The Potters Orchid Railway

Hydrostatic Dazza · Post by **Hydrostatic Dazza** » Mon Aug 30, 2021 8:41 pm

Saturday arvo, wine, snacks and a few regulars and a new visitor

IMG_6337 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

Then it is was a roast dinner and yarns with a decent dose of merriment

IMG_6341 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

Then signals, loco and guard's van lamps are lit and the evening run was under way. A triple header was set up and run.

IMG_6352 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6356 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

Finished up around midnight and then we crawled into our fart sacks

Hydrostatic Dazza · Post by **Hydrostatic Dazza** » Mon Aug 30, 2021 8:53 pm

Sunday morning there was a Cooked Breakfast for the ones who stayed at the Potters Orchid Railway's B&B above the railway's Red Room Locomotive works shop. A plan was hatched Sunday after the breakfast feast.

Four Roundhouse Locos lined up, three with Slomo mechs, what is about to happen ?

IMG_6366 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

The Hands of God shunt every thing on wheels into one string.

IMG_6367 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

Drivers fussing over their Locos

IMG_6368 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

Start the indoctrination of Live and Real Steam early.

IMG_6370 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

Hydrostatic Dazza · Post by **Hydrostatic Dazza** » Mon Aug 30, 2021 9:04 pm

Whistle out of the shed road and out to Potters Junction loop and then back onto the waiting string in the platform road.

IMG_6371 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6373 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr[/img]

The lead loco has the staff, the guard gives right of way, whistle pops (two locos have whistles) and all four drivers ease open their regulators and the train walks smoothly out of Potters Junction into the section to Orchid House Loop.
How long do you think this string is ? For the answer read on.

IMG_6376 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6377 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6378 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

Arriving at Orchid House Loop. There were doubters who expressed their fears that the guards van will be chopped off by the locos, but Captain Plod was cool.

IMG_6379 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

Captain Plod's confidence was confirmed.

IMG_6380 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

Hydrostatic Dazza · Post by **Hydrostatic Dazza** » Mon Aug 30, 2021 9:12 pm

Slomo joy, realistic speed, all with the regulators just cracked open and the locos walked its way around the railway, a few adjustments to the regulators to catch some slips. The rails were also well oiled as usual to reduce wheel set drag on the curves. Do not debate this with Captain Plod, it truly works well and has been well testet.

IMG_6382 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6381 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6384 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr[/img]

IMG_6386 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6387 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6389 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6393 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

Post by **philipy** » Mon Aug 30, 2021 9:14 pm

Just brilliant Dazza, well done all.

Hydrostatic Dazza · Post by **Hydrostatic Dazza** » Mon Aug 30, 2021 9:19 pm

Taliesin emerges into the sunlight heading to the platform at Potters Junction (one has to imagine the platform till Captain Plod gets to make the platform and station building ) while the tail of the sting is still well in sight as it still trundling down the loop road.

IMG_6394 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6395 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6396 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6398 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6400 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6401 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

The length from buffer to buffer was 5.40 m , 17 feet and 9 inches. We have room to add 40cm more rolling stock but there was no more to be had.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Mon Aug 30, 2021 9:31 pm

Great pictures Dazza and shows how the railway has matured. It looks lovely in the sunshine and the contrast between the soft planting and the angular rocks is just stunning.

Hydrostatic Dazza · Post by **Hydrostatic Dazza** » Mon Aug 30, 2021 9:46 pm

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Mon Aug 30, 2021 9:31 pm Great pictures Dazza and shows how the railway has matured. It looks lovely in the sunshine and the contrast between the soft planting and the angular rocks is just stunning.

Thankyou Peter. Some of the plants are due for pruning, soon the annuals will be planted. MAM takes care of this. It is all a long way from being finished, slate walls to be made, buildings , platforms, signals and the interlocked 24 lever frame to be made for Potters Junction. All of that is on hold while I put my energies into the loco build in the Red Room. I have a Slomo luggage van to build to fit behind Taliesin and also 4 Brandbright carriages, the foot paths and then the track extension and a few more garden beds, all of this in-between my shifts driving at the Mary Valley Rattler. I think at the current rate, 3-5 years.

