Staple Hill Railway - New Line

James from Devon · Post by **James from Devon** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 10:02 pm

Hi There

Sorry for the delay since the last update... glad to report that Staple Hill Railway has taken some more steps forward!

I am also at a stage where I can enjoy a running session or two and I have made a couple of videos (my first attempt). Here are the links, I hope you like them.

Regner Vincent on a clay train:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IuwDkm4sBw

Accucraft Ragleth "Lady Isabella" on a milk train - this loco is newly back from Mike Ousby this week where she was retrofitted with RC - thanks Mike...lovely job and glad to have her back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK_BYjMgUEE

Here are some pictures of the latest progress:

IP Lister loco "Spanner" had an outing this week:

Site of second station "Ashbucket" with sidings laid:

First balloon loop ballasting and planting coming along:

Second bridge on the second balloon loop underway:

Last of the track in the station laid and ballasted:

Second balloon loop and siding trackwork laid:

My Son helping with the planting (with plants that he picked out himself I might add!)

Second balloon loop with raised beds and borders being built:

A final shot with Regner Vincent "Kotowska" on the second balloon loop:

Hope you like the update...more to come soon!

Happy steaming!

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 10:25 pm

All very impressive.... what incredible progress you have made since the end of March, just amazing.
It all fits together well and will no doubt mature (with a little help from your son) into a beautiful line.

James from Devon · Post by **James from Devon** » Sun Jul 03, 2016 8:23 pm

Hi everyone.

Hope you are all enjoyng the (summer??) with plenty of train running!

Had a few days off work so in between rain showers some more progress has been made in the garden.

I could have done more but I keep getting distracted by the need to run the trains for an hour here and there!

Top level of the garden all but done now. I am happy with the paving but it is a nightmare to lay! this about completes the bulk of the work on this section with just a few cosmetic jobs to complete:

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Second bridge complete (Thanks Derek, another lovely bridge:)

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Steam up area with a Lady Isabella, Gulliver and the milk train in residence. I am making railing edges for this section which will also hold back the ballast here:

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Accucraft Baguley "Dr Sludge" on the completed and ballasted back straight:

Step for access to the return loops should it be needed:

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Considering this section was completed and planted in May, the plants have really established well:

Site of second station "Ashbucket" with concrete going in:

Top corner ballasted:

South balloon loop planted:

North balloon loop planted with the first signal:

To end with, here are a couple of trains in Staple Hill station:

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I have also made a couple more videos which can be seen here:

https://youtu.be/71rltzalhr4
https://youtu.be/ObqjO1xNi44

Thanks so much for following my progress, the support has been lovely and if any of you guys are in the west country do PM me, you are welcome to come for a visit or a run. We have a nice railway in progress but we also make a pretty damn good cuppa!

Happy steaming!

Jim

Big Jim · Post by **Big Jim** » Sun Jul 03, 2016 9:07 pm

Wow, very impressive. It is great to see the younger generation getting involved. Have you tried him on a wagon or loco kit yet?

planty · Post by **planty** » Sun Jul 03, 2016 9:08 pm

Really impressive, makes me want to redo sections of mine!

bazzer42 · Post by **bazzer42** » Sun Jul 03, 2016 9:29 pm

Well Jim, the pictures you sent me were great but this is a fantastic railway and garden. I lost the garden railway mojo last autumn and just starting to catch up on threads and this is a cracker. I will be following this one.

James from Devon · Post by **James from Devon** » Sun Jul 03, 2016 9:29 pm

Hi Jim

Thanks for your comments. I partly chose to start the railway with the idea that Oscar, my son, would enjoy running the trains. In fact, he is more interested in the building of it all. He helped paint the IP tram and has built his first kit, an IP flat wagon. He is very proud of it and it he runs it at every opportunity. We are currently working on a new 4 wheel battery loco for him, another IP kit.

They don't seem to teach many practical skills in school anymore so I am over the moon that he likes this element. It's lovely to have something to share together and like you say, the younger generation are vital for the future of our hobby.

Hi Planty... Every time I see someones elses line, I already want to redo bits of mine too!

Cheers guys

Jim

James from Devon · Post by **James from Devon** » Sun Jul 03, 2016 9:33 pm

Thanks Derek, really nice of you to say and welcome back to the garden railway world!

Of course, my line looks all the more wonderful thanks to the pair of rather lovely bridges which is where everyone stops to watch the trains when they visit. Nice job my friend!

If you are down this way the door is always open and we still need to chat about the hinged bridge when I get to that point!

