Summer running on the EALR

One of the company's two Stainz locos heads a pick-up freight along Rhododendron Bank towards the quay through countryside that shows just how much rain there has been this year, everything being very green and lush.

Click image for larger version
The garden has been growing well with the wet weather this year, meaning I've had to use a strimmer to keep the line clear at the back of the pond, still it's been successful and it all makes a nice background for the line when a train is running. Smoke courtesy of Photoshop. :-)

Another view of the Signal Box

Click photo to enlarge

Station enlargement at Myrtle Street

The increase in traffic on the EALR has necessitated an expansion programme affecting both track and buildings at Myrtle Street Station. The preservation group have just renovated the old signal box and brought it back into full service and a temporary building has been pressed into use as the loco shed for the station pilot. New trackwork allows more services to use the station and further works should be starting soon to build a new cattle dock for the moorland farmers who use the station to move stock down to the quay. Click the photos below to see larger versions:-

New Signals

Due to the large track extensions being currently made at Myrtle Street Station, to handle the extra traffic, all staff on the EALR are working overtime, producing the necessary infrastructure. These two signals have just been turned out ready to be put in place and roughly follow the GWR practice of lower quadrant working though in the somewhat 'quirky' style of the EALR.

Click to enlarge

Bought off 'that' auction site for the princely sum of £3.95, these lovely vintage wood and tinplate signals, which are perfect in scale (give or take a bit) have been lightly restored with a little paint and straightening of the wires and will now have a new lease of life on the new station area. You can never have too many signals!

Nostalgia on the EALR

Old photographs of Myrtle Street Station have been found in a cupboard in the Station Master's office that show remarkable similarities with the current line, even down to the passengers!

Click to enlarge

Five minutes playing about in Photoshop ! :-)

Back on Duty

After a bit of a break due to some health problems, I'm pleased to say that the EALR is now happily running it's summer schedules. Today Bert and Walter, between passenger traffic, are seen posing with the latest wagon to be produced by the EALR's wagon works, shown here in ex-works condition. It's anticipated that it won't be staying this clean for long, once it's put into service running livestock from the moors to the Quay for market.

Click to enlarge

This wagon follows the normal build methods of the EALR and is loosely based on the early cattle wagons used by the W&L in the 1900s before they stopped using oak chassis and uprights. As usual I.P Engineering wheelsets, axleboxes and couplings were incorporated, the wagon itself being made form pine and mahogany stripwood.

Private Owner Wagon

Click for a larger image

A new Private Owner Wagon is photographed just after leaving the EALR Wagon Works, prior to being lettered. The EALR was commissioned to supply wagons for a local gravel collection company, working out of Appledore and landing gravel on the local quay from where it will be transported by the EALR.

Another scratch built wagon, made from red cedar for the chassis and mahogany strip wood for the planking. Strapping etc made from Plasticard, as were the rivets. Wheels, axle boxes and buffers are from I.P. Engineering. This one is to be hand lettered with the Owners details. A nice bit of colour next to the grey livery of EALR wagons :-)

Tanker Wagon

A new Esso Wagon has been purchased by the EALR to assist the Fisherman in re-fueling their boats with diesel on the quay, which up to now has had no facilities. This is all part of the ongoing improvements and extensions to the line that are underway and will mean that lorries will not have to negotiate the narrow village streets in future.

Purchased from German Ebay at a good price complete with metal wheels, this one was a bit of a bargain as it's in perfect condition.

Click to enlarge

New Coach arrives from Germany

Click photo to enlarge

As a preservation line, the EALR has been lucky enough to obtain a coach from Germany to help cope with the swelling volumes of passengers that are now using the line since it has connected with the Quay. Although a main line coach, it was felt that it would bring a more luxurious method of travel to those using the line regularly.

Bought from Ebay, this older German LGB coach has a somewhat British air about it and may be re-livered in the future to give it the EALR "Feel " It looks nice on the line and handles the R1 curves that I use, very well.

Engineering Train

Click the photo for a larger version

An engineering train seen today at Myrtle Street Staion after carrying out some work on the new bridge, part of the line extension.

Nice to see all this stock in one train, all made by me including the loco, with one exception, the crane, which is a modified Toytrain crane with it's toolbox wagon, that I did make. Still more to come in the production line !