. But nobody ever complains, apart from those specifically wanting the green topped bottles. 

 

He struggles with traffic lights as well, but luckily in this part of rural Somerset, such devices are few and far between, and with so little traffic they’re usually ignored anyway - much like many of today’s righteous spandex clad urban warrior cyclists do. 

 

Due to one of Malcolm’s errors, a Women's Institute tea party last week was quite a riotous event by all accounts, with much jollity and cake throwing, as the normally straight-laced twin-set wearing, walnut cake loving social climbing ladies of a certain age supped their hooch laced Earl Grey tea. 

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Fuggy Friday

Tap to enlarge 

It’s Fuggy Friday

Following on from yesterday’s post…..

Deep in The Forest around sunrise it’s a little smoggy and fuggy, it being a mix of morning mist, wood and coal fire smoke, wild boar farts, and Capstan Full Strength. 

Overnight, the wagon loaded with all sorts of illicit goodies has managed to travel the rail network undetected, though a little bribery helps wonders, especially at 3am when nothing much is going on to upset timetabled workings. 

The Miners Arms has a very convenient siding, allowing the wagon to be unloaded nice and close to the pub. And as we can see, everything and everyone are well coordinated in getting the bounty to the bar in time for the lunchtime opening. 

And for those who’ve missed our favourite granny Beryl, you’ll notice that she’s back after a few weeks on Flat Holm enjoying a well earned break as well as boosting the moral of those who work there. 

That’s her standing next to her trusty Austin Seven and Arthritic Arthur who appears to have done his back in again. Beryl should really be less demanding of Arthur. 

What happens in The Forest, stays in The Forest….

~~~👀~~~

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Return to the Miners Arms

 Here we are again at Whimsy Pit and wharf. 

The pit is a sort of sham, it being mostly used for storage of illicit booze and dodgy smuggled items. Though it does produce a tiny quantity of coal, just enough to tick enough boxes to satisfy The Ministry of Mayhem, though 90% of the coal mined is used just to keep the water pumps throbbing way so the mine doesn’t flood. 

On the locomotive, Waving Willy under the watchful eye of Rufus Hound is about to collect a wagon destined for Fountain Colliery. This wagon is also a sham, for those with good eyesight will be able to pick out ‘Return to the Miners Arms’, it being nothing to do with the nearby Fountain Colliery. The wagon is used for smuggled goods, mostly casks of illicit booze destined for the pub mentioned. All hidden under a light coal load of course. 

The wooden casks about to be loaded, have just been rolled off the coastal steam freighter which recently arrived from Flat Holm (formerly known High Holm until a devastating moonshine explosion). Regular readers of my nonsense will know that the islands of Flat Holm and Steep Holm in the middle of The Bristol Channel have been used for illicit booze production for several hundred years, well, rumour has it anyway. 

Next, the casks will be craned in to the wagon, but the harness used to hold the casks appears to have gone missing. It’s possible that Nasal Nigel who was spotted nearby recently has something to do with this, for he loves being trussed up like a Christmas turkey clutching his TT scale Flying Scotsman which he’s modified so it can run off mains voltage. 

But fear not, Steve and his trusty spanner has just arrived to cobble something together, for there’s nothing Steve can’t do with his trusty tool which he always has by his side. 

As soon as the sun sets, the little engine and its load will be on its way avoiding being spotted, covertly travelling the rail network after dark back to The Miners Arms. 

And finally, although this engine is ‘fireless’, is has a tiny internal combustion engines to allow it to reach its destination when it runs out of pufferty puff. And there we are being lead to believe that this range extending ‘hybrid’ technology is something new. 

~~~👀~~~

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The Beast of Sedgemoor

Poke to enlarge 

Unlike in full sized England, which is now officially twinned with Atlantis due to all the rain, here at Whimsy Pit it’s a beautiful hot sunny day. 

Former publican, now turned conversational Latin speaking horse whisperer Shamus O’Shandy, is asking Hubert the conversational Latin speaking horse if he’d like to have a day out fishing in his new rowing boat. That’s it up against the wall next to Benny who’s counting old cartwheel spokes just in case the number has changed overnight. Which they do from time to time oddly enough. 

However Hubert, who is such a clever horse, suggests that it might be a little too small for the both of them, especially if they catch a really huge fish or spy submarine causing them to capsize. And anyway, Hubert much prefers to be on dry land as he mutters something about seahorses and webbed hooves. 

