The first steps - so to speak!

Well what is all this you might think, but I have always wanted a train set  - a little bit late perhaps but now seems as  good a time as any.

I think what really set me off on the route of ‘garden railways’ (garden what you might say?) was our visit to Tywyn in Wales this year (see out Travel Blog for more fascinating details!).

We took the opportunity at Tywyn to visit the preserved railway and on site there is also a garden railway layout which fortunately was being well used at the time and we were both fascinated by the steam locomotives - that people run in their gardens. Hence the term ‘garden railways’.

I wont bore you (just yet) with the technical ins and outs on scales, boiler pressures and gauges etc but when you look at these little engines you really do have to admire the quality of the build. The fact that they are steam driven, with butane gas being the main propellant for heating the boiler in the vast majority of loco’s I have researched, they are a big attraction. 

Of course with me being an ex Queens stoker (!!!) in the Royal Navy for 10 years when ships were made of steel - men made of Watneys Red Barrel - and the ships were all steam driven - its a natural progression albeit 40 years adrift! ...

... I digress….!

Since the summer, and what a glorious one it was, I have carried out considerable research into ‘garden railways’. This meant of course lots of spreadsheets produced to analyse a myriad of issues the primary one being - what gauge do I go for 32mm or 45mm - so I have gone with 32mm. I know, I said I wasn’t going to bore you!

I managed to hunt down some local garden railway enthusiasts who were most helpful and spurred me on to greater things so much so I purchased my first steam locomotive just two weeks ago. 

'Phyllis' - 30cm long x 15 cm high

Sheila had given her full approval and of course with her own interest in ‘things small’ (!!) it enhances the whole experience and means I can almost shop till I drop. Too late I have!

So ‘we’ have a locomotive, a plan for the garden railway layout has been sketched out, I have joined various groups and associations - just need lots of track and enhance my building/modelling skills - significantly!

Saturday 22nd October saw us both visit the Exeter Garden Railway Show where last year over a 1000 people passed through the doors, and this year seemed just as busy. The show has lots on display both to watch and also purchase - so of course we did, and came away with various paraphernalia including two wagon kits. They are now in the cupboard waiting for a rainy day to test my build skills.

The next day, fully prepared (or so I thought) with all the equipment to get me on the rails and put steam in the boiler we headed off to the South Devon Railway at Buckfastleigh, which is also home to the South Devon Garden Railway Group. 

A very cold day several members were already steaming up and after a few hiccups and lots of advice (thankfully) - we were off - ‘Phyllis’ hit the tracks under command of her new owner for the first time! Once steam is raised everything is operated via a radio controller (transmitter) which makes things so much more easier and more fun to enjoy.

Incidentally ‘Phyllis’ is a ‘Roundhouse - ‘Silver Lady’ class of narrow gauge steam locos and one of her class was recently star of a Channel 4 TV documentary. You can see a brief montage from that programme HERE. 

Back at the track and three hours later after a few more hiccups, lots of point changing and careful navigation of the system I had succeeded in running under a full head of steam for some time - and no ‘major’ incidents. (Big thanks to Richard and David for their assistance). A successful first day.

All puffed out!

Back home it was time to give the loco a service and prepare her for the next run, in the meantime, update the spreadsheet and open the catalogues - we have a garden railway to develop!!!