Taita Gorge Railway

Gavin Sowry · 19 Oct 2017

Latest arrivals at Taita Gorge, are another 2 logging flat cars.

I actually waited till the sunshine had turned to shadow to take this. Our evening sunshine can be very harsh when trying to take photos.
In the meantime, along came the bush tram... (and a change of Government, which has seen an immediate drop in our currency. We voted same time as Germany).

Got enough stuff now to have 'theme' running events. We've got the logs now, the beer trains, Feldbahn, Traction, and 'ordinary' stock.... oh, and Thomas for the kids.

Gavin Sowry · 19 Oct 2017

Playing with the buttons..... this looks better, I think.

For the phototechos out there, I used a tripod, set the aperture to f22, and the camera took about one and a bit seconds to expose this scene.
I take all my stuff at 10Mb, which I have to reduce to 70% when publishing on here. Improved photo here is using the enhance feature in Windows 10 Edge (don't ask me, it came with the computer).

Gavin Sowry · 23 Oct 2017

About 15 years ago, on a visit to Jaffaland, I found a modelshop that had some, well, lots, of G scale. Amongst my purchases was a card of Bachmann metal wheels. As I left the shop, I realised that they were the small ones..... what the heck, they'll fit something, someday. Today feels like it is Sunday, which is a spelling mistake of someday. My LGB logging disconnects that I got a few pages back, came with the usual LGB plastic wheels. Now some of the guys here have metal wheelsets on their logging cars. What's more the smaller diameter ones look better, too.

Simple job, the axle boxes clip on to the bogie sideframe over the axle ends. Two bogies fitted and tested, what's more, I know the local shop has these wheels in stock.... Mother, Bankcard please.

Gavin Sowry · 23 Oct 2017

Gratuitous shot of the Railtruck.

Gavin Sowry · 28 Oct 2017

Two Beers please.

The advantage of removable buildings..... you can place the appropriate one for the theme.

casey jones snr · 28 Oct 2017

Nice pictures as usual Gavin.

Gavin Sowry · 28 Oct 2017

Seconds....

Sufficient rocks have now been placed around the tunnel portal (one of this morning's chores).
Took this shot during the half hour window when the sun is doing the right thing.

Gavin Sowry · 29 Oct 2017

Final draft, Taita Gorge Rail-Ex Layout.

Picked up the carpet this morning for $NZ14.00. On the day, there will be bark chip, and a few more potted plants and a few rocks.
That'll make at least 3 garden layouts at the show (plus a very big Ga.1 Marklin one). 19 days to go.

Gavin Sowry · 29 Oct 2017

Evensong, for Sunday the 29th.

Just had to give the Climax a run after our evening meal. Shows to good effect the smaller Bachmann wheels that my LGB 41770 bogies are getting fitted with, grabbed a few plastic logs to give the train a load.

Gavin Sowry · 2 Nov 2017

You know I mentioned that the FA-1 wouldn't go too well on my new battery set up.... turns out it was a dodgy plug.
Plug replaced, decent load now the order of the day.

Gavin Sowry · 10 Nov 2017

Pre Rail-Ex 20% off night at Mack's Tracks has seen me acquire sufficient small metal wheelsets to finish equiping the log rake.
Only took a few minutes to swap them over.

Gavin Sowry · 11 Nov 2017

Don't you just love it when......

You've 'lost' a part on an engine you have been handling for repair. You search the railway, high and low, and cant find it.
You can't get spares. You find a bit of wire you think could be used to fabricate the new part (in this case a front stay rod on a Big Hauler).
You go to offer it up to the hole, to see if it will fit....... and there's the missing part, hanging from one end, and hiding in its own shadow.

I was going to scrap the loco, otherwise, given that it is a very poor performer, pick up wise.... but, I've got a Baldrick coming on.

Gavin Sowry · 13 Nov 2017

Gavin Sowry said:
Don't you just love it when......

Had another one of those again this evening. Getting all manner of 'stuff' ready for Rail-Ex this weekend.
Decided to take another look for one of my S scale wagons that I used to keep in a special padded box. Missing from its box
for quite some time now, and convinced that it had been flogged at a show, I was resigned to never seeing it again.
On opening up my general stock box, first wagon I see is my long lost (I was going to say sheep, but it is a cattle wagon) wagon.

