Arnold Lane Wharf

[Isle of Stoner]

Made a bit of progress with the wharf area. Fenced and buildings stuck down.

Also painted the warehouse, 'S Barrett and sons'

[Isle of Stoner]

Meant to add this picture

[Isle of Stoner]

Having been somewhat snowed in I've been quite busy. The pictures are not good as I only have an old camera but thats enough excuses for the moment.

I'm working right to left with the scenery so the wharf is looking pretty well finished and it gets less so as you progress towards the warehouse.

[Isle of Stoner]

I've been making some progress down at the wharf and here are a couple more pics to prove it.

[Isle of Stoner]

And another

[MickT]

A very attractive little layout developing there. Well done and thanks for sharing the photos of it! Looking forward to seeing more when you are able to have another session - some words/photos of the stock perhaps would be eagerly digested by the readership of this little corner of the hobby!

Mick

[Isle of Stoner]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm quite pleased with it. The layout allows quite a good range of shunting options. I guess in the real world one little i c shunter would be all that was required but I can fit loads on... and this is my world.

The story is that this is part of the Isle of Stoner Railway which is going to be a large layout in my garage (one day). I've written a history and planned the whole thing but just when I thought I had permission and finnaces various 'Oh Sh** the house is falling down' type priorities have overtaken me... one day. However the rolling stock carries on being built and Arnold Lane is somwhere to try it out. The layout actually lives on its end in the same cupboard as the ironing board and hoover.

The IoSR has a couple of branch lines, one of which supplies a light house and so I have a growing collection of rail lorries and push pull units. These are ideal when you don't have a run round loop.

My camera is at work but I'll bring it home and take some pictures of these. Most of the rest of the rolling stock are the usual Dundas kits in various forms of bashing. I'm trying to make IoSR trains look unlike they've been kidnapped from other lines, although I do have quite a bit of Ffestiniog Stock but the I do see it every day at work.

[Isle of Stoner]

Here are a couple of up to date pics.

[Isle of Stoner]

And another...

[Isle of Stoner]

This is my DMU. It runs on a Bachmann 0-6-0 chassis and is made from Dundas Victorian coaches.

[MickT]

Hi John,
This really has developed into a most impressive little layout - congratulations!
I am particularly intrigued by the tantalising glimpses of your stock in the photos - in particular the green loco that can just about be made out in photos Dsc0002 and 0006 and the very attractive chunky little brown loco hauling the saloon in "The inspection comp" photo of 01 March.

Can you provide descriptions of these two (and all the rest if you want!) and if possible further photos please?

I've just noticed that I posted a similar request for descriptions of your stock on 30 Jan. Therefore sorry to nag, but the request still stands! :)

Mick

[Isle of Stoner]

Even if it is a nag it is a very nice one.

The green loco is 'Blower' and it is basically a GEM 'Dennis' on a new Farish 08 chassis. Its a bit big for this layout but will come into its own one day when the main 'big' layout gets built. Chassis runs brilliantly but the whole thing is a bit of square because one of our cats knocked it off a shelf just after I had finished it and so it had to be bent back to shape. (So did the cat when I caught it.)

The other loco you mention is my most recent and is named 'Doris'. The chassis is froma modern Minitrix 0-6-0 continental loco which had a lovely, detailed body.. so ripped that off and built the current version from bits in my box of bits. I think the cab and tanks are from a Langley WD 4-6-0. The boiler is a piece of a pen with microstrip for boiler bands. The colour is actually 'Hull Red' but most people call it brown.

My other favourite loco at the moment is the little diesel shunter which is a very simple conversion of the Farish 04. When i bought it it was so well detailed and painted that I couldn't bear to take the whole body and bin it, fortunately thencab is a seperate piece so I removed that, stuck a seat and some controls on. The cab back is again a bit from that box. Loads of dirt and a very casual driver later and Bobs your uncle. It is a superb runner and for its size will pull quite a lot.

Seeing as I'm sitting at my desk doing this I'd better stop for now but I promise to post some more when I get a minute.

[MickT]

I think the cab and tanks are from a Langley WD 4-6-0.

Many thanks for that prompt response! Great stuff.

Now you have revealed the answer, it is so obvious when I look at it again! Using the cab and tanks on a shorter 0-6-0 certainly makes for a handsome little engine that is full of character and "purpose". I like the diesel shunter as well - excellent use of imagination!

More of the same please - you have quite a few items in your stocklist lurking in the layout photos that warrant descriptions and closer photos!

Regards

Mick

[Isle of Stoner]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm at home now so here are a couple of others.

Percy and John (My Dad and me) are the rail lorrys. Percy the van body vehicle is still waiting name plates and is an Airfix lorry cab and a Dundas Glyn Valley van on a Fleischmann track cleaning loco chassis. It runs very slowly and very noisily. John is my tke on the clogher valley open backed rail lorry. It is once again a Dundas open wagon and I think another Airfix cab on a Kato 4 wheel chassis. They usually run back to back and when one stalls the other pushes it on so they actually run quite well together.

'Puffer' is a fairly standard issue varikit on a Fleischmann 0-4-0 chassis, as you'd expect it runs very nicely. I've found the trick to smooth running 009 is good quality chassis to start off, set to a decent back to back so they can negotiate the famous PECO point chicane and I swear by Gaugemaster electronic track cleaners and controllers for that matter.

I'll post some more when I get a minute to take some more decent pics.

[EDGOZ2WAR]

Love it. Where do you find the time. I'm still only about half way along my slate dry stone wall (and it's driving me round the twist) but what with having 2 kids in the house the railway is taking a back seat at the moment. You have given me a kick up the proverbial
:-[

Eddie