Meanwhile, Freddy the Flag standing next to Driver Peter and his Peckett locomotive is keeping an eye out for The Beast of Sedgemoor which was spotted by several people overnight around pub closing time roaming the bogs. Though that might just be the effect of a night out on moonshine laced rough scrumpy cider which is known for its hallucinogenic qualities. 

And finally, smoke fanatics will notice how both the steam freighter in the distance and the locomotive have an almost identical smoke pattern. Such synchronised firemanship skills takes years to learn, and I hope you agree they’ve really pulled it off this morning to an Olympic level. 

~~~👀~~~

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Fully Compensated Chassis Saturday

 

It’s Fully Compensated Chassis Saturday 

Here we are at Polbrook Gurney Colliery, and a few of the inch high are off on a trip to Bath for a pub crawl. 

As they wait for their service to Binegar where they’ll change for the Bath train, the daily Frome to Highbridge via Evercreech Junction pick up goods rumbles through. 

After their pub crawl they’ll stop over in Bath for the weekend and probably have several more pub crawls before returning Monday morning. For trying to get back to Polbrook any time after 5pm is always a challenge with poor connections and a head of booze. 

The reality, the 4F is one of my oldest locomotives, it’s a ready to run Airfix loco bought around 45 years ago from Beatties in Southampton. It’s since had a replacement Comet chassis, a repaint, renumber and much of the moulded detailing replaced with wire etc. I think it still stands its ground, as well as running a complete dream with the most incredible pulling power due to chassis compensation. 

Toot toot

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Thank you those who occasionally 👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/Nevardmedi3

Rapido Fireless Andrew Barclay 0-4-0

 

Tap to blow up big 

Today we’re back again at Whimsy Pit and wharf. 

A fireless Andrew Barclay No.2 has managed to covertly make the journey all the way overnight from Brew Street (see yesterday’s post) to collect a few tatty old wagons containing illicit goods, some of which is believed to have come by the old steam freighter in the background from the tax free island of Flat Holm (formerly known as High Holm until the great moonshine explosion of 1893). 

Due to the limited range of a fireless locomotive and lack of facilities to recharge the reservoir, you’ll note that it appears to have been fitted with a mast (and hopefully sail) allowing it to continue on its journey, wind direction and strength permitting, whilst finding a route without tunnels and bridges. 

Rumour has it electric car manufacturers are looking at this range extending option too. But of course low bridges and overhead motorway signage will have to be avoided. 

Meanwhile Blue Maggie (estranged half twin sister of Red Rachel) is chatting about smashing the equine unions with the Hubert the conversational Latin speaking horse who today is in charge of mine tubs. This could potentially end in a strike with all railway and mining horses walking out. 

And finally, today Rufus Hound is covering for Bob Geeza Cat in adding compositional interest and balance to photographs. 

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Thank you those who occasionally 👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/Nevardmedi3

Lost False Teeth

It’s a lovely sunny summery Front End Friday at Whimsy Pit and wharf, and shunter Colin is looking for his false teeth that fell out whilst shouting out instructions to the engine crew who are retrieving some ancient side tipping wagons used for spoil removal. 

Bob Geeza Cat is having a day off, but despite this, never turns down the offer to pose in photographs like this one to balance or add interest. 

Meanwhile Beryl’s Austin 7 is about to be carefully moved out of the way by the Ruston Bucyrus front shovel after she abandoned it hastily rushing for the boat to Flat Holm in the middle of the Bristol Channel well over a week ago. 

She’s not been seen since, so she’s probably still on the island helping the younger more strapping moonshiners, for she loves a ‘young strapping man who can’. 

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Thank you those who occasionally 👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/Nevardmedi3

The Man Cave

Tab to blow up 

Part of my railway room, and 3 of my smaller layouts. I have a similar set up on the other side of the room with Catcott and Polbrook Gurney Collery. 

The ones here, from left to right are; Whimsy Pit, Fountain Colliery, a mini product photography booth and Brew Street. 

They’re all removable, fully operational and can be attached to fiddle/staging yards should I ever take them to an exhibition. Fountain Colliery and Brew Street can be joined together end to end to make a bigger layout. 

They all have built in photography grade lighting. For some reason my iPhone has made the skies appear far more blue than they actually are. 

When they’re all lit up like this, I’m sure the neighbours think I’m growing something dodgy or have a strange tropical fish tank collection.