Years ago I was given one of those level crossing signal alarm clocks that blows a whistle, chuffs a few chuffs, and clickety clacks.
Well, the clock part has not worked for ages, so, tonight I junked that part, and rigged the whole thing to run on manual.
I think that will really annoy my fellow exhibitors.

Gavin Sowry · 14 Nov 2017

NZ Trotting Cup day, today... and I've struck the treble.

No, not on the gee gees, but another 'don't you just love it moment'. Three nights in a row.
Packing up after the last show, I convinced myself that I was short one black bed sheet (I cover display tables with these).
Decided to empty out my 'train box' to make sure I had everything for this show..... lo and behold, there was the missing sheet, all nicely folded at the
bottom of the box. Appears I never even took it out for the last show.

All the micro layouts got a touchup of matt black around the edges, and are already to go. The Critter has finally run its battery down, so tomorrow evening is
battery charging night. Bit iffy on leaving things to charge when I'm not awake.

Gavin Sowry · 18 Nov 2017

Rail-Ex 2017, before start of play, Day 1.

... and last ball before stumps.

Keen observers will note that the level crossing changed during the day.

Gavin Sowry · 27 Nov 2017

You know those Bachmann knuckle couples that we all love, and use so much, the same damned ones that always uncouple at the most inopportune time......
Usually, it's a stray bit of ballast, or in my case, dead leaves, that knock the drop rod up, causing the running train to uncouple. Today, I called time on that.

Some of my mates use tie tabs and other sorts of fixits to keep them coupled. I am trying a non permanent solution. Came about when one of the passengers fell off
his seat on the cable car. I'd used a glue gun to seat him. So, I wiped his backside (the glue peels off with persuasion) and stuck him back on.
For the coupler fix, I have applied a dab of glue from the gun to the lower side of the drop pin so as to stop it from rising up. Should be removable if the need arises.

Currently, replacement No.1 is out on the Taita Gorge, happily hauling a coupled rake of my original stock.

Nice sunny afternoon, temperature in the high 20's. OK, so this photo was in the Coffee Lounge, but coffee soon gets drunk.

Gavin Sowry · 27 Nov 2017

Now, next job, them blasted centring bits that break off. Thinking of cleaning the back of the knuckle flush, drilling a tight fit hole, and using a bit of 'springy' wire. I'll let you know how I get on.
Got heaps of couplers to experiment with.

trammayo · 28 Nov 2017

Gavin Sowry said:
Now, next job, them blasted centring bits that break off. Thinking of cleaning the back of the knuckle flush, drilling a tight fit hole, and using a bit of 'springy' wire. I'll let you know how I get on.
Got heaps of couplers to experiment with.

I used the plastic bristles from a yard brush - seem to work OK.

Gavin Sowry · 1 Jan 2018

Today is Jan 1 2018.... it's Taita Gorge Railway's 18th birthday. As usual, I set up a scene for the official birthday photo.
BUT, camera refused to work (and I think it may be more than just a flat battery).

However, as the scene I set up was similar to a repeat previous posting, I'll do a repeat of that one. Well, good enough for the Beeb to do repeats, then good enough here.
Although it could be argued that we have more taste on here.

Repeat.

Thirsty work this garden railway racket.

Gavin Sowry · 1 Jan 2018

Here's me moping away about my camera being dud, and posting boring stuff on GSC. Maybe a beer or two to fix things (mainly me).
So, I sign off from my last post, and in frustration, decide to give the camera a jolly good thrashing (as John Cleese would say). Playing around with some buttons, click, I know that sound (mirror snapping back into viewfinder mode).... red focus dots, hey, maybe this ain't broke. Of course I had to test it on the railway. A few hours late (leaves on the track), but here we are with the real birthday snaps.

A recreation of the early days consist that ran on Taita Gorge.
Edit, see next post for a better rendition of this shot.

The Porter tucked up in the siding with the side dump wagons, as the Climax comes past with a rake of disconnects.

View from the Lounge Bar....... Happy New Year.

No Bumble Bees were hurt in the taking of these photos, but they damn well would have been if they'd taken to the air and spoilt the shot.

Taita Gorge Railway

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

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Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Interested in vintage commercial vehicle, trams, t

Garden Railroader and Raconteur

Garden Railroader and Raconteur