Thanks again, I do appreciate the support.

Jim

bazzer42 · Post by **bazzer42** » Sun Jul 03, 2016 10:16 pm

That is a classy railway. If we get to a hinged bridge perhaps I could deliver! Not a summer Saturday though...... Lovely to see Oscar involved, my boys weren't interested but a grandson due next month so fingers crossed.

LNR · Post by **LNR** » Mon Jul 04, 2016 4:30 am

Really nice work Jim, every aspect of the railway fits in. Enjoyed the videos too, nice looking set of wagons loaded with firewood sitting in a siding there.
Grant.

sstjc · Post by **sstjc** » Mon Jul 04, 2016 6:00 pm

That is just stunning. Can I ask what Radius your south Balloon llop is please ?
Thanks
Barry

Big Jim · Post by **Big Jim** » Mon Jul 04, 2016 6:53 pm

Every time I see someones elses line, I already want to redo bits of mine too!

Ahh the well known garden railway sin "coveting thy neighbours layout"

Seriously though, they don't seem to teach much practical stuff to youngsters in schools these days, probably due to the old 'Elfansafety' issues of small boys removing small parts of their digits. As an eight year old, I well remember taking a slice out of myself with a hacksaw in school only to be told by the teacher that I obviously wasn't holding the saw or the wood right.

Keep up the good work Jim

Post by **ge_rik** » Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:30 pm

Looking great! Really impressive and quality progress!
Is your Ragleth fitted with Slomo BTW?

Rik

James from Devon · Post by **James from Devon** » Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:48 pm

ge_rik:118808 wrote:Looking great! Really impressive and quality progress!
Is your Ragleth fitted with Slomo BTW?

Rik

Hi Rik

Hope you are well

The Ragleth doesn't have a Slomo, in fact, because it has inside valve gear, you can't fit one (although you could put one in a wagon) I have found that opening the regulator 50% and careful driving on the RC, I can get nice slow running which I much prefer. I can take 5 mins over a circuit!

All the best

Jim

James from Devon · Post by **James from Devon** » Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:51 pm

Big Jim:118805 wrote:
Every time I see someones elses line, I already want to redo bits of mine too!
Ahh the well known garden railway sin "coveting thy neighbours layout"

Seriously though, they don't seem to teach much practical stuff to youngsters in schools these days, probably due to the old 'Elfansafety' issues of small boys removing small parts of their digits. As an eight year old, I well remember taking a slice out of myself with a hacksaw in school only to be told by the teacher that I obviously wasn't holding the saw or the wood right.

Keep up the good work Jim

Hey Jim

Its nice that there are so many railways out there that you get get ideas, inspiration and none of them are copyrighted!

I remember being taught to use a Boxford lathe and my teacher reminding me to take off my tie or I'd get a broken neck! Not nice to get an injury but I did get my fair share from tools as a child...made me respect them though!

Cheers

Jim

James from Devon · Post by **James from Devon** » Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:53 pm

sstjc:118803 wrote:That is just stunning. Can I ask what Radius your south Balloon llop is please ?
Thanks
Barry

Hey Barry

Its a 38inch radius using setrack on that curve which was all I could fit in. The layout is designed so that you can run one of 2 circuits without going over the south balloon loop if I get a larger loco or someone brings one. That said my 060 locos run over it fine.

Cheers

Jim

sstjc · Post by **sstjc** » Mon Jul 04, 2016 8:27 pm

Very nice. I just wish I gave things that much forethought...
Barry !

James from Devon · Post by **James from Devon** » Mon Jul 04, 2016 8:30 pm

sstjc:118813 wrote:Very nice. I just wish I gave things that much forethought...
Barry !

More luck of the end design than forethought!

jim@NAL · Post by **jim@NAL** » Mon Jul 04, 2016 9:16 pm

great looking line .I do like your bridges

Post by **ge_rik** » Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:11 am

James from Devon:118809 wrote:
ge_rik:118808 wrote:Looking great! Really impressive and quality progress!
Is your Ragleth fitted with Slomo BTW?

Rik
Hi Rik

Hope you are well

The Ragleth doesn't have a Slomo, in fact, because it has inside valve gear, you can't fit one (although you could put one in a wagon) I have found that opening the regulator 50% and careful driving on the RC, I can get nice slow running which I much prefer. I can take 5 mins over a circuit!

All the best

Jim

Hi Jim
Well, I must say that I'm impressed. I doff my cap to you, sir!

Rik

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