Reflecting on the old DVLR

[Dr. Bond of the DVLR]

Commemoration of the DVLR Mark 1 closing recently I thought it might be fun to look back over the whole life of the railway.
So, lets start at the very beginning.
This was how I wanted to build the railway:

But the authorities wouldn't let me put railway in her garden so I decided to build the railway above the garden.
The wood for the shelves, brakets, screws etc cost me 70 pounds.



All looking very clean and level and stark!
Here's a view from the shelf to give you an idea of the width of the courtyard.

The first train:

"Garden railway...."

And here's the first run
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Best till last, a rare pic of three out of four identical carriages running in a train together!!
And yes, that's what I looked like when I started the railway, the dog is Eyke who was very young in that pic which must be 4-5 years ago now!

[MDLR]

And yes, that's what I looked like when I started the railway, the dog is Eyke who was very young in that pic which must be 4-5 years ago now!

Dunno about the dog, but you looked a LOT younger! How long ago was it??

[sstjc]

In the picture above the video that shows the wagon.....can you tell me where that wagon originates from please. If scratch built, to what design is it or if a kit where was it from.
Thanks
Barry

[90733]

Nice, must be good to look back on things, enjoyed reading through, and like your dog

[Dr. Bond of the DVLR]

The little open wagon is an IP engineering 5 plank open. It is now painted grey. I had three of them. Two are now grey open wagons 1 is now a flat wagon with ends. The flat wagon was scrapped a while back as it was scratch built and I ordered the wrong sized wheels! There were originally 4 2 comp carriages but I don't think they ever ran as a rake! 1 is now inside my MOTY carriage! 1 always gave axle bearing trouble so found itself grounded and the other two you see running in the film. They've never been weathered but have become suitably grotty!

[Sir Clothem Cap]

I never took pictures of my railways start. Mainly because film was expensive back then. but imagine an oval of mamod track laid roughly on the grass and the sl1 standard set and you have it.

   So Zack only 5 years to prove it wasn't a passing phase and worthy of being in the garden.

[DolwyddelanLightRail]

i did have pictures taken off my old phone when i used to just run H.G.Butler, including the first time i ever run him under "my" ownership so to speak, and also Britomart's appearance and also H.G.Butler's last ever run (which i thought that at the time!).

I was completely devastated when it got stolen!

[Narrow Minded]

Dunno if that ridge tile leaning against the hutch in the last photo is still lying around somewhere in the garden - if it is you might want to retrieve it, it would make a great roof for an industrial building
(It's 04.10hrs but I'll take a photo later today and show you what I mean!)

[Dr. Bond of the DVLR]

Unfortunately the ridge tile split into two flat bits!
Anyway, just for a sense of closure I took a similar picture, the shelves may well be gone tomorrow...

[90733]

It's almost the same pic! A good pic to keep.

[Narrow Minded]

It's almost the same pic!  :lol: A good pic to keep.

Just like the "Then And Now" series of railway books

[Dr. Bond of the DVLR]

Today was spent taking down most of the old railway.












It was nackering work - completely over engineered!

Managed to get out the long straight over the new shed as the plants had grown round the railway since its construction!





May leave this bracket here for now, A. because I can't get it off the wall and B. because its a nice memorial...

Next came the Aldeburgh, now this is inch thick marine ply and extremely heavy.

And muggins here had put a bracket right in the corner and having removed all over brackets from the wall decided to go in and remove the last one from underneath... Having removed it the board squashed me. One arm was underneath me and the other unable to move due to the telegraph bells being in the way. I was trapped and to top matters off was being squashed into a large pile of cat leavings. On calling for help my step sister came out and laughed and took photos...



She finally lifted the board up enough to allow me to wriggle free.



The garden looks alot different now!