Michael Schulz · Post by **Michael Schulz** » Tue Aug 31, 2021 4:53 am

Hi there,
I envy you for your great system
Michael from Berlin

Post by **FWLR** » Tue Aug 31, 2021 7:40 am

You certainly know how to hold a steam up Dazza. You and MAM should be really proud for giving such hospitality. A two day overnight steam up would be dream to have. The young lads looked really wide eyed with wonder at those locos too.

Have you thought about having a young peoples day, with perhaps a short course on building a kit or two. I have found that my own grandkids ask if they can build a kit when they visit sometimes. (I don't always have those ready to build kits now, mainly because I scratch build mainly now.) They then get to run them behind their own little battery powered locos. They really do enjoy their time with our railway line.

Post by **ge_rik** » Tue Aug 31, 2021 1:29 pm

Looks like a really great weekend. I should keep quiet about your level of hospitality - we'll all be inviting ourselves........

Rik

Hydrostatic Dazza · Post by **Hydrostatic Dazza** » Tue Aug 31, 2021 10:47 pm

FWLR wrote: ↑Tue Aug 31, 2021 7:40 am You certainly know how to hold a steam up Dazza. You and MAM should be really proud for giving such hospitality. A two day overnight steam up would be dream to have. The young lads looked really wide eyed with wonder at those locos too.

Have you thought about having a young peoples day, with perhaps a short course on building a kit or two. I have found that my own grandkids ask if they can build a kit when they visit sometimes. (I don't always have those ready to build kits now, mainly because I scratch build mainly now.) They then get to run them behind their own little battery powered locos. They really do enjoy their time with our railway line.

I have not given that thought yet. We had the lads driving a battery loco and shunting in the yard.
MAM is pondering our own electric loco for the young visitors to get to grips with it all and then move them onto steam.

Hydrostatic Dazza · Post by **Hydrostatic Dazza** » Thu Sep 09, 2021 9:38 pm

9th September 2020

IMG_3070 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_3069 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_3061 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

9th September 2021. Some new annuals plonked in for Spring

IMG_6458 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6457 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6459 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

Post by **philipy** » Thu Sep 09, 2021 9:50 pm

Totally amazing difference since this time last year. Well done to both of you.

I understand, of course, but it seems very odd to me when you say annuals plonked in for spring!

Hydrostatic Dazza · Post by **Hydrostatic Dazza** » Thu Sep 09, 2021 10:31 pm

philipy wrote: ↑Thu Sep 09, 2021 9:50 pm Totally amazing difference since this time last year. Well done to both of you.

I understand, of course, but it seems very odd to me when you say annuals plonked in for spring!

Thankyou
One day the track will be lifted, the bed cleaned, track back down and ballast applied. Potters Junction finished off, details to add but who knows when, full steam on the loco build at the moment. But heck it is fun.

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:27 am

Hydrostatic Dazza wrote: ↑Thu Sep 09, 2021 9:38 pm
IMG_6458 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

Wow!!! That's fantastic!

Post by **FWLR** » Fri Sep 10, 2021 10:12 am

I agree. I think most of the members love seeing you and MAM's brilliant line.

It is fun for us too...

Post by **ge_rik** » Sat Sep 11, 2021 7:05 am

Great to see it planted up, Dazza

Rik

Hydrostatic Dazza · Post by **Hydrostatic Dazza** » Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:24 pm

These little fellas only opens in full sunlight.

IMG_6551 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

Hydrostatic Dazza · Post by **Hydrostatic Dazza** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:52 pm

Spring is here. The vegetation scissors will be out this weekend at the Potters Orchid Railway. It is a garden with a railway after all. Not a railway in a garden.That is the vision to be eventually realised.

IMG_6596 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6582 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6597 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6595 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6588 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr

IMG_6593 by Darrell McCulloch, on